Ajaxtalk

Ajax journey to Eindhoven off of a good start in the CL. PSV have a Europa League match against Sporting in Eindhoven today (Sporting recently sacked Marcel Keizer). Let's hope we do not see a debacle as last season when de Ligt was out injured. I don't want to have Ajax having to claw back points next Spring.

This championship should be ours with very little points spilled. We are a team with a huge budget and better players than the others. We can't let a sudden resurgence by PSV threaten us

I did see PSV destroy Vittesse last weekend. Their new kids do look potent and we should be careful when we play them on Sunday.

Of course we'll be on 4 days rest, while they'll be on 2. That should be a big factor this Sunday.

Let's at least score in Eindhoven, for starters...

I watched the PSV - Sporting match yesterday. PSV were good on offense but somewhat fragile defensively. Zoet made some great saves but was not good on the second Sporting goal. Ajax will need good matches from Alvarez and Martinez in the MF.

Same starting line up as Lille.Donny is a sub.

oh promes, gotta take those chances...

Tight first half with a slight edge to Ajax. Promes should have buried his chance. Defense has not left any gaps other than the one break PSV had when Martinez turned the ball over late in the first half.

Fairly even although Promes should have scored.

Tight game and I think getting the first goal is important. PSV got a couple of half chances off Ajax giveaways but otherwise we’re on top. PSV’s direct play is always threatening but we’re far better when we have the ball.

yeeeees!!!

Nicely taken - and he has to feel better for making up for the one he missed.

It's all hands to the pumps from now til the end of the game.

Into the PSV minutes so they’ll probably scramble in a couple

And they have, well 1-1 so far

1-1 draw -- the difference is they were happy with the result while we were disappointed. The defense was really good overall - the offense was good when they actually attacked instead of wasting chances with stopping and back passing. Have to say it wasn't one of Ziyech's better days. Well - still and all - better than last year's drubbing.

It was disappointing but a draw was a fair result. Ajax defense which was good in the first half failed on several points in the second. Multiple mistakes led to a nice goal by Malen that evened things up. Promes should have had a brace, missing badly in the first half.

Player Ratings:

Onana (7) - one excellent save but otherwise little to do
Tagliafico (5) - very poor defending almost all match long
Blind (7) - maybe could have done a little better on the play leading up to the goal but generally good
Veltman (7.5) - solid match all game long
Dest (6.5) - excellent pass into Tadic on the goal
Alvarez (6.5) - dropped back to play in the middle of a 3-4-3 in the last eight minutes
Martinez (6) - was having a good match until he totally lost Malen
Promes (7) - should have had two goals on the day
Neres (6) - strikingly little impact on the match
Tadic (7) - again good ball control in tight spaces
Ziyech (5.5) - just above ordinary for me, too many turnovers
van de Beek (5) - on for 30 minutes with no impact

Midweek match that was postponed to give the club rest for the CL playoff game, Fortuna Sittard at home mid-week.

Well a draw is good enough probably fair on chances. Malen showing his speed and catching our slow defence.

I watched on a Serbian stream but after 83 mins went to another game and I couldn't get another stream properly so frustrating last 10 mins.(Been lucky every game up until now but messing about in the last 10 mins is the worst possible time)

I found it interesting how both teams settled for a draw in the last few minutes. Don’t recall seeing that in a game against PSV before. Maybe because it’s still early in the season.

Thought we were better overall and had better chances, but it could’ve gone either way — the way PSV sneak trashy goals I can live with a draw.

Wonder if Ziyech will get a rest on Wednesday since he’s supposed to be injured and Donny’s back.

Tom_ schreef:I found it interesting how both teams settled for a draw in the last few minutes. Don’t recall seeing that in a game against PSV before. Maybe because it’s still early in the season.

Thought we were better overall and had better chances, but it could’ve gone either way — the way PSV sneak trashy goals I can live with a draw.

Wonder if Ziyech will get a rest on Wednesday since he’s supposed to be injured and Donny’s back.

PSV were setup to counter and Ajax for the first time in my living memory decided to manage the final 5-10 minutes and not go out all attack. The risk of PSV scoring on a counter was still high at the end and ETH decided to just take the 1 point and get out of Eindhoven.

I wouldn't say I was unhappy with ETH's choice to be honest. I WAS unhappy with Promes' miss in the 1st half though.

Amol schreef: PSV were setup to counter and Ajax for the first time in my living memory decided to manage the final 5-10 minutes and not go out all attack. The risk of PSV scoring on a counter was still high at the end and ETH decided to just take the 1 point and get out of Eindhoven.

I wouldn't say I was unhappy with ETH's choice to be honest. I WAS unhappy with Promes' miss in the 1st half though.

Quite right and ETH dropped Alvarez back to CB in the middle of a three man backline as the team moved into a 3-4-3. Both full backs were pushed up but there didn't seem to be any attacking intent. Other than the Malen goal, I thought Ajax did enough on defense in this match. I think we will see a lot more of the 3-4-3, particularly in CL matches. ETH is turning out to be a very good tactician.