06 Feb 2014: Ajax - FC Groningen

[Kowalczyk]

Eredivisie 2013-2014. Matchday 22.

Kick-off time at the ArenA is 20:45 CET.

The draw at Utrecht was a bit of a disappointment, but not a disaster. No moaning. Roll on the next one.

K.

[SPL]

Well I am missing this game as my friends from cricket are meeting up for a curry and quiz night. Having missed PSV ,with the broadband not working,I am not starting the new year very well,(missed all of 1 game in the first half of the season ADO so not doing too badly). Pity the game wasn't tonight but they need the extra day to get over being kicked about by Utrecht!!

Apart from Cillessen being injured Boilesen is being rested as a precaution having had a tight hamstring.So V d Hart and Riedewald come in and Denswil is fit and replaces Ligeon.

Hope for 3 points and we go 5 points clear.

[Orange14]

Match can be watched live in the US over ESPN3 on the Internet!!!! I also just saw the Boilesen note and hope that this really is just a precaution. We are a much better team with him at left back and Blind in the midfield.

[Tom_]

Riedewald starting, Blind DMF! Nice one!

[Tom_]

Anyone watching? Looks like it's going to be a bit of a grind, Groningen are set up extremely defensively. Made a couple of chances but couldn't put them away as yet.

[Orange14]

Bojan learned well during his stay in Italy! Schöne with the spot kick

[Orange14]

And that's exactly why Vermeer is no longer the #1 keeper. Terrible

[Cedric]

Pfff. Totally not deserved. 1-1.

[saddlerian]

what the hell was he doing there at left back....totally out of position!!!!

[saddlerian]

Totally bossed the game, even though being very negative...only Bojan and Schoner making good forward runs!! De Jong and Riedewald should be "rested"...the former not fit, the latter not playing in the correct position as he is just wandering around between left back and midfield....

Come on FDB....sort them out....don't like to say it but Siggy would probably be better!!!

[saddlerian]

And that's exactly why Vermeer is no longer the #1 keeper. Terrible

Wasn't Vermeer's fault....it was Riedewald, totally out of position!!!!

[paladinby]

We should convert our chances better. Groningen defence is so shaky.

[Orange14]

And that's exactly why Vermeer is no longer the #1 keeper. Terrible

Wasn't Vermeer's fault....it was Riedewald, totally out of position!!!!

Vermeer looked like his feet were in cement and had a clear look at the ball; zero movement.

EDIT: They just showed the replay 10 times on ESPN. Riederwald was out of position on the initial pass but they Moisander was just watching the goal scorer, didn't challenge him at all and Serero also was having a good view. Vermeer didn't move at all. Four players at fault on this one.

[Manneken Pis]

Extraordinary how we can dominate so much and throw it away.......
Siem has been invisible first half also...

Let's hope they get a right Bo££coking at half time and get it sorted second half.

[saddlerian]

And that's exactly why Vermeer is no longer the #1 keeper. Terrible

Wasn't Vermeer's fault....it was Riedewald, totally out of position!!!!

Vermeer looked like his feet were in cement and had a clear look at the ball; zero movement.

The ball shouldn't even have got to their striker.......he wouldn't have been made to look a prat if reidewald had been doing his job!!!!

[Tom_]

Haha, come on, there's no way Vermeer was getting to that! Well, I guess we'll never know ;)

[saddlerian]

They've started the same way...backwards, backwards.....we're going to get caught!!!!

[Van basten]

Is Van Rijn on drugs tonight?

[saddlerian]

At long last!!! Someone has attacked their goal!!!! WHY CAN'T EVERYONE HAVE THE ENTHUSIASM OF FISCHER!!!!!!

[saddlerian]

Well...that was an ESCAPE!!!! Totally inept performance without much enthusiasm....totally undeserved.....but that's the way to win the title!!!

BUT.....it's no good if you give all of your fans heart attacks!!!!

[Tom_]

So, not a great performance, but we created chances throughout the match. Two excellent saves from Vermeer and a classic striker's goal from Kolbeinn. Job done!

[Orange14]

Very poor play in the second half but ended up grinding out the 2-1 match. This is pretty much going to be the script for the rest of the season. There just is not enough offensive talent to score lots of goals with this group of players. Some very poor play from the defenders excepting van Rhijn. Poulsen's cross was a thing of beauty and it was nice to see Sigthorrson put it in the back of the net. Only Bojan and Schöne seemed to want to attack the goal, not a recipe for success. I commented on the Groningen goal in an EDIT to one of my earlier posts; Moisander was probably most at fault for not closing down the shooter.

Player Ratings:

Vermeer (6.5) - some good saves and some lackluster play but overall a little positive
Reiderwald (3.5) - played like a scared teenager tonight
Moisander (5.5) - didn't close down the goal scorer when he should have
Veltman (6) - very poor passing on the long balls
van Rhijn (7) - surprisingly strong on defense and too bad the wicked cross to Bojan could not be converted
Blind (6) - passing was quite poor when he was in the midfield but defensively strong again
Serero (4.5) - just cannot handle the ball in traffic but some good defensive plays but not enough positives
Klaassen (5.5) - almost a non-factor but did work hard all game
Bojan (7) - drew the penalty and had some other opportunities as well
de Jong (4.5) - not match fit at all
Schöne (7) - really good all match long, nice ball skills
Poulsen (6) - give away near the end of the match brings his rating down but otherwise solid
Sigthorrson (7) - scored when a goal was needed and his turn shot that hit the post was also good
Duarte (5.5) - better than Serero but just above average

Buckle your seatbelts, this is what we're going to see the rest of the way. I don't think the Europa League distraction is going to be good for this team.

[souras84]

Vermeer might have an acrobatic talent, BUT can't catch a ball in the air even if it was a million euro's.
Veltman constantly making wrong passes.
De Jong...
Serero is only saved by his demonic speed.
Blind has given Ajax the extra something in the midfield since November. Plus the fact that De Jong had left the midfield. It's got nothing to do with Serero.
Riedewald. I'll give him a break as it was his first game as a starter.

We should be 3-0 up in the first 30 minutes and that wouldn't have exposed us to any dangers for the rest of the game.

However as Ian said, it builds character. For how long?? Reminds me of Twente winning most matches in the last minutes and in the end losing 2 straight championships against us.

[Orange14]

At long last!!! Someone has attacked their goal!!!! WHY CAN'T EVERYONE HAVE THE ENTHUSIASM OF FISCHER!!!!!!

Because other than you and I, not many on this forum like Fischer this season. I hope you know that it was Sigthorrson that scored the goal.

BTW - PEC Zwolle defeated Utrecht 1-2; I guess Utrecht only play well against Ajax.

[saddlerian]

Yes, I know that.....just that Fischer gives the team something....I wish he could bottle it!!!