18 NOV 2017 NAC - Ajax; Match Day 12

[Orange14]

A Saturday trip to Breda is on the schedule for Ajax after the FIFA international break. Top of the table PSV are away to PEC Zwolle who stand a surprising third in the table, even on points with our beloved Ajax. Perhaps some points can be regained. Interestingly the stat folks over at 11 tegen 11 have done an analysis of the Eredivisie thus far and Ajax are top in 'expected goals per match' but unfortunately 'expected' does not translate to real. I cannot figure out how to cut and past their plots but this link should work: https://twitter.com/11tegen11/status/930373724599128064

[SPL]

No Younes ,still injured knee,so Johnsen in the squad.Orejula out injured and Zeefuik in.

[Ayman]

They should play Kluivert instead of Younes, I would also exclude Ziyech, I can see an exodus in January, Dolberg, Younes, Ziyech, Cassierra. I can't complain to be honest, they have ambitions.

[SPL]

Ajaxshowtime reports Kluivert for Younes but belivies Donny will be back for Siem (thank goodness) , and Sinkgraven will play so Viergever at CD and Wober on the bench. By changing his side every match Keizer doesn't seem to know what he is doing.

Frenkie should be playing and not Schone and Wober and not Viergever.

[Orange14]

@SPL - thanks for the Ajax Showtime update. My browser, Firefox, was just updated to a new version and the translator add on no longer works. I'm forced to rely on my rusty Dutch reading skills until the developer fixes the add on!

[SPL]

Hi Orange ,have to say i spend far more time reading about Ajax and its youth thanks to Google translate. Also I read the comments from fans on AS.

team is Onana,Veltman,de Ligt ,Viergever,Sinkgraven ,Schone ,v d Beek ,Ziyech ,Neres ,Dolberg ,Kluivert.

subs V Leer,Zeefuik,Wober, KJH, Frenkie de Jong,Siem de Jong,Johnsen

I still want Frenkie for Schone and Wober for Viergever.

[King Litti]

How many saves does the Breda keeper have? Every shot just seems to go in. Not that he is to blame.

[SPL]

Been eating my dinner and watching in shock ,some great goals and poor defending by them.As I was eating thought I would record the game in case I missed anything!! Will watch this half again .

[Amol]

This is the lineup closest to the ones from last year. 5-0 in the 34th minute. Coincidence?

[Amol]

I was putting up some shelves and was listening to the game. Heard the first 4 goals go in, but haven't seen them yet.

[Orange14]

Finally scored a bunch of goals in the first half of a match!!! However, this must be tempered by the fact that NAC are very poor defensively. No matter, good to see the scoreboard lit up.

[SPL]

Great 1st half Ajax on fire. would like to see 8 or 9 but we will probably not score anymore. Put Frenkie on now for the 2nd half and maybe give Johnsen some minutes

[Tom_]

Strange game. Ajax aren’t looking *that* good, but the goals keep going in. Not going to complain...

[SPL]

NAC have a very young side 4 of them are on loan from Man City but are just Man city youth players. I think its more a case that they are really very poor and we have punished them.

Just looking at the goals again ,non existant defending for most of the goals although Neres and Donny's 1st were well taken.

[SPL]

Schone no mistake with the pen.

[SPL]

Easy goal for KJH come on lets get 10

[SPL]

Lovely goal by Donny come on time for 10

[King Litti]

yeah, double digits would be cool.

[Amol]

Our GD is better than PSV by 1 goal!

[SPL]

Well we did not get 10 but 8 was superb after the dreadful Utrecht game. Dont think Keizer will be stupid enough to drop Donny for Siem again.Still would prefer Frenkie to Schone but plenty of games left .Hope for PEC Zwolle to get something tomorrow.

[Orange14]

Ajax put a big hurt on NAC tonight. Hat trick from van de Beek and a brace by de Ligt led the scoring. Defense was a little sloppy but it didn't matter as Onana saved everything that was hit at him though most of them were very easy saves. Good to finally see a bunch of goals put up even though the NAC defense was quite shoddy. Don't know if that was really a correct penalty call when Frenkie de Jong went down in the box but Schöne left the keeper hung out to dry. I thought it was a strange double substitution when Huntelaar and Frenkie came on but it looked like Ajax were going to a 3-5-2 as de Jong stayed in the MF and the LB (Sinkgraven and then Wöber) moved up as a wingback with Veltman, de Ligt and Viergever manning the backline.

Player Ratings:

Onana (7) - only flaw was a very week pass early in the first half that was easily intercepted but the NAC player shot weakly on goal
Sinkgraven (6.5) - didn't have much defending to do at all and did press forward quite well throughout the match
Viergever (6) - really sloppy defending allowing the NAC player to get in on goal but Onana came up with the best save of the match
de Ligt (8) - pretty much flawless in all aspects of the game
Veltman (7) - pushed up hard since he didn't have to defend
Schöne (7) - very good on the ball with some nice passing
Ziyech (7) - forced a couple of good saves and unfortunate not to get on the scoreboard
van de Beek (8) - any thought of Siem de Jong ever getting a start this season should be settled
Kluivert (7.5) - some really good wing play and a nice assist on one of the van de Beek goals
Dolberg (6) - more active in the center and decent on the ball
Neres (7.5) - his field awareness is perhaps the best of any of the starters, always playing under control and knowing where the open man is
Huntelaar (6.5) - on for Dolberg and a great header for a goal
Frenkie de Jong (6) - came on for Kluivert was OK, needs to get more playing time
Wöber (6) - on to finish the match for Sinkgraven

PSV away to PEC tomorrow and let's hope for some spilled points. Ajax home next Sunday to Roda in an early match

[SPL]

Agree ratings but still cannot see why Viergever or Sinkgraven in place of Wober.He was ok as sub but like Frenkie should be a starter.

[King Litti]

added time winner for PSV. Boer maybe should have done better with the header. Either punch it clear or get a hold of the ball. Now it was a fairly easy rebound goal.