30 NOV 2023; Marseille - Ajax; Europa Group 5

[Orange14]

Just Win Baby!!!!

[Orange14]

Sutalo and Vos are out injured and are not traveling to Marseilles. Goojier and Banel join the first team for this match.

[SPL]

We need to get a point tonight and hope Brighton can get a point in Athens. Will be a tough time tonight ,not a very friendly stadium ,sounds like it will be as bad as De Kuip.

[Tom_]

Yep, it was nice to thump Vitesse but they are 18th and their central defenders were absolutely dreadful. I don’t think Ajax has improved enough yet to beat good sides. Not sure how good Marseille are but I would take a point right now.

[Orange14]

I guess Rensch will again partner Hato in the middle of the defense. To undersized center backs against a physical team is not a recipe for greatness. We'll see how this one plays out. I think if Ajax can snatch an early goal they might be able to put Marseille on their back feet as the French club is playing quite poorly this season and the management is in disarray.

[SPL]

3 changes from Saturday ,Brobbey for Akpom,Forbs for Hlynsson with Berghuis at 10 ,and Sosa for Martha. I would be happy with a draw and hope Brighton get at least a draw tonight.We then need to beat AEK at home for 3rd place.

[Orange14]

Brighton win in Athens 0-1. A win by Ajax tonight could mean they still stay alive in either the Europa or Conference Leagues.

[SPL]

Yes, Brighton have done us a favour so lets get a win

[Orange14]

What a weak penalty call. Never happens in the EPL.

[Orange14]

...and just like that BRIAN BROBBEY!!!

[Tom_]

Defense is shaky so I’m expecting more goals in the second. I would take Forbs off at ht since he’s not been involved at all.

[SPL]

A very weak penalty and woeful defending for their goals but 2 great finishes by Brobbey keeps us in the game. Neither side can defend so would not like to predict the result.

[SPL]

Martha for Sosa and Hlynsson for Forbs although maybe Godts. Forbs is poor so is Sosa

[Orange14]

Well that was a pretty impressive goal by Aubamayang

[Tom_]

Off another giveaway from Taylor in the buildup, if I saw it correctly.

[Orange14]

Cannot complain about the VAR call on Berghuis. Straight RC all the time.

[Tom_]

Two shonky penalties and a red card. Maybe a point would have been fair but definitely not a great match from Ajax.

[SPL]

2 weak pens , should have been a draw. My ratings ,Brobbey good , the rest poor,Akpom with a goal but not sure he touched the ball again. Sosa was dreadful but defending was poor.

We should just play our youngsters until Christmas and then sell the deadwood .
Watching new players who are no better than our own youth is depressing

[Orange14]

Ajax are always making things interesting this season and while there is progress under van't Schip, there are still too many weakness with the starting 11. I hope that Signore Sozza never calls another Ajax match. He was really quite a poor match official but the reckless challenge by Berghuis really put Ajax in a deep hole from which they came back once only to see Ramaz do a weird wander back at a ball that was going out of touch. Ajax still have one more chance to make it into the Conference League against AEK on the final match day. Props to Brobbe who was MOTM for Ajax and again got pushed and tugged at but saw no calls go his way. Hlynsson also showed some steel coming on for a very poor Forbs at the half. I thought Rensch played well and Hato clearly needs some rest as he has played every minute this season. Cruyff was right wen he said it is always more difficult playing against 10 and Ajax can be proud of the final half hour other than the final conceded penalty.

Player Ratings:

Ramaj (5) - he was having a nice match until grossly misjudging the long cross and spilling the ball into play; I still wonder how it could be a PK wen the Marseille player headed the ball before contact but no VAR to help Ajax out here
Gaaei (5.5) - OK in a lot of spots but he was easily pushed away on the second Marseille goal off the corner kick
Rensch (7) - cool with the ball and this is the first match in a long time where I didn't see any mistake from him
Hato (5) - lost his temper late in the match with a YC challenge and looks like he was out of sorts
Sosa (5) - quite average
Tahirovic (4) - his decision making with the ball has the quickness of molasses running in the dead of winter; really an awful player with no talent
Taylor (4.5) - had a couple of good spots but more poor ones
Berghuis (4) - good play until the stupid RC challenge
Forbs (4) - mediocre is being charitable
Brobbey (7) - strong game from the striker
Bergwijn (5.5) - missing in action in large parts of the match and had one snap shot that was saved
Hlynsson (6.5) - should some good play running opponents down and his cross for the Akbom goal was great
Akbom (6) - great goal to momentarily draw Ajax even
Martha (NR) - on late for Sosa
Banel (NR) - on late
Salah-Eddine (NR) - on late

Back to League play this weekend.

[SPL]

Commentators on TNT here both thought it a penalty with Ramaj but not sure they really showed it again properly.Like the Almere game this penalty was a complete cock up by an Ajax player. Had it not been given a draw would have been a deserved result but we would still be out of europa.

I go on about the poor standard of new players but in January the first 2 out the door would be Berghuis and Bergwijn .
They add little and are on big wages.Need a complete clearout and start again with our youth and some decent experienced older signings

[Tom_]

I’m sure you’re tired of me saying this but I won’t be happy until Taylor’s gone too.

Having someone who is that poor on the ball as our first choice central midfielder symbolises just how bad this squad is for me. A number 8 who can’t pass, dribble or shoot would not have been acceptable in any Ajax team I can remember before the last two seasons.

I know I liked to complain about Gravenberch’s passing but he could carry the ball and had a good shot.

[Amol]

Some bad decisions which went against us. We did at times did seem to know how to play. This is at least the level which this group should be playing at and not how they started the season.

Ramaj's blunder was not needed at the end, but I didn't think he needed to take a swipe at that player. Rensch and Hato were standing at the near post right in front of that player. Oh well.

We need to beat AEK to continue in the Conf League.

[SPL]

Both penalties were incorrect and I saw nothing in either to warrant them being given.OM are top yet only beat a 10 men Ajax due to these dodgy pens.

Looking back at yesterday I really dont know why Martha did not start as Sosa cannot defend and is not as quick as Martha. Forbs has speed and nothing else.Godts is better and if fit so is V A Dongen.

Hard to say what Ajax do now with their squad as the Dutch lads are failing ie Berghuis,Bergwijn ,Taylor and Rensch.

Thinking of who would still be here next season. Ramaj,and possibly Sutalo ( Akpom a good sub will go back home) ,Hato,Martha Godts Vos Kaplan ie the 4 Dutch above will go and about 7 or 8 of this summers rubbish.

What a shambolic mess this club is in.We are going to struggle and get 3rd place from AZ but Twente in 4th is reachable.Just give youth a chance.I would rather see Goijer at RB in place of Gaaei,who simply cannot defend.

[Tom_]

I still want to see how they look with an extra central defender to help cover for the backs, not one of whom can defend. Our right wingers aren’t great so they could sacrifice that position and just play Brobbey and Bergwijn through the middle with Gaaei and Martha (or S-E) overlapping.

So easy from my armchair :)

[SPL]

So 5-3 -2 which maybe better but not sure Van t' Schip will play that style.