16 Aug 2009: PSV - Ajax

[Kowalczyk]

Matchday 3 and there we go: PSV away...

Kick-off 12:30 CET. I suppose this will be the first real test of the season (I thought Groningen away was going to be a serious test, and I don't want to call it an 'easy game' simply because we won it, but I have to say in all honesty that their forward line was very poor... PSV's will be a whole lot better).

K.

[afcajax73]

PSV were strugglign with VVV though, so im still unsure how good they actually are this season, but obviously they will raise their game.

[Kowalczyk]

In general, PSV's financial situation depends more on the results of the first team. PSV had a budget of 63 million euros last season, but they failed to qualify for the Champions League and immediatly had to make a step back (59 million this season).

Ajax's situation is different: Ajax's annual budgets have been similar to PSV's in the past decade, but Ajax is a much more valuable brand than PSV. Ajax's income out of sponsor deals, merchandise etc. are significantly higher than PSV's, so poor results on the pitch do not hit Ajax as hard financially.

Due to their disappointing campaign last season, PSV had to cut back - and they didn't have a lot of money to buy new players. I expect them to be better than last season (last season it was chaos over there, which had a negative effect on the football, too), but looking at the quality of their squad I wouldn't say they've made a leap forward or anything like that.

Oh well, they will be strong enough, no matter what - let's put it that way.

K.

[Ajaxfanuk]

They added Engelaar and Ooijer, both great defensive players, they bought that other guy who's name escapes me at the moment but I remember thinking "fuuuck" and of course the attacking options open to them are obvious, Ola Toivonen being my personal one to watch. PSV matches are always the bench mark...last season I was going literally "ape shit" watching the ArenA game when I was in a pub Amsterdam, only for us to get humiliated in Eindhoven. This time of course the away game is first. We're fresh, and it will be an early indicator of our progress, I'd probably try the 4-4-2 again otherwise simply put; we're gonna concede goals. Im hoping Demy really flourishes during this match.

Nervous; but a victory in Eindhoven this early in the season could be the springboard we need.
I'd like a nice comfortable demolition of Waalwijk this weekend and then a composed win over PSV with preferably a clean sheet. If we can do that...I may allow myself to perhaps believe Jol is gonna take us places.

Maybe. ;D

[ZoefdeHaas]

PSV haven't played too well in the Europa qualifiers, so let's hope their shakey start gets even shakier after we kick their ASS

[gordonvandekamp]

PSV haven't played too well in the Europa qualifiers, so let's hope their shakey start gets even shakier after we kick their ASS

I may be mistaken, and I haven't been following PSV, but I thought I'd read that PSV was thinking keeping certain players out of the Europa qualifiers in order to keep the players eligible to play for another team in Europe should they be sold this season. It may have been another team, but I thought it was PSV. That may explain the form in the qualifiers.

I expect them to challenge the kakkerlakken and us in the end this year, back to the big 3, for the league title. I think the big 3 look the strongest this year and AZ and Twente will be back to best of the rest.

[JohnyAjax]

PSV haven't played too well in the Europa qualifiers, so let's hope their shakey start gets even shakier after we kick their ASS

I may be mistaken, and I haven't been following PSV, but I thought I'd read that PSV was thinking keeping certain players out of the Europa qualifiers in order to keep the players eligible to play for another team in Europe should they be sold this season. It may have been another team, but I thought it was PSV. That may explain the form in the qualifiers.

I expect them to challenge the kakkerlakken and us in the end this year, back to the big 3, for the league title. I think the big 3 look the strongest this year and AZ and Twente will be back to best of the rest.

Cherno More Varna handed them a real test in those qualifiers as everyone over here expected. They were simply way out of luck for an upset. It would have been deserved though. Another thing I want to say is how PSV.nl disappointed me with their report of the training session the Bulgarians had at the Philips Stadium ahead of the first leg. They clearly presented them as people who haven't been in such an environment ever in their lives let alone having such at home in Bulgaria I was really affected and disappointed. Over here the media say the organization in Holland was rather poor and the the press conference after the match was a joke. I know I am off topic but just wanted to mention that.

[bluedaddy19]

In general, PSV's financial situation depends more on the results of the first team. PSV had a budget of 63 million euros last season, but they failed to qualify for the Champions League and immediatly had to make a step back (59 million this season).

