15 MAR 2015 Heerenveen - Ajax Match Day 27

[Tom_]

Well... not sure where that came from but here's hoping they keep it up. Will say that we tried to move the ball forwards in the first 10 minutes and got some good chances. Maybe there's a correlation?

[rjf1]

After a flying start they started pitty patting around which is a sure fire recipe to let the other team back into the game. We play slow -- they play fast and run rings around us. Saw it coming -- they never learn.

[Tom_]

After a flying start they started pitty patting around which is a sure fire recipe to let the other team back into the game. We play slow -- they play fast and run rings around us. Saw it coming -- they never learn.

Veltman scores at both ends!

It's really comical though, the way we took our foot off their throats and started that defensive crap again, and they scored within 5 minutes. They were that close to making it 2–2 as well, in which case we almost certainly would've crumbled.

[Orange14]

Fun first half of football. Can't remember the last time we got two goals off of corner kicks. Offensively there are good signs but concentration clearly lapsed in the final 15 minutes. Ajax didn't clear the ball properly and a couple of players started going up field too soon leaving the left side exposed on the Heerenveen goal. Great through pass by Klaassen to the Heerenveen striker but Veltman saved the goal. Boilesen also had a great goal mouth intervention. Need to tighten the defense in the 2nd half as this lead is too uncertain.

[Tom_]

Entertaining first half, thanks at least partly to the fact that Heerenveen were trying to play some football. Maybe the kids felt like they needed a rest but they tried to slow the pace down at about the 30 minute mark and were punished immediately. More of the attacking stuff in the second half, please!

[SPL]

Couldn't take my eyes off the screen for those last 10 mins. For their goal Boilesen as Lb should have been where Andersen was.However Veltman with a fine goal got me happy again and then he saved us at the other end when Klaassen cocked up .

Great entertaining half and more goals will come.

[Orange14]

PSV/Groningen 1-1 at the half. Let's hope we win & pick up points today!

[rjf1]

Clearly Boilesen was pushed over from behind -- how the ref missed that is hard to figure.

[Orange14]

How was that not a foul on Boilesen. Replay clearly shows a forearm shove in the back bundling him over. Now it looks like he's out with an ankle problem. van der Hoorn on.

[souras84]

The team looks ultra tired!!!

[Amol]

1-4!!!

[rjf1]

After a spell of being outhustled and outmuscled, a beautiful counterattack down the right and a cross by El Ghazi to Milik who headed it home!

[SPL]

stunning goal ,game should be over,although our defence is poor

[Tom_]

Better effort from us with plenty of chances to score more. We did look a bit fragile for about half an hour between Heerenveen getting the 2–1 and us getting the 4–1 but with an extremely young team we can't complain about that too much.

We deal with teams that defend with 6 much better than teams that defend with all their outfield players. Four days to think about how we're going to score first against Dnipro, who I would expect to come out fairly defensively.

[Orange14]

Good things happen when Ajax play attacking football. I hope FdB looks at the film of this game and sees how the team ought to play. Unfortunately, no points are picked up on the league leaders as PSV win yet again 2-1 against Groningen. Still some work to be done on defense as there was too much last ditch defending and truthfully, Heerenveen were deserving of at least two more goals. Hope Boilesen does not have a bad ankle sprain.

Player Ratings:

Cillessen (6.5) - less than convincing a couple of times but otherwise decent
Boilesen (6.5) - pretty solid match and a good goal mouth intervention but had to go off
Riedewald (7) - good in the middle and decent at fullback
Veltman (7) - two really bad plays in the first half but otherwise very good
van Rhijn (7.5) - outstanding defensive game
Klaassen (6.5) - woeful back pass and lucky not to have been punished for it; the rest of his play was excellent
Bazoer (7) - could have made some quicker decisions on offense
Sinkgraven (7.5) - very good match, not flustered when on the ball
Andersen (7) - still needs to put more speed on his passes
Milik (7.5) - very good game today, two well taken goals and possessed the ball
el Ghazi (7) - needed to track back a little better but the cross to Milik was a thing of beauty
van der Hoorn (6.5) - some good interventions but poor play at the 85th minute when he let his man slip past
Menig (6) - very active coming in for Andersen and deserved better when he was open for a pass
Zivkovic (5.5) - really didn't see the ball much at all

Home to Dnipro in EL action on Thursday and need two goals and a clean sheet.

[SPL]

Finally enjoyed an Ajax game although it could have been alot closer as they fluffed some chances.Boilesen looked fouled when he went down so justice in them missing an open goal.

Like the commentator cannot remember when 6 teenagers were playing a league game for anyone. He wondered about the age of Jong Ajax in the Jupiler league .

Midfield was good with Klaassen coming forward alot more. With Sinkgraven we saw more creativity. CD were ok but I am not a fan of Boilesen ,thought Riedewald looked a better player in that position. As I said in a rant yesterday Tete will be a better RB than V d Rhijn and think he should get some games.V Rhijn is not very special imo.

3 welcome points and if we win next sunday and PSV beat Fword we are just about certain for 2nd

[rjf1]

Finally changed to a more creative lineup -- finally changed to a more creative playing style -- good things happened.

[SPL]

The commentator on sky was excited we started with 4 teenagers and finished with 6 . And of course we finished with 11 Dutch players on the field.

He mentioned that in the Dutch 2nd division there was a Young Ajax and exclaimed what ever age must they be! ( I wont be happy until Jong Ajax starts with 11 teenagers , 9 plus 2x 20 year olds the nearest we have got)