31 MAR 2024; PEC Zwolle - Ajax; Match Day 27

[Orange14]

Things are going from bad to worse on the injury front. Jordan Henderson appears to be out for the next three matches. Brobbey and Sutalo will also miss Sunday's away game. Berghuis is questionable and Kaplan is suspended.

Ajax has a tenuous hold on fifth place and badly needs a road win.

[SPL]

We will have to revert to 4-3-3 Gaaei,Rensch,Hato,Sosa with Taylor,Mannsverk,Hlynsson in mf and Godts,Akpom Forbs up front ie Bergwijn not fit enough for 90 mins.

Our coach will probably stick to 5-4-1 or 5-3-2 which has not worked and will result in more points dropped. Attack is the best form of defence said Cruijff

[Tom_]

Three games, PEC, Go Ahead and Feyenoord inside a week, injury problems and NEC are only two points behind. Yikes.

[Orange14]

Three games, PEC, Go Ahead and Feyenoord inside a week, injury problems and NEC are only two points behind. Yikes.

From my old football (American) coach, "When the going gets tough, the tough get going!"

[Tom_]

Ajax got 57 points in 1998-1999 when they finished 6th and 61 points the following season when they finished 5th.

Right now they are on 41 with 8 games to go (i.e. 24 points still to play for).

This is a historically bad season no matter how you look at it, but it could end up being the worst in terms of points and/or league position since that one in the ‘60s, when they almost got relegated.

[Tom_]

Obviously I’m bringing the party vibes to this thread

[Orange14]

Pressure clearly on Ajax now as NEC defeated PSV 3-1. Cillessen even saved a PK!!! NEC are one point above Ajax now.

[SPL]

A big week coming up with 3 games and injuries. NEC beating PSV a big blow and dont rule out them winning the cup. I fear we will finish 6th or 7th and play offs for Conference As all games will be away from the Arena we wont win the play offs so 6 Dutch teams in Europe next season and no Ajax . Those running this club last summer should hang their heads in shame appointing a crap coach and giving an open cheque book to a clueless German

Our worst season since 1964 /65 and in that season a skinny kid called Cruijff made his debut and Ajax then became a world famous club. We have no such kid this time .

[Tom_]

Oh boy. What a bizarre lineup. Just have to hope for the best

[Orange14]

Good 20 minutes at the start with two nice goals and then things began to fall apart. Obviously, this team will only be favored with a four goal lead. According to van't Schip Bergwijn and Godts won't be able to play much more than 60 minutes if that. We'll see who comes in.

[Tom_]

Ajax put away two of their three chances but otherwise they are *just* defending. The problem with that is that they concede chances anyway. Just hoping PEC don’t have the quality to score twice.

[GangstaRiB]

Ramaj gave us the three points today.

[SPL]

Got a stream for the 2nd half, finally a win with only 2 real defenders Hato and Rensch. Akpom did well with 2 but about 70mins should have buried the chance and it would then have been 3-0, We had luck with VAR but 3 very welcome points

[Tom_]

It was closer than the score suggests but I reckon it was a deserved win.

Godts looks ok, but he needs to pass sooner. I think I like the wingers starting more centrally like they did today. The diagonal runs caused problems for PEC on the right side.

Surprisingly solid defending from Tahirovic too. Although he’s dreadfully slow on the ball and just coughs it up as soon as there’s any pressure.

[Orange14]

Nothing is ever easy with this team! In the end, it looked like a convincing win by the score line but Ajax just sat back too often after going up 0-2 in the first 26 minutes. Akpom had two good goals and Hlynsson one but just maybe Tahirovic was the best man on the pitch today (wow, thought I would never say that!). He defended well and his passing was excellent. Bergwijn clearly is not match fit and should have come off at half time. Godts with a nice assist on the 2nd goal. Still three points are three points and Ajax move ahead of NEC.

Player Ratings:

Ramaj (6) - weird game with some great saves and poor kicks, milked the clock for all he could without getting carded
Hlynsson (6) - well taken goal with his left foot
Rensch (6) - decent enough
Mannswerk (5) - forced to play in the back line with the Kaplan suspension and at fault on the PEC goal by poor defending
Hato (6.5) - Cal Ripken streak continues and he was the best back line defender
Taylor (5.5) - started at LB ahead of Sosa and was just OK, missed a great chance to score late in the match
van den Boomen (5) - average and too slow
Tahirovic (7) - two great passes that led to Ajax goals and his defending was quite good
Gods (6) - good pass to send Akpom through on goal
Akpom (7) - two good goals and probably should have had a third had had finishing been better
Bergwijn (5) - not match fit at all and only average
Gaaei (6.5) - great take down of a long pass from Tahirovic and (just like Justin Kluivert used to do) set up Akpom beautifully
Sosa (NR) - on late and poor defending on one PEC attack, barely kept a player offside on another
Vos (NR) - had a couple of good interventions
Rijkoff (NR) - had a couple of chances in the box but didn't get the shot off

Go Ahead Eagles on Thursday and Feyenoord next weekend. the way NjEC is playing Ajax really need to win both