After every match that Ajax plays, there is plenty to discuss. Great goals, annoying moments, joy and sadness. Every week, Ajax Showtime looks back on the match and weekly current affairs in De Nabeschouwing with one of the editors. Today: Ajax does not play big, but easily deals with Almere City. This time with editor Brent Tomassen. Read his view of the match here and join the discussion!
Statement: Ajax has failed to do good business in terms of goal difference.
‘I absolutely agree with that. Almere City turned out to be a very weak opponent and there were always enough spaces to really make a big impact today. Ajax was simply very sloppy and had very little pressure on the opponent during a large phase before half time, allowing them to quietly tap the ball at the back. When there was some pressure, Almere City simply played the ball for a long time without success, so here you could and should have won the ball much faster. Things went a little better in the second half, but the last pass was always wrong.’
Francesco Farioli again changed a significant part of his team against Almere City. Which names did you find most surprising?
‘In advance I thought Rugani was the most surprising name, but very understandable when you later hear that Sutalo is ill. Furthermore, I understood Farioli’s explanation in advance not to start with Traoré and Gidts. I had expected Wijndal in advance, because Hato played quite a few minutes and was on edge. I think Farioli would really like to use him in the last game before the winter break against Sparta.’
Who was your Man of the Match against Almere City?
‘There are actually two for me: Wijndal and Taylor. I’ll go for the former, also because Taylor was taken off early. I thought Wijndal made a very stable impression defensively. Almere City did not feature much offensively in the game, but I can remember a few moments where there was certainly room to hurt Ajax. These moments were also seen by Wijndal, as he squeezed in a number of times to prevent a counter with a nice intervention. Wijndal certainly had his value offensively with a role in the 1-0 and after the break he almost gave a nice assist to Weghorst, who hit the crossbar.’
Which player(s) were particularly disappointing?
‘Boss has been disappointing me for a number of weeks. He often hands in balls too easily and is also less good defensively than a few weeks ago. In addition, I noticed that Rugani had a lot of trouble building up, especially before half time. Finally, Rensch also played a weak match in my opinion. He was lucky that Almere City’s 0-1 was disallowed, picked up a yellow card and was a lot less stable on the ball than I have come to expect from him this season.’
Shortly before Ajax’s 1-0, Almere City could have made it 0-1 through Junior Kadile, if referee Jeroen Manschot had not observed a violation. Did Ajax get away well there?
‘Ajax certainly came away well, because in my opinion Rensch simply made a horrible mistake there and there was no question of a violation. I quite believe that there was some contact on Rensch’s supporting leg, but the reason why he falls is because he is already out of balance due to his own wrong assumption. Ajax was simply lucky here, while it was unlucky in Alkmaar when Brobbey’s goal was disallowed. The VAR could not have done anything about that either, because the whistle was blown before the ball went in.’
Without playing convincingly, Ajax led 2-0 at halftime. Which players took the team by the hand?
‘In the end, for me it was mainly Taylor and Weghorst who took the team by the hand in the first hour. Especially when an opponent collapses so far, it is nice to have a booster like Weghorst and I also thought he made good choices on the ball. You can just see from Taylor that he has Farioli’s trust and wants to pay it forward.’
Despite the carefree match, Ajax once again did not play great. What does that tell you at this stage?
‘I didn’t expect to see a fantastic football show. Then you can’t actually play against a team of the caliber of Almere City. I thought all the goals today were wonderful. The attacks you delivered today were also there against Lazio, for example, but then you just missed a bit of ingenuity to hurt the opponent. In addition, Lazio is at a completely different level than Almere City.’
Finally: Ajax will face Telstar in the cup on Thursday. Would you consider it wise to rotate a lot?
‘I wouldn’t let players like Godts, Hato, Sutalo, Baas and Traoré start, but perhaps let them come on to keep in the rhythm towards Sparta’s away. I do hope that there will be a few permanent players such as Klaassen, Fitz-Jim and Brobbey, so that you have some support and you don’t have to make panic substitutions if the match is going badly. In addition, cup competitions like these are always nice to give some talents the opportunity to show themselves. It would be nice if Faberski, Steur or Bounida could get a taste of Ajax 1, but I would only bring these guys if the score allows it.’
Brent Tomassen (X: @Brent_Tomassen | E-mail: [email protected])
Read more from this season’s Afterthought:
#ajavoj: ‘Farioli must make it clear that Ajax collapses like a house of cards after the break’
#vojaja: ‘Farioli’s experienced substitutions turned the game around’
#panaja: ‘Berghuis in form is definitely a top player for a selection like that of Ajax’
#ajahee: ‘There really seems to be another Šutalo under Farioli’
#ajapan: ‘After such a penalty series, everyone has forgotten that the match was very bad’
#nacaja: ‘In this way no stability is created in the team’
#jagaja: ‘Berghuis’s creativity is what was missing in Breda’
#ajajag: ‘Only over a longer period can we really say what Ajax’s strongest vanguard is’
#ajafor: ‘Taylor really took the leadership role after Henderson’s exchange’
#gaeaja: ‘A match like this is part of the process in which Ajax is involved’
#ajabes: ‘Farioli makes players better and Sutalo is an example of this’
#rkcaja: ‘Farioli has found the ideal composition of the Ajax rearguard’
#slaaja: ‘If Brobbey takes his chances, you will simply win this match’
#ajagro: ‘Brobbey is important for Ajax’s attacking game even without goals’
#heraja: ‘The character of Ajax has really changed, they are willing to fight for each other’
#qaraja: ‘In view of Ajax’s busy schedule, saving Brobbey is easy to explain’
#ajawil: ‘Against Feyenoord and PSV, Ajax wants to start with the strongest team possible’
#feyaja: ‘Farioli is much more than a simple Italian trainer’
#ajapsv: ‘It would be crazy if Ajax did not play a role in the title race’
#ajamac: ‘Taylor’s 2-0 shows that Ajax can do great against teams with a low block’
#tweaja: ‘Henderson couldn’t get the