20 Aug 2009: Ajax - SK Slovan Bratislava

[SE6Ajacied]

I found this video of Luis 4th goal, Not brilliant quality and definately not "official" but I think you'll see why I liked it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tO7nd1mCRtk

[Philippe]

great game guys
BTW, I'm looking forward to the end of the transfer period...

[Philippe]

when did we last score 5 in european competitions ?

[The Purple Cow]

I would have preferred it if Suarez had scored 2 goals rather than four. The nightmare scenario now is that someone is going to come along with a €40 million bid which Ajax will struggle to resist.

[Kowalczyk]

when did we last score 5 in european competitions ?

Not that long ago, actually: in 2006 (but back then we were embarrassed about the two they scored, more than anything else). The last two really big scores in Europe were a bit longer ago, but it happens, every now and then. The last three times were (click the result for Ajax USA match report):

30 Sep 1997: Ajax - NK Maribor 9-1
28 Sep 2000: AA Gent - Ajax 0-6 (Ajax USA match report)
14 Sep 2006: IK Start - Ajax 2-5 (Ajax USA match report)

But here's a question for you: who was the last Ajax player to score four goals in a European fixture (and in which game did he do it)?

K.

[Philippe]

Thanks Ko.

As for your question, no idea.

[Kowalczyk]

As for your question, no idea.

I'll just give you the answer...

We were talking about this in the pub yesterday, and no-one scored three goals against Maribor or Gent. I'm almost sure (unless I'm really overlooking something) that it must have been John Bosman, first round of the Cup Winners Cup in Aug/Sep 1986, against Bursaspor from Turkey. Home leg in de Meer was 5-0 (4x Bosman, 1x Van Basten).

K.

[Kowalczyk]

We were talking about this in the pub yesterday, and no-one scored three goals against Maribor or Gent. I'm almost sure (unless I'm really overlooking something) that it must have been John Bosman, first round of the Cup Winners Cup in Aug/Sep 1986, against Bursaspor from Turkey. Home leg in de Meer was 5-0 (4x Bosman, 1x Van Basten).

We were right. Voetbal International just published a little thingy about it on their website.

In fact, two Ajax players scored five goals in a European game and Suárez is the fourth to score four times in a UEFA fixture.

5 GOALS
1. Marco van Basten: 03 Oct 1984: Ajax - Red Boys Differdange (Lux) 14-0
2. Søren Lerby: 24 Oct 1979: Ajax - Omonia Nicosia (Cyp) 10-0

4 GOALS
1. Luis Suárez: 20 Aug 2009: Ajax - SK Slovan Bratislavia (Slk) 5-0
2. John Bosman: 17 Sep 1986: Ajax - Bursaspor (Tur) 5-0
3. Ton Blanker: 03 Oct 1979: Ajax - Helsingin JK (Fin) 8-1
4. Ruud Geels: 16 Sep 1975: Glentoran FC (Ire) - Ajax 1-6

Not bad, Luis. Not bad at all.

K.

[jamcocteau]

I would have preferred it if Suarez had scored 2 goals rather than four. The nightmare scenario now is that someone is going to come along with a €40 million bid which Ajax will struggle to resist.

Have to agree with you - this could be a worry between now and transfer deadline as Suarez is utterly on fire at moment and if he scores goals at weekend then interest will definitelty increase in next 10 days. That is wht the BofD need to sit with him immediately and make him an offer to guarantee he stays for at least the full season - if it means giving him a bonus of Eur 1 million please just do it.

Anyway another question, is Sulejmani worth a starting place for Ajax at this point in time. I know I have criticised him in past but my concern is for Ajax as a team and I honestly feel at this moment in time he is not worthy of a place in starting 11. Dont care if we paid Eur 15m or not, on current performances he is not worthy to be starting a match for us. Last night he looked slow and unfit.

We are not a great footballing side right now and cannot afford to carry passengers, and this what I am afraid is happening here. I know he lacks confidence etc in himself but surely cant help if he is substituted every game either. Maybe a spell of tough training and playing for reserves might restore confidence

[Philippe]

interesting one : http://www.uefa.com/competitions/uefacu ... 75932.html

[Orange14]

Anyway another question, is Sulejmani worth a starting place for Ajax at this point in time. I know I have criticised him in past but my concern is for Ajax as a team and I honestly feel at this moment in time he is not worthy of a place in starting 11. Dont care if we paid Eur 15m or not, on current performances he is not worthy to be starting a match for us. Last night he looked slow and unfit.

Not quite sure I agree with you. I only had a SopCast feed yesterday and it was kind of hard to really tell what formation they were in. It looked like a 4-3-3 and Sulejmani has done much better when paired with Suarez in a 4-4-2 with both of them up front. Ajax did not attack down the left side much at all yesterday. Most everything was going through Rommedahl's side. Nothing wrong with that as it was quite effective; it's just the way things worked out. Sulejmani was doing a lot of tracking back to help out on defense because of this and the fact that SK Slovan were going down their right side (our left). I think we all have higher expectations (and I suspect Ajax do as well) and we'll see what happens moving forward. Jol is not one to play someone just because they have a high salary.

[Kowalczyk]

I think Sulejmani did drop a few pounds, I think he moved around more.

But hey, he's a 16 million euro purchase, he's supposed to be a Man Who Makes The Difference.

And to be honest: I just don't see it.

If I compare this case to Zlatan... Zlatan had a terrible first season, too. He was considered a bad buy by many. But: even in his (poor) first season he had his moments. You could tell he was something special, but for some reason it didn't work (yet?). He was either gonna be a star, of fail completely, but you could tell there was something special about the guy.

Sulejmani is a totally different case, for the simple reason that I'm not sure there's anything special about him at all. I don't see any glimpses of it, if you know what I mean. My feeling is that the shit player he is now, could develop into an okay player, but that it won't be more than that. I can't see him developing into a Leader, or a brilliant 'architect' of Ajax-1, or anything like that...

Painful, but I just don't see a star in him. We've paid way too much money for him (and I actually think his mate Pranjic is the better player of the two).

K.

[Kowalczyk]

The goals on YouTube!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVFjc0xxtIY

By the way: I didn't even know that Slovan Bratislava won a European trophy, namely the Cup Winners Cup of 1969, beating FC Barcelona in the final (3-2) in Basel, Switzerland.

K.

[Philippe]

what about Ajax tv ?

[ZoefdeHaas]

I think Sulejmani did drop a few pounds, I think he moved around more.



Painful, but I just don't see a star in him. We've paid way too much money for him (and I actually think his mate Pranjic is the better player of the two).

K.

Agree. Even for the national team he never seemed to be wow, or for Heerenveen he was 'okay but not superstar'. I can see why we play him though, after all it's like that German proverb which escapes me, "make use with what's already been paid for"

Makes sense..makes sense...

[Venezuelan Ajacied]

I think Sulejmani did drop a few pounds, I think he moved around more.



Painful, but I just don't see a star in him. We've paid way too much money for him (and I actually think his mate Pranjic is the better player of the two).

K.

Agree. Even for the national team he never seemed to be wow, or for Heerenveen he was 'okay but not superstar'. I can see why we play him though, after all it's like that German proverb which escapes me, "make use with what's already been paid for"

Makes sense..makes sense...

Besides we really dont have a lot of strikers with whom Mickey could compete with, Cita is good but not great and Bodul is still to young.