4 DEC 2016 Ajax - Groningen Match Day 15

[Orange14]

Getting close to the half way point of the season and Ajax are even on points with Feyenoord. Klaassen is suspended for Yellow card accumulation for this match so van de Beek will probably slot in. el Ghazi's demotion to Jong Ajax is up but it's not clear whether he will be on the team sheet. Best news is that SPL will be in attendance at the match; worst news is I probably will miss it as I have a choir event scheduled.

[Cruijff]

Yes very nice for SPL that he will be in the stadium. If I've been informed correct he will watch the match from section 121 which is a very good spot.

[SPL]

Yes I will be opposite the dug out on the half way line about 14 rows back. I will tape the game and watch it again next week .

Flying in the morning from Gatwick. Our local trains are either on strike or not working properly so have to drive and leave the car which is a bind especially as it will still be dark when I leave.Coming home Tuesday night but our hotel has a computer so will make some comments on the game Sunday night.

[Orange14]

Traore is injured so either Cerny of el Ghazi will start on the right wing. Klaassen is suspended so both van de Beek and Nouri are in the team sheet for Sunday's match. de Ligt and Frenkie de Jong will play for Jong Ajax tonight against Cambuur in the Jupiter League. Krul is scheduled to start as keeper in that match as he comes back from injury.

[Tom_]

Hope you enjoy the match SPL, I think I sat somewhere around there last time and it was a really nice spot. Fingers crossed for an entertaining game and three points!

[SPL]

Cheers Tom.

[Orange14]

PSV drop more points today with a 0-0 draw at Roda.

[ajaxcolombia]

They had 16 shots but only four were on target. Their finishing is beyond abysmal. They controlled the game, and I'll give them that Ramselaar and Propper are good midfielders, but as long as Luuk de Jong continues on this rut that his in, they will keep dropping points.

[rjf1]

After Schone's screaming volley is tipped over the bar the resulting corner somehow gets past everyone bunched up at the near post -- bounces up to head height right in front of Sanchez, who nods it home. 1-0

[ajaxcolombia]

vamos colombiano!!

[Orange14]

Should have had a couple of more goals given how Ajax were getting the ball into the danger area. Former youth keeper Sergio Padt had to make some saves but stood no chance on the Sanchez header. Defensively, pretty sound. Ziyech seems to be off his game.

[rjf1]

After a good and fast start that led to a goal and several good chances, the team seemed to go off the boil around the 30 minute mark. For a while couldn't complete a pass to save their lives. On attack, they had many promising chances, but then wasted them with a poor last pass. I worry about the old "when you fail to take your chances," cliche.

[Orange14]

Have to say that was a very weak penalty called. el Ghazi could have easily been called for a dive on that one.

[rjf1]

We got lucky on that penalty call. Actually, when the ref called it, I thought he was going to give a yellow card to El Ghazi.

[Orange14]

Probably the best ball movement in the offensive half that we have seen all season. Too bad they couldn't get some harder shots on goal that would have challenged Padt. Excellent pressing every time the ball turned over and I wonder why we are just seeing this now. Perhaps Bosz has been watching how well it works for Jong Ajax. el Capitan was hardly missed as van de Beek slotted into the MF and provided much needed dynamism to the passing game. Ziyech was surprisingly ordinary for most of the game and count me as one who thinks that penalty takers who stutter step are not at all confident. Good to see el Ghazi back from the gulag. Defense was pretty decent in keeping things tidy in front of Onana.

Player Ratings:

Onana (7) - looked to be fooled on the free kick and barely got a hand on it to push it against the post but otherwise was good
Sinkgraven (6.5) - much better game today and had some really nice movements into the attacking half
Viergever (8) - was never out of position and had some very good interventions
Sanchez (8.5) - well taken header for the goal and won every aerial challenge in his direction
Veltman (7) - one moment where he got fooled and lost his man but otherwise good
Schöne (7.5) - very good controlling play and defending
van de Beek (7.5) - very good match and interchanged sides with Ziyech to create some more options; has el Capitan lost his place in the starting 11?
Ziyech (6) - too many ill taken shots and looked uncomfortable on both PKs
Younes (8) - excellent match, knew exactly how to create danger without getting dispossessed and had a wicked shot that went off the crossbar
Dolberg (6.5) - not much of a factor but did control the ball when it came to him
Cerny (6) - OK but didn't create much danger
Dijks (6) - good coming on when Sinkgraven suffered an ankle knock
el Ghazi (6) - the ball just didn't fall at his feet on a couple of occasions but he played with good control; looking at the replay he should have been called for a dive
Nouri (NR) - on for the last four minutes but didn't have much to do

An EL match on Thursday against Standard Liege but with first place locked up it's likely the kids will all get a run out in this match. Then it's off to Enschede for a match against FC Twente next Sunday.

[ajaxcolombia]

Great football played today, but with Feyenoord hitting six against Sparta, their goal difference has become bigger. Anyway, stat time!

