Ajaxtalk

The season is winding down now with a sense of disappointment that the team should have done better this season. A few too many aimless draws and a team that has trouble scoring goals. A six point lead over Feyenoord for second place and CL qualification appears safe but with this team one never knows.

Sinkgraven is fit to play but Fischer's reentry to the first team will not take place this weekend. Given FdB's heavy criticism of Sigthorsson last weekend why his he in the squad and Zivkovic dropped? Truly puzzling! He will play for Jong Ajax again on Monday.

Selection:

Jasper Cillessen
Ricardo van Rhijn
Joël Veltman
Niklas Moisander
Nicolai Boilesen
Mike van der Hoorn
Daley Sinkgraven
Kolbeinn Sigthórsson
Davy Klaassen
Ricardo Kishna
Jairo Riedewald
Lucas Andersen
Lasse Schöne
Anwar El Ghazi
Thulani Serero
Nick Viergever
Riechedly Bazoer
Diederik Boer

I quess FDB still does not think Zivkovic is ready for 90 mins in the firsts and he would rather him play 90 mins for Jong on Monday than 10 mins v Heracles.(Mondays Jong is counted as a weekend game so he cannot play for both teams.)

Zivkovic has not performed that well for Jong in recent games but I think he must be very frustrated. Why did he not stay at Groningen for another season,cannot see what he learns at Jong Ajax.

Maybe El Ghazi will start as striker with Kishna and Schone as so called wingers. Siggy gets criticised last week but keeps his place and V Rhijn is dreadful but Tete and Zivkovic are not thought good enough!!

PS We have 7 defenders in the squad and still Tete does not get a chance .Odds on him leaving and I cannot blame him or Raiola. If I were his agent I would tell him to join another Dutch club ,most places he would play regularly. I think he would get alot of games at Fword and lightbulbers and at the other 15 teams he would start.

I'm off to the movies with the wife this afternoon so will miss the match in real time. Thanks to the new site that handles Eredivisie matches, I'll catch up with it this evening (US time of course). Cheer the Red and White on in my absence.

Here's my prediction: we'll suck and win by a goal. Sounds incredible, but I just have a hunch...

Having to get a stream tonight.Only the 3rd game sky not showing live ,still on later tonight and tomorrow though.(Masters Golf seems to be on every red button) The other 2 times NAC and Willem ,way before Christmas, we scored 5 in each game and I enjoyed watching both games again in full. Have a feeling I might not bother to watch this game again if its as bad as recent games.

Wish Riedewald was LB and not Boilesen and any one and not Siggy. I will go along with Tom and we pinch a win by an odd goal.Heracles will need to go for a win so no sticking 11 men behind the ball like some teams we have played recently.

Better see if livetv has a stream,they had for the Europa Cup matches plus Jong games when on .

livetv working ok. A quite first half and then Siggy comes up trumps. I am no fan but still want him to score ,he will be very relieved he has scored. Hope for a quick 2nd and try and put this game to bed

nice goal by Lucas ,game over .

Crikey, that was dreadful, AGAIN. What the hell is wrong with us?

Well you wont be surprised that I wont watch it again when sky show it in full! Heracles were poor and never troubled us but all the time it was 1-0 I was expecting our defence to make a mistake ,lucky Lucas came up with a nice goal 8 mins from the end.

We looked more lively than Utrecht game but still not many chances created.Take away the goals and we just had a few shots over the bar .I quess it was better than last week but it was still poor by us ,we should have been burying a team like this. PSV would have stuck about 6 past them.

Main thing now 2nd place is looking nearer. 2 more wins will be enough .Beat NAC next week and we can relax.

Very average performance from almost every player out on the pitch. Again, too many errant passes in the attacking third that eliminated any promising chance to score. Andersen with a lovely score in the 85th minute locked up the points.

Player Ratings:

Cillessen (7) - had one good save but was seldom troubled by the wild shots from Heracles
Boilesen (7) - another good game; defensively solid and had some nice runs upfield
Viegever (6.5) - more than decent
Veltman (6.5) - conceded a free header which wasn't converted but otherwise good
van Rhijn (5) - swerving free kick not cleared gave Sigthorrsson a garbage goal but otherwise only average at best
Klaassen (6) - worked hard
Bazoer (6.5) - worked hard but has to be more decisive with the ball
Sinkgraven (5.5) - poor final pass on numerous occasions but has good ball skills
Kishna (4) - Raiola better look to the Italian 2nd division for a contract; very poor match
Sigthorrsson (5) - did score the first goal but then???????
el Ghazi (6) - worked hard
Andersen (7) - some very nice play coming on for Kishna and the goal was delightful
Serero (6.5) - pushed the ball upfield which was nice to see
Riedewald (NR) - had a touch or two as a late sub

Still alive in the title chase!!!! Home to NAC Breda next weekend.

I have been quite critical of Andersen this season but must give credit where its due, it was a really good goal. Lets hope for a big turn around in his play from now on. If he cant raise his all round game he will be spending most of next season on the bench.

Agree with your ratings.When the game was finished I thought Boilesen had played well,Siggy apart from the goal did nothing . And I decided Kishna was absolutely rubbish and was our worst player. Good that you agree.