20 Apr 2008: Ajax - Heracles Almelo

[Kowalczyk]

Last one. At the same time it's Vitesse vs PSV.

Who knows, who knows...

K.

[DanK]

Last one. At the same time it's Vitesse vs PSV.

Who knows, who knows...

K.

Its a small chance, but its a chance none the less.

If we get the win against Groningen, in theory we have the much easier last game.

Let just beat Groningen to keep the last game interesting.

[Arthur]

I expect Vitesse to bend over without a fight like last year.

[Kowalczyk]

I expect Vitesse to bend over without a fight like last year.

I don't. They're playing at home and they still have a chance of UEFA Cup football, so I think they'll do everything they can.

But I saw them in action against NEC yesterday and I don't think they're good enough for a win, plain simple.

K.

[Cedric]

They still have a chance of UEFA Cup football.

I wouldn't call that a chance, but a miracle : Utrecht must not win, NEC lose big, and Vitesse still must win big... (G.D. NEC : -3, Vitesse, -8). We have already seen more unexpected miracles though. And a 1-0 win will already be fine.

[Monkey Tonk]

I expect Vitesse to bend over without a fight like last year.

Unbelievable that psv gets to play Vitesse again in the last game. I will never forget the two goals that Vitesse had to give away last season (each time very shortly after a 'championship' Ajax goal). The most obvious display of bought-and-paid-for I have ever seen in professional soccer.

[saddlerian]

I expect Vitesse to bend over without a fight like last year.

Unbelievable that psv gets to play Vitesse again in the last game. I will never forget the two goals that Vitesse had to give away last season (each time very shortly after a 'championship' Ajax goal). The most obvious display of bought-and-paid-for I have ever seen in professional soccer.

One way for the League to solve the problem.......make sure Ajax and PSV play each other for the last two matches of the season as they always seem to be the top two. I know it stinks of playoffs...but 6 points would be at stake!!

3 pts on Wednesday then PRAY!!!!

[gordonvandekamp]

One way for the League to solve the problem.......make sure Ajax and PSV play each other for the last two matches of the season as they always seem to be the top two.

A better way would be to not give up silly goals, leading to silly losses and instead have enough points to already be champions before the last day, but I guess that's asking a lot.


We still have a chance, even if it's small, as long as we beat Groningen first. It's all over if we lose. It's a small chance, but honestly Ajax is more than capable of holding their end up at this point (winning big in both games to try and maximize goal differential).

We'll see what team shows up, I guess.

[Kowalczyk]

It's all over if we lose.

Or draw, for that matter.

Everything will have to go our way now: two wins for us, a defeat for PSV.

K.

[saddlerian]

It's all over if we lose.

Or draw, for that matter.

Everything will have to go our way now: two wins for us, a defeat for PSV.

K.

Let's think positively! We'll get 3 points tonight and then wait for Sunday. We can watch Ajax demolish Heracles while we listen to the radio and pray!!!

[DanK]

...

Everything will have to go our way now: two wins for us, a defeat for PSV.

K.

Isn't it about time things went our way???

Lets at least get the win tonight to keep the last round interesting.

[saddlerian]

I agree, Dan, it is about time, but if Vitesse treat PSV like royalty again, "giving" away presents like last year, we'll fail again at the end.....

BUT

as I said before, 3 points tonight......and we'll have to wait and pray!!!

[ajaxusa]

So let me get this straight. (I hate math.)

33 games:

PSV: 20 9 4 69 64-24 (+40)
Ajax: 19 9 5 66 89-44 (+45)

One more game.

Goal-differential is the first tie-breaker? So, PSV loses, Ajax wins... Ajax are champs. Any other result, PSV are champs.

That simple?

[Kowalczyk]

Yes. That simple.

K.

[bryan]

Last year the end of season match was in Eindhoven, this one is at the Gelredome, so that could help. Hopefully Vitesse will be less enthusiastic about PSV celebrating their title in Arnhem than they were about them celebrating it in Eindhoven last year.

Vitesse only lost 1-0 at the Philips Stadion this season, so hopefully they'll be able to do something at home.

