04 Mar 2012: Ajax - Roda JC

[Kowalczyk]

Eredivisie 2011-2012, matchday 24. Kick-off time at the ArenA is 14:30 CET.

Here's the top of the table after 23 games:

1. PSV: 23-48 (60-28)
2. AZ: 23-46 (48-24)
3. FC Twente: 22-45 (59-23)
4. SC Heerenveen: 23-44 (52-34)
5. Ajax: 23-43 (59-32)
6. Feyenoord: 23-41 (47-31)

Fixtures for this weekend... On Saturday:

ADO Den Haag vs Heerenveen
AZ vs Heracles Almelo

On Sunday:
Ajax vs Roda JC
Feyenoord vs Groningen
PSV vs FC Twente (!!)

Once again: if we win our game we'll close in on at least one competitor - no matter what.

K.

[aveslacker]

Is it better to hope for a draw in the PSV - Twente match or a Twente win? I'm going with draw.

[Orange14]

Is it better to hope for a draw in the PSV - Twente match or a Twente win? I'm going with draw.

Don't know. We have a bad goal differential against both Twente and PSV which could be a problem given how tight things are. I don't think we need to worry about what other teams do but realistically we should "just win baby" to quote the famous US football owner and manager Al Davis.

[Philippe]

I'd rather see Philips drop points against Twente. Because it seems unlikely that'll drop except against us, which will not be enough to catch up with them. And they seem to have the less difficult path of remaining games.

PROGRAMMA
za 3/3 AZ Heracles Almelo
zo 4/3 Feyenoord FC Groningen
zo 4/3 Ajax Roda JC Kerkrade
zo 4/3 PSV FC Twente
za 10/3 Feyenoord FC Utrecht
zo 11/3 NAC Breda PSV
zo 11/3 NEC FC Twente
zo 11/3 Ajax RKC Waalwijk
zo 11/3 De Graafschap AZ
zo 18/3 PSV SC Heerenveen
zo 18/3 ADO Den Haag Ajax
zo 18/3 AZ NAC Breda
zo 18/3 FC Twente Feyenoord
wo 21/3 De Graafschap FC Twente
za 24/3 ADO Den Haag FC Twente
za 24/3 NAC Breda NEC
zo 25/3 Ajax PSV
zo 25/3 AZ RKC Waalwijk
zo 25/3 De Graafschap Feyenoord
za 31/3 FC Twente Roda JC Kerkrade
za 31/3 PSV VVV-Venlo
za 31/3 Feyenoord NAC Breda
zo 1/4 Ajax Heracles Almelo
zo 1/4 Vitesse AZ
di 10/4 SC Heerenveen Ajax
wo 11/4 AZ FC Twente
wo 11/4 Roda JC Kerkrade Feyenoord
wo 11/4 RKC Waalwijk PSV
za 14/4 FC Twente NAC Breda
za 14/4 Feyenoord Excelsior
za 14/4 PSV AZ
zo 15/4 Ajax De Graafschap
za 21/4 Excelsior FC Twente
zo 22/4 PSV NEC
zo 22/4 Ajax FC Groningen
zo 22/4 ADO Den Haag Feyenoord
zo 22/4 AZ VVV-Venlo

zo 29/4 FC Twente Ajax
zo 29/4 Feyenoord AZ
zo 29/4 Roda JC Kerkrade PSV
wo 2/5 Ajax VVV-Venlo
wo 2/5 PSV ADO Den Haag
wo 2/5 Feyenoord Heracles Almelo
wo 2/5 FC Twente SC Heerenveen
wo 2/5 NEC AZ
zo 6/5 SC Heerenveen Feyenoord
zo 6/5 Vitesse Ajax
zo 6/5 AZ FC Groningen
zo 6/5 VVV-Venlo FC Twente
zo 6/5 Excelsior PSV

[rjf1]

I think it is better if Twente win -- That would leave AZ with 49; PSV and Twente with 48 and (assuming we beat Roda in this came) us with 46 -- seems like the best position for us to finish the season as high as possible -- possible 1st and a good chance at 2nd.

[SPL]

would prefer a draw PSV v Twente as Twente still have a game in hand v de Graafschap ,who are struglling at present . We have 4 of our next 5 games at home and need to win the lot .

[Tom_]

Agreed. As far as I can work out if PSV–Twente is a draw, and we win today, all the teams above us are within three points, assuming Twente beat de Graafschap.

[souras84]

at least we got heerenveen out of our way with last nights draw

[Orange14]

at least we got heerenveen out of our way with last nights draw

We still have to travel to Heerenveen and I've seen too many bad matches up there to be confident that we can capture all three points.

[SPL]

oh dear Janssen and Ooijer are playing.V Rhijn replaced at right bcak by someone who is nearly 38 .

[Orange14]

WTF???? Janssen in the starting lineup; FdB, call your psychiatrist ASAP!

[Orange14]

oh dear Janssen and Ooijer are playing.V Rhijn replaced at right bcak by someone who is nearly 38 .

Oojier will play in the middle of a 3-5-3

[Tom_]

3–5–3 eh? It could be a good idea. Leave Vermeer out for an extra MF. Solve our goalkeeping and MF problems in one go!

[Amol]

3–5–3 eh? It could be a good idea. Leave Vermeer out for an extra MF. Solve our goalkeeping and MF problems in one go!

lol

[Amol]

Mickey is out injured. The fall didn't seem that bad though so hopefully not a long term injury.

Ebecilio on.

[ajaxcolombia]

There is really no reedeming factor to Janssen's game other than transforming oxygen to carbon dioxide

[Amol]

After 35 minutes, one of our wingers finally was able to go around a full back and cross the ball.

[rjf1]

The're not playing badly -- there's just no creativity up front.

[rjf1]

Ebecilio -- my favorite player -- NOT. Better to play with 10 men than have him on the pitch

[ajaxcolombia]

ok that is just ridiculous

[Amol]

Thanks Lorenzo.....that was an awesome ball to the Roda player which led to their goal. You're the best!!

[souras84]

The worst player of the season, compared only with janssen. what an idiot?!?!?!?

[Tom_]

Difficult to see where we'll get a goal with Roda playing 11 back. A set piece, maybe.

[rjf1]

Typical Ajax -- seconds to go and instead of putting in a cross for the last chance before the end of the half he plays the ball back to the midway line.

[Orange14]

Just a terrible first half of football and all the blame needs to be placed on FdB. Going with a 3-5-3 is Ok against this team (did it twice last fall in the league and the cup). However, the manager needs to understand that the opponent is going to play everyone back hoping to snatch a goal on a break or a mistaken pass (thank you very much Lorenzo Ebecilio!). 1-0 is a fair result at this point in time and now that one of the substitutes has been used up to replace Sulejani, FdB's options are reduced as Roda will pack things back even more. You cannot start an immobile team against one who is just going to sit back and defend. Lofted passes over the top are not going to work and passing lanes are clogged up. Wingers are getting caught 1 against 2 and have no options. Janssen is like a piece of petrified wood and Bulykin is not much better. Total disappointment in the manager and I don't have much hope of anything better.