15 FEB 2015 Ajax - FC Twente Match Day 23

[Ayman]

Veltman came off and Van der Hoorn on? I must have missed something, hope Joel is ok

[SPL]

Still plenty to do to to win this game but surely Milik must come on Schone has done nothing and is not a striker

[Orange14]

Cannot say too much as I really don't have any consistent stream to watch. Bazoer goal was nice and Tete is having trouble defending on the right. Didn't see what the problem was with Veltman but he was still sitting on the bench after coming off so maybe it isn't too serious. Unfortunately the club rushes players back before they are fully fit. Hope I can find a more consistent stream for the 2nd half.

[SPL]

have you tried firstrowusa.eu. My son has the Arsenal game on that and has a good stream (I thought firstrow had been taken off by all the internet providers but they are still working)

[rjf1]

Mixed reaction to the half -- we played well in spots, but in between the spells of good play the problems are still there. Defense looks shaky on high balls into the box; too slow in the buildup; poor passing -- both in choice of direction and execution. It irks me when they go and pass the ball to a guy who is completely surrounded and can't do anything with the pass when he gets it. Game could be 2-2 at this point. Let's hope for better consistency in the second half.

[SPL]

woeful from our 2 cd's

[Orange14]

@SPL - doesn't seem to be much better. I'll suffer along with 13th stream. Ugh, Twente just scored on junk goal again. Moisander just did not do enough.

[Orange14]

Finally a striker enters the game!

[Orange14]

Finally good wing play. Nice finish by Kishna.

[SPL]

66 mins too late Milik finally for Schone.Oh boy what a beauty by Kishna

[rjf1]

El Ghazi finally put a decent ball across the box -- Kishna coolly put it away! If they keep up the attacking attitude they will win this game.

[Dave the mac]

Yes! Nice touch from Milik and up 4-2 now.

[rjf1]

Another one for Kishna -- did Milik really intend that as a pass?

[SPL]

finally 2 proper wingers and a proper striker and 2 goals and we look like a football team who will win.

[Tom_]

Twente ran out of steam in a big way and we could have scored 4 in the last 20 minutes, but we just didn't create chances after going 2–1 up until Kishna's first goal (which itself came off a pretty bad giveaway from Twente in midfield and a quick counter). Pretty valuable three points, but our problem making chances doesn't appear to be solved yet.

[SPL]

Well bringing on a striker and playing 3 real attackers and we were a different team .Schone can stay on the bench from now on the last 20mins was actually good to watch and the kind of football that is worthy of the name Ajax

Bazoer had a great game ,Sinkgraven worked hard,Tete after the early goal settled down and can only improve.

Klaassen and Veltman did not look fit

[SPL]

8 points clear of 3rd place but we have only 4 home games left and 7 away.

[Orange14]

Finally some goals. Team was very good on offense in the 2nd half though disorganized defensively thoughout the match. Wing play picked up and Milik's arrival certainly helped things (thought he might have done something with the cross el Ghazi delivered in the first half that was too tall for Schöne). Midfield was really good today, quick passing to the right players. Maybe Klaassen is better suited to DM as Bazoer showed much more movement and ball skill today playing up ahead. Eight points ahead of AZ and Feyenoord who are joint in third.

Player Ratings:

Cillessen (7.5) - really good game as he had to deal with defensive uncertainties all match; deserved better on the second goal that he saved
Viergever (7) - defended well and got a deserved goal
Moisander (6.5) - other than the problem on the goal where he lost his man a good match
Veltman (5) - came off too early with an injury
Tete (5.5) - had trouble all during the first half before settling in and defending better in the 2nd
Klassen (5.5) - think he should have been better positioned to help out on the second goal after Cillessen parried the first shot; is he a choice for DM?
Sinkgraven (6.5) - good touches for the most part
Bazoer (7) - worked very hard all match and looks up the field when he has the ball
Kishna (7.5) - finished well on two occasions and was just outstanding in the 2nd half with his crosses
Schöne (5.5) - other than his free kicks, mediocre; really the striker experiment has to end
el Ghazi (6.5) - should have tracked back better to help out Tete but his offensive wing play was good
van der Hoorn (6.5) - along with Moisander poor defending on the goal but OK otherwise
Milik (6) - should have started; whether it was a mishandle of the cross and a deflection to Kishna doesn't matter as he does provide a target and his on ball skills were good otherwise
Serero (6) - good to see him back in the lineup, controlled the ball well

First Europa League match this Thursday, home to Legia Warsaw.

[rjf1]

After we went 1-0 down, we started attacking and actually looked decent, and the two quick goals were the result. After we went ahead we reverted to that slow plodding style that just invites the opposition to keep on attacking you -- which resulted in them getting the tying goal. When we finally started attacking again is when we started playing better and it got us the two winning goals -- and we could have had at least two or three more. There's a lesson there for FdB, but I don't know whether he will pick up on it.

[souras84]

Klaassen as a DM is not ideal. He is wasting his attacking skills, after giving a quick pass forward to either Daley 2.0 or Bazoer. He could play False-9 when Serero comes back with full force.

[SPL]

Reading the comments of our Dutch mates they wondered what Maduro was doing at the match,not sure any of them want him back.

Well they might like to know he is out injured for a week or 2 thus he was just back for a visit.Don't think he will be rejoining us.

[Amol]

Loved what I saw from the team in the 2nd half. They continued to build on the midfield from our last game. And finally as everyone has observed, once Milik came on, the wings came alive.

Also Twente was targeting the space between Tete and Van Der Hoorn by hitting crosses from RM position. I guess Tete's inexperience and lack of understanding with Van Der Hoorn was causing us discomfort every time a cross came form the right flank.

[Philippe]

Schöne is over the hill. He should be on the bench.

[Orange14]

Klaassen as a DM is not ideal. He is wasting his attacking skills, after giving a quick pass forward to either Daley 2.0 or Bazoer. He could play False-9 when Serero comes back with full force.

I wonder about this. Klaassen played DM at least one other time that I remember when players were injured. While he does have attacking skills, I think Sinkgraven and Bazoer are better on the ball. Klaassen works hard on defense and IMO maybe this is the right position for him.

[souras84]

So you think Bazoer is better playing RM than DM? He said playing in this new position is good, but wants to return to his normal position. Maybe Klaassen is good in this position and Sinkgraven is the ideal AMC. That leaves the other CM position free. Bazoer, Serero etc to fill it?