20 Feb 2005: Ajax - FC Den Bosch

[Kowalczyk]

I'm sure the Ajax vs Auxerre thread will be the busiest one in the next few days, but still: we also need a thread to discuss the next Eredivisie game, next Sunday at home against Den Bosch. Will we drop points again against lowly opposition...?

One thing's for sure: Ajax will have to do without Nigel de Jong, who will be suspended due to accumulated yellow cards.

K.

[Blind3]

I'll be in Vak 424 ,second match in 4 days there, and hoping for a rare style offensive from Ajax. I look for FCDB to play 9 or 10 behind the ball, try to catch Ajax out occasionally, and to play a dire, ankle-chopping affair.As to which Ajax shows up, who do I look like? Nostradamus?

[Kowalczyk]

Den Bosch's #1 problem: they can't score. They actually play better football than RBC and De Graafschap, but they've only scored 11 goals so far in the season and only one goal in the last eight games.

Which means we'll probably concede at least one from them.

K.

[Over Pasanens Head]

Surely we cannot drop any points against a team that hasn't won since the 16 October 2004 and its last point being gained on the 21 November 2004.
Would be nice to see a few goals, but expect a hangover from the Auxerre game so I cannot see it being any better than 2-0.

[Kowalczyk]

Ronald Koeman has pretty much revealed the line-up for tomorrow.

We will have to do without Sneijder, Galásek, Grygera, Pienaar and Vonk (all injured) and also without De Jong (suspended due to accumulated yellow cards).

Newspaper Het Parool has Hedwiges Maduro making his first team début in their 'expected line-up', but in today's Algemeen Dagblad Koeman is quoted saying that he will move John Heitinga back to the defense and that "only three midfielders are available: Van der Vaart, Obodai and Lindgren. They will play. We have no other options."

FREAKS ME OUT!! :rocketwhore:

What do you mean: 'no other options', you f##king prat?? At the start of the season you told Dani de Ridder that he's not a right winger and should focus on a midfield position. Or is the kid dead, or something?

And what about J.O.B.?

Oh well - this will be it:

Stekelenburg; Trabelsi, Heitinga, Escudé, Maxwell; Obodai, Lindgren, Van der Vaart; Rosales, Charisteas, Boukhari.

K.

[Co Adriaanse is God]

0-0 at halftime, incredible. Against Den Bosch, for god's sake.

[ferry]

Another poor performance from Ajax in a home game. Fortunately two goals came in the added time.

I'm in the assumption that it doesn't matter which opponent they're playing at the moment. The defence is pretty soilid, but due to lack of self confidence the midfield and forwards are playing very static and without any creativity.

The crowd was silent as ever and when they were singing it was only to demand Koemans departure from the Arena.

[Kowalczyk]

This is it.

KOEMAN, PI$$ OFF NOW !!!

This has got nothing to do with Ajax football. Van der Vaart may not be the next Cruyff, but he's supposed to be better than AZ's Opdam. Charisteas is not Thierry Henry, but he's supposed to be better than Stijn Huysegems.

My point: why the F#CK are we playing shit football???? Why can't we pull a single GOOD game of football out of our arses???

COME ON, BOARD - SACK THIS DUDE!!!!

K.

[Monkey Tonk]

:D

Good to see someone can still get excited about this.

Amsterdam insomniacs can't believe their luck.

[carcajou]

It's really sad that our wing backs are leaving at the end of the season, because they both kick ass, so do Escudé (what a game !! Speler van de wedstrijd again.....) and Grygera (currently injured) and Heitinga when he is serious.

If those guys could have stayed one more year together, we'd never give a frickin' goal.

Just my two useless cents.

[Kowalczyk]

The 'official' two cents of Ajax USA...

http://www.ajax-usa.com/matches/m04-05/ ... p-win.html

K.

[Frans]

This is it.

KOEMAN, PI$$ OFF NOW !!!

COME ON, BOARD - SACK THIS DUDE!!!!

K.

I thought he was brilliant today, especially with the substitutions. Striker for defensive midfielder. Then winger for striker. Then striker for midfielder. Stunning!! Top class tactical managing.


All seriousness aside though, right now I like Yannis more then Charisteas. Charisteas is a lazy, anonymous player. This past month I've seen the Den Haag, Twente and Den Bosch games, and he's done practically nothing in any of them, aside from creating one or two half-chances before being subbed against den Bosch. The only other times you notice him is when the camera shows him and his 'lost boy' stare after he's effed up a chance or been pushed off the ball. Admittedly Ajax has played some of their worst football in the mentioned games. However, Charisteas is reputedly the highest paid player on the squad. He should work for the money, whereas right now he seems to expect everything to come to him. Now Yannis, on the other hand, seems to know his limitations, and gets stuck in for the team. Before the break, when he and Babel shared the position, Ajax experienced a mini-resurgence in form. Vs Den Bosch Yannis had a hand in the first goal, and he was only on the field for 10 minutes. I say go back to Yannis and Babel. Let Charisteas earn his stripes off the bench. And get Koeman off the bench. Permanently.

[Blind3]

From my Vak 425 perch next to my esteemed colleague. Over Pasanen's head by name, I would swear I saw the team doctor take Koeman's pulse during the match. I've walked past cemeteries more lively than the Ajax bench was on Sunday.



P.S. Many thanks to Marcel Cas for his ineptitude close to goal.

[Philippe]

KOEMAN, PI$$ OFF NOW !!!


COME ON, BOARD - SACK THIS DUDE!!!!

K.

Let's sack the board and get a new chairman !