Ajaxtalk

This is the big Sunday where dreams are made or dashed. Ajax travel to AZ and PSV go to Feyenoord. Ajax play first as the Dutch FA switched times to give Feyenoord an extra couple of hours of rest because of their Europa Conference League game. EtH better have the tactics right against AZ and let's hope Mazraoui and Schuurs are recovered.

Gravenberch injured his ankle in training today and is out for the rest of the season. No word on the severity other than it is a six week rehab time.

Schuurs,Antony,Martinez and Gravenberch out for the season .Berghuis and Mazraoui will be fit.

Defence with Blind LCD and Tagliafico is good enough. MF without Gravenberch will still be no problem , Taylor was our best MF last week and I guess Alvarez will return. Upfront Berghuis was poor as right wing. They could play 4-4-2 like last week or try and stick Brobbey on . Ihatteren should also get 30 mins on the wing.

I dont expect PSV to drop another point ,even v Feyenoord but think we will struggle at AZ .Vitesse have nothing to play for as they are in playoffs for Europe but I just see another De Graafschap situation. If we have to go to Arnhem needing a point probably OK but if we need a win big problem.

I agree with SPL!!! Weird that we had very few injuries this season until last month. Fortunately, Ajax have enough depth this year. Next three matches are going to be nail biters.

Just like Ajax, PSV have a lot of players injured who won't be back for the remainder of the season. Some of their key back line players are among them. Feyenoord had a tough match last night against Marseille but that might inspire them on Sunday.

I really have no idea which way this weekend will go. Ajax have been so poor recently but they didn’t give AZ a chance in the Beker semi final. Can’t predict if the gap will be 1 or 7 points!

Very nervous about today ,no team news but I read Mazraoui and Berghuis wont start. 4-4-2 again with Haller and Brobbey.
Talk of unlucky 8th May as de Graafschap drew 1-1 in 2016 and cost us the title.2019 Spurs beat us in that semi.In 2011 Twente won the cup.

Our form has been poor for weeks we have key injuries and AZ will be very tough. But since we lost to AZ in game 16 we have won 14 with just the GAE defeat. As long as we dont lose the title will still be in our hands.

PS Ihatteren to come on as sub and score the winner and the title.PSV fans will be devistated.

Nous and Berghuis subs ,still not 100% fit to start.Rensch at RB is the weak spot ,thought Reeger was ok last week. Alvarez back but Taylor starts thankfully and Tadic will play the free role behind Haller and Brobbey

I have been wanting to see Brobbey and Haller starting as a front 2 for months. Let’s hope it works

Not a high quality game so far but Brobbey does what he does best: gets through the defense on a direct run at goal and scores.

Ajax tried to crush AZ in the first 20 minutes with a lot of players getting forward and a lot of play around the AZ penalty area. Just couldn’t break them down.

There is always risk on the counter, and the constant mistakes from Álvarez and Taylor are making me pretty nervous! I think one of those two will be subbed early in the second.

Also worried Higler, who is my least favourite eredivisie ref, will do something really bizarre and turn the game.

brobbey!!!!
can’t watch the game as I’m on a train from Madrid to Sevilla but following a live feed. brought my jersey just in case we become champions today…

Great pass from Taylor over the top and Brobbey with the chip finish. Ajax just have to stay resolute on defense and not concede a goal. Alvarez has been a defensive beast in the MF today. They have picked up all the inside runs by Wijndal. If AZ stays with five in the back Ajax should just take the air out of the game.

Tom_ schreef: ↑

zo mei 08, 2022 2:18 pm

Also worried Higler, who is my least favourite eredivisie ref, will do something really bizarre and turn the game.

I am surprised that he did not give Brobbey a YC.

That was a bad call on the foul, but a 100% yellow on the reaction.

Ajax players seem to have given up on this so not expecting an escape in this match. Let’s hope Feyenoord do us a favour.

Another poor performance and lucky to get a draw,defending for their goals was poor,indeed the 2nd was woeful. Haller,apart from missing a sitter in the 2nd half was absent and Klaassen like Blind way to slow .Alvarez the hero but again with subs Daramy has played just handful of Jong Ajax games no surprise he did nothing. Berghuis poor also.

PSV will probably win now but a win and a draw from our last 2 games should be enough for this poor underachieving Ajax side.

I am off for a long cycle now ,wont have a phone and will return in 2 hours and hope for a miracle ie Feyenoord get a draw. Still think PSV will win their last 3.

At least Ajax came away with a point thanks to Alvarez's header late in the 2nd half. Really awful defending on both AZ goals. Blind was clearly at fault on the first goal but the 2nd goal was a total lapse in concentration by the MF who needed to check free runners. EtH really should have gone back to a 4-3-3 in the 2nd half as Haller was totally worthless as a winger. This team really misses Antony out on the right wing and just cannot create any opportunities.

Player Ratings:

Steklenburg (6) - did not have any tough stops to make and his kicking was very good
Tagliafico (6) - decent enough
Blind (4.5) - two really bad passes inside the Ajax half and poor marking on the first goal; his days as a starter are over for me
Timber (6) - OK match
Rensch (4) - he needs to readjust his thinking that he is a good player, he is not
Alvarez (6.5) - got the tying goal and defensively he was very good disrupting a lot of play in the MF
Taylor (5.5) - wonderful pass over the top for Brobbey on the first goal but ordinary other than that
Klaassen (5.5) - really not much of a factor at all
Brobbey (6) - nice chip for the goal but he really cannot play out on the wing
Tadic (5.5) - couldn't impact the game much at all
Haller (4.5) - totally lost as a wing player
Berghuis (5.5) - had a couple of good balls into the middle but I wonder if he was one of those at fault on the 2nd AZ goal
Mazraoui (6) - too bad he couldn't go the full 90, he might have had more of an impact
Daramy (4.5) - lots of speed but he doesn't know what to do with it
Kudus (NR) - on late and still a continuing enigma as to whether he is good enough

Regardless of the result in Rotterdam, Ajax are in control of their own destiny and need four points from the final two matches.

WOW, what a second half of football in Rotterdam. PSV just looked so bad but Feyenoord were tired. Even so they had good chances but just couldn't put the ball in the net. they got one back in the 86th minute and then Gozubuyak called a hand ball right at the death. Dessers converted and the score was tied. Ajax just need a point on Wednesday to win it all!!!!

just got home from a lovely bike ride,saw the score wonderful .4 points clear 2 points needed.Nearly there. Thank you Feyenoord

insane turnaround in Rotterdam. thank you fword, your fans must be really confused about how they should be feeling
psv complaining that it was rigged, what a bunch of losers

Just wrapping things up. The KNVB stated that the penalty call in the Feyenoord - PSV match was incorrect and that VAR should have intervened. Stuff like this happens even with technology and PSV were right to feel agrieved by the decision.

I still think it was a penalty and so do people in England, Greece and other countries I checked. After all we've seen "more handballs" not being given, so it's always the refs choice

Personally I would’ve said no penalty but the game can’t be refereed without *some* subjectivity.

These things happen, there was a goal incorrectly ruled out over the weekend too — can’t remember which match but the VAR operator missed one of the defenders and drew the line in the wrong spot.

Just unlucky timing for PSV.

Unlucky for PSV but very very lucky for us. Only 2 points needed from 2 games and not 4. Even as poor as we have played recently we should hopefully get 2 more points. It was a very important penalty for Ajax .