02 Oct 2005: Sparta Rotterdam - Ajax

[Kowalczyk]

After the Arsenal fixture it's time for Ajax's first away game after three home matches. Almost everyone in Holland predicted at the start of the season that Sparta Rotterdam and Heracles Almelo were going to finish as the two bottom sides, but after six games they're 7th and 8th, with ten points each. Yes indeed: that's the same number of points as Ajax...

K.

[FlaFlu]

I expected RBC to end bottom. With Heracles 17th and Sparta 16th. But I get your point. :D

[Kowalczyk]

From NOS Teletekst:

Sparta Rotterdam will have to do without Anthony Obodai for some time. The (former Ajax) midfielder broke his collar bone during Sparta's match against Heracles Almelo. The Ghanese fell down unluckily when Maas tackled him in the first half.

So, no Obodai against Ajax...

K.

[Venezuelan Ajacied]

oh well after the Arsenal affair i guess we have to start worrying about this one, how are the injuries coming up??? Who will be fit?? Who wont???. One things for sure some guy called Yannis :cheer: might get some playing time. And Espn deportes has gotten its act together and are going to show this one LIVE!!!! 6:30 Am in this part of the world but who cares???? Hup AJAX!!!!! :headbang:

[Kowalczyk]

I think Maduro will be fit for this one, but Sneijder, Rosales, Charisteas and Trabelsi surely won't... Plus we're missing Lindenbergh (suspensions). That's quite a list.

Here's what I would suggest...

Vonk; De Jong, Grygera, Vermaelen; Pienaar, Galásek, Maduro, Emanuelson; Babel, Rosenberg, Boukhari.

Bench: Lobont, Escudé, Juanfran, Anastasiou, Manucharyan, Heitinga, Aborah.

Something like that. We'll need at least one Young Ajax kid for a full bench.

Latest Sparta team news is that Anthony Obodai will be available after all, according to Radio Rijnmond.

K.

[Frans]

I'd like to think now that Charisteas is out, Babel will get a chance at some stage to play in the centre. Perhaps at half time Rosenberg can be spelled and Babel moves to the centre with Manucharyan on the wing.

Of course, realistically, Blind will give as many minutes to Markus as possible, now that he doesn't have to accomodate Charisteas.

[Venezuelan Ajacied]

Looks good given the clinic we have at present, still i would prefer Manucharyan on the right and Babel on the left.How about Urby in left mid and Juanfran on the left back????

[Kowalczyk]

How about Urby in left mid and Juanfran on the left back????

The other way round sounds more logical to me (but they almost constantly take over each other's positions and drive the opposition insane).

Sounds like a good idea to me.

I think this is the game in which Blind will start Juanfran for the first time anyway.

K.

[Cedric]

Do you think it's normal to have ALWAYS five or more injured players EVERY years? I know Ajax players are young, more technic than physic, bla bla bla, etc... but I still find that shocking !
(And I don't speak about the wrong diagnostics - Mitea being the latest victim, Koné the most flabbergasting case :nooo: )

There must be something else other than bad luck involved in this....

[Philippe]

well :eusa_doh: , playing mad head bangers like Touré doesn't help ...

[Venezuelan Ajacied]

How about Urby in left mid and Juanfran on the left back????

The other way round sounds more logical to me (but they almost constantly take over each other's positions and drive the opposition insane).

Sounds like a good idea to me.

I think this is the game in which Blind will start Juanfran for the first time anyway.

K.

I dont think so K, Juanfran has never played as a midfielder, Urby played that position in the U-20. I say this because i see the Galasek-Maduro-Pienaar midfield to defensive against a team like Sparta, maybe add Urby and give Galasek a rest.

[Kowalczyk]

I dont think so K, Juanfran has never played as a midfielder.

I am pretty sure Juanfran very often played as a left midfielder (even a sort of winger in a 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 formation) for Celta de Vigo...

At Ajax USA we're quite strict about the notation of line-ups, and this is the Celta line-up that played against Ajax on 22 October 2003:

Pinto; Velasco, Sylvinho, Cáceres (85. Angel), Berizzo; Luccin, Giovanella (81. Catanha), Mostovoi, Juanfran, Jesuli; Milosevic.

Seems like left midfield to me. I'm pretty sure he played there regularly for them.

K.

[aveslacker]

Philipe-

Love your avatar. :xyxthumbs:

[FlaFlu]

I dont think so K, Juanfran has never played as a midfielder.

I am pretty sure Juanfran very often played as a left midfielder (even a sort of winger in a 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 formation) for Celta de Vigo...