Positives:
Most shots at goal: Hakim Ziyech with 8. Only two on target though. Dolberg had 7 shots with 4 on target.
Best pass accuracy: Nick Viergever with 90%
Most amount of accurate passes: Lasse Schöne with 66.
Most amount of key passes: Hakim Ziyech with 5.
Most amount of crosses: Hakim Ziyech with 7. Anwar El Ghazi had 5 in the second half.
Most amount of successful dribbles: Amin Younes with 3 (he did attempt 8 in total though).
Most amount of successful tackles: Jöel Veltman with 4. This is becoming a trend, only was dribbled past once.
Most amount of interceptions: Daley Sinkgraven with 3.
Most amount of clearances: Davinson Sanchez with 5. Another trend.
Most amount of blocks: Daley Sinkgraven with 6. He was also the player with the most amount of blocks last week.
Most aerial duels won: Nick Viergever with 5.
Player with most amount of touches: Jöel Veltman with 102.

Negatives:
Loss of possession: Tie between Hakim Ziyech and Vaclav Cerny, both lost possession 5 times.
Worst passing success: Mitchell Dijks in the time he was one managed 73% passing rate. Ziyech, Dolberg and Onana were tied second worst with 79%.
Player dribbled past the most: Lasse Schöne was dribbled past 4 times (he can't be perfect).
Most fouls committed: Hakim Ziyech with 2.

Goalkeeper statistics:
Saves: 2
Claims 1.

Padt had 13 saves! We should have done better.

Man of the match for me was Lase Schöne again.

[Orange14]

Pass Map (also Ajax possession and field possession should have generated four goals from open play):

[Cruijff]

I hope for SPL he enjoyed an afternoon in an ice cold Amsterdam Arena where the roof was open.

I remember an Ajax-Feyenoord match together with forum member Tom_ somewhere in January 2013 (3-0 win, Lex Immers missed a penalty) at temperatures he did never experience in Australia.

[ajaxcolombia]

Interesting results on the pass map with Van de Beek and Ziyech both playing high up the pitch. This is ok against a Groningen side we dominated, but against more challenging opposition like light bulbs, we will need one of the two atacking midfielders to sacrifice a bit more.

[souras84]

I am sure we're going to rest some players against Liege, but todays game should have ended sooner and in a higher scorline! Even though Van der Beek played a more active and constructive role than Klaassen, I am sure El Capitan's trend to score as a Shadow Striker will get him in the starting line up again next week against Twente.

I really liked El Ghazi's will to prove his worth!! I am sure that right now he might be more useful than Cerny. Oh, I forgot Traore is the starting RW...

[SPL]

Hi guys posting from a freezing cold Amsterdam.Did not get a chance to post last night.Actually I am on the hotel computer and feeling warmer. Yesterday was just a magically experience and words cannot describe my feelings from the moment I got to the Arena .I could say I was on a high but not from any of the dope sold just about everywhere in the city. When I got inside the stadium I jokingly told myself I have died and gone to heaven.

Big thanks to Thijs,who works for Ajax but got me a ticket only 20 rows from the pitch near the halfway. Very clear view and close to the action.Spending 50 euros on the seat was money well spent.

I enjoyed the game although not one of our best as we settled the win in the end with a soft penalty. The MOM at the ground was Schone and he impressed me the most, back defending and controlling our midfield.

Dolberg for all the hype was fairly quiet.Have to say I was delighted Nouri came on.

I have already told the wife I want to come again before the end of the season. Having experienced a real live match I am greedy I want more.

We are enjoying the city ,its been sunny but freezing cold .There is simply no city on the whole planet like it.The whole place is dominated by bikes who dont stop, no lights, ignore cars, pedestrians red lights everything.With cannabis sold on every street this has to be the most relaxed liberal city in the world. All that and the beauty of the canals.

Back home tomorrow night. But I will return to watch my beloved Ajax before 2017 is out.

[Cruijff]

The MOM at the ground was Schone and he impressed me the most, back defending and controlling our midfield.

I have already told the wife I want to come again before the end of the season. Having experienced a real live match I am greedy I want more.

Yeah when you see him live in action it is really clear what a good role Schöne currently has for the team.

Cool you want to come again around spring time. Ajax-Heerenveen (16 April 2017) and Ajax-Go Ahead Eagles (7 May 2017) are nice matches. In March 2017 I still expect us to be active in the Europa League.

We are enjoying the city ,its been sunny but freezing cold .There is simply no city on the whole planet like it.The whole place is dominated by bikes who dont stop, no lights, ignore cars, pedestrians red lights everything.With cannabis sold on every street this has to be the most relaxed liberal city in the world. All that and the beauty of the canals.

Haha what a stereotypes.

[Cruijff]

Before leaving to the airport this Tuesday you can still walk into Olympic Stadium for a brief moment.

It is a 2 minutes walk from public transport stop Amstelveenseweg not far from your accommodation.

The website also has an English version:

http://olympischstadion.nl/nl

[Orange14]

We are enjoying the city ,its been sunny but freezing cold .

Nothing wrong with freezing weather. We have 2 months of it here in the Washington DC area. I did my post-doctoral fellowship up at Cornell University in Ithaca NY and it was more like 3 1/2 months of freezing weather!!!

[Tom_]

I remember an Ajax-Feyenoord match together with forum member Tom_ somewhere in January 2013 (3-0 win, Lex Immers missed a penalty) at temperatures he did never experience in Australia.

Yep, and the the snow fell from the ArenA roof right onto the Feyenoord bench just after Immers came off. Good to hear SPL had more fun in Amsterdam than Feyenoord did that day!