02 Mar 2014: Feyenoord - Ajax

[Kowalczyk]

Eredivisie 2013-2014. Matchday 26.

Kick-off time at De Kuip in Rotterdam is 14:30 CET (not the 12:30 slot this time!).

Nine more matches left to play; six points clear of the #2 (Twente). Vitesse are eight points behind; Feyenoord nine.

K.

[Kowalczyk]

In case you missed it. Here's Feyenoord's Grazioano Pellè going spare after Twente vs Feyenoord... http://youtu.be/NT0Hr5M4QyA



A very wise thing to do with the Classic coming up next... My God, what a moron. He kicks the Twente dug-out, then almost bumps into Twente's president (Joop Munstermann) and then he kicks a big hole in one of those 'sponsor screens' of a TV crew...

The official rule is that you can be yellow a red carded until 30 minutes after the final whistle. The referee didn't notice this, so no card was shown on the spot. Therefore, the KNVB prosecutor is on the case. Pellè will be banned for a few games, for sure. But here's what makes it tricky. The club has the right to appeal against the verdict. If they do so, the final verdict will be next Monday - and Pellè will be eligible while the case is pending...

The unwritten rule in football is: you accept the penalty if the player was very clearly wrong and deserves the ban. But this is their main man - and it's the Classic.

Interesting...

The most hilarious scenario: Pellè gets banned, Feyenoord appeal against it only to make him eligible for Ajax, we stuff Feyenoord with Pellè and after the weekend he gets a longer ban.

K.

[SPL]

Big one about to start


Cillessen,V Rhijn,Veltman,Moisander,Blind,Klaassen,Poulsen,Serero,Bojan,de Jong,Kishna

[Orange14]

Get to watch on the TV with great Spanish commentary. Don't know of Paulson can play 90

[paladinby]

Duarte should start instead of Serero...

[Van basten]

Finally we have à decent winger. Keep it up Kishna!

[Orange14]

Very even first half. They get a goal when Moisander had to go off for treatment. Veltman had decent position but it was a great cross and he got out jumped by Pelle. Nice play by Kishna to cross for the Ajax goal. Hope we can get an early goal in the second half but we are going to be slow up front.

[SPL]

Alas Moisander was off the field when they scored. Veltman just lost Pelle. Lovely football by Kishna for our goal.

[Orange14]

Duarte should start instead of Serero...

Serero is either good or bad. He can't seem to even things out. When he gets lots of space in front he doesn't know what to do

[SPL]

Possibly a bit hard on Veltman as Pelle did out jump him

[Philippe]

Good we could score just before HT. Poulsen will play an important part in the middle field. I don't think they'd have scored if Moisander had not been off the pitch. And I'm quite optimistic.

[rjf1]

As toothless as our "attack" has been, it was quite the unexpected (but pleasant) surprise to get that goal.

[rjf1]

I dunno -- to my way of thinking, they always use Pelle and the long ball to score against us, so I would build a defense designed specifically to stop Pelle -- stop him and what else have they got. Ok, Moisander was off for treatment -- all the more reason to bear down and focus on Pelle -- put two guys on him and don't worry about the rest of them -- I mean, even the last guy in the last row knew what their "plan" with Moisander off was going to be.

[Orange14]

Don't think that was a foul on Paulson.. He got to the position first

[rjf1]

Totally against the run of play, but I'm happy to take it -- about time one of those twists turned our way.

[SPL]

great time to a score a first ever goal by Veltman

[SPL]

Yes what a great win.We really dug that one out .

[Van basten]

8 points clear from 2nd place!

[ajaxcolombia]

This is probably the sweetest klassikier win in years! Poulsen was much better when he moved deeper between veltman and moisander. Kishna had few touches but was magical when he had them and put in a couple of tackles, starter for the rest of the year! Moisander was impeccable in defense, no wonder pelle only got the best of us when he was off. And finally, duarte should be a starter.

[SPL]

We are now nearly over the hill and nearly out of sight in the title race. 8 points clear with 8 to go. Ok Twente come here and we go to Vitesse but both are dropping points regularly.

Pelle elbowed one of our guys and should have got a red .Ter Vrede also should have been red carded for that challenge on Cillessen. One of those games even we had to mix it a bit .You cannot play lovely clean foul free footy against that bunch of thugs.Poulsen's experience was mighty important today and gave as good as he got.

Agree Duarte was very good in MF .He should now start in that position .

[ajaxcolombia]

Oh and did anyone notice pelles elbow on veltman? Really how long will he go without a suspension?

[Orange14]

Hard fought game and the club defended really well. Dangerous balls were always cleared away and Cillessen had a couple of good punches in traffic to keep Feyenoord off the scoreboard. Only conceded a goal when we were a man down and don't know that Veltman could have done much else as Pelle is bigger and Martins Indi's cross was pefect. Surprised that Pelle didn't receive at least one yellow card for the elbows he was throwing and Veltman didn't deserve the hand ball near the end when he was pushed. We have some weak competition coming up so our lead should be pretty safe for the next several weeks. Maybe some of the team trailing us will slip up.

Player Ratings:

Cillessen (7.5) - kicked well and had two good punches in traffic, distributed the ball nicely
Blind (7.5) - really strong on defense
Moisander (7.5) - solid game and too bad he had to come off for treatment on the goal though he might not have made a difference
Veltman (7.5) - good today and I'm not faulting him on the Feyenoord goal and nice to see him poke the rebound in for the winner
van Rhijn (7.5) - a couple of bad crosses but generally played a good match and defended Boetius extremely well
Poulsen (7.5) - added some needed steel in the midfield and kept things pretty solid on defense
Serero (4) - very poor and two costly give aways were fortunately cleaned up by the defenders; had acres of space sometimes and didn't realize it
Klaassen (5.5) - somewhat silent but had a stinging shot come off the post
Bojan (5.5) - non-factor and came off with an injury
de Jong (6.5) - really worked hard up front
Kishna (6.5) - nice cross to Sigthorrson for the first goal but otherwise silent on offense
Sigthorrson (6.5) - worked hard but his lack of speed was a hinderance on the wing, nice goal to tie things up
Duarte (6.5) - decent enough coming in for Serero
de Sa (6) - good enough and worked hard

With only the cup to play for now the league is Ajax's to lose at this point.

[saddlerian]

Oh and did anyone notice pelles elbow on veltman? Really how long will he go without a suspension?

No worries about that...they have to look at it if there hs been any sort of complaint....the commentator on LiveSport said that HE would make the authorities aware if necessary....stupid Italian git (a person or a man who is extremely unpleasant...Oxford English Dictionary).....ought to be able to control his childlike tantrums!!!!

[ajaxcolombia]

Agree with this grades expect I believe all our defenders deserve the extra .5.

[Orange14]

Oh and did anyone notice pelles elbow on veltman? Really how long will he go without a suspension?

He had another one as well but remember officials are always intimidated in Rotterdam. This is the biggest home field advantage in the Eredivisie! Visitors are never going to get a break.