08 Dec 2012: Ajax - FC Groningen

[Kowalczyk]

Eredivisie 2012-2013. Matchday 16.

Kick-off time at the ArenA: 20.45 CET.

It's December and we're four points behind Twente/Vitesse and three behind PSV... Normally our 'Christmas crisis' is far worse.

Having said that: Ajax played really well against Twente and PSV (both at home) and a few times in the Champions League, but we've seen too many stinkers against. Ajax are always shit after big Champions League games, we're see it too many times.

Therefore, gentlemen of Ajax: it's time to forget about PSV and Bernabéu and all that. It's time for a good performance in an 'ordinary' Eredivisie game, against 'mediocre' opposition. Groningen are 9th and should be beaten. Let's get the job done - and let's get it done in more convincing fashion than in recent 'small' games, please. You'll be out there on that pitch, in the cold, for 90 minutes anyway, so you might as well have some fun, be energetic and play a great game of football. It's just an idea.

JK.

[SPL]

Only change from Real squad Poulsen has a hamstring injury and is out for 1 or 2 weeks and so the other 18 year old Dane Lucas Andersen is in the squad.

Hope Schone starts and not Enoh.

[Van basten]

psv play against twente. hope for a draw,if not, for twente to win. still considering psv as our biggest opponents for the title this year.

[souras84]

Do we believe in an all new young Danish midfield today??

[SPL]

Schone for Poulsen the only change to the starting line v Real . Sana pulled put sick and Sulejamni is a sub .Hope we get to see Lucas Andersen ,have heard alot of good news about this boy .

MM1 on sopcast seems to be working 124891. Its a while since I got a sopcast steam and note firstrow.eu has 8 links if sopcast fails.

[Dubbel]

link

[souras84]

13th works also

[Orange14]

Not sure why van Dijk didn't get a Red card. Regarding the lame penalty kick, at least Sulejmani put them away!

[souras84]

Red card yes.
Penalty no. He clipped him outside the area

[Tom_]

I thought he went for the ball.

Anyway I don't remember Groningen being this defensive. They're getting all 11 in their own third.

[martinkohout]

Sigh. Great skills, lots of possession... let's finish some of these off!

[souras84]

If we dont score from outside the area, I cant see us getting in...

[martinkohout]

1-0! Boerrigter! Spin and right-footed shot!

[souras84]

and I am proven wrong yeeeeeees

[Tom_]

I think we're maybe playing a little slow but doing OK given how defensive Groningen are. We'll get a couple more chances in the second half, I reckon.

[Orange14]

Pretty poor start to the first half as Ajax had some trouble with the Groningen pressure (not sure why Groningen didn't keep it up). Very weak penalty taken by de Jong that didn't trouble the keeper much at all. Some sporadic efforts until they finally broke through with a nice turn and shot by Boerrigter after a really nice set up pass by Hoesen who received a nice pass from Blind. Maybe they are still tired from chasing Madridistas all around the Bernabeu, who knows. Groningen has not shown much on offense thus far with Vermeer having hardly to break a sweat at all. I wouldn't be surprised to see Enoh come on in the 2nd half and that should make things quite interesting.

[SPL]

a great goal just when we needed it . A bit of a soft penalty kick by Siem . A quick 2nd goal should be enough .

[Tom_]

Fischer has been terrible by the way. Repeatedly trying to take on three defenders and giving the ball away.

[Orange14]

...and Eriksen hasn't been much better, aimless passing and poor shooting.

[rjf1]

Woke up just in time to see the goal. A pleasant reward for the effort. They've got to stop scheduling all these games at 0345 in the morning (our time)

[martinkohout]

2-0. Schöne PK. Thank God; we were looking crap in the second half.

[SPL]

hope that should be it now we are 2-0 up

[rjf1]

Cooly and clinically taken -- nicely done.

[Tom_]

What do you guys think about de Jong asking Schöne to take the second penalty? I don't think that's a very good message coming from the captain after he missed the first...

[martinkohout]

What do you guys think about de Jong asking Schöne to take the second penalty? I don't think that's a very good message coming from the captain after he missed the first...

Was it him or did it come from the bench?