14 MAY 2025; Groningen - Ajax; Match Day 33

[Orange14]

Ajax still have destiny in their hands but this promises to be a tough fixture. That being said, Groningen did poorly against AZ on the weekend and slipped behind a surging Sparta.

[GangstaRiB]

Ajax is still one point ahead, but it feels like we are 10 points behind honestly.

I don't know if Ajax is able to recover from this mental blow. I don't think so. But who knows... maybe we can (for once) manage to keep them from scoring and we squeeze one in.

But not much confidence.

[Amol]

We're not expected to win this game. We've tended to win these games this season, when no one expects anything from the team.

[Orange14]

Here is my vote for the most epic failure since I have been following Ajax: viewtopic.php?f=24&t=12768 Many of you weighed in on this thread. Final match day in 2016 and facing second from bottom De Graafschap. This is the match that soured me on Klaassen for all time.

[SPL]

We will probably get a lucky win and then wont beat Twente. I will still watch still hope they win
but when PSV got that late winner I thought we will bottle it. Hope they prove me wrong.

[SPL]

Orange you are quite right De Graafschap 2016 the biggest failure in our history probably.

[SPL]

Only changes rumoured Godts for Berghuis and Mokio for Rugani ie Hato CD . Same MF alas.

If we did win the title with our dreadful playing style this season then every fan would hail Farioli but still wont accept this type of non Ajax football next season.

However after these last 3 games when the wheels have fallen off I do not expect us to be champs. Giving away a 9 point lead in 3 games will be put down to Farioli and next Sunday I fear the fans will forget what he has done . The biggest collapse ever to lose a title will be blamed on him.

He will leave us and we then have to start again and the team needs to be rebuilt completely.As I posted a couple of days ago only 4 players are worthy of starting and Taylor and Hato are leaving so just Sutalo and Baas are good enough.

[Tom_]

Yeah, our defense has been a big improvement this season but I wouldn’t rate any of the midfielders or attackers as good enough for Ajax.

I’m not going to bother watching live, it’s a 4 a.m. kickoff for me and I’m sure it will be another crap game.

[Orange14]

Ajax will win today!!! Not sure that Groningen can score and I expect Ajax to snatch one. I cannot believe that Klaassen plays in this game (watch him get a goal )

[Amol]

I like the idea of playing Mokio or Hato at LCB. We are 100% missing Baas' offensive contributions. Rugani is a decent defensive replacement but is unable to move the ball forwards.

I'd bring Klaassen as a sub to be honest and not have him start.

Regardless of what the outcome of these 2 games is, I'd keep Farioli and get him some better players over the summer. He has had tremendous success with a very very limited set of players. Our players seemingly have forgotten their limitations in the past month and that's probably one of the leading issues of the downfall.

[Amol]

Sounds like Farioli is reading our minds.

Pasveer
Gaaei-Sutalo-Hato-Mokio
Fitz-Jim-Hendo-Taylor
Traore-Brobbey-Godts

[Amol]

Lets go play all out and get a win.

HUP AJAX!

[Amol]

GOOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!

That was a Roberto Carlos type shot from a very acute angle by Gaaei!!

[Amol]

Groningen equalized. Mokio played their player onside who tapped in from close range. Can't blame the kid as this is not his primary position.

[Amol]

Klaassen and Weghorst on for Fitz-Jim and Brobbey.

Also looks like Mokio picked up a knock and can't carry on. Think Wijndal is coming on. Berghuis is coming on for Traore.

[Amol]

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLL!!!!!! Weghorst!!! We're up 1-2 now!

CLOSE THE GATES!!! 21 more minutes plus injury time.

[Amol]

8 minutes to go plus injury time.

[Amol]

Now in injury time. 6 minutes of hell.

[Amol]

Bad tackle on Hendo and a red card shown to the Groningen player.

[SPL]

What a shambolic end to the game .

[Orange14]

this team keeps finding new ways to drop points. The team has defended free kicks pretty well all season long but failed when it counted. Maybe Sutalo made a mistake in committing the foul that set up the kick. Maybe Pasveer didn't do enough to come out and parry the ball. In the end it doesn't matter as the team had two defensive lapses that led to goals and that is probably the season barring a major performance from Sparta. I cannot complain too much as PSV gave up so many points at the turn of the year to lesser competition that the reversion to the mean was likely. One thing I've noticed over the past four games is how passive Ajax have been. Virtually zero pressing and just dropping back to quickly, ceding too much space to the opponent.

I'm not too encouraged for Sunday's match against Twente and won't be surprised if the team comes out flat. In order for this team to improve they need some better ball handlers in the MF. The loss of Baas really hurt the build up and maybe Farioli should have slotted Hato into the middle several games ago. That's just armchair FIFA football management.

Finally, I really don't understand how Dutch match officials have become so terrible all of the sudden. Manschot missed at least three YCs on Groningen players for stomps on the foot and was equally bad on some Ajax challenges. A couple of players got hit in the face with no call as well. I don't want this league to be turning into the EPL but that looks like where it is headed.

Player Ratings:

Pasveer (6) - did not have a tough save to make but could he have been more aggressive on the 2nd goal
Gaaei (6) - fantastic goal to put Ajax in the lead but the rest of his game was ordinary
Sutalo (6.5) - decent enough until he fouled at the end of the game setting up the match winning play
Hato (7) - solid in the middle but that was expected
Mokio (4.5) - I know he has played LB for Jong Ajax but he made a rookie error in letting his man have a free shot on goal
Henderson (6.5) - had some good defensive play but it was not enough
Taylor (6) - OK match split between MF and LW
Fitz-Jim (5.5) - above average but still doesn't get enough space to shine
Traore (6) - got stomped on twice and hit in the face once with no call, did make a couple of good runs
Brobbey (5.5) - nice lay off to Gaaei for the goal but absent the rest of the game, I think he needs to move on this summer
Godts (4.5) - very disappointing, he needs to really look at how he can see the field better
Weghorst (6) - nice goal but slack defending on free kicks
Klaassen (5.5) - no major complaints other than I am afraid Ajax will sign him to a new contract
Wijndal (5.5) - decent enough
Berghuis (6) - great cross on the Weghorst goal and had a couple of other good moments but he's really on good for a half hour these days
Regeer (NR) - on late for Godts

Home to FC Twente to conclude the season on Sunday. Have to give the team credit for exceeding expectations. Beat PSV and Feyenoord both home and away which is always good in my book!

[Tom_]

Agree that second is a great result for this squad. Let’s hope the improvement continues next season.

[SPL]

Even if Sparta get a point I dont see us winning.Should have got the 3 points but for poor defending on that 2nd goal. Finishing 2nd would have been adream back in August but giving up 10 points in 4 games is woeful and Farioli will take the blame.

It is going to take another year to sort out the mess of a squad of rubbish players. We started last night with 6 youth players and this is what Ajax must do but they need quality with some new older players. Klaassen,Berghuis,Henderson ,Pasveer are over the hill and should all go.

[Amol]

I still don't understand how we managed this -

• play short passes to waste time on the right flank

• give up a throw-in in their half from failing to control a short pass and

• Sutalo somehow raising his foot above his shoulder right outside the box to block that long throw-in

Monty Pythonesque series of occurences

[SPL]

The team is mentally shot and even if we had won last night I would not put money on us beating Twente. PSV wont have any problem with Sparta.

I would start with the same 11 as this game. Next season we do need a new goalie,Matheus was poor with some of the Utrecht goals , gave away the Sparta goal and now for 2 games Pasveer could have done better with the goals.