20 DEC 2020; ADO den Hag - Ajax; Match Day 13

[Orange14]

After three straight home matches, Ajax travel for two away games in the next seven days. First up this Sunday is ADO followed by a mid-week match against Willem II. Neres is out until the new year with his ankle injury. Kudus is back in training this week but I hope is rested until fully fit. Huntelaar and Klaiber will be available as both were suspended last night because of YC accumulation in last season's Cup competition. Have not heard about Traore and Brobbey in terms of their availability. This is the first time I can recall that Ajax will not have faced either Feyenoord or PSV prior to the break.

[SPL]

Promes is available again but Timber Neres and Kudus will be out .Mazraoui along with Brobbey and Traore nothing heard.

[SPL]

Looks like Brobbey,Traore Mazraoui are out as well.KJH to start again.

[SPL]

Only change from Zwolle game is Labyad for Promes.

Kudus,Timber,Neres,Mazraoui,Traore ,Brobbey all out injured.

[GangstaRiB]

0-2 up after stepping on the gaspedal for 2 minutes. Tadic and the Hunter.

[Orange14]

It took 20 minutes to figure out how to unlock the defense and then four goals pretty quick. Onana with only one save to make. Time for substitutions to come on.

[SPL]

Game over and all very comfortable. overjoyed KJH with 2 so far.

[rjf1]

It looks like they are playing against 10. Nice, controlled, in close tight passing. Really happy Onana made that save on that big doofus Kramer - never could stand him.

[rjf1]

What a sluggish start to the 2nd half. They better wake up fast.

[Orange14]

Maybe 15 minutes of good football surrounded by 75 minutes of just average play were good enough. ADO were awful in the first half and came out to play in the second snatching two goals to make things interesting. Onana really should have stopped the second ADO strike as it didn't look to difficult. Good to see Huntelaar active and scoring.

Player Ratings:

Onana (5.5) - one good save and one weak attempt that didn't keep a goal out
Tagliafico (6) - just on for one half and didn't have to defend at all
Blind (6.5) - some good passing again today
Schuurs (5.5) - really wonder sometimes about him as he was easily beaten on the close in play that led to the first goal
Klaiber (7.5) - very good play going forward
Klaassen (6.5) - decent enough on the day
Gravenberch (6.5) - good half and then rested
Labyad (6.5) - good enough
Tadic (7) - had a nice match
Huntelaar (7.5) - two nice goals and in good positions all game lone
Antony (7) - excellent first half with some good passes and then subbed off
Promes (6) - had some decent interior play but the shots were right at the keeper
Taylor (6) - decent half and clearly a prospect for the future
Martinez (6.5) - very good half at full back
Ekkelenkamp (5.5)- on late for Huntelaar and saw some of the ball but could have done better

Ajax are still in first place with a mid-week away game at Willem II to close out the year.

[SPL]

Poor 2nd half , we gifted them the 1st and the 2nd we had no one in our own half and got caught ,maybe Onana could have done better. A game we should have won by 6 clear goals.

Better hope some of those injured are fit in 3 weeks time because we have 7 games in January and the only cover we have for Schuurs is Rensch and KJH cannot play 7 games in 22 days.

Klaiber decent going forward but cannot defend. Taylor looked good to me and Martinez played well.

[Orange14]

Better hope some of those injured are fit in 3 weeks time because we have 7 games in January and the only cover we have for Schuurs is Rensch and KJH cannot play 7 games in 22 days.

Yes, it is going to be a rough January. Fortunately, both PSV and Feyenoord are at home but they play a cup tie and a league match away at AZ. PSV seem to have sorted things out from early in the season and will be a formidable team to play.

[rjf1]

Actually, that second goal was more difficult to save than it looks. When the ball comes in so low and fast and close, when you go down there is a huge gap between your arm and the side of your body - the ball is too close to your body for your hands to be able to get to - all you can do is try to get your side and outstretched arm flat to the ground - but usually the ball goes through the gap before you have time to do it.

[SPL]

Agree with you Orange ,lets just beat Willem and enjoy Christmas first .

I am delighted that my hero KJH scored 2 goals and as ever shows his sheer enthusiasm . Evidently he is the hardest worker in training,one of the young lads quoted this a while ago. Will be sad when he retires although talk of him finishing at his local club de Graafschap. He lives with his childhood sweetheart in the same small farming village where he grew up .(its east of Arnhem)