28 Sep 2006: Ajax - IK Start

[Kowalczyk]

"We need a 0-4 win at the ArenA. We're not even going to hope for that. This game will be like a friendly to us: a very nice test game."
- Stig Inge Bjørnebye, head-coach of IK Start.

K.

[SwedishFan]

Great :D !

[Kowalczyk]

IK Start did not make it to the Norwegian cup final. They lost to Fredrikstad in the semis (3-2 after extra time). I feel sorry for the Start fans. We had a really good time with some of them in Oslo, at Joe's Sports Bar. They were so looking forward to the cup final... Meant more to them than the UEFA Cup, actually. I was really rooting for them.

Approximately 150 Start fans will make the trip to Amsterdam, by the way.

K.

[Over Pasanens Head]

Approximately 150 Start fans will make the trip to Amsterdam, by the way.

K.

Rumour has it over here in the UK, that one of the 150 is a young lady that wears yellow knickers.

Ko, is this a rumour or is there some basis to it?

[Kowalczyk]

I can confirm that this lady exists. She wears yellow knickers with an IK Start logo on them. Blimey. Our good mate AFCA Madnezz actually has her e-mail address and she wasn't quite sure whether or not she was going to come over for the return leg. If she does, however, she is very likely to spend the night at AFCA Madnezz's flat! :yes:

K.

[Kowalczyk]

Nice little statistic from AjaxStats.nl: this game will be Ajax's 135th home game in UEFA competition. In 134 European home games they scored 299 goals, so their first one on Thursday evening will be goal number 300.

134 home games in UEFA competition brought Ajax 93 wins, 20 draws and 21 defeats.

K.

[Kowalczyk]

According to a bloke on the Ajax Netwerk forum the game is likely to be shown live via this website:
http://livefooty.doctor-serv.com/

He added that you might want to switch off the sound, because it will probably be a very loud and annoying Chinese stream... :D

K.

[SwedishFan]

I read somewhere Ten Cate will rest 9 players versus Start, is that true?

[Kowalczyk]

From news portal NU.nl:

Ten Cate to introduce 'rotation system'

AMSTERDAM - Ajax's starting formation will undergo a true metamorphosis for the return leg in the first round of the UEFA Cup, at home to IK Start. The Amsterdammers wil defend their 5-2 lead almost exclusively with players who didn't see much action so far this season.

The most loyal Ajax supporters, an estimated 25,000 on Thursday evening, will get to see team captain Jaap Stam and striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar from kick-off, but Wesley Sneijder, Mauro Rosales, Urby Emanuelson, Gabri and Maarten Stekelenburg are not even in the squad and, based on the last training session prior to the IK Start game, it may be expected that Ryan Babel, Roger and John Heitinga will also be rested.

Head-coach Henk ten Cate stressed one day before the fixture that the eleven starters must not be regarded as his 'second choice'. "That's not my way of thinking. We have a squad of 24 players and they are all starters to me. We're working with 24 players, not just eleven. My players must get the feeling that they are actually getting a chance. They won't get that feeling if they're on the bench for a whole season."

After the example of Frank Rijkaard at Barcelona, Ten Cate seems to introduce a 'rotation system'. Ten Cate: "That's not something I learned at Barcelona. It's a pretty normal thing almost everywhere, except in Holland. At many clubs the so-called reserve players don't get the respect they deserve. I want to give them just that. Hopefully I'll be a trendsetter."

The expected Ajax line-up: Gentenaar; Ogararu, Stam, Grygera, Vermaelen; Maduro, Perez, Lindenbergh; De Mul, Huntelaar, Rosenberg.

You could also say: the reserves who were criticized so heavily by HTC after the IK Start and Young RKC games, will get another chance to put up a good show against an inferior opponent. If they let him down again they will be screwed - and they know it. This is a very smart move by HTC and I expect the players to understand the message this time.

5-0 is my prediction. That would mean 10-2 on aggregate, which would be a pretty good final score after all.

K.

[Kowalczyk]

Would have thought that Ten Cate will take the opportunity to rest some players.

Bloody know-all :D

K.

[SwedishFan]

Kowal

Thank you very much for the info!

[SwedishFan]

2-1 is my bet ;)

[Venezuelan Ajacied]

2-1 is my bet ;)

Come on lad lets be a little more optimistic ;)

4-1 :xyxthumbs:

[SwedishFan]

2-1 is my bet ;)

Come on lad lets be a little more optimistic ;)

4-1 :xyxthumbs:

Well, you never know with this team, it can be 5-0 but also 0-2 :). I really hope the game vs Groningen (14th october, I will be there!!) is one of those "5-0 games" Would be a huge dissapointment to go to Amsterdam and see them loose. :eusa_pray:

[aveslacker]

I want a good old-fashioned ass-whuppin'. They should score five goals for every one they give up (6-1, 10-2, etc). None of this play-poorly-but-win-because-of-a-couple-of-moments-of-brilliance crap.

As they say where I grew up: Ajax should take them out behind the woodshed and whip their asses.

[Dubbel]

Rosenberg scores for an early 1-0.

[Amol]

Here we go - 1-0 -- Rosenberg

[Dubbel]

2-0, Markus Rosenberg!

[SwedishFan]

UEFA-Cup, here we come :bis:

[Dubbel]

Grygera 3-0

[Amol]

4-0 -- Babel. This is more like it.

[aveslacker]

I look forward to hearing how they played, besides the obvious scoreline.

[dws]

Would have been a clean sweep for Eredivise clubs but for a poorly struck penalty from Yuri Cornelisse :sad:


Anyway, 4 out of 5 aint too bad.

[andy]

HEH this is great, winning 4-0 at home with reserves and yet with a great amount of confidence. EXCELLENT this is the Ajax I love. Good for Rosenberg he has been in quite the scoring mood lately. Oh well, next match: FC Utrecht. Don't let us down Ajax!!

[ZoefdeHaas]

Would have been a clean sweep for Eredivise clubs but for a poorly struck penalty from Yuri Cornelisse :sad:


Anyway, 4 out of 5 aint too bad.

Shame, but I thought only Ajax and Heerenveen were clear winners. Anyways UEFA cup has "major casualties" such as Marseille, Schalke etc., so this competition is ours ehehe.