At Ajax USA we're quite strict about the notation of line-ups, and this is the Celta line-up that played against Ajax on 22 October 2003:

Pinto; Velasco, Sylvinho, Cáceres (85. Angel), Berizzo; Luccin, Giovanella (81. Catanha), Mostovoi, Juanfran, Jesuli; Milosevic.

Seems like left midfield to me. I'm pretty sure he played there regularly for them.

K.

You're right Ko. Juanfran always seemed more of a midfielder than a defender playing for Celta. I think he has more defensive capabilities than Maxwell, simply because of the fact that he's more ruthless. But in terms of coming back, he's about the same type of player. So I'm not sure whether he'll show us those defensive capabilities. It should be enough for Eredivisie level for sure. But in Europe his attacking style of play may prove as a weakness, just as with Maxwell.

[Philippe]

This should be an easy win for us, in spite of the generally pessimistic mood.

[dws]

This should be an easy win for us, in spite of the generally pessimistic mood.

Sparta have a very similar record to Ajax this season : 10 points from 3 wins and 1 draw . Their 2 defeats have been inflicted by the very same sides that defeated Ajax , namely F'noord and AZ. For this to be an easy win Ajax will have to be close to full strength and playing well. If we have the same team as against Arsenal this will be a difficult game for Ajax.

[Michael_B]

This should be an easy win for us, in spite of the generally pessimistic mood.

GREAT avatar!!! :D :cheer: :headbang:

[Michael_B]

News update: Grygera and Galasek went off injured in todays training session.

[Kowalczyk]

Yup... It's on Ajax.nl. The report doesn't say how serious it is...

This is unbelievable.

Might as well change Sunday's bill in Sparta vs Young Ajax...

K.

[Venezuelan Ajacied]

I dont think so K, Juanfran has never played as a midfielder.

I am pretty sure Juanfran very often played as a left midfielder (even a sort of winger in a 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 formation) for Celta de Vigo...

At Ajax USA we're quite strict about the notation of line-ups, and this is the Celta line-up that played against Ajax on 22 October 2003:

Pinto; Velasco, Sylvinho, Cáceres (85. Angel), Berizzo; Luccin, Giovanella (81. Catanha), Mostovoi, Juanfran, Jesuli; Milosevic.

Seems like left midfield to me. I'm pretty sure he played there regularly for them.

K.

Still have my doubts...Silvinho played as left midielder too and is more adept at atacking but hey youre the man K so i guess i'll believe you :D

So with the injuries and suspensions this makes us ask one question, our central defense???? Escude-Vermealen or Heitinaga-Vermealen??? Outside chance of Escude-Heitinga... What do you think???

Midfield should surely now end up like we were disccusing, unless someone like Aborah or Tiberkanine steps up(highly unlikely but you never know).

I expect this:

Vonk :pukey:

De Jong Escude Vermealen Juanfran


Maduro

Emanuelson(Boukhari)

Pienaar

Babel(Manucharyan) Rosenberg Bouckhari(Babel)


Not bad against Sparta if you ask me... plus we got Super Yannis on the bench :cheer:

[Kowalczyk]

plus we got Super Yannis on the bench :cheer:

Yeah, that's quite reassuring...

K.

[ZoefdeHaas]

Injury plagued already, these guys have been fucking around during the summer too much and aren't fit! Well Galasek has been quite injury prone since last season

[FlaFlu]

I dont think so K, Juanfran has never played as a midfielder.

I am pretty sure Juanfran very often played as a left midfielder (even a sort of winger in a 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 formation) for Celta de Vigo...

At Ajax USA we're quite strict about the notation of line-ups, and this is the Celta line-up that played against Ajax on 22 October 2003:

Pinto; Velasco, Sylvinho, Cáceres (85. Angel), Berizzo; Luccin, Giovanella (81. Catanha), Mostovoi, Juanfran, Jesuli; Milosevic.

Seems like left midfield to me. I'm pretty sure he played there regularly for them.

K.

Still have my doubts...Silvinho played as left midielder too and is more adept at atacking but hey youre the man K so i guess i'll believe you :D

Read my earlier post. Ko's right. :yes:

[bluedaddy19]

now grygera and galasek have knocks

so umm... do i need to go down to the ArenA and grab a shirt? how many jong AJAX boys are we gonna have in the selection? 6? 7?

[Per]

plus we got Super Yannis on the bench :cheer:

Yeah, that's quite reassuring...

K.

Who was it again that founded that "Yannis must stay club"?

:D