29 OCT 2023; PSV - Ajax; Match Day 8

[Orange14]

Have at it.

[Tom_]

I haven’t decided if I’ll bother with this game. On one hand I’d like to see if Maduro makes any changes and how they turn out. On the other hand, it’s almost certain Ajax will lose and it’s not worth staying up late to find out how much they lose by.

I think I’d accept 3-0, anything better is a bonus. Sad times for Ajax.

[SPL]

i will watch and hope but anything less than 5-0 will be a bonus. We will be dressed in black and try and play negative football like an Inter team of the 1960's.

But I love Ajax and I am not going to stop watching my club in these bleak times.I am addicted to Ajax and I will watch and hope because they are not as bad as results suggest.The words of Bob Marley's 3 Little Birds will come true if not today.I woke up to rain today and not the rising sun. But football wise and results wise the sun will rise for our beautiful club again .

Only worry today is if my son wants to bring baby granddauhter around. I love her dearly but my little Mia will have to come 2nd to Ajax today.

[SPL]

Sosa and Forbs out injured. Avila for Sosa,Hlynsson for Forbs, with Berghuis on the wing, and V D Boomen for Tahirovic.

[Amol]

Up 0-1!!!

We are playing much better today.

[Tom_]

Brobbey could have a hattrick inside 15 minutes . Bizarre. Still expecting PSV to win.

[Amol]

Should've been up by 3 already. If we hadn't been this poorly managed, we could've been in the top 5 at least based on today's play - so far.

[Amol]

Gave up one already. Sutalo got beaten.

[Amol]

I honsetly don't care about today's result.

We are playing like Ajax at least. Best play so far this season.

[SPL]

Should have got 3 by now and we may get beaten but we are playing football the Ajax way again.

[Amol]

Brobbey!!!!!!!! 1-2!!!

[Orange14]

Well that was certainly a pleasant surprise. Best first half of football all season. Brobbey should have had a hat trick had his finishing been better. Defense is doing enough and the team is pressuring PSV pretty well. van den Boomen despite being a poor defender does offer an outlet in the middle of the field. Team just has to continue to put in 100% effort now.

[Tom_]

Good to see some play in the attacking half of the pitch. However… we conceded *15* shots in that half. Really any set of numbers could be on the scoreboard at half time.

[SPL]

2-1 up ,Brobbey missed 2 sitters and we are playing football worthy of the name Ajax

[Orange14]

Good to see some play in the attacking half of the pitch. However… we conceded *15* shots in that half. Really any set of numbers could be on the scoreboard at half time.

Yes, it could be 4-4 at the half!!!!

[Amol]

Gave up 2 in the 2nd half.

Down 3-2 now.

[Amol]

Having said that I didn't care about the score today, I'm living the nightmare a little bit just now. Down 5-2 now.

[Tom_]

Both fullbacks were disastrous in the second half. I really think they need to play with an extra central defender. In the end they lost by three goals which was about what I was expecting, although I don’t know if 5-2 or 3-0 is worse. Probably 5-2.

[SPL]

We are bottom and our 2nd half was dreadful.Only positive in the 2nd half Godts ,a lot better than Berghuis. MF overrun but we cannot have Sutalo in Cd ,more mistakes today and Avila like Sosa is simply not good enough and neither should have been bought.Gaaei is no better and certainly he is no better than Sanchez.

We can only look back on a fine 1st half and Brobbey missing 2 sitters . On paper we have 2 easy home games this week , Volendam and Heerenveen 6 points and next week we will be half way up the table.

Not a lot we can do about a defence with just Hato good enough as there are no Jong players ready .Gooijer perhaps should have got 10 mins today.

[Orange14]

Well it was fun while it lasted. A decent first half was undone by poor defending in the 2nd as PSV slice through Ajax like a hot knife through butter. I continue to be amazed (though should not be) about the absolutely poor quality of all the new players that Mislintat brought in. I feel bad for Hato who tries to play good football only to be undone by the FB on his side and the horrible defensive MF ahead of him. Ramaj really doesn't look like a first team keeper. Too bad Brobbey's game was marked by a couple of poor finishes as he put in a complete shift on the field. Not much else to say about the match.

Player Ratings:

Ramaj (5) - just an ordinary GK who was not worth the money Ajax paid; kicking was poor to be charitable and his pas to van den Boomen in tight, UGH
Gaaei (5.5) - decent enough and I don't think Rensch would have done any better
Sutalo (5.5) - maybe he wishes he were back in Zagreb
Hato (6.5) - maybe the best player on the pitch for Ajax given all the defending he had to do
Avila (3.5) - beaten all game long
van den Boomen (4.5) - scuffed a goal in for the first Ajax score but was woeful defending in the 2nd half
Taylor (5) - I watched him closely and he put in a good effort but had little impact
Hlynsson (5) - had some touches but not terribly effective
Berghuis (5) - had a couple of moments in the first half but wilted in the 2nd
Brobbey (6) - yes, should have finished better but never gave up
Bergwijn (5) - really ordinary and I hope the Saudi money is still on the table in January
Godts (5) - had tough going
Salah-Eddine (NR) - on late for the terrible Avila
Vos (NR) - on late for van den Boomen

Volendam coming up on Thursday and maybe the club can finally win a game.

[Amol]

With the way we played the first half, we should be able to put away most sides from the bottom half of the table.

We do need to put the ball into the net and not waste so much chances.

Also, as the confidence goess up slowly, players will stop making some mistakes. Low confidence will cause more mistakes in a vicious circle.

[Orange14]

Also, as the confidence goess up slowly, players will stop making some mistakes. Low confidence will cause more mistakes in a vicious circle.

I think this is right and things might have turned out differently if Brobbey had finished better in the first half.

[SPL]

Not really seen Mikautadz or Mannverk but of the other 10 new players I would say most are poor. All 5 defenders can be sold in January along with Akpom and Tahirovic. Sosa, Gaaei and Avila cannot defend and Sutalo looks woeful. V d Boomen is too slow and Forbs although looks bright is no better than Godts or V A Dongen.

Clearly we cannot have such a clear out especially as Bergwijn and Berghuis are poor and have no future.

Mislintat has destroyed our club and the Board just watched the destruction.

Just beat Volendam by any means.

[saddlerian]

Totally agree, although possibly Forbs & Medic might be able to develop...the Medic screamer on debut showing what he can produce, even though he's a defender. Forbs was doing the business for MC 3rd team...not really a great advert as supposedly an "Antony" substitute!
Let's hope that the first half performance yesterday can be replicated against Volendam & Heerenveen...two 2 goal wins and Ajax go to 9th place, surely a confidence boost?
Yesterday's 1st half reminded me of Rooney's "no fear" policy..although the 2nd half should have been more of the same...PSV second goal bringing total collapse!!