05 MAY 2024; Volendam - Ajax; Match Day 32

[Orange14]

Three more matches to go in this wretched season. FC Vollendam look like they will be relegated which means they are in a good position to defeat Ajax at home, though I think this unlikely. Begwijn is suspended for his stuped RC that cost Ajax all three points against Excelsior.

[Orange14]

Tahirovic picked up is fifth YC of the season and is thankfully suspended along with Bergwirjn for this match.

[Orange14]

AZ have little trouble away at NEC and win 0-3. point difference for fifth place remains at two in favor of Ajax. If our club can just win out now it will be a fitting end to a dismal season.

[Tom_]

Desperately hoping we can win at home against the second bottom team and hang on to fifth. Will this season ever end?

[Orange14]

Brobbey, Berghuis and Henderson are all fit for this match.

[SPL]

If we cannot beat Volendam Almere and Vitesse in these last 3 games we dont deserve to be in Europe.

[Orange14]

If we cannot beat Volendam Almere and Vitesse in these last 3 games we dont deserve to be in Europe.

I still have nightmares about the 2016 final when we just needed to beat already relegated de Graafschap to win over PSV and could only manage a draw. It was the last and worst match of the de Boer era!!

[SPL]

That game still haunts me Orange. I can still picture their goal mid 2nd half. That was for the title but we now have to beat 3 poor sides to finish 5th.

Today Hato is LB,Henderson is back but Mannsverk stays and up front Godts,Brobbey and Akpom right wing.

A poor squad playing poor football just 14 days to finish this dreadful season.If we finish 6th we will lose the playoffs.

[Tom_]

I don’t even know why I’m watching this game. They had better win.

[Tom_]

Should be a straightforward win although they almost gave a penalty away.

I don’t like this midfield, Mannsverk and Henderson are both way too slow to play next to each other.

[Orange14]

Ultra-conservative football today and Ajax get a flattering scoreline despite the defense first approach. I wonder how many passes Rulli received on the day; shades of Frank de Boer U-Turn tactics. Defensive frailties still continue with erros from Hato and Sutalo, but Vollendam could not capitalize, their hopes of staying up for a third season dashed. Taylor had a nice game with two well taken goals and Brobbey was dangerous in the first half and scoring neatly in the second. Two more games before we can close the books on this dismal season.

Player Ratings:

Rulli (6.5) - really did not have to do much in terms of facing shots but was incredibly busy dealing with what seemed endless back passes
Rensch (6) - decent enough
Dutalo (5.5) - horrible play on two occasions marred his otherwise OK game
Kaplan (6) - did well enough and carred the ball into the offensive half several times pretty nicely
Hato (5.5) - very poor header that did not clear the box but fortunately Vollendam muffed the chance
Mannswerk (6) - OK, but he's really not all that fast
Henderson (6) - back on the pitch to help coach the defense
Taylor (7) - consistent game
Akpom (6.5) - really worked hard on the wing and was in the right place for the goal off the poor attempted save
Brobbey (7) - very industrious and had two decent shots in the first half that were saved
Godts (6.5) - had a couple of poor touches but he consistently beat his defender
Berghuis (5.5) - back from a long lay off and had some good touches and passes
van den Boomen (5) no impact on the match
Fitz-Jim (NR) - good to see him play but wonder if he is sold this summer
Voa (NR) - hope he is among the starters next year as he has speed and quickness that the other holding MFs do not
Rijkoff (NR) - cameo at the end of the game

Almere City at home in the penultimate game next weekend. Ajax still have to win two more games.

[SPL]

An enjoyable 2nd half to watch as we went 4 up before giving away a goal . This gives confidence for a win next week at home to Almere.

Now if NEC drop points at Excelsior tomorrow then a win over Almere next week would just about give up 5th as Utrecht have a worse GD than us. NEC have Feyenoord to play and Utrecht's last game away to AZ . Surely we can hold on to 5th