20 FEB 2024; Bodo/Glimt - Ajax; Europa Confernce League

[Orange14]

I have no idea what the temperature will be in Norway, but I'm fairly certain that Ajax exits from European football.

[Tom_]

@Oranje, we know things are bad if you don’t expect Ajax to win!

B/G are nothing special so we may get through. I hope so, but looking at the teams in the next round it doesn’t seem likely we would get much further anyway.

Kickoff is at 4:45 a.m. my time, I won’t bother watching live but will try to catch the replay before looking at the result.

[Orange14]

Berghuis and Mannswerk (thought to be a top Norwegian talent) both make the travelling squad. Martha is dropped. Looks like the weather will be cold but not bone chilling, maybe 3C but no wind or rain. I think they play on artificial turf which is not good on player's knees.

@Tom - I will be watching the match as I always do and hpe for a positive result!!!

[saddlerian]

Just over an hour and a half to KO...team didn't look too relaxed in this morning's photo..hope the cold weather doesn't cause them to freeze!!

As for the yellow card holders..play for now, not what might be on the horizon!!

[saddlerian]

Well, today's the day we find out Henderson's worth!!

[GangstaRiB]

Every time you think we have reached rock bottom, Ajax manages to go even lower.

[saddlerian]

Well, so far...as long as Ajax have the ball, BG can't score....but even the likelihood of BG scoring while Ajax have the ball seems greater than Ajax scoring!!
Creativity - 0

..and the accuracy of the officials is very questionable!!!

[saddlerian]

WOW!!! Out of the blue!!!!! 0-1.

[GangstaRiB]

WOW!!! Out of the blue!!!!! 0-1.

From the depths of middle earth.

[saddlerian]

Half Time...0-1

Worrying thing, Brobbey substituted by Akpom after 41 minutes...why?

Akpom lucky not to get yellow card just before break!!

[Orange14]

Ajax are playing with close lines hoping to get a counter attack. Ramaj has made several alert plays to keep the score at zero. Forbs created a turnover getting the ball to Berghuis who passed to Brobbey who laid it back to Berghuis who crushed the ball into the net. Brobbey subbed off at 40 minutes and it's not clear what was troubling him. Akpom on. Henderson is not in the match day squad so it's van den Boomen and tahirovic as the deep lying MFs. Rensch in for Goojier and had a critical block near the end. We'll see how this plays out.

[saddlerian]

Wonderful..Sutalo RED CARD...very clumsy challenge!

What was going to be hard is now looking diamond like!!

BG pressing now. Looks like a penalty!!!

WOW!!! Strange decision,

Forbs off, Gaaei on!!

[GangstaRiB]

Fear of going down to 9 men, it’s now 10 vs 10 because a dumb foul by a Viking.

[Orange14]

Into extra time now. Both teams down a man. Last thing Ajax needs ahead of the Sunday game against AZ.

[GangstaRiB]

From the depths of hell.. Taylor scores 1-2.

[GangstaRiB]

Ajax go through.. but this was BAD.

[saddlerian]

I agree...very much like schoolboy playground football...Through to the next round..but play like that in Netherlands and they will certainly suffer

BUT...a win's a win

[Orange14]

Kenneth Taylor haters can now go home!! Great curling shot/cross finds the back of the net in the second period of extra time and Ajax do enough on defense for a 1-2 win. Ramaj is the MOTM for some wonderful saves to keep B/G off the scoreboard when it looked certain they might have scored. However, B/G were their own worst enemies with some dreadful finishing as they were better during the run of play. Sutalo again with a major blunder picking up a RC on a DOGSO. To think that we were all excited last summer when he signed with Ajax; go figure. Ajax move on to the round of 16 and the only trophy left for them to win this season.