Ajax's situation is different: Ajax's annual budgets have been similar to PSV's in the past decade, but Ajax is a much more valuable brand than PSV. Ajax's income out of sponsor deals, merchandise etc. are significantly higher than PSV's, so poor results on the pitch do not hit Ajax as hard financially.

Due to their disappointing campaign last season, PSV had to cut back - and they didn't have a lot of money to buy new players. I expect them to be better than last season (last season it was chaos over there, which had a negative effect on the football, too), but looking at the quality of their squad I wouldn't say they've made a leap forward or anything like that.

Oh well, they will be strong enough, no matter what - let's put it that way.

K.

another sizable money gap is in cash from players sold

over the last 6 years, they had robben for 18M, kone for 12M and then a handful of 7-10 guys... meanwhile, we sold 5 guys for 17M or more and a few around 10M

their top 7 sales since 2003 = about 70M
our top 7 since then = about 120M

[Kowalczyk]

We're four points ahead already and they've not been convincing at all...

... so I have a pretty fucken bad feeling about it, to be quite honest.

Hope I'm wrong, though.

K.

[Van basten]

We're four points ahead already and they've not been convincing at all...

... so I have a pretty fucken bad feeling about it, to be quite honest.

K.

So true, the same here

P.S. I would go with Oleguer instead of Toby and Enoh instead of a Aissati from the start.

[gordonvandekamp]

Based on the first two games, I'd go with the following

Suarez Sulejmani
Urby De Zeeuw Enoh Rommedahl
Vertonghen Oleguer Wielaert Van der Wiel


I haven't been terribly impressed with Rommedahl, seems very inconsistent. I'd have liked to see Donald get some time at the right side of Midfield since he looked so good in the pre-season, same goes for Atoube, but this isn't really the game to experiment I don't think. Suarez/Sulejmani have seemed to make a better pair than Suarez/Cvitanich.

Anxious to see how our first big test of the season turns out.

[Kowalczyk]

This will be a real test for our defense. If they keep a clean sheet in Eindhoven, or let in a single goal but otherwise look solid, I will stop moaning about it. That would reassure me a bit. But for now I kind of expect PSV to score twice at the very least. Oh well. We'll see.

K.

[Van basten]

Interesting article:
http://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/sto ... sfeed&att=

[Snyde]

Personally I have many doubts over Ajax's defense. They can't handle faster players. The best way to defend is to not have the defense tested much. Can Ajax do this? Against smaller teams yes but they haven't shown that. Possession is lost too easily specially from wayward crosses and long balls. Surely the motivation in a big match would be more and I expect a higher work rate at the least. That may help solve some of the problems at least. PSV haven't looked great either but in these type of matches one can never tell. Mistakes will decide the match is my prediction. Just hope Ajax don't commit too many.

[bluedaddy19]

engelaar has been ruled out now

[Van basten]

Bring it on!

[Mr_Holte]

Can people post streams as and when they find them please. I will try to do the same.

Cheers

[aveslacker]

Atouba with the start, according to Ajax.nl.

PSV: Isaksson; Manolev, Ooijer, Salcido, Pieters; Simons, Afellay, Bakkal; Lazovic, Toivonen, Dzsudzsak.
Wissels: Ramos, Kromkamp, Rodriguez, Koevermans, Amrabat, Wuytens, Reis.

Ajax: Stekelenburg; Van der Wiel, Wielaert, Alderweireld, Atouba; De Zeeuw, Enoh, Vertonghen, Emanuelson; Rommedahl, Suarez.
Wissels: Vermeer, Oleguer, Sulejmani, Aissati, Silva, Cvitanich, Donald

EDIT: Is this a 4-5-1? Curious that Mickey isn't starting.

[Van basten]

interesting desicions in starting line-up. 4-3-3 with Atouba as LB and Vertonghen as midfielder. No Mickey and Cvita. I hope u know what u are doing Martin..

[Duke]

http://nl.justin.tv/keeper_hd

[Van basten]

Can people post streams as and when they find them please. I will try to do the same.

Cheers

http://www.justin.tv/keeper_hd

[Cedric]

Sulejmani had fever yesterday.

[Van basten]

Goaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaallllllllllllllllllllllll!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mr_Holte]

Suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuarez!!!!!

[bluedaddy19]

YAAAAA LALA LALA AJAX AMSTERDAAAAAMMMM!! YAAAAA LALA LALA AJAX AMSTERDAAAAAMMMM!!


http://www.justin.tv/goalplus