24 Feb 2013: Ajax - ADO Den Haag

[Kowalczyk]

Eredivisie 2012-2013. Matchday 24.

Kick-off at the Amsterdam ArenA is 14:30 CET.

Heerenveen vs Twente
Feyenoord vs PSV

So promising...

K.

[SPL]

I think this will be as tough as Roda but Schone for Poulsen the only change

[Orange14]

Other than de Jong, this is the best attacking lineup that we can put on the pitch. Chance to pull even with PSV on points.

[SPL]

Firstrow has 6 links at present so hope for a decent stream. The other night all 4 links had the same english commentator and all links played up at the end

[King Litti]

We really would need to capitalise from these chances.

[Tom_]

Playing well and creating chances so far. The linesman on the far side is going to be out of a job if he keeps this up... two terrible offside calls on Blind

[Van basten]

retards..

[Orange14]

Wonderful assist from Moisander; too bad he was color blind and couldn't make out the kit top.

[King Litti]

the horror.

[Tom_]

Awesome. We really have got conceding goals whilst dominating the game down to a fine art.

[Tom_]

That looked in to me... that's two legit goals ruled out so far

[Orange14]

@niklasmoisander - never ever make a blind pass back to your goal keeper; repeat - never ever make a blind pass back to your keeper.

We had some pretty decent chances and maybe Sigthorsson's shot was across the line, difficult to tell from the replay angle. Fischer has been the best player on the pitch, really active and moving well with the ball. Still don't get de Jong - he had one good pass that almost led to a goal but other than that just stands around. There has been some big open spaces in the middle and he never moves into them. Maybe FdB understands something that I do not (wouldn't be the first time). Blind has played well going forward but seriously got caught up field once and made no attempt to really run back and cover, fortunately nothing came of it for ADO.

I hope that we don't run out of gas in the second half, we just cannot leave points on the table today.

[Amol]

That looked in to me... that's two legit goals ruled out so far

That was a certain goal. This is the Ajax way. Dominate - almost score 3 or 4 goals and then let in one.

[SPL]

Moisander was aweful with that mistake and we are making it hard for ourselves. That goal was over the line and Blind was twice given offside when he wasn't. Just think an early goal after the restart will take the pressure off us and we will go on to win . At least ADO have had several shots unlike Roda last time.

[King Litti]

Actually not bad movement from Ajax considering we played 120 minutes last thursday. Shöne really is a better choise in a game like this than Poulsen.

We just need far too many chances to score a goal. And the visitors of course score from their chances with a good percentage and they don't even need to create their own chances. This just doesn't seem to be our week. Still, 45 minutes to turn bad in to good. Not impossible.

[SPL]

As usual I agree with Orange de Jong is doing nothing and really is a liability in midfield.One good pass does not justify him .

[Tom_]

I think we're playing well. Schöne instead of Poulsen works wonders for our attack. We conceded a goal from a catastrophic individual error and have had two goals incorrectly ruled out. With a bit more luck we could have been 3–0 up.

Edit: can't blame the linesman for the second goal by the way, it all happened so quickly. But he's got two offside calls very, very wrong.

[SPL]

I think overall we are playing well and getting the shots and chances in . Just needs one to go in .

[Tom_]

We're not going to score, are we?

[King Litti]

Yeees. More than deserved. One more!

[SPL]

Cannot keep dropping home points like this just as well PSV are dropping points also.We created enough chances but it was just one of those days the ball would not go in until Schone's effort

[souras84]

We don't deserve that!! I don't know who deserves the championship too...

[King Litti]

Fu*k, we never seem to get a late winner. PSV gave us a chance to really get back in the race. How many chances do you think they will still give us? Not many. Really would have needed a win.

Don't usually want to blame luck, but somehow I felt it was not on our side. So many chances.

That mistake by Moisander can really cost us. He wasn't even under that much pressure, but shoot the ball in to stands if you have to. Just don't give it away in front of your own goal. Pissed off right now.

[Orange14]

Another opportunity to pull even and we don't capitalize. Several players looked a step too slow, probably because of the match on Thursday (FdB should have made some changes earlier rather than later). Another game with loads of possession and nothing to show for it. At least we salvaged a point which was always in doubt. That being said, at least there was some inspired passing against a team that was parking the bus from the get go.

Player Ratings:

Vermeer (7) - little to do really but did save a break away goal which kept the scoreline 1-0
Blind (7) - fine match today other than one time when he didn't really track back to cover his winger
Moisander (4) - good match, BUT never make a blind pass to your keeper!
Alderwiereld (6.5) - little to do defensively
van Rhijn (7) - little to do defensively and some wicked crosses to middle but no one was able to capitalize
Schöne (7) - got the needed goal and played a fine match in the midfield, probably the best of the three in terms of passing
Eriksen (6.5) - controlled the ball well but a little sloppy on some passes
de Jong (5.5) - really too slow today but did have two or three nice passes to free players up
Fischer (7) - best of all the front line players, good on the ball and didn't dribble into trouble
Sigthorsson (5.5) - another player who looked too slow and didn't hold the ball up well at all; probably scored in the first half
Cuenca (6.5) - good match but did try to take on the right back unsuccessfully down the stretch when a pass would have been better
Boerrigter (5.5) - few touches and that was it
Serrero (5.5) - didn't provide the spark that was needed

No let up for the weary with the mid-week cup tie against AZ.

[SPL]

we have Twente next week and they have not won this year but are still only 4 points behind us.