08 FEB 2015 Go Ahead Eagles - Ajax Match Day 22

[Orange14]

You will have to watch this one without me as I have a choir obligation all day Sunday. Four matches in the new year and we have scored exactly two goals. Moisander will sit this one out unless they appeal the phantom Red card and maybe Viergever slots in his place. Don't know about the long term injuries as to who is healthy or not these days. Four points up on third place PEC Zwolle so no slip ups are allowed the rest of the way as the away match at Eindhoven is pretty much looking as a defeat given this team's form.

[Tom_]

Yep, we're now in a genuine battle for second position. Actually I think Feyenoord are going to be stronger challengers than Zwolle but we'll see.

By the way, I'm less than certain but I don't think you can appeal a direct red card?

[Orange14]

By the way, I'm less than certain but I don't think you can appeal a direct red card?

I believe suspensions can be appealed and I've seen it done. Maybe it's on a league by league basis.

[SPL]

Moisander banned for this one game. No news about injuries but Serero and Klaassen must be big doubts.

[Orange14]

Moisander banned for this one game. No news about injuries but Serero and Klaassen must be big doubts.

Ajax said they are accepting the decision under protest but believed that they would not get it overturned. Interestingly, the Willems Red card on Tuesday was overturned and a goal in the Groningen match was disallowed by the FA.

[Tom_]

I stand corrected, thanks for the info.

I haven't watched the highlights of the PSV game yet, but in general I don't really like the idea of the ref's decision being overturned after the match. Firstly the crazy decisions are all part of the excitement if you ask me... but also, where do you draw the line? Maybe they could go back to 2007 or whenever it was that PSV won the title by a single goal and call a foul on the player who kicked the ball out of Stekelenburg's hands in the second last game? That would make us champions!

[Orange14]

Klaassen and Veltman are back in the squad. Serero and Sigthorrsson are still out and of course Moisander is suspended. Onana is again the back up keeper.

Selection:

Jasper Cillessen
Ricardo van Rhijn
Joël Veltman
Nicolai Boilesen
Mike van der Hoorn
Daley Sinkgraven
Davy Klaassen
Ricardo Kishna
Jairo Riedewald
Lucas Andersen
Arek Milik
Lasse Schöne
Anwar El Ghazi
Kenny Tete
Andre Onana
Nick Viergever
Riechedly Bazoer
Niki Zimling
Queensy Menig

[SPL]

Of the above listed squad of19 Andersen dropped out sick.

Team

Cillessen

VRhijn,V d Hoorn,Viegever,Boilesen

Klaassen,Bazoer,Sinkgraven

El Ghazi,Schone,Kishna

So good news Klaassen is back but 2 wingers and no striker.Schone way too slow as a striker .Hope Milik gets on.

Veltman is not picked but he ought to play for Jong tomorrow to get match practice.Viegever the only alternative.

Apart from Milik for Schone and Riedewald for Boilesen not much more changes I would make.

[Orange14]

I'm with you for the first half before I have to leave. Again FdB names Boilesen captain!

[Orange14]

IT'S ABOUT TIME THAT WE SCORED A GOAL! What's up with these fans throwing balls on the pitch?

[Orange14]

Catch up with everyone later. We need more goals. At least Boilesen is having a good match!

[SPL]

A well taken goal and we are starting to take command.A 2nd goal could be enough.Boilesen having a decent game

[rjf1]

I could see it coming -- pressure building -- unable to clear the ball to anyone except the other team -- all I could do was shake my head in disgust when the inevitable happened.

[Amol]

OMG - that has to be rough for Van Der Hart.

[rjf1]

He really played well up to that point -- you have to feel sorry for him.

[Van basten]

Another disgraceful performance from the club.

[rjf1]

An undeserved win, to be sure. Same story week after week -- you really have to wonder what they work on in practice.

[Amol]

One positive which I saw today was that the midfield isn't getting run over like it was for the first few games after the winter break. Defense is at least able to pass the ball to midfield and they are in turn at least able to find the forward line.

[SPL]

A poor overall performance and a fluke goal to win. Boilesen plays his best game for along time and clearly not happy being taken off. We are just struggling for goals but apart from the cross for El Ghazi's goal Kishna did nothing at all. I like 2 wingers but I quess they have to be worth their place.

Maybe this win may be a turning point as we need to finish 2nd .

[SPL]

Agree our midfield is stronger.Bazoer had a decent game .Not sure Klaassen is 100% fit still but with Sinkgraven
at least we look like we have a midfield.

[Tom_]

Wow we really turned it on today, another awesome performance. Go ahead must be wondering what hit them!

Seriously though I agree with Amol, we looked a bit better again in the first 45. But the lack of scoring is obviously a huge problem.

[rjf1]

About playing with two wingers, they really didn't play like wingers -- constantly getting the ball on the line and then dribbling into a congested center instead of getting space down the line for a decent cross.

[Orange14]

Glad I missed the second half

[Orange14]

Thank goodness that I only watched the first half of this match. I don't know if all the players have a case of nerves or if they just are not very good. This team is so slow with ball, it take players seconds to make decisions when passes need to be made in half a second. There is no general field awareness on the part of almost everyone other than Cillessen and of course he has to stay near the goal and is not subject to the same issues as everyone else. Poor Sinkgraven, he probably wishes he were back with Heerenveen who at least know how to pass. It's no wonder that this team is so easy to defend. They will truly be lucky to stay in second place if this keeps up.

The Schöne false 9 experiment must end quickly and they either decide to keep Milik (wonder why he has not been offered a contract yet) or get Zivkovic into the lineup. I've posed this question in the past, "what is Bergkamp's role with this team?" Here we have one of the great attacking football players of our time and he must know something about how to create an offense. I'm sure he must be disgusted with what he is seeing.