20 JAN 2019; Ajax - Heerenveen; Match Day 19

[Orange14]

A hugely disappointing match from Ajax. The #2 keeper forced into action because of illness and did not perform well. An outstanding keeper at the other end of the pitch denied Ajax at least three goals. A defense from Ajax that was all sixes and sevens made for a forgettable match. Teams fighting for the top spot have to show better than was on display today. Every single Ajax frailty was exposed today. On two of the Heerenveen goals Daley Blind was nowhere to be found, I suspect he was caught up field as he was going forward quite often from a center back position. I don't know if this was tactical or not but it did leave Ajax exposed.

Player Ratings:

Lamprou (4,5) - had the great save to preserve the tie; I suspect that Onana would have saved two of the goals
Sinkgraven (5) - had one good intervention and a stinger of a shot that was saved but again displayed no defending ability at all; either go with Mazraoui or start Bakker
Blind (6.5) - don't know if it was tactical to keep him up field but he did leave things exposed
de Ligt (6.5) - didn't dominate the way he usually does
Mazraoui (7) - decent match at both FB sides
de Jong (7) - good ball control and a bit unlucky not to have scored
Schöne (7) - played a nice match
van de Beek (6) - other than drawing a penalty had a quiet match
Tadic (7) - unlucky on the PK which Hahn saved with his outstretched foot
Dolberg (6) - didn't get much service but was another whose shot was well saved
Ziyech (7) - strong match with some incisive passing and defending
Kristensen (5.5) - OK coming on when Sinkgraven had to leave
Neres (6) - maybe he could have done better on the scoring chance
Huntelaar (6) - I thought he had the match winner

Same two teams in mid-week for the Beker followed by Feyenoord on the weekend. Will ten Hag rotate players? Cannot afford to lose in Rotterdam if Ajax want to win the league.

[SPL]

Ended up missing the whole game. My son ,who lives in Cornwall, was in the area this weekend and came for the afternoon,thought he would go by the time the game started but time went quickly.

Followed the scores to 3-3 on 82 and then was shocked to see 4-4 and we gave away a goal in injury time ,and missed a penalty.This could come back and cost us if we lose the title by a point.

[SPL]

Reading comments on Ajaxshowtime clearly no one is happy with Lamprou or Sinkgraven as a LB. Most criticised Lamprou in Florida clearly he is not good enough at this level and Sinkgraven is and never will be a defender.

Big problem our bench is not good enough .No problem with Magallan, Neres or KJH but Kristensen,Labyad , de Wit and even Cerny are not good enough to be our 1st team back up.If we had 2 or 3 key injuries our title
hopes would be dead. Not convinced any of Jong Ajax are ready!

Just as well I didn't watch the game as I would have been more negative!!!

Ajax have ruined my day as I was on top of the world seeing my son again (not seen him and his girlfrIend since last April) Said my goodbye to them , looked at the score 4-4 deep gloom! Lucky PSV dropped points.

[Tom_]

@SPL Lots of comments about Lamprou’s height on Twitter and you wonder if a taller GK would have reached those two shots that rolled into the far corner. Not exactly his fault but he is small for a professional GK.

[Orange14]

@SPL Lots of comments about Lamprou’s height on Twitter and you wonder if a taller GK would have reached those two shots that rolled into the far corner. Not exactly his fault but he is small for a professional GK.

Vermeer was short for a keeper and he is 7.5 cm taller than Lamprou!!

[SPL]

Watched the highlights clealry a few near misses by us but Lamprou is being blamed but Tadic missed a penalty which would have made it 4-1 and game over. Lamprou is short and maybe Onana might have saved a couple of them but on all 4 goals our defence overall looked poor. How on earth did that 4th go in!!!

[souras84]

Do you remember Apollo Creed's final moments against Ivan Drago? I got the same feeling watching Sinkgraven on his one on one defending the 3rd goal we conceded. Nonexistent

[Orange14]

Watched the highlights clealry a few near misses by us but Lamprou is being blamed but Tadic missed a penalty which would have made it 4-1 and game over. Lamprou is short and maybe Onana might have saved a couple of them but on all 4 goals our defence overall looked poor. How on earth did that 4th go in!!!

Whoever was supposed to mark Pirie lost him on the 4th goal.. He came around from the far side of the goal and had to do a bit of work to get a touch on the ball but there was nobody to defend him. You are correct on the defense and I saw the same type of sloppy play last week against Sao Paolo. They need to tighten things up before they play Real Madrid.

[Tom_]

Or even before they play Heerenveen again!

[SPL]

Ajax tv highlights did not show the penalty incident.Just watched it on a site several times and clealry Lamprou gave away a penalty,looks like we were lucky with VAR.

Ajax now looking for a new 2nd goalie and one who is not short of statue.

[Orange14]

People were complaining about the missed Tadic PK. Yesterday, Mr. Automatic - Christiano Ronaldo missed a PK for Juventus. It didn't matter in that match where Juve won 3-0. It did matter in the Ajax match. Football is a funny game.

[kezme44]

the defending was horrible. every time heerenveen attacked, they scored. as orange14 pointed out, i have no idea why blind kept going forward, especially when they scored on us twice already when he pushed up and got caught. in the end, it ended up being a game of who can score more. and dolberg definitely does not score anymore. i realize he's been out for a while, but his movement in the box is very slow, not sure what is going on. i would start hutelaar and bring dolberg on later. need to play a forward who scores at the moment.