10 NOV 2019; Ajax - Utrecht; Match Day 13

[Orange14]

After the disappointing draw last night Ajax must regroup and host Utrecht this weekend. I wonder if ETH will give Schuurs some game time given the suspension to Veltman for the next CL game.

[SPL]

Neres out until the winter break with a knee injury . Really dont need this news

[Orange14]

Neres out until the winter break with a knee injury . Really dont need this news

Time for Noa Lang to step it up if they are going with Ziyech at #10. I don't think any of the Jong Ajax wingers are ready. Perhaps Huntelaar of Traore slot in at #9 and Tadic moves outside. ETH has a tough call to make.

[SPL]

Going morning ,very early for our American mates.

Labyad for Neres the only change.Very odd one as he has had very little playing time this season.

[rjf1]

10 minutes in and more than a half dozen 'sure goal' chances that somehow managed not to make it into the net. I hope this doesn't come back to haunt us.

[rjf1]

15th minute and my mind is at rest. Promes with a lead pass to Tadic who takes it to the end line and cuts a high pass back to DvdB who makes a perfect one time volley into the net.

[Tom_]

This is almost the ideal situation for us. If we get another before ht I wonder if ten Hag will think about time for Schuurs or Alvarez at CB.

[Tom_]

Well there’s another before ht!

[Orange14]

this was some of the most ridiculously good passing that I've seen in some time. Great play all around and it's possible that they could have had 2-3 more goals. The deep back 8 of Utrecht has been unlocked as well. Blind really should have been carded on the high boot to Ramsalaar. Clear YC to me.

[SPL]

3-0 and it should have been more we are in complete control.So we were 3-0 up at HT last week in Zwolle and let them back in it.The game before that 4-0 up v Feyenoord and treated the 2nd half as a training session so what will we do after HT today!!!

[rjf1]

What a half!! I can't believe that more than 10 total minutes was played in the Ajax half of the field - score could have been in double digits - Promes and Tadic were on a whole different plane - their precision combination play figured in all 3 goals. With all the desperate defending on the part of Utrecht, they should be good and exhausted for the second half.

[Tom_]

Amazing half. I hope that was playing in the PSV bus on their way to Willem II - they will be ready to give up on this season if they saw that!

[SPL]

Took it easy in the 2nd half but a very comfortable win and brilliant watching our football in the 1st half.

Only observation shouldn't Alvarez or Schuurs had come on for the last 20 mins in place of Veltman with Lille in mind?

Martinez will slot into Blind's place at Lille easy

[Orange14]

this was the best match Ajax have played this season. Great short passing in the offensive third and were it not for some great play from the Utrecht keeper this could have easily been 8-0. Ajax with 22 shots, 15 on goal; Utrecht by contrast had only 4 shots with none on frame. Onana could not have had an easier match. Ajax had well over 70% of the possession. Remember that Utrecht have been playing well and are in fourth place in the league. Ziyech at #10 has been a great decision from ETH.

Player Ratings:

Onana (6) - had to field a couple of back passes and that was his day
Tagliafico (8) - not much defending to do but great on offense with decisive passing and a couple of good goal chances
Blind (7.5) - took a half point off for the not given foul on the high kick but outstanding otherwise
Veltman (7.5) - not much defending to do on the night and good on the ball
Mazraoui (7.5) - solid enough
Martinez (8) - well played in the MF, unlucky not to have scored but then came right back with a solid header off a free kick
van de Beek (8.5) - great passing and two well taken goals
Ziyech (8.5) - unbelievably creative on the day
Promes (7.5) - solid enough for the left winger
Tadic (9) - MOTM for me with intricate passing, good ball control and a well taken goal
Labyad (7.5) - did well enough filling in for Neres
Dest (6.5) - good play coming on for Maz
Hunelaar (5) - I honestly could not even remember if he had a single touch
Lang (5.5) - had a some touches coming in late for Labyad

The passing in the first half reminded me of a Jong Ajax game back in 2016 with van de Beek, de Jong, and Nouri in the MF where they strung together over 20 passes in short space before getting the goal. this was the type of football Ajax played today.

Off now for the international break and the entertain Heracles with a trip to Lille in the CL to follow.

[rjf1]

Some observations:
-- You'd never know it by just looking at the score, but their keeper played a whale of a game - lost track of the number of goal saving stops that he made as the shots kept coming in.
-- Not one of Ziyech's better games - passing was off, as was the shooting.
-- How big a role that Tadic plays was evident in the way the quality of the attacking play dropped off after he was substituted.
-- Nice to see Lang get some time in - didn't do anything particularly spectacular, but did have some nice touches and handled his chance more than adequately.
-- Likewise, nothing spectacular from Labayad, but he played a decent solid game with good touches and accurate passing.