15 Jan 2006: Ajax - NEC

[Kowalczyk]

The first Ajax game of 2006 is the friendly at FC Haarlem on the 11th, but the first 'official' game is the Eredivisie home game against NEC (one of the teams that beat us in the first half of the season... REVENGE).

K.

[Van der Vaart]

and KJH will play and scores 2 goals ( I hope :eusa_pray: )

[Dubbel]

Seems like a perfect opponent to restart the season against. NEC recently lost their succesful coach and they are ranked higher than they would have imagined on forehand. Even though they beat us at home I doubt they will be expecting to bring home the bacon this time.

Also, history is on our side on this one(isn't it always?). The years you can't find in the list NEC was playing in a lower division.

31/10/2004 Ajax - NEC 1-0
25/1/2004 Ajax - NEC 1-0
17/11/2002 Ajax - NEC 6-0
10/10/2001 Ajax - NEC 5-0
6/9/2000 Ajax - NEC 0-0
26/3/2000 Ajax - NEC 5-2
21/4/1999 Ajax - NEC 3-0
28/2/1998 Ajax - NEC 3-0
18/4/1997 Ajax - NEC 5-0
24/12/1995 Ajax - NEC 3-1
19/3/1995 Ajax - NEC 5-1
7/10/1990 Ajax - NEC 7-0
17/12/1989 Ajax - NEC 3-0
13/11/1985 Ajax - NEC 2-0

[Kowalczyk]

By the way: Wesley Sneijder picked up his fourth yellow card of the season against Heerenveen and will be suspended for the NEC home game.

K.

[saddlerian]

:headbang: :headbang:

So we've lost Sneijder, Trabelsi and Boukhari for the NEC game! Brilliant!

I don't know what the weather's like over there, but maybe we can pick up some tips from the Norwegian's downhill skiers! After seeing the highlights from Heerenveen, the three won't be missed all that much! (Unless they can throw snowballs).

What mysterious combination is Blind going to give us this time?

:xyxthumbs: :xyxthumbs:

[Philippe]

I would say that Sneijder and Boukhari are among those who show fighting spirit

[saddlerian]

:headbang: :headbang:

Roll on next Sunday! I can start the year with a big winning bet. €150 on an Ajax win (1/3) and €50 at 2-0 (8/1).

This could pay for the Utrecht trip!

Come on Mr Blind! It's time to repay some of the money you've lost me!

:xyxthumbs: :xyxthumbs:

[Venezuelan Ajacied]

:headbang: :headbang:

So we've lost Sneijder, Trabelsi and Boukhari for the NEC game! Brilliant!

I don't know what the weather's like over there, but maybe we can pick up some tips from the Norwegian's downhill skiers! After seeing the highlights from Heerenveen, the three won't be missed all that much! (Unless they can throw snowballs).

What mysterious combination is Blind going to give us this time?

:xyxthumbs: :xyxthumbs:

Thats a very good question....especialy in midfield, i think the big question is who is goin to play as #10 with both Pienaar and Sneijder not available.
If we stick to the 4-4-2 i would expect something along the lines of:

............................................Stekelenburg...........................................

................De Jong..........Heitinga...........Grygera..........Juanfran..............

...............................................Galasek................................................

........................Rosales..........................................Emanuelson............

..................................Babel or X(i DONT HAVE A CLUE)...........................

..................................Rosenberg.............Huntelaar...............................

Now if we revert to the good old 4-3-3 it would be something like this:


............................................Stekelenburg...........................................

.........Heitinga...............Grygera.............Vermealen.........Juanfran...........

...............................................Galasek................................................

...........................De Jong...........................Emanuelson........................

...............Rosales....................Huntelaar........................Babel...............


Still the question persists who will be the #10????

[Ayman]

Switch Emanuelsons positon to juanfrans position, because Urby would be uncomfortable as an innermidfielder

[Kowalczyk]

Personally I think this game might mark the return of Olaf Lindenbergh in the Ajax line-up, now that we will have to shift the midfield around...

