25 Aug 2010: Ajax - FC Dynamo Kyiv

[Philippe]

We are back ! Thanks to Marteen for saving us. Great season ahead !

[ofey]

Firstly:

Just saw some extended highlights:
1. Steks - Sign the man up for life!
2. VdWiel - WTF!? Dutch International!? Played in a WCFinal? I see nothing in him. Should have gotten rid of him to Bayern when we had the chance... .
3. Toby - Still has lots to learn
4. Vertonghen - What a player. Our oracle was right. He is the best player we've developed by a mile... .
5. Urby - I don't believe anyone will want to sign him. He's hopeless...Loses his markee at corners, positioning is suspect. Only thing he can do well is playing the ball into space with his left foot. Surely he has to recognise resigning for 2 yrs may be more beneficial for him... . Playing for Ajax must be better than playing for 2nd grade European sides... . Sure you don't get paid as well but I'm certain you'll be happier here... .
6. Enoh - I don't think there's much of a difference between him and Lindgren. I'm glad we have them both.
7. Eriksen - Still raw at this level... . Had a good run out.
8. Siem - He is a massive player and he's growing in stature now. I see him as a Bryan Robson, Frank Lampard type box to box player. Here's hoping he develops... .
9. ElHam- Thank god we have a number 9. I can't imagine if we didn't sign him... It'd be a shit season otherwise... .
10. Luis - Is there anything we can do to convince him to stay? It's a long shot We just need one generation of these players to stay for their careers and I think we'll be able to rebuild... .
11. De Zeuw - He's now the glue that holds the midfield together. Very underated.
12. Micky - I don't think he's crap. He needs game time... . His cameo in place of Eriksen convinces me that if he trains hard and plays regularly, he'll be a player for us.
13. Ooijer - Great to have him on the bench. Just bring him on when we want to lock things up. But he's not going to be a Stam.

Christ the relief at the end of the game was so apparent.
Now just get out of the group stages. We need to get out of the group. It's imperative!

[Monkey Tonk]

Great result.

And basically a coin flip. In a game where Ajax only needed to keep a clean sheet, we could have said nothing if Kiev had taken a two goal lead in the first half. I know that's not the 'right' thing to say after a successful qualifying campaign, so I'll shut up about the defense. There is a difference between being good and being lucky. And yes, after all those near misses in May, it's about time Ajax got lucky.

Relief.

[Purple Cow's Ghost]

I think Ajax's best player was the referee, certainly a 'thuisfluiter' - but hey I'll take it, we have been shafted so often by shit referees over the years, we deserved this break. It's karma I tell you.

Impressed by Stekkers who seams to have got over his early-career problems of 'freezing' in important games, and (God help me) even Mickey Sulejemani, who was a massive improvement on Erikson when he came on. Erikson's one for the future, no doubt about, but right now he's out of his depth at C.L. level.

Emanuelson was a catastrophy at left back, we need cover for Anita.

[Philippe]

Emanuelson was a catastrophy at left back, we need cover for Anita.

Worse was van der Wiel IMO, at left right...

[aveslacker]

Urby was complete crap in the first half (and I agree with Monkey Tonk that we were lucky to not be down a few goals in the first) but the defense in general looked pretty good in the second until the last ten minutes. At least it's something to build on. VdWiel was inconsistent. I thought he was ok in defense and good going forward, but his service was crap and he generally sprayed a lot of passes. Aside from his brain fart, Vertonghen was very solid, I thought.

Eriksen was unimpressive. Mickey was an inspired sub by Jol. Enoh was pretty good and De Zeeuw was impressive.

And I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that Suarez and El Hamdaoui are one of the top strikeforces in Europe. These guys are going to be something special.

It's been so long since we were here. It really feels special. Hopefully next year we'll qualify automatically by winning the league.

[gordonvandekamp]

Just have to say, FINALLY

Glad we have El Hamdaoui this year, he's shown to be a skillful attacker that I think we were going to lack without Pantelic. Thought Urby looked awful at left back, but at least van der Wiel defended well yesterday. Stekelenberg really kept is in it from the beginning, so glad we have him. I don't think Sulejmani is a bad player, but does need game time to develop, which he probably won't see again this season.

I guess the only downside is that Vertonghen and Suarez are suspended for the next match.

[rjf1]

I really envy you guys who saw the game -- even on a crappy stream. It started at 3 in the morning here, so I had to let it go by. The absolute first thing I did when I woke up was check the score -- let out a whoop that woke the wife and kids -- and smiled through the entire morning. Like everyone said -- AT LAST! Oh, and I read where Suarez said that he was here for the rest of the year (the football year -- not the calendar year).

BTW, can anyone post a link to highlights?

[Rooie]

http://eurorivals.net/ajax:dynamo-kiev- ... 00825.html

Second one over there is with English commentary.

[rjf1]

http://eurorivals.net/ajax:dynamo-kiev- ... 00825.html

Second one over there is with English commentary.

Thanks -- much appreciated.

[aveslacker]

http://eurorivals.net/ajax:dynamo-kiev- ... 00825.html

Second one over there is with English commentary.

Thanks -- much appreciated.

Watching those highlights again reminds me how bad the English commentators sucked. They never pronounced Alderweireld's name the same way twice, and never pronounced it correctly once.