08 Aug 2010: FC Groningen - Ajax

[Cedric]

4. On Eriksen's head so El Hamdaoui can score.
5. The other keeper makes a blunder and De Jong scores

Well I don't remember if it followed a back pass, but those goals were scored after one of those long shots of Stekelenbug. But I'm not a big fan of this new trend...

[jamcocteau]

I think we're missing Enoh in the mid field. The defenders were getting caught in possession time and time again with no one to protect them.

I think you are very correct in what you state. Enoh is probably our most important midfield player in that he does a lot of covering for our defence and covers a terrific amount of ground in a game hustling the opponents. He might not do a great deal with the ball himself but he is definitely sorely missed. Any idea when he is due back

[ofey]

*shakes head*
What is wrong with this lot?

[Philippe]

those goals were scored after one of those long shots of Stekelenbug. But I'm not a big fan of this new trend...

Probably some nasty habit he got under Marwijk's coaching at the WC.

[Orange14]

I had the same feeling about Enoh's absence as others. We really didn't have a true defensive midfielder out on the pitch (de Zeeuw tends to push up more often than not). It may have been contributory. I don't know why Aissatti was substituted other than he might have become tired late in the second half. I thought he did OK and one thing I did notice was that he was relentlessly tracking back on defense (like Kuyt did for the NT). Maybe he will turn out OK for us.

If you look at the replay of the second goal, it's a but of luck that they scored. Steks makes the first save but the ball goes straight up. de Zeeuw is marking Pedersen (who looks like a giant compared to Demy; another problem we have, since the majority of our players tend to be on the short side; Demy also had a leg cramp just before the corner but I doubt that was an issue) and he can't really do anything as he is out jumped. Even so, the ball hits the inside of the post and then goes in the net. Anita, who was at the post for corner had drifted off towards the middle of the goal line after Steks's save (don't think he was really at fault for this). Another couple of inches to the left and it bounces away. In retrospect, the corner was well defended; we just can't deal with tall players in the box. We had similar problems last year which is why every corner and set piece is an adventure for this team.

[Bertrand]

If you look at the replay of the second goal, it's a but of luck that they scored. Steks makes the first save but the ball goes straight up. de Zeeuw is marking Pedersen (who looks like a giant compared to Demy; another problem we have, since the majority of our players tend to be on the short side[...])

Kind of ironic for a Dutch team to be lacking in the size department, isn't it? Tallest people in Europe on average with the Serbian.

[Orange14]

If you look at the replay of the second goal, it's a but of luck that they scored. Steks makes the first save but the ball goes straight up. de Zeeuw is marking Pedersen (who looks like a giant compared to Demy; another problem we have, since the majority of our players tend to be on the short side[...])

Kind of ironic for a Dutch team to be lacking in the size department, isn't it? Tallest people in Europe on average with the Serbian.

I know and it even carries over to the NT. Heitinga and Mathijsen are both on the short side for central defenders. Quite curious.