Ajaxtalk

HT scores... (early second half, actually)

Kowalczyk schreef:'Decisive games on 28 April:
E: Helmond Sport - FC Volendam 0-1
F: TOP Oss - NAC Breda 1-0

My God, what is wrong with NAC...? Okay, they're poor, but they should still beat TOP Oss, shouldn't they? That team is paralyzed. Totally stunned. They really are on their way down now...

K.

Kowalczyk schreef:'Decisive games on 28 April:
E: Helmond Sport - FC Volendam 1-2 a.e.t.
F: TOP Oss - NAC Breda 1-3 a.e.t.

So the third round encounters are...

De Graafschap - Willem II
FC Volendam - NAC Breda

Winners will play in the Eredivisie next season!

K.

Maybe it is pessimistic to post it here but the 2007 playoff schedule is up on the KNVB website. Ajax probably won't need to bother with this though, right? :yes:

Jammer
http://files.datawire.nl/uploads/TtawJ_ ... 2007_2.pdf

I received the following question from an Ajax fan in Greece: "aggelsagro" - I will direct him to this thread, and if anyone cares to answer, that'd be great.
- jim

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I'm from Greece and my name is George. Congratulations for your beautiful site. I would like to give me some information if possible about the play-offs. For example, what happens if the games that will play Ajax end up in draws (for example the first game 1-1 and the second 0-0), what will count? Will Ajax make a step further? The goals in the away games count or something else? I would be grateful if I had an answer as a fan of Ajax!

Bedankt
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The rules for Ajax's play-off games are exactly the same as the rules in UEFA competition, e.g. 0-0 in Heerenveen and 1-1 at the ArenA would mean that Heerenveen advance based on their goal scored in the away leg. Both games 0-0? 30 minutes of extra time and, if necessary, pennos.

K.

anybody else get the feeling AJAX is going to plunder through the playoffs again, leaving us all to wonder where that sort of fire was on the last day of the season?

bluedaddy19 schreef:anybody else get the feeling AJAX is going to plunder through the playoffs again, leaving us all to wonder where that sort of fire was on the last day of the season?

To be quite honest with you: no, I don't get that feeling at all...

I've said it before and I will say it again: I have a very, very bad feeling about the play-offs. Last season we finished 4th and we didn't deserve a Champions League ticket at all. For that very reason, it was simply written in the stars that we were going to win the play-offs. It just had to happen, especially against Feyenoord. You could feel it coming. We were a team that had been terrible throughout the season. The play-offs were our unlikely second chance from heaven. It's a matter of psychology.

Right now I have this gnawing fear that it will go wrong, pretty much for exactly the same psychological reason, but this time the other way round. This year we finished second. 'Normally', we would have been finished by now, with a ticket to the Champions League qualifiers in our pockets. Which means that psychologically we only have something to lose in the play-offs (just like AZ last season). Unlike last season, the pressure is now very much on Ajax.

Just a feeling, but my prediction is that this will become a repeating pattern. I predict that the #2 of the league will, in the future, frequently blow it in the play-offs. Last season #2 and #3 crashed out in the first round and #4 and #5 advanced to the final. I don't think that was an incident and it wouldn't surprise me if it happened again.

Ajax and AZ are tired and disappointed. They have to pick themselves up, re-charge their batteries and (try to) move on. All they can do in the play-offs, if everything goes right, is ease their pain and repair a bit of the damage. For Twente and Heerenveen it's a different story: they're over the moon already, because they'll play in Europe next season, for the first time in a few years. And it can only get better: they have nothing to lose and can play with the heart for (who knows) a Champions League berth.

That's one of the reasons why I hate the play-offs: the test that is the play-offs is (psychologically) a much tougher one for the #2 than it is for the others, even though the #2 is the team that deserves the CL ticket the most. Last season this psychological principle saved us; this season I fear it will kill us.

My prediction: we squeeze past Heerenveen with difficulty, then collapse against Twente in the final. I hope Ajax will prove me blatantly wrong, if only because (if my scenario comes true) Philippe will climb on his soap box for another anti-Ten Cate rant, which I think is short-sighted and a simplification of the steps forward this club has structurally made this season. But oh well, we'll see what happens.

K.

Ko, you think that Twente will beat AZ? I don't think so..

I agree with you on the part that we will beat Heerenveen, but in the final we're gonna meet AZ. Twente maybe in some kind of winning mood, but I think they're running out of fuel.

And a play-off final between Ajax and AZ...

GangstaRiB schreef:Ko, you think that Twente will beat AZ? I don't think so...

