21 DEC 2014 Excelsior-Ajax Match Day 17
Moderators: ajaxusa, Kowalczyk, mods
Re: 21 DEC 2014 Excelsior-Ajax Match Day 17
Well, we got the points, but in all honesty, the better team lost.
Re: 21 DEC 2014 Excelsior-Ajax Match Day 17
Just like last years escape against Roda...
May the Force be with you
Re: 21 DEC 2014 Excelsior-Ajax Match Day 17
Fd B changes tactics and it works thanks to defensive errors by Excelsior. We did not deserve a win but we made it
Re: 21 DEC 2014 Excelsior-Ajax Match Day 17
Two late goals salvage a very poor match by Ajax who sleep walked through the first 80 minutes of the match. Sure they were gifts from Excelsior but sometimes that is what is need to win matches. Cillessen was alert enough to keep the clean sheet and van der Hoorn looks more like a striker than a defender. Lots of work to do over the winter break to create some optimism that we can overcome PSV. Serero is off to the Africa Cup of Nations and Moisander may leave. Who will step up in the 2nd half? 39 points at the half are the best in 11 seasons; go figure that one.
Player Ratings:
Cillessen (7) - very good match but helped by a horrible finish by the Excelsior striker on an open goal
Riedewald (5) - only average and could have given away a penalty when he was positionally very poor
Moisander (6.5) - strong on defense all game and good on the ball but had nobody to pass to other than Veltman for most of the match; loses a half point for getting caught up field a couple of times
Veltman (7) - back to his normal good game after the Vitesse disaster
van Rhijn (5.5) - some good points but unconvincing defense on several occasions
Serero (6) - very active all game long but some very slow passes
Klaassen (6) - came up to create a double pivot in the first half but could not make any decent passes to the attacking third; defensively very strong
Andersen (4) - poorest attacking player on the pitch, passes too weak and easily dispossessed
Kishna (5) - average but no better but in truth never got the ball in any space
Milik (4.5) - did hold the ball up but then couldn't do anything with it, below average on the day
Schöne (7) - best offensive player of the match and was all over the field trying to get open and create something, wish his teammates would have done the same
el Ghazi (6) - did stay wide and got a couple of balls into the box
van der Hoorn (7) - won a header and was alert to capitalize on Coutinho's poor punch with a solid strike to the back of the net
Zivkovic (6.5) - cool finish from the pass from Schöne
Four point deficit at the halfway point. PSV are the team to beat and it will take an almost perfect run out in the second half to win the league. Ajax have won some matches with a very poor form but need to up their game. van Beek and Nouri will be training with the team over the winter break and if Ajax are still in 2nd at the end I would not be surprised if they saw some first team play. FdB has a lot to work on to get this team playing solid football.
Player Ratings:
Cillessen (7) - very good match but helped by a horrible finish by the Excelsior striker on an open goal
Riedewald (5) - only average and could have given away a penalty when he was positionally very poor
Moisander (6.5) - strong on defense all game and good on the ball but had nobody to pass to other than Veltman for most of the match; loses a half point for getting caught up field a couple of times
Veltman (7) - back to his normal good game after the Vitesse disaster
van Rhijn (5.5) - some good points but unconvincing defense on several occasions
Serero (6) - very active all game long but some very slow passes
Klaassen (6) - came up to create a double pivot in the first half but could not make any decent passes to the attacking third; defensively very strong
Andersen (4) - poorest attacking player on the pitch, passes too weak and easily dispossessed
Kishna (5) - average but no better but in truth never got the ball in any space
Milik (4.5) - did hold the ball up but then couldn't do anything with it, below average on the day
Schöne (7) - best offensive player of the match and was all over the field trying to get open and create something, wish his teammates would have done the same
el Ghazi (6) - did stay wide and got a couple of balls into the box
van der Hoorn (7) - won a header and was alert to capitalize on Coutinho's poor punch with a solid strike to the back of the net
Zivkovic (6.5) - cool finish from the pass from Schöne
Four point deficit at the halfway point. PSV are the team to beat and it will take an almost perfect run out in the second half to win the league. Ajax have won some matches with a very poor form but need to up their game. van Beek and Nouri will be training with the team over the winter break and if Ajax are still in 2nd at the end I would not be surprised if they saw some first team play. FdB has a lot to work on to get this team playing solid football.
Appie Nouri will forever be remembered for his grace and humanity on and off the pitch!
-
King Litti
- Berichten: 547
- Lid geworden op: di nov 22, 2011 9:45 am
- Locatie: Helsinki, Finland
Re: 21 DEC 2014 Excelsior-Ajax Match Day 17
It looked like a draw at best was the only thing we were going to get. Slow tempo and we didn't really trouble the Excelsior defense at all. No creativity and not enough good runs in the final third. This is an issue that must be dealt with. Nice to see a piece of tactical magic by Frank. Brave move, almost desperate, but something had to be done and he had the balls to do it and it paid off!
"We're on a mission from God."
Re: 21 DEC 2014 Excelsior-Ajax Match Day 17
Veltman indeed had a decent game and Schone best attacking player by far. We have now won 7 and drawn 1 ie ADO,in our last 8 games and are not playing well. I still don't have too many concerns with attack but we are too lightweight in midfield.V d Beek may indeed get some playing time but Nouri is very small and may not be ready although he has superb skills and a footballing brain. Still think we should try and get another Poulsen type of experienced quality for DM.
At least in Holland we get a 4 week rest although the Schalke game in Qatar is likely to be shown on Tv,so thats only 3 weeks away.I think we all need a break from watching to recharge our batteries.
At least in Holland we get a 4 week rest although the Schalke game in Qatar is likely to be shown on Tv,so thats only 3 weeks away.I think we all need a break from watching to recharge our batteries.
-
Dave the mac
- Berichten: 367
- Lid geworden op: za okt 08, 2005 5:18 pm
- Locatie: Seattle, WA
Re: 21 DEC 2014 Excelsior-Ajax Match Day 17
A bit lucky today. Excelsior played well, and from a team with limited resources looked very good. And what a cool little stadium they have!
Someone mentioned that the better team lost today...maybe, probably. Ajax just look's tired and the break comes at a perfect time.
Great to see VD Hoorn come on and score, I like him, he's very useful in both penalty areas and perhaps today a little redemption for him. It was a big game today and he came on and had a huge effect! He needs to play more.
Another thing about the winter break: I don't have to get up in pre-dawn darkness for a bit.
Happy holidays all, and we'll pick it back up in the new year!
Someone mentioned that the better team lost today...maybe, probably. Ajax just look's tired and the break comes at a perfect time.
Great to see VD Hoorn come on and score, I like him, he's very useful in both penalty areas and perhaps today a little redemption for him. It was a big game today and he came on and had a huge effect! He needs to play more.
Another thing about the winter break: I don't have to get up in pre-dawn darkness for a bit.
Happy holidays all, and we'll pick it back up in the new year!