Ajaxtalk

Lucas schreef:(Between the lines I read that you don't agree with the way van Basten used Sneijder (?))

Kowalczyk schreef:

Lucas schreef:(Between the lines I read that you don't agree with the way van Basten used Sneijder (?))

Correct. I firmly believe in an offensive 'number 10'. The Ajax teams of Koeman and Blind, and the Holland team of Van Basten did not really have one, which I think is a shame (and a mistake).

But that's just me.

K.

Kowalczyk schreef:
Also (let's get tactical now...) I think Henk ten Cate will revert to the Ajax formation as we once knew it (in 1995, for example). Under Danny Blind the central midfielder was mostly a defensive player (the 'Galásek position'). Ajax played without a classic 'number 10' (or 'shadow striker', like Bergkamp or Litmanen in the past) in recent years. When Ajax lost possession, the central midfielder (Galásek) had to do almost all of the defensive work.

I think the offensive 'number 10' will return under HTC (Sneijder, Perez), so that the defensive work in midfield will become the responsibility of three players: the two outer midfielders (who will have to 'squeeze' to the middle when Ajax lose the ball) and one of the central defenders, who will have to step a few yards out of the defense and become a 'Galásek' (the last Ajax defender who played like that was Chivu).

That is pretty much the 'classic' Ajax approach: the number 10 is an offensive player and the 'Galásek' is not a real midfielder but one of the defenders. The outer midfielders (Gabri, Maduro, Roger, etc.) will have to have defensive discipline, like Davids and Ronald de Boer in 1995.

Another thing... Under Koeman and Blind the two man markers to stay behind at all times were normally the two central defenders (Grygera, Heitinga, Escudé Vermaelen, whoever they were). The defenders to move forward were mostly the fullbacks (Trabelsi, Maxwell and later Urby). This was different back in 1995, when the two man markers to stay behind were the fullbacks (Reiziger and Frank de Boer), while one of the central defenders (Rijkaard or Blind) always played in front of the defense, as - more or less - a 'Galásek'.

I think HTC wants to revert to that system, with Ogararu and Urby being the duo the squeeze to the middle and form a three-man defense with Jaap Stam. In that case, Vermaelen will have to be the defender to move forward and 'forecheck' in midfield. He used to play like that for Young Ajax and I think that's the type of defender we all want him to be. He's got the qualities for it.

Ajax will be a different team, tactically.

Hope this made sense... :X

K.

Kowalczyk schreef: I think HTC wants to revert to that system, with Ogararu and Urby being the duo the squeeze to the middle and form a three-man defense with Jaap Stam. In that case, Vermaelen will have to be the defender to move forward and 'forecheck' in midfield. He used to play like that for Young Ajax and I think that's the type of defender we all want him to be. He's got the qualities for it.

Ajax will be a different team, tactically.

Hope this made sense... :X

K.

Record schreef:Sorry for my bad English ;)

dws schreef:I'm all for reverting to playing with the spare man in front of a back three and playing a shadow striker.

If Ajax play like Van Bastens Netherlands their opponents will easily nullify their attacking threat by concentrating on defending the wingers whilst crowding the central striker.

ZoefdeHaas schreef:2-4-2-2. Stam and Vermaelen the two defenders, Urby and Heitinga/Oga the two wide wingbacks with Maduro and Gabri completing the four, Sneijder and Perez helping out Huntelaar and Mitea up front.