22 May 2011: DC United - Ajax

[Orange14]

I read that Charlie Davies and Josh Wolff are injured for DCU . It was on their web page two days ago.

Yes, both were injured in the match last weekend and will not be playing on Sunday. Both suffered minor leg injuries and it's too bad for Davies since he is finally rounding into shape after the horrible car accident of 18 months ago.

[aveslacker]

I read that Charlie Davies and Josh Wolff are injured for DCU . It was on their web page two days ago.

Yes, both were injured in the match last weekend and will not be playing on Sunday. Both suffered minor leg injuries and it's too bad for Davies since he is finally rounding into shape after the horrible car accident of 18 months ago.

I see that he's only behind Landon Donovan in MLS scoring. I'm really happy for the guy.

[roche]

Nice day at the old stadium. Members of both Ajax and DC United held a clinic for about 60 inner city kids at the RFK training grounds....and yes, one of the kids asked Maarten how he could drop the Plate.

http://www.dcunited.com/news/2011/05/dc ... uth-clinic

[ajaxusa]

Yeah, and a nice picture of JOB with Coach Blind. :-)

[Blind3]

What an impeccable sense of timing. The answer to the question " Which will happen first, Ajax returns to America or the apocalypse ? " is finally known . The apocalypse is scheduled for tomorrow. Ajax arrived yesterday and even had time for a clinic today.

[ajaxusa]

What an impeccable sense of timing. The answer to the question " Which will happen first, Ajax returns to America or the apocalypse ? " is finally known . The apocalypse is scheduled for tomorrow. Ajax arrived yesterday and even had time for a clinic today.

Where's the "Like" button on this damn thing?

[martinkohout]

What an impeccable sense of timing. The answer to the question " Which will happen first, Ajax returns to America or the apocalypse ? " is finally known . The apocalypse is scheduled for tomorrow. Ajax arrived yesterday and even had time for a clinic today.

Where's the "Like" button on this damn thing?

I think this will do.

At the downtown Austin farmers' market this morning, "End of the World Today / Eat Chocolate Now!" was chalked on the board in front of the Cocoa Puro booth.

[acab]

Some stream for the game tonight?

[ajaxusa]

On the Mall, Capitol Bldg behind me:
http://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10 ... 193&type=1

[Kowalczyk]

Long live Twitter. I'm here, at home in Amsterdam. A few of my Twitter friends are in DC and they post pictures of people I know quite well.

Hey, isn't that good old Blind3...?

Hey - there's the whole tribe! Jim, Ben, Ray, Bob...

Love you, guys... Ajax USA ain't dead. Ajax USA is alive!

K.

[ajaxcolombia]

Lineup: vermeer, anita, ooijer, oleguer, blind, de zeuww, enoh, lodeiro, sulejmani, cvitanich, ozbiliz

[souras84]

why is oleguer playing???????????????

[acab]

Argh???? DC players can't touch the ball in the first 1o mins??? Are thay really so weak???

[saddlerian]

Nice goal from Micky......let's hope for more!!! Great feed via Sopcast!!!!

[acab]

Bah, ours look lazy. But i gues it's normal. It's after-season freindly.

[Orange14]

Just got back from the match and it was great to see the team in real time instead of a computer screen. Both of our ancient defenders started the match and played four about 60 minutes when they ran out of gas and conceded a tying goal in a scramble play. Temperature on the field at the start of the match was 27 degrees with a bright sun shining down so it was quite warm. I sounds like a lot of you watched a stream of the match. I think the club was in 2nd gear for most of the match and it certainly showed on defense where in the 2nd half particularly having Oleguer and Oojier on the field ended up being a liability. Lodeiro played the full 90 but didn't figure into things, I suspect he will be gone if an offer comes in. Ebecilio, Vertonghen, Alderweireld and van der Wiel all come on in the 2nd half so we had mostly a starting 11 out there. van der Wiel's first pass a weak back pass that was intercepted. Ebecilio and de Jong both had good chances on goal, de Jong a header that just went wide and Ebecilio a break away that he should have done better on but was saved by the keeper. Anita moved to central midfielder when Greg came on and got the match winner on a nice weave around a couple of DC United players and made no mistake with his shot.

2-1 was a fair scoreline on the day. Our wing players were constantly beating the DC United defense but were not able to make much happen.

[Orange14]

why is oleguer playing???????????????

It was a friendly and I think they wanted to give him a proper farewell. He showed up for the matches and never complained about being a substitute; for that I respect him!

[SPL]

Didn't catch the game but glad you enjoyed it Orange. as you said great to see the team in real time.

[Kowalczyk]

This is great stuff: John O'Brien on Ajax (on the DC United website), including a poem John wrote about De Meer!

Must read!

K.

[martinkohout]

This is great stuff: John O'Brien on Ajax (on the DC United website), including a poem John wrote about De Meer!

Must read!

K.

Very nice indeed.

[ajaxusa]

What a day.

