Ajaxtalk

The matches keep on coming. After dispatching Young Boys in the Europa League, Ajax return to Amsterdam to take on ADO. The lead over second place PSV is 8 points with a match in hand. PSV face a tough must-win match away to AZ tomorrow before the Ajax kick off. Mazraoui is still a long term injury. I have not heard any news about Jurrien Timber's return.

Let's cheer AZ for the next 24 hours and pick up the points against Den Haag. I would like to see Tadic and Klaassen rested. They have worked their socks off so far. If all goes well. Ajax will be 11 points clear with a game in hand. The priority should be the Europa league, since it's been a 26 years European trophy drought. It has to end. And as time goes on, Ajax would have bagged the Eredivisie and the KNVB cup, after Roma, comes the big two legged game against Man Utd. That is key, as Ajax have to end their poor recent record against English clubs. W 1 D 1 L 5.

PSV is losing (as I’m watching the 93rd minute) to AZ. Ajax can all but finish it off tonight.

yup, they looked terrible
way things are going for them, az might steal the 2nd place from them for season

AZ win ,so we can go 11 points clear tonight. At this moment we need 13 points from 9 games for the title.

Vitesse also drew with Willem II and Feyenoord drew with FC Emmen. Ajax look to be in great shape. PSV MF has been rubbish all season long which has been their downfall.

Since title race is over, it would make sense to play subs against a crap opponent like ADO.

The resistance from ADO is pathetic. Why bother traveling to the JC Arena anyway? The same goes for all Eredivisie sides from number 8 downwards.

Of course ADO are horrible, but this was a wonderful display of total football. You really have to go back to the Cruyff teams of the early 1970s to see this type of player rotation. They all have the liberty to go forward and both Blind and Gravenberch rotate back as necessary. Game is over and we need to get Kudus some game time now.

GangstaRiB schreef: ↑

zo mar 21, 2021 8:48 pm

The resistance from ADO is pathetic. Why bother traveling to the JC Arena anyway? The same goes for all Eredivisie sides from number 8 downwards.

They really should have been relegated last season but were saved because the season was terminated.

Agree the way we are rotating and changing positions this is the basis of total football.Beautiful to watch ,lets just go all out and get 8 or 9

Does Traore look fat to you?

Cruyff must have been smiling down as he watched this match. This is the kind of football that he always wanted, free flowing and players interchanging positions as the field opened up. In truth ADO are a very bad side and offered up very few obstacles for Ajax. There was not a single shot on frame that Stekelenburg had to deal with. Rensch had a wonderful game and is my MOTM. Great goal and followed by an assist and general good attacking play.

Player Ratings (hard to give high ratings because of the quality of the opponent):

Stekelenburg (6) - had some simple kicking and passing to do and that was it
Tagliafico (7) - all over the pitch as there was a lot of open space to move into
Martinez (7.5) - another great job on defense
Martinez (7) - strong game and finally got on the scoreboard
Rensch (7.5) - match winner for him and great all around football
Gravenburch (7.5) - all over the field dropping back to cover on defense when a CB pushed up and moved in to the attack when the chance was there
Blind (7.5) - a strong game as an MF/CB
Klaassen (6) - got a nice goal but too many poor first touches for me
Tadic (7) - good half for the captain who got some well deserved rest
Brobbey (7) - good play in tight spaces and his goal was well taken
Neres (7) - went the full 90 and had a good match
Iddirssi (6.5) - really should have passed to an open Traore as his shooting angle was not good
Labyad (6.5) - decent enough
Schuurs (6.5) - good defending and nice passing
Traore (6) - good to see him back on the pitch
Kudus (6) - on for the final 12 minutes and had some nice passes

International break coming up and Ajax will return to take on Heerenveen followed by the EL tie with Roma.

Traore does look overweight since his last game.After we went 5-0 up we put on the subs and just went through the training routine after that.

Labyad again looks poor and although only used as a sub I dont rate Idrissi at all.This was the sort of game Taylor could have played 30 mins

So 11 points clear and we now need just 10 points from 8 games for the title.A 2 week break for Internationals although with a big spike of the virus across Europe I think it is crazy we are seeing Ints.

Was out all day - so missed the game. Turning on the replay now.

The only worry now, going forward is the semi finals of the Europa League. We need to win the treble.

Ayman schreef: ↑

za mar 20, 2021 2:51 pm

Let's cheer AZ for the next 24 hours and pick up the points against Den Haag.

Why cheer for AZ?
Now the chance to win the League Title in de Feyenoord stadium became smaller!!

Ha. We still have to play Feyenoord, AZ, Vitesse, Heerenveen and Utrecht so I can see us dropping 6–9 points. But not 11.

My biggest concern about the schaal right now is whether Stekelenburg throws it off the bus again

Also play RKC ,Emmen and VVV ,we only need 10 points so win those 3 games and thats 9 of them.PSV have easier games on paper but wont win all 7.

Saw the entire game last night and our play in the 1st 50-60 minutes was downright spectacular. The position switching, quick short passing and also line breaking passes were impressive.

In the past, we would've typically given away a goal or two in the 2nd half due to lapses in concentration. But we kept it tight and gave up 0 shots on goal. That's incredible.

Even though we didn't score after the early 5th in the 2nd half, it was good for Traore, Labyad, Schuurs & Kudus to get some game time. This will only help us over the next couple months.

My biggest worry now is potential injuries over the international break.