K.

[Over Pasanens Head]

I think that we should try Rosenberg as a number 10.

[saddlerian]

Personally I think this game might mark the return of Olaf Lindenbergh in the Ajax line-up, now that we will have to shift the midfield around...
K.

:headbang: :headbang:
Good thinking! A little more experience in the central midfield area, Lindenbergh and Galasek might just be the duo we've been looking for. Only problem now, OPH, is where exactly to play Rosenberg. Is he "The Hunter's" partner, or is Rosales going to get the nod?
Questions again......

:xyxthumbs: :xyxthumbs:

[Venezuelan Ajacied]

Personally I think this game might mark the return of Olaf Lindenbergh in the Ajax line-up, now that we will have to shift the midfield around...
K.

:headbang: :headbang:
Good thinking! A little more experience in the central midfield area, Lindenbergh and Galasek might just be the duo we've been looking for. Only problem now, OPH, is where exactly to play Rosenberg. Is he "The Hunter's" partner, or is Rosales going to get the nod?
Questions again......

:xyxthumbs: :xyxthumbs:

Still the question continues guy's, both Lindenbergh and Galasek are defense oriented midfielders..... so who will spearhead our midfield????? Or do we just play without a shadow striker-#10 player ?????.

[Kowalczyk]

Still the question continues guy's, both Lindenbergh and Galasek are defense oriented midfielders..... so who will spearhead our midfield????? Or do we just play without a shadow striker-#10 player ?????.

Probably. We've actually done that many times this season. Sneijder mostly played as a left midfielder so far, and in many games we did not have a typical 'number 10' behind the strikers (which was why the striker was so isolated in many games early in the season...).

When the two outer midfielders are very offensive wingers, midfield would become too offensive if one of the two central midfielders is also a very forward-thinking player. Two real midfielders (with a good sense of defensive responsibility) are the best solution in that case.

Galásek is a defensive player, definitely, but Lindenbergh much less so. He's not much of a 'number 10' (as in: going forward himself), but he's very forward-thinking in his passing. More so than Galásek.

Galásek and Lindenbergh have played a few games together (Sparta Prague away and a couple of league games in the same period) and it went absolutely great. There seemed to be whole new balance in midfield. Then Lindenbergh got sent off and after his suspension he never returned. Which I found strange, because the two of them really clicked in midfield. Time to give the Galásek/Lindenbergh duo another shot, I say.

K.

[saddlerian]

[quote
Galásek is a defensive player, definitely, but Lindenbergh much less so. He's not much of a 'number 10' (as in: going forward himself), but he's very forward-thinking in his passing. More so than Galásek.

Galásek and Lindenbergh have played a few games together (Sparta Prague away and a couple of league games in the same period) and it went absolutely great. There seemed to be whole new balance in midfield.

K.

:headbang: :headbang:
Great! There's someone who agrees with me. Balance the midfield with Galasek and Lindenbergh, and then use two attack minded wide men. I know it almost gives a "V" formation in the centre, but it IS balanced!

:xyxthumbs: :xyxthumbs:

[The Purple Cow]

Sadler Ian, am I right in thinking that you used to be a professional cricket player?

[Kowalczyk]

Sadler Ian, am I right in thinking that you used to be a professional cricket player?

You're shitting me... Ian, tell us about it! :yes: :D

I do know that Ian's a Brummie, by the way. Just like you. Ian is a Walsall fan, so you can sh*t on the Villa together...

K.

[Over Pasanens Head]

Sadler Ian, am I right in thinking that you used to be a professional cricket player?

You're shitting me... Ian, tell us about it! :yes: :D

I do know that Ian's a Brummie, by the way. Just like you. Ian is a Walsall fan, so you can sh*t on the Villa together...

K.

Sadler isn't Ian's real surname - don't know if this makes a difference.

[aveslacker]

Wouldn't that be cool if he was actually Ian Botham?