Yes, I do - and it would beautifully prove my point. AZ have been mentally focused on the title until the bitter end. It all ended in tears and instead of a good party and an early vacation, they suddenly have to flick the switch, re-charge the batteries and focus on four extra games, in which they can't really win anything: they can only repair some of the damage.

In the last two months Twente never even thought about the title. They don't have to swallow any frustration or disappointment, they haven't battled until the bitter end. They are mentally much more ready for this job than AZ.

Same thing goes for Ajax (frustrated, tired and under pressure) and Heerenveen (mentally relaxed and totally free of pressure). Mark my words: #2 and #3 blowing it in the play-offs will become a pattern.

K.

Kowalczyk schreef: I hope Ajax will prove me blatantly wrong, if only because (if my scenario comes true) Philippe will climb on his soap box for another anti-Ten Cate rant, which I think is short-sighted and a simplification of the steps forward this club has structurally made this season. But oh well, we'll see what happens.
K.

Cultural idiom explanation: “soap-box” is an American term used to describe the public voicing of opinions to people who may or may not want to hear it. Early in American history, political or cultural speakers or dissidents would often find a public street corner and bring a soap-box, literally a wooden box about a half-meter high, and stand up on it to speak. This shouting on the streets sometimes had an audience, and sometimes did not, but it was an interesting phenomenon none the less. So, nowadays, to say that someone is “on his soap-box” refers to a person who is publicly sharing his opinions for his own satisfaction, with or without listeners.

No worry, you are always right :00000633.gif:

well, AZ has what to fight for, it's ch.league. they have never been there and they will definetly want to go there next season. so they have better motivation for play-off's then we. another thing - KNVB final this sunday. i think the team, which will win the cup will win the play-off's. after such a dissapoitment, wining cup will lift up the fighting spirit for the team. and the team who will lose that final, will be destroyed psychological for good, and won't have a chance to win play-off's

Kowalczyk schreef: Yes, I do - and it would beautifully prove my point. AZ have been mentally focused on the title until the bitter end. It all ended in tears and instead of a good party and an early vacation, they suddenly have to flick the switch, re-charge the batteries and focus on four extra games, in which they can't really win anything: they can only repair some of the damage.

In the last two months Twente never even thought about the title. They don't have to swallow any frustration or disappointment, they haven't battled until the bitter end. They are mentally much more ready for this job than AZ.

Same thing goes for Ajax (frustrated, tired and under pressure) and Heerenveen (mentally relaxed and totally free of pressure). Mark my words: #2 and #3 blowing it in the play-offs will become a pattern.

K.

As more and more people seek psychotherapy online, experts worry that charlatans may take advantage of them.

Mark my words, only Ajax or AZ can win the play-offs.

philippe schreef:
As more and more people seek psychotherapy online, experts worry that charlatans may take advantage of them.

Mark my words, only Ajax or AZ can win the play-offs.

I wouldn't have put it like that, as I live by the Gospel of Ko, but I agree, I don't see any team but Ajax or AZ (much less likely) win the playoffs. TO THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE LADS!!!!

carcajou schreef:

philippe schreef:
As more and more people seek psychotherapy online, experts worry that charlatans may take advantage of them.

Mark my words, only Ajax or AZ can win the play-offs.

I wouldn't have put it like that, as I live by the Gospel of Ko, but I agree, I don't see any team but Ajax or AZ (much less likely) win the playoffs. TO THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE LADS!!!!

Oh well, what's French for "humble pie"? ( do I need another Cultural Idiom Explanation?). I seriously thing either Heerenveen or Twente will win the play-offs, if nothing else based on the English league experience where we've had promotion play-offs for the last 20 years or so. The cynic in me also thinks that the KNVB will re-think the whole CL play-off system once this hapens a few times.....

Back on topic, I always though that "Soap Box" was an English expression. That wonderful man of the people John Major famously used one when winning the 1992 General Election after succeeding the lovely Margaret Thatcher

Last year:

FC Twente-FC Levadia Tallin
Heerenveen-Vítoria Setúbal/Osasuna/Odense BK/Parma/Lens

UEFA cup is business as usual for Heerenveen: 4th season in a row, seven out of the last ten years.

Well, six out of ten, 'cos they played Champions League back in 2000.

Kowalczyk schreef:For Twente and Heerenveen it's a different story: they're over the moon already, because they'll play in Europe next season, for the first time in a few years.

Kowalczyk schreef:

GangstaRiB schreef:Ko, you think that Twente will beat AZ? I don't think so...

Yes, I do - and it would beautifully prove my point. AZ have been mentally focused on the title until the bitter end. It all ended in tears and instead of a good party and an early vacation, they suddenly have to flick the switch, re-charge the batteries and focus on four extra games, in which they can't really win anything: they can only repair some of the damage.