Thanks to our great hosts (some DC United fans I know through work), we had a great tailgate (better food than I'm used to at Ajax games), and a string of guest appearances, beginning with Mystery Bob and his son, then Raymond van der Ngiau, Ben, and a very large, multi-generational collection of Boodens, including the high honorable Ass of Mokum. The crew from Ajax.tv stopped by, as you'll see below, and even our old pal John O'Brien paid a visit, which was great, and he put a new signature on Bob's son's shirt, since the old one had faded. At one point, a contingent of officials from Ajax and Aegon came by, in suits no less, and Raymond made them recite their CV's one by one. Pretty great. :-)

The camera and the microphone still love Ben, as this video on Ajax.TV will prove.

Thanks, guys, for stirring the embers. A great day.

[Kowalczyk]

The camera and the microphone still love Ben, as this video on Ajax.TV will prove.

Mr Bell, you're a hero. A legend.

And how great to see the Boodens, especially 'The General' himself (a.k.a. The Ass of Mokum). Love that beard!

K.

[Blind3]

First , I'd humbly like to apologise to any person of any nationality sickened by my "gorgeous" , yet pasty , american legs. That said, WHAT A DAY !!! Hardly know where to begin, though the beginning is normally appropriate.

Major props to my very good friend Raymond van der Ngiau (Sonicdream) for suggesting a combination Ajax and sightseeing weekend !! Major props to Ajax for braving the apocalypse and making such a weekend necessary !! A tip of the cap to the Mr. Don't Know , US Secret Service Uniform Division , who knew , but wasn't saying . His very professional and very short "Do Not Cross This Line" tape job caused us to walk to H Street to take at dusk photos of the White House . On the way back , vaguely , toward Metro Center , we chanced past the Sofitel Hotel. I'll give you three guesses which Dutch Football Champion was having dinner inside a dining room next to the very window we chanced by. HINT : not F-word or Bulb City .

I regret to say my outty became an inny and complete pussification ensued on my part. Mr. van der Ngiau took up the cause of letting Ajax know they were appreciated and gave them an army of one ovation. I was too busy muttering about musn't bother them at dinner or some such drivel. Ray's efforts were very much appreciated by Dario, who motioned for us to come in , Eyong , Gregory, Mickey who smiled and seemed genuinely pleased by Ray's gesture, and Jan, who was totally cool , but asked for just a few more minutes. Ultimately, my pussified state, failure to immediately locate a close entrance, and Bulldog Frank de Boer's presence nearby led to discretion being the better part of valour. Ray did get a photo of Bulldog Frank . Oh, there was a Pizza sighting. No, he wasn't eating.

Fast forward to Sunday. Visions of the trek to The Arena as we made our way to the stadium/dump by metro. Through a series of pm's , MANY THANKS JIM !!, we located Jim at the DCU tailgate. Suddenly , it was 2004 flooding back . Jim, Ray, Mystery Bob, Ernie and Andy Booden, and me . It was incredible to see everyone !!! Like Feb 1 2004 Ajax v ADO Den Haag and Feb 8 2004 Ajax v PSV Sundays all over again. ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT !! Lots of photos, good craic , and the pleasure of meeting terrific and down to earth folks from Ajax, Ajax TV, and AEGON. Cap it off with a visit from John O'Brien and it's a day I'll remember forever. And we'd not even attended the match yet.

To the match then. First, MY THANKS TO AJAX for not only visiting the USA after a rollercoastrster season which culminated in the highest of highs, but for conducting themselves with class before, during , and after the match. The clinic conducted Friday and the autograph signing afterword were class gestures by a class organization.

Their performance on the pitch was very entertaining. It was great getting to see almost the entire squad perform . Given the length of season of 45 + matches, the travel, the heat/humidity, the width of pitch (limiting success of passes to Mickey Sulejmani and Aras Ozbiliz in the first half and Lorenzo Ebecilio and Aras Ozbiliz in the second half, I was surprised at the energy and quality. Very well taken goals by Mickey and Vurnon Anita, some excellent keeping by Kenneth Vermeer, some very nice short passing under pressure, Jan's surging second half run, Siem's ball control and 40 yard defensive track back sprint, and some nice touches by Nicholas Lodeiro were all eye pleasing to me.

Other than the resident self - important DC douche who wanted to throw Ajax supporters from a supporters section for supporting (are you as confused as me ?) with 9 , I said 9, minutes left , I had a blast. DC douche reminded me of the guy who says "Show me your papers " on the train to the East Bloc ; something I reminded DC Douche about...repetitively. Ray told me Amol was the one responsible for the Ajax chant leading to said feminine hygiene product going apoplectic ....THANK YOU Amol for bringing the noise and making a festive happening better still . GREAT STUFF !!!!! Pleasure meeting you and putting face and voice to excellent posts.

THANKS ALL FOR A GREAT WEEKEND !!!!! Lets not wait seven years for a repeat. My only regret: No Ajax visit during the scheduled Rembrandt (a great Amsterdammer I was told) exhibit , 8/3/11 to 10/30/11. Hoping for Ajax for next years Philly Van Gogh exhibit. Our stadium is not a dump.

[Tom_]

Thanks for making the effort to shave your thighs mate ;)

[ajaxusa]

Thanks for making the effort to shave your thighs mate ;)

We're all just grateful he didn't just drop trou entirely like last time! Just kidding Ben, we know you don't do that for less than $20.