02 Sep 2012: SC Heerenveen - Ajax

[Rooie]

Now, that was a 100% penalty...

[Tom_]

The really annoying thing is that despite the horrible performance we have had more than enough chances to win. We could've been up 3–0 in the first half but we didn't take our chances, and got ourselves in a twist after that penalty

[Orange14]

Off to Yoga now; cannot take anymore of this. Good luck on holding the draw.

[rjf1]

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde has kept us in the game!

[souras84]

Lukoki cannot cross, period!

[Tom_]

Toss up between Vermeer and the ref for MotM?

[rjf1]

Somebody needs to investigate that referee's finances. Three clear cut penalties waved off.

[souras84]

2 evidently poor teams, already force us into 2 2-2 draws... Not very good...

[SPL]

poor performance although we were better with 10 men ,well we could not be worse . The dreadful back pass for their 1st plus the howler by the ref to red card may well have cost us 3 points but Serero was voted our MOM and with some great shot stopping my MOM was Vermeer, superb saver after 88 mins . Yes Vermeer mom we were that bad .

Eriksen had a poor game and V Rhijn's defending was about as poor as V d Wiel. Just wondering what the best team in Spain , Germany and England will do to us , does not bare thinking about especially as our only defensive cover are kids.

[King Litti]

Subpar performance from both teams but it sure was entertaining. What a roller coaster ride. Lot's of rookie mistakes. I mean if you have to play the ball to your keeper at least pass it to his feet. Hope Boilesen, Siggy and Enoh get back in to shape soon. Enoh or Poulsen would bring more fighting spirit to the midfield. Shöne didn't win balls and at the same time he didn't do that much offensively either. Too early to say anything about Boccara.

[Orange14]

I had to head out for Yoga with about 4 minutes of regular time left and see that they did escape with a point after a perfectly dreadful match. The second half was better and I suspect that if they had kept 11 men on the field that the third goal might have gone in (but maybe not as they did play with more urgency after Serero was sent off). Certainly the officiating was quite poor even by Eredivisie standards but that's a fact of life. The linesmen were as poor as the match official as they botched several off sides calls. Why on earth wasn't the match stopped when there were two balls on the pitch (though this would have cancelled the 2nd Heerenveen goal which would have been cruel). That being said, the mediocre finishing on display today from both sides meant that it was less than an even money bet that attackers would miss one on ones with the keeper. Maybe the first half performance was a result of the bus being late but whatever the excuse, FdB simply should not tolerate this type of football.

I have to be quite harsh in player ratings today:

Vermeer (7) - probably the best player on the pitch and he was not helped at all by his defense today and certainly was helped by poor finishing. Did make some big time saves to keep the point
Van Rhijn (4) - what was he thinking with that back pass? Also got beat at least two times by the winger. I hope this was just a one off.
Alderweireld (5) - just average, no better no worse
Moisander (5) - played as well as Toby
Dijks (4) - just lost his head out there by trying to be too cute with the ball resulting in some giveaways deep in Ajax territory
Schöne (5) - he is not a defensive midfielder and as soon as Enoh and Poulsen are ready to play this experiment should be concluded
Eriksen (6) - only gets above average because he finally woke up in the second half and started to play football; still wonder if he should/could have passed to Lukoki when he broke free
Serero (5) - totally schizophrenic performance; when he was good he was very good, when he was bad, he was horrible; should have realized he had no chance to make a play when he went in from behind. Personally I thought a Red was too harsh but this is the Eredivise after all. In England it would have been a yellow (and I've even seen no calls here)
Boerrigter (4.5) - had one good cross and otherwise did very little, maybe he is still rounding into shape, who knows but last year he would have finished the chances he had
de Jong (4.5) - was he on the pitch? Seriously, I didn't see much involvement other than acting as captain and complaining to the match official
Sano (6) - second best to Vermeer; he seemed to have an idea of what needed to be done out there
Lukoki (5) - didn't do anything to hurt the team
Blind (4.5) - had one dicey moment so he loses 1/2 a point but otherwise played as well as Lukoki
Boccara (NR) - I didn't see enough to make any judgement.

The only consolation was the point we preserved. I remember when van Basten was manager and the trip to Heerenveen was an absolute nightmare. I think it was cold and raining that day and Ajax got totally thrashed (maybe 5-1). To any of you harboring any CL ambitions, I think you can forget them for the moment. This team really needs to think long and hard about what they are all about because at present they don't look like repeating as league champions to me.

[Tom_]

It was a horrible game but I think the team is better than they looked today. We're always crap until January, remember?

[Blind3]

If I can't say something nice , and I can't , .....

[aveslacker]

To any of you harboring any CL ambitions, I think you can forget them for the moment. This team really needs to think long and hard about what they are all about because at present they don't look like repeating as league champions to me.

Oh, Chicken Little, have some patience. This is a team that has new players at every position and has a history of starting slowly in recent years. They'll get better over time.

[zeux]

It was a horrible game but I think the team is better than they looked today. We're always crap until January, remember?

Only this time it might really be too late, as I don't see psv falter with Advocaat at the helm.

[Philippe]

Terrible defense (apart from Vermeer) and no defensive midfielder. Very lucky not to have lost this one.

[aveslacker]

It was a horrible game but I think the team is better than they looked today. We're always crap until January, remember?

Only this time it might really be too late, as I don't see psv falter with Advocaat at the helm.

I would love to see us win the eredivisie this year and every year. It's too early to tell whether or not we'll do it this year. However, for the first time in a while, I think it's safe to be optimistic about how this team is being built. We've lost a lot of experience with Vertonghen, Janssen and VdWiel. As long as the kids develop and continue to play in the Ajax style, I can accept not winning the eredivisie this year.

[Blind3]

Last time I checked , my name wasn't on the team sheet . As a supporter , I'll continue to support . Refuse to get too high or too low. Thirty matches left , slews of injuries and plot twists for all clubs, a January transfer period when heaven knows what will happen , etc...

Just hope the early struggles of several youngsters, thinking Dijks and Van Rhijn in particular , will see them become better at their craft . Hoping too that the infusion of Babel and Poulsen will help provide steel and a sharper cutting edge respectively .

[Blind3]

Tranlated from De Telegraaf :

The prosecutor has paid football Thulani Serero a settlement proposal of two match suspension done, one conditional, for his red card Sunday in the away match against SC Heerenveen. Serero has until Monday 15:00 the time to respond to the proposal of the prosecutor. By acceptance he misses home game against RKC Waalwijk.
Ajax Network
[Update] Ajax has already announced to have agreed to the settlement proposal. The midfielder is therefore suspended for the game against RKC Waalwijk.