25 FEB 2014; AZ - Ajax; Match Day 23

[Orange14]

Continuing with my pessimism, Ajax will be eliminated from Euro competition other than a slim chance to return to the Conference League next season.

[SPL]

It is reported we will play with 5 defenders ie 5-3 -2 system .Fans wont be happy but if we lose today I think we can forget 4th place and playoffs for Conference looms

[SPL]

I am going to find a working stream but we are 1-0 down already, are playing with 7 defenders ,if you consider rubbish like Gaaei and Sosa as defenders, 2 lightweights in MF and just Brobbey.

Is this the worst set up ever.

[SPL]

Tried 2 streams neither would connect and my AVG just blocked loads of threats so I wont try again .

[SPL]

Followed the game from about 20 min mark on Showtime comments from fans .Clearly a dreadful performance except Kaplan.
Question now , the coach has to go as he has no idea what he is doing. Stick in Dave Vos from Jong but we have a woefully poor squad available with Henderson Bergwijn and Berghuis injured .

We are now 5th and 4th place is really not going to happen.Basically we now have to pray that Feyenoord win the cup so 5th place will be Europa Playoff stages next season. If Feyenoord dont win the cup ,and only NEC left from Eredivisie, then 5th place will be end of season Conference play offs and the Arena is not available.

[Orange14]

this is about as good as it gets for this Ajax team. With no wingers, van't Schip decides to play three in the back and opt for a conservative approach to the match. As with virtually everything the club has tried this season, it was a failure. There was just not enough quality on the field compared to an AZ team that went into every challenge with gusto and Ajax had trouble getting the ball into a dangerous attacking situation other than the Brobbey goal that was called off by VAR. Probably some hangover from traveling to the Arctic Circle on Thursday as well. I would be happy if Gaaei and Tahirovic never see another minute in the first team. Gaaei just makes bad choices and gives the ball up to easily as he did on the first goal. However, where was Rensch on that play? If you play with three defenders, you expect that the right-side defender will be deep enough to deal with a mistake such as that one. It looks like fifth place for Ajax now and the only hope is for a miracle in the Conference League and a spot in the Europa League next season. Hard to single out any players for commendation but Brobbey & Taylor put in good shifts and were perhaps the best of the bunch.

Player Ratings:

Ramaj (6) - hardly troubled at all and had no chance when his defense failed him twice
Gaaei (3) - time to consider where you want to play next season, it should not be at Ajax
Rensch (4.5) - I thought him to be at fault on the first goal and he really zoned out during this game
Sutalo (6) - a good game by Sutalo standards
Hato (6.5) - Cal Ripken streak continues, and he was a shade above OK
Sosa (6.5) - decent game defending and going forward
Tahirovic (4) - not good
van den Boomen (5) - passes were over weighted and if he can't make a pass, he should not play
Hlynsson (5) - not a winger but there were not any other options
Brobbey (6.5) - took the usual amount of punishment and had some good lay offs
Taylor (6.5) - played hard all game and just couldn't get the shot off quickly enough when he had a chance
Kaplan (6) - thrown into the lion's den for his first senior team appearance and was OK
Akpom (5.5) - had a couple of good runs and Ajax need to figure out how to get maximum €s for him next summer
Mannswerk (5.5) - I want to see more of him as he appears to be a far better choice than the other two MFs who started the game
Rijkoff (NR) - really a desparation sub and can't play on the wing where he was being asked to

Utrecht at home next Sunday which is definitely not a sure thing followed by the first match against Aston Villa.

[Tom_]

They kept it much tighter especially after Kaplan came on. They only gave away 3 shots on goal. Personally I’d be happy to see them stick with 3 CDs at least for the Utrecht game and the West Ham tie.

I think the only players I *do* want to see in Ajax are Brobbey and maybe Hato, although Hato also hasn’t been great recently.