In the last two months Twente never even thought about the title. They don't have to swallow any frustration or disappointment, they haven't battled until the bitter end. They are mentally much more ready for this job than AZ.

Same thing goes for Ajax (frustrated, tired and under pressure) and Heerenveen (mentally relaxed and totally free of pressure). Mark my words: #2 and #3 blowing it in the play-offs will become a pattern.

K.

while i agree that AZ will probably be a bit deflated, i suspect AJAX will be angry and just start blasting folks left and right again... which would be quite bittersweet indeed

I for one am scared sick of the heerenveen match, ajax always struggle at the Abe Lenstra and in the play-off its one bad game and you`re almost out. I would worry more on that game than on the next (be it twente or AZ).

PD: Groningen gave us one hell of a scare last season so i would expect more of the same this time around.

Venezuelan Ajacied schreef:I for one am scared sick of the heerenveen match, ajax always struggle at the Abe Lenstra and in the play-off its one bad game and you`re almost out. I would worry more on that game than on the next (be it twente or AZ).

PD: Groningen gave us one hell of a scare last season so i would expect more of the same this time around.

I agree. I think Heerenveen is the scariest opponent in the group and the one (IIRC) that has given us the hardest time this season. It's too bad PSV and F*&%*%#$&$ aren't in the playoffs this time around.

Oh, wait. F)(*&*(&^(* are in the playoffs... BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!1!!1!
:00000639.gif:

aveslacker schreef:I agree. I think Heerenveen is the scariest opponent in the group and the one (IIRC) that has given us the hardest time this season.

I agree with you that they could cause us problems. However, I am optimistic of getting another good result there this week, as away at their place earlier on in the season it was a very easy 3 points for us.

Keep the Faith

heerenveen wont have hansson and prager for the first game, and yildirim will miss both

as far as im concerned AJAX v heerenveen in the league is one thing and its another thing in cup play

in other words, i am not overly worried, whereas i will sweat the final whomever we face

For once we should not take the piss out of Fword as we both may end up in UEFA Cup!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

I hate playoffs . Ok if your team has finished 3rd or 4th as nothing to lose but when you are 2nd everything to lose.

Feyenoord will crash out against Groningen in the first round and not play European football next season - yippeeeeee!



K.

Interesting bit in the FootballUnlimited.com website's "The Knowledge" section about play-offs:

KNOWLEDGE ARCHIVE

"We've all heard it said that the teams who finish one place below the automatic promotion places always lose out to teams who finished 20 points back in the play-offs, but what are the actual records of teams in each spot?" wondered Nathan Walker before last year's play-offs.

With that question hanging in the air, it was time for some good old-fashioned statistical analysis, meaning a delve into the record books, or www.rsssf.com as we like to call them. And because we value our readers we've updated our answer to include last year's play-offs too. To get a fair answer to this question we need, of course, to analyse the data from when the play-offs - in their current format - began: 1988-89. Since then, there have been a total of 54 promotions via the play-offs in the Championship, League One, and League Two (and their equivalents). If we rank the teams from one to four in a seeding system based on play-off positions in which they finished the regular season, we arrive at the following figures:

Championship (and equivalents): No1 seed: five promotions (27.8%); No2 seed: four promotions (22.2%); No3 seed: five promotions (27.8%); No4 seed: four promotions (22.2%).

League One (and equivalents): No1 seed: five promotions (27.8%); No2 seed: three promotions (16.6%); No3 seed: five promotions (27.8%); No4 seed: five promotions (27.8%).

League Two (and equivalents): No1 seed: 12 promotions (66.7%); No2 seed: two promotions (11.1%); No3 seed: two promotions (11.1%); No4 seed: two promotions (11.1%).

Overall: No1 seed: 22 promotions (40.7%); No2 seed: nine promotions (16.7%); No3 seed: 12 promotions (22.2%); No4 seed: 11 promotions (20.4%).


Big assumption here in taking one country's data for another, bit doesn't look good for AZ.....

Manneken Pis schreef:
Overall: No1 seed: 22 promotions (40.7%); No2 seed: nine promotions (16.7%); No3 seed: 12 promotions (22.2%); No4 seed: 11 promotions (20.4%).
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interesting set of stats that MP. I looked at it once and wondered how I was so wrong re the top-placed team when they get the greatest percentage of promotions but then I looked at it again and I was right really........59.3% of times, the highest placed team misses out.

Not good for us either

so im a bit hazy on the purpose of the playoff system.
its good for the lower division teams to try to get promoted.
but for ajax, who is already in the eredivisie, whats the point?
do the playoff group winners get automatic bids to the champions league?