This is a serious make or break week for Ajax. Not so much because of the championship, but because of the automatic entry into the Champions League. Huntelaar might stay, other players can be attracted to the club in the summer, more money is guaranteed.

Don't get your hopes up though. Even if Vitesse win, Ajax has to beat Heracles. And that's in no way guaranteed given the team's random form and tendency to crack under pressure.

[saddlerian]

Last year the end of season match was in Eindhoven, this one is at the Gelredome, so that could help. Hopefully Vitesse will be less enthusiastic about PSV celebrating their title in Arnhem than they were about them celebrating it in Eindhoven last year.
........
This is a serious make or break week for Ajax........because of the automatic entry into the Champions League......players can be attracted to the club in the summer, more money is guaranteed.

.

It's out of our hands now......Yes, we've got to win, but unless someone just "happens" to have a spare €1,100,000 to "donate" to the Vitesse players as a "thank you", I feel that it's going to be a nailbiting time in the Arena on Sunday.

I am a betting man, but this one's too close to call.....so I'm not risking my money! I'll save it for the Champions League matches next season!!

[SPL]

Vermaelen is out and Kuffour ill so who will play centre back Vertonghen wasn't too bad last night considering he is really a midfielder.But him and Urby at left back!!!

Isn't Vertonghen banned from the first playoff game( a ban left over from last season )?? That is if we are involved in Playoffs!!

The regular reserve centre backs are Wormgoor and Van Der Heijden with Jan- Arie the more experienced but I am not sure they are going to gamble
with him.

[Kowalczyk]

Vitesse coach Aad de Mos in today's issue of De Telegraaf:

"Ajax will win that title."

By the way: one KNVB official will go to Arnhem with the real shield. Another KNVB official will come to Amsterdam with a replica. So if we pull it off they'll give us a fake one...

Hmmm... Fine by me

K.

[Van basten]

http://www.uefa.com/footballeurope/news ... 85423.html

[Kowalczyk]

If Ajax clinch the shield on Sunday, the city of Amsterdam will offer them a boat tour, instead of the traditional 'static' celebration on the balcony of the City Theatre at Leidseplein, or a stage at Museumplein or the P2 parking lot by the ArenA.

Recent celebrations in the city centre ended in violence, so Leidseplein and Museumplein were out of the question for mayor Job Cohen. 'P2' will also be impossible: there is a massive circus tent at the moment, for shows of the Cirque du Soleil.

The city council has now come up with a boat tour, which will take place in the canals outside of the city centre and stay out of the downtown 'canal ring' as much as possible. Large groups of supporters can gather in designated places, where the boat will stick around for a while, so that the shield can be presented to the crowd and some of the players can say a few words.

It's not the first time for a football team to celebrate a trophy this way. The Dutch national team did a boat tour after their Euro 1988 triumph. In 1995, after their Champions League triumph, Ajax had a massive 'static' celebration at Museumplein, followed by a boat tour. On both occasions the boat tour took place in downtown Amsterdam, on the old canals of the central 'canal ring'. On both occasions there was quite a lot of damage. In 1988, in particular, hundreds, danced and jumped up and down on the roofs of houseboats. Several of these 'floating homes' were fishtanks by the end of the celebration *LOL*...

That's why canals with houseboats will be avoided this time.

K.

[SE6Ajacied]

By the way: one KNVB official will go to Arnhem with the real shield. Another KNVB official will come to Amsterdam with a replica. So if we pull it off they'll give us a fake one...

Happy to win the league, whatever it looks like - at least it's not got a bloody great oversized crown with baubles on it like the English PL trophy.

Don't they have a new trophy (shield) made for each year anyway so it's not like there's a really old historic cup to win or anything?

[bluedaddy19]

Maybe I'm crazy... but I have a good feeling about today.

[Tom_]

SopCast stream is working already.

I don't know about a good feeling but I'm quite nervous... Come on Vitesse!

[aveslacker]

C'mon boys!!!!!!!

[Tom_]

Yes!!!!

That'll calm the nerves