I once played darts for 20E a pop in a British bar in Athens (the Blue Parrot) with a guy who had played wicketkeeper for one of the bigger counties (could have been Somerset, but I'm not 100%). He was quite surprised that an American knew anything at all about cricket.

Cost me a bit of money though, since I'm a woeful darts player.

And I once nearly ran over Brian Lara in my car.

[The Purple Cow]

Sadler Ian, am I right in thinking that you used to be a professional cricket player?

You're shitting me... Ian, tell us about it! :yes: :D

I do know that Ian's a Brummie, by the way. Just like you. Ian is a Walsall fan, so you can sh*t on the Villa together...

K.

Sadler isn't Ian's real surname - don't know if this makes a difference.

No, I know. A Sadler is a Walsall fan.

[saddlerian]

Sadler Ian, am I right in thinking that you used to be a professional cricket player?

You're shitting me... Ian, tell us about it! :yes: :D
I do know that Ian's a Brummie, by the way. Just like you. Ian is a Walsall fan, so you can sh*t on the Villa together...
K.

:headbang: :headbang:
Sorry it's taken so long to get back lads, but I've only just got in from school! Let's put the record straight: I'm not a Brummie, I'm a WALSALL supporter, (part time) from WOLVERHAMPTON, not Birmingham, but yes, we can still sh*t on the Villa. As far as the cricket's concerned, I was hoping to keep that quiet, especially as there seems to be a series of "International" challenges (Loosje's on December 4). Yes, I was "employed" by a county cricket club in the south of England, (not the area where two heads is the norm..!), but, although I could drink like Mr Botham at the time, was not exactly the type of sportsman to set the world on fire. I lasted two years, much of which was spent in the coaching capacity, hence changing my career to teaching!
There! It's out! But don't rely on me if any cricket challenges come in to partner the darts, 5-aside football, dominoes, .... I'm just too old for that game now. I'm a watcher and "thinker"!
:xyxthumbs: :xyxthumbs:

[English Eagle]

"I'm a watcher and "thinker"!" . . .that explains many a mans lure to Amsterdam :xyxthumbs: .

[saddlerian]

:headbang: :headbang:
Hey Lads, (& Laddesses to be PC). One of the kids in my class emailed me this; http://www.cafepress.com/buy/Ajax/-/pv_ ... /c_0/hlv_t
"Is this a fake, Sir?"

Sensible kids!

:xyxthumbs: :xyxthumbs:

[SE6Ajacied]

:headbang: :headbang:
Hey Lads, (& Laddesses to be PC). One of the kids in my class emailed me this; http://www.cafepress.com/buy/Ajax/-/pv_ ... /c_0/hlv_t
"Is this a fake, Sir?"

Sensible kids!

:xyxthumbs: :xyxthumbs:

You've got to be kidding...do you teach IT and someone did this for their homework.....? Ajax Rotterdam...lol

Tell me someone made this up or is that a genuine site?

How could you get it that wrong anyway - if you've gone to the trouble to source the correct logo for your dodgy t-shirts it doesn't take a genius to read it. R-O-T-T-E-R-D-A-M is quite different from A-M-S...oh well you get the picture.

[saddlerian]

:headbang: :headbang:
Hey Lads, (& Laddesses to be PC). One of the kids in my class emailed me this; http://www.cafepress.com/buy/Ajax/-/pv_ ... /c_0/hlv_t
"Is this a fake, Sir?"
Sensible kids!
:xyxthumbs: :xyxthumbs:

You've got to be kidding...do you teach IT and someone did this for their homework.....? Ajax Rotterdam...lol
Tell me someone made this up or is that a genuine site?


:headbang: :headbang: :headbang:
Sorry, but it's genuine! One of my kids typed "Ajax" into Google. This is one of the results of their search! Even MY kids aren't so stupid as to think Ajax come from Rotterdam. I do teach them SOME Geography!!! They know where Ajax come from, if they value their lives!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:xyxthumbs: :xyxthumbs:
How did tonight's friendly do??? Any news??