09 DEC 2020; Ajax - Atalanta; CL Group 6

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kezme44
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Re: 09 DEC 2020; Ajax - Atalanta; CL Group 6

Bericht door kezme44 » wo dec 09, 2020 8:44 pm

i'm not sure what eth's plan was for this game. yes, there were injuries but we created hardly anything and it was the same old eredivisie tactics. gasperini is smart and saw through that. not good enough and eth ultimately has to answer

Ayman
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Re: 09 DEC 2020; Ajax - Atalanta; CL Group 6

Bericht door Ayman » wo dec 09, 2020 9:06 pm

No excuses. Some players must be miles away from the first team, especially Promes, Ekkelenkamp and Labyad.

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Orange14
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Re: 09 DEC 2020; Ajax - Atalanta; CL Group 6

Bericht door Orange14 » wo dec 09, 2020 9:09 pm

Another year and another heartbreak in the CL. Atalanta got the tactics exactly right and took Ajax completely out of the match. With the current roster, there was not much ETH could do other than to dream about what Frenkie de Jong might have done to spark something going forward. Two chances on goal for Ajax but each one right at the keeper. The Ajax MF again was totally controlled by the opponent. A errant arm from Gravenberch left the team down a man for the final 10 minutes. Little to cheer about though both Schuurs and Martinez had decent matches. Onana was hardly troubled though he did have a poor punch out. Without any route through the middle, Ajax had to play out down the flanks and Atalanta were quick to come over and press against the sideline. Antony had one or two good moves on the right but Tadic could not find any way through on the left. On to Thursday night football which is never a fun thing. I suspect they might go out in the first knock out game again this season.

Player Ratings:

Onana (6) - really dicey on one punch out but otherwise had little to do
Tagliafico (5.5) - a non factor as most of the play went over to Mazraoui and he came off with a sore ankle
Matinez (6.5) - had some good interventions and did all right defensively; both he and Schuurs had a lot of passing as they could not break through the middle
Schuurs (7) - very fine game from him but there was no solving passing through the middle
Mazraoui (7) - another fine match and most of the play went down his side
Klaassen (5.5) - very mediocre except when he was alert to keep running and got the one Ajax shot of the second half
Gravenberch (4.5) - generally poor match as he was well marked out of the game, a bit unfortunate on the second YC but those calls can go against you
Labyad (4.5) - total non factor all game long until he came off
Tadic (6) - there is no magic this season and he is looking a bit tired
Brobbey (6) - good hold up play and had the first Ajax chance of the night with a header right at the keeper
Antony (6.5) - had a couple of nice spin moves but was often facing a double team when the ball came to him
Promes (5.5) - had a lot of the ball in the 2nd half but couldn't do much with it
Ekkelenkamp (5) - I think he had one touch
Huntelaar (5) - a total non-factor
Timber (NR) - on late and then off late with an injury to the ribs
Alvarez (NR) - on for 10 seconds

I think Ajax are going to have trouble with the injuries mounting up and no real good solutions in the MF. Three straight one goal losses will keep the team thinking about whether they are good enough. They will put goals past the weaker teams in the Eredivisie but have yet to play PSV, AZ, and Feyenoord. I'm not sure they can win the league this season as the key to defending against them is clear as day right now.
Appie Nouri will forever be remembered for his grace and humanity on and off the pitch!

SPL
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Re: 09 DEC 2020; Ajax - Atalanta; CL Group 6

Bericht door SPL » wo dec 09, 2020 9:34 pm

Not much to add one chance and Klaassen messed up.No complaint about not getting through,2 crazy goals v Liverpool made a difference,2 points from those could have changed things .

Bottom line with Blind,Neres,Kudus injured we had zero quality on the bench apart from the out of form Promes,and we are stuck with Labyad who is rubbish at this level.

Tagliafico,Martinez and Timber all had injuries so Saturday could be Mazraoui,Schuurs,Rensch and Kleiber. Biggest problem we only have 2 MF in Klaasen and Gravenberch and zero creativity in MF.

We have to get a creative MF in January and we will have some money if we sell Labyad and Alvarez.

SPL
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Re: 09 DEC 2020; Ajax - Atalanta; CL Group 6

Bericht door SPL » do dec 10, 2020 12:39 pm

All the press and Internet articles saying we dont have a strong squad.Wow think fans have known this for a long time.

Press articles and loads of fans online focus on the dreadful signings of 2019 and all quote,Magallan,Marin,Alvarez,Pirie,Promes together with Labyad and Kleiber. Dont take pleasure in knowing I am in the majority in saying these players are not Ajax standard.

Our defence is alright and Timber and Rensch are very good prospects. MF we have only 2 players and they both play the number 6 role. Up front a quality striker is needed.

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Orange14
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Re: 09 DEC 2020; Ajax - Atalanta; CL Group 6

Bericht door Orange14 » do dec 10, 2020 3:20 pm

We need to face up to the fact that we were blessed two years ago with a young team of top talents that came within 10 seconds of a CL final. Four members of that team are now playing at top Euro teams. Remember that there were hardly any injuries that season. de Ligt missed the PSV game and maybe there were some others who got suspended along the way for a game but ETH had the same 11 to put out game in and game out. The current MF is just not good enough. Klaassen was poor over all last night and he just doesn't have the ball handling skills to play at CL level. Yes he missed a shot, but how many times has some player also not done better in that situation. Unfortunately, it gets magnified in a match where one goal is critical. I'll confess to being one of the few who thinks that Alvarez is a decent football player and certainly has better physical skills than Klaassen.

Maybe Overmars is at fault for personnel decisions but that is one of the most difficult jobs in football, particularly for a team that has to watch the money. Ajax have lost a lot of money since March by not collecting any match day revenue (maybe €30M or so if I remember what van der Sar said several weeks ago). I think it is always difficult to evaluate football players when they are not in Amsterdam training day in and day out. Some of the players that were not successful had very good club seasons before coming to Ajax and some were and still are starters on their country's national teams. Perhaps it is just that they are not a good fit for Ajax.

I too am puzzled why Noa Lang was transferred. In light of the injuries to wingers and the declining play of Tadic this was a bad decision. I also think the club thought that Lang had attitude issues and maybe that tipped things. Bakker was not going to sign a new contract because of Raiola so it was not surprise to see him leave. The club bought Perie as they thought he was a better player on the ball than Botman. Maybe that one works out, we need to see how he does at Twente the rest of the season. Ajax have a history of desperate player purchases. Remember Robbie Wielart, Theo Jannsen, Daley Sinkgraven, Heiko Westermann, Oleguer (there are others as well)? I sure would not want to be a technical director!

I was surprised that ETH did not come out with Plan B at half time last night. Maybe it was because of the players on the pitch that there was no alternative to playing out down the wings. Ajax wasted a lot of time with passes back and forth between Onana, Schuurs and Martinez. I almost thought we were seeing de Boer football.

At the end of the day we suffered three 1-0 defeats in the group. The defense by and large held up pretty well against two of the top scoring teams in Euro football. It was the attack that delivered Europa League football to Ajax. Maybe they can make another run to Europa League finals when everyone gets healthy after winter break. We see.
Appie Nouri will forever be remembered for his grace and humanity on and off the pitch!

Ayman
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Re: 09 DEC 2020; Ajax - Atalanta; CL Group 6

Bericht door Ayman » do dec 10, 2020 4:49 pm

Orange14 schreef:
do dec 10, 2020 3:20 pm
We need to face up to the fact that we were blessed two years ago with a young team of top talents that came within 10 seconds of a CL final. Four members of that team are now playing at top Euro teams. Remember that there were hardly any injuries that season. de Ligt missed the PSV game and maybe there were some others who got suspended along the way for a game but ETH had the same 11 to put out game in and game out. The current MF is just not good enough. Klaassen was poor over all last night and he just doesn't have the ball handling skills to play at CL level. Yes he missed a shot, but how many times has some player also not done better in that situation. Unfortunately, it gets magnified in a match where one goal is critical. I'll confess to being one of the few who thinks that Alvarez is a decent football player and certainly has better physical skills than Klaassen.

Maybe Overmars is at fault for personnel decisions but that is one of the most difficult jobs in football, particularly for a team that has to watch the money. Ajax have lost a lot of money since March by not collecting any match day revenue (maybe €30M or so if I remember what van der Sar said several weeks ago). I think it is always difficult to evaluate football players when they are not in Amsterdam training day in and day out. Some of the players that were not successful had very good club seasons before coming to Ajax and some were and still are starters on their country's national teams. Perhaps it is just that they are not a good fit for Ajax.

I too am puzzled why Noa Lang was transferred. In light of the injuries to wingers and the declining play of Tadic this was a bad decision. I also think the club thought that Lang had attitude issues and maybe that tipped things. Bakker was not going to sign a new contract because of Raiola so it was not surprise to see him leave. The club bought Perie as they thought he was a better player on the ball than Botman. Maybe that one works out, we need to see how he does at Twente the rest of the season. Ajax have a history of desperate player purchases. Remember Robbie Wielart, Theo Jannsen, Daley Sinkgraven, Heiko Westermann, Oleguer (there are others as well)? I sure would not want to be a technical director!

I was surprised that ETH did not come out with Plan B at half time last night. Maybe it was because of the players on the pitch that there was no alternative to playing out down the wings. Ajax wasted a lot of time with passes back and forth between Onana, Schuurs and Martinez. I almost thought we were seeing de Boer football.

At the end of the day we suffered three 1-0 defeats in the group. The defense by and large held up pretty well against two of the top scoring teams in Euro football. It was the attack that delivered Europa League football to Ajax. Maybe they can make another run to Europa League finals when everyone gets healthy after winter break. We see.

Bakker left because he found himself third choice behind Sinkgraven and Tagliafico. Had he been second choice and got some minutes on the field, he would have signed, albeit a short term contract i.e. same as Gravenberch did. As for ten Hag, lots of people calling for him to be sacked. I think he should be given a chance, he has to win the Eredivisie, which won't be easy, and perhaps a run in the Europa League. That said, if he falters, my pick would be Ron Jans of Twente.

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Orange14
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Re: 09 DEC 2020; Ajax - Atalanta; CL Group 6

Bericht door Orange14 » do dec 10, 2020 6:31 pm

Ayman schreef:
do dec 10, 2020 4:49 pm
As for ten Hag, lots of people calling for him to be sacked. I think he should be given a chance, he has to win the Eredivisie, which won't be easy, and perhaps a run in the Europa League. That said, if he falters, my pick would be Ron Jans of Twente.
I that happens they will promote someone with an Ajax background, maybe Reizinger. Jans has had an up and down career and got into real trouble here in the US when he was a trainer last season. I don't think he would be a candidate.
Appie Nouri will forever be remembered for his grace and humanity on and off the pitch!

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