11 FEB 2018; Ajax - FC Twente; Match Day 23

[Orange14]

Ajax are home to Twente on Sunday and still seven point adrift PSV who just keep winning matches. I have not seen any injury updates on Wöber, Sinkgraven, or Viergever so it may be the same starting 11 that faced Roda.

[SPL]

Wober and de Ligt back in the squad. I would play both and Frenkie to start in place of Schone.

[Orange14]

Wober and de Ligt back in the squad. I would play both and Frenkie to start in place of Schone.

Me too!!!! PSV with another one goal win away at Sparta 1-2. No help again this week.

[Ayman]

Wait till PSV play away to AZ and Feyenoord

[SPL]

de Ligt back but Frenkie still in defence. hope to celebrate my birthday with Ajax winning.

[Orange14]

de Ligt back but Frenkie still in defence. hope to celebrate my birthday with Ajax winning.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

[rjf1]

de Ligt back but Frenkie still in defence. hope to celebrate my birthday with Ajax winning.

A great birthday gift to start the game with. Lightning counterattack ending with a cross from the right; a pass in the box to Kluivert; who pounds it home from close range. Happy Birthday!!

[Orange14]

A nice goal in the fourth minute and then some more chances, lots of created turnovers, but nothing more than that. Defense looks OK in terms of turnovers but Twente are also very poor with the ball. Ajax need to kill these kinds of matches off early rather than letting the opponent hang around!!

[SPL]

Great start,thanks for the wishes,I am 67 today but dont feel that old. Good start and a fine goal but Donny should have made it 2.We have created chances just need to finish them.de LIgt got a very soft yellow

[Ayman]

Happy birthday @SPL!

[rjf1]

Games where we create chances but don't finish always make me nervous -- it more often than not comes back to bite you. We'll just have to hang in and see what the second half brings.

[SPL]

Kristensen on for Neres , a bit strange

[SPL]

So Veltman goes to CD makes a hash and its 1-1.Great coach

[rjf1]

Like I said...

[Orange14]

Horrible defending from Veltman. Any chance to catch PSV may end today.

[rjf1]

They were playing so slow and static over the last 15 mins and allowed Twente to take over the game. No creativity in midfield, and one of our most creative players exiled to the back line.

[SPL]

Great escape Schone a penalty.

[Orange14]

Don't know why the Twente players were complaining, it was a stone cold penalty.

[rjf1]

We got lucky on that call -- so, a second life for us -- now let's see if we waste it or not.

[SPL]

Utter relief we held on and made it hard work.

Will have to make comments later on ,my son and his girlfriend have just turned up.

[rjf1]

A decent first half, but one in which we made it hard on ourselves in the end by not finishing off the good chances we had. VdB had two golden opportunities that were wasted when both times he shot straight at the keeper. Neres had a couple of chances where (IMO) he should have taken a shot but chose to try an 'impossible to complete' pass instead. Ziyech started off the game with a number of really good crosses into the box, but slowly but surely he reverted to the Ziyech that drives me crazy over the course of the game. The second half also saw us revert to a slow, static, predictable style that allowed Twente to control the tempo of the game and they became increasingly dangerous on their attacks -- eventually getting the 1-1 equalizer. The penalty call -- which was questionable as to where the foul originally took place (inside or outside the box), and to Ziyech going down fairly easily -- gave us the lifeline that eventually was enough for us to win the game -- but the way it ended left me a wee bit disappointed overall.

[Orange14]

A very unconvincing 2-1 with missed chances, flubs on defense, and general lackadaisical play. It is very difficult to call out any Ajax player for decent play today but I suppose Ziyech was the one who played above average. The club did save the three points but are still seven down to PSV. Ajax really lack a killer instinct to close matches off early on which is quite disappointing.

Totally did not know that Adam Maher played for Twente. Last I heard he was with some obscure Turkish team on loan from PSV. I remember when he was rumored to move to Ajax for some big €s from AZ several years ago but chose PSV instead.

Don't know why ten Hag subbed off Neres for Kristensen and then moved Veltman to the left center. de Ligt is more able with both feet than Veltman.

Player Ratings:

Onana (6.5) - didn't have to do much at all until the 82nd minute when he had to save a wicked deflection off a free kick
Tagliafico (6) - pretty much just above average
F de Jong (6) - still should not be playing deep on defense and had one slip up
de Ligt (6.5) - drew a weak Yellow card and played decently
Veltman (4) - very poor defending on the conceded goal
Schöne (4.5) - can you grade someone very poorly when they got the match winner? I can as it was the only thing he did all match long
van de Veek (5.5) - good assist on the early goal and then missed a sitter just a couple of minutes later that might have killed the match off
Ziyech (7) - good on the ball and pressed hard when Twente had it
Kluivert (6) - right place for the put away in the fourth minute but some poor decision making later on
Huntelaar (6) - good on the ball and had a couple of difficult chances to score
Neres (5.5) - not a factor at all today
Kristensen (5.5) - still hard to tell if he is the RB we need
Younes (5) - on late for Kluivert
Wöber (NR)

Away to PEC Zwolle next week while PSV host Heerenveen.

[Orange14]

Regarding the penalty, on my computer stream it showed the Twente defender right on the penalty box line and he bundled Ziyech over inside the box. I've seen a lot weaker PKs given and thought this one appropriate.

[rjf1]

... Don't know why ten Hag subbed off Neres for Kristensen...

My thought at the time, was that he wanted another defender to help protect the one goal lead, plus Kristensen provided the extra height for defending against the long balls and set pieces into the box that he knew were going to be increasingly coming as the game wound down.

[Ayman]

2012 - 43 (De Boer)*
2013 - 47 (De Boer)*
2014 - 48 (De Boer)*
2015 - 49 (De Boer)
2016 - 55 (De Boer)
2017 - 55 (Bosz)
2018 - 54 (Keizer/Ten Hag)

*Title won