Ajaxtalk

Home to Groningen on Sunday and then another stupid International break though I guess it will be good to heal the injured players.

Orange14 schreef:… another stupid International break ...

There seem to be way more of these than there used to be. I have no idea why there are so many international games, they are so boring and as far as I know nobody watches them.

Agree above not interested in Internationals.

Only saw the final few minutes as I was on the phone for a long time.Davy comes up trumps and still the only MF we have ,apart from Berghuis, who scores.

Just get that 2nd early on .

Well, caught the whole match...great last 5 minutes...but, after the complaints about the Internationals...I suggest giving European competitions a break for a year!!
I caught Arsenal, some Man City, Liverpool and today's matches at Villa & here..and the quality was absolute crap!!
It's about time that we go back to one game each weekend, just for one season...maybe the idiots at EUFA & FIFA might learn something!!

KEEP FOOTBALL NATIONAL.... And entertaining!!

3 points today..welcome, but hard work!!

Ajax absolutely have to win matches against this type of opponent. Only late heroics by Weghorst with an able assist from Gaaei made sure of all three points. Sutalo with a major blunder in not clearing the ball with the resultant Groningen goal. Ajax had most of the possession and were creating a bunch of half chances after the Klaassen goal but could not convert any of them. van den Boomen had a decent PK but it was a good save from the keeper to deny him. The defense other than the Sutalo error was decent enough but I worry that this team is really not capable of playing two matches every week which is what looms ahead after the FIFA break.

Player Ratings:

Pasveer (6.5) - again had to play a lot of balls at his feet to help the build up and really did not face any difficult shots
Rensch (7.5) - thought he had an excellent match bot defending and when he had the ball
Sutalo (6) - forget this one and come back strong in two weeks
Baas (6.5) - had a couple of moments of uncertainty
Hato (7) - solid game at LB
van den Boomen (5.5) - really not much of a factor at all and arguably could have done better with the PK
Taylor (6.5) - worked hard trying to open spaces on the left side and was decent with the ball
Davy One Goal (5.5) - mediocre other than the goal
Traore (4.5) - not good at all
Brobbey (6.5) - helped on the Klaassen ball and held the ball well turning his defender several times, unfortunately the finishing touch was not there
Godts (6.5) - kept control of the ball well but it was challenging to unlock the Groningen defense
Akpom (5.5) - on for Brobbey and got the easy third goal off a nice pass from Weghorst
Rasmusssen (5.5) - on for a mediocre Traore and was above average
Henderson (5.5) - on for Klaassen and after a couple poor passes early settled into the game nicely
Weghorst (NR) - on late but has to be MOTM for the goal and assist
Gaaei (NR) - picture perfect cross for the match winner

Off for two weeks now and then away to Heracles followed by a long trip to Baku Azerbaijan

Agree your comments saddlerian. I dont bother with watching EPL .The best football I have ever seen in my life Ajax 1971 to 1973 and I am dead serious,the greatest football team ever and the finest football ever played. Downhill since.

After Thursday ,which was a dreadful advert for football, today wasn't much better until those last 5 mins.Weghorst now our hero and a lovely cross by Gaaei.
Penalty wasnt taken badly just a fine save but Sutalo probably should have headed that first touch back to Pasveer,but easy for me to say watching in slow mo .

Anyway we got out of jail but PSV,Feyenoord,AZ, Twente and even Utrecht all to come in the next 11 games and that will be tough especially with 4 more Europa games before Christmas. Qarabag not quite as near China as I thought when checking the atlas. We dont have squad who can play 2 games a week.

AZ and Twente both lose today, maybe a victim of Thursday night football. Ajax are 3 behind AZ and one behind Twente with two games in hand. Utrecht have to be the surprise of the league so far this season with six wins and a draw so far.

Another miserable second half but at least we are beating the weaker teams this season. That was the exact kind of game that would have ended in dropped points last season.

I feel like Brobbey is doing everything right and the goals will start going in soon. He is under a lot of physical pressure every time he gets the ball and it’s difficult to get a good shot away in that situation.

As for Godts, he doesn’t so much unlock the opposition defense as pass the ball straight to them :)

The exact kind of ineffective ball hog that really drives me nuts.

Was watching my 11 year old's side eke out an exciting draw and watched the Ajax game on a tablet. I yelled 'penalty' at one point and parents around me gave me a side eye. lol.

We didn't give up and fought for the 3-1 win. All wins count. We need some of our players to rest and recharge and get ready for games after the international break.