Player Ratings:

Ramaj (8.5) - great game by the Ajax keeper with only a week kick out that was easily intercepted as the only blemish on his game
Rensch (7.5) - made some key blocks and was super in extra time
Sutalo (3.5) - totally wrong side of the B/G attacker and clipped his heels for the sending off
Hato (7.5) - undersized against some bigger attackers but held his own all match long
Sosa (7) - defended strongly when Ajax went down to 10
Tahirovic (7) - decent enough game and didn't turn the ball over
van den Boomen (7) - best passer on the pitch for Ajax but forced to play a lot more defense than he likely ever has before
Hlynsson (6.5) - better than average but had to come off with an ankle knock
Berghuis (7.5) - worked very hard when Ajax were down a man and made sure of his goal on the cutback pass from Brobbey
Brobbey (6.5) - good return pass to Berghuis after he received the ball but came off just before halftime
Forbs (6.5) - forced the turnover that led to the Ajax goal but came off when the RC was issued, and Ajax needed an extra defender
Akpom (6) - had a good chance in extra time but a chip was needed and he tried a low ball which was blocked by the keeper
Gaaei (6.5) - strong enough performance when Ajax went down to 10 men
Taylor (7) - got the match winner; enough said
Mannswerk (6) - got the assist on Taylor's "goal"
Rijkoff (NR) - on for a tiring Berghuis and committed a silly foul at the games end conceding a dangerous corner kick

AZ up on Sunday and who knows whether any of the players will have much gas left in the tank

Edit: forgot to put Mannswerk in the ratings!!!

[SPL]

Well what a win so few chances and playing football that is certainly not Ajax football but more Italian.Ramaj our best player and Taylor hero today.

Sutalo was a red card but luck was with us as Sosa would have been a penalty and red and that would have been game over.

Into the last 16 and the win today means Dutch co -efficients still well clear of Portugal ( thats for 3 CL spots in 2025/26).

I dont see us getting anything at AZ on Sunday and a lot depends on Brobbey , is he injured. Apart from Hlynsson ,who is a bit lightweight we seem to have loads of DMF. Need to sort the MF out .

[Orange14]

Draw is tomorrow for the round of 16. Here are the possibilities for Ajax:

Aston Villa (ENG)
Club Brugge (BEL)
Fenerbahçe (TUR)
Fiorentina (ITA)
LOSC Lille (FRA)
Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR)
PAOK (GRE)
Viktoria Plzeň (CZE)

[Tom_]

A total steal. 3 shots on goal and 2 goals - that’s if you count Taylor’s goal as a shot (I’m not convinced). Again we concede more than 20 shots.

A win is always good in Europe but I can’t see them getting much further in this comp.

[Orange14]

A total steal. 3 shots on goal and 2 goals - that’s if you count Taylor’s goal as a shot (I’m not convinced). Again we concede more than 20 shots.

A win is always good in Europe but I can’t see them getting much further in this comp.

In the post game interview, Taylor said he was trying to cross the ball. there are some pretty lame teams in the draw and Ajax might get lucky for a change.

[GangstaRiB]

A total steal. 3 shots on goal and 2 goals - that’s if you count Taylor’s goal as a shot (I’m not convinced). Again we concede more than 20 shots.

A win is always good in Europe but I can’t see them getting much further in this comp.

In the post game interview, Taylor said he was trying to cross the ball. there are some pretty lame teams in the draw and Ajax might get lucky for a change.

The other lame teams will think the same.. haha

[saddlerian]

Draw is tomorrow for the round of 16. Here are the possibilities for Ajax:

Aston Villa (ENG)
Club Brugge (BEL)
Fenerbahçe (TUR)
Fiorentina (ITA)
LOSC Lille (FRA)
Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR)
PAOK (GRE)
Viktoria Plzeň (CZE)

There have been quotes of may "lame" teams left in the draw...but surely non of the teams above could be called "lame"!!

Nice to continue with the "journey", but surely the emphasis should be on doing better in Eredivisie!!

[Tom_]

Aston Villa. Can’t remember the last time we beat an English side in a knockout tie. Doubt this will be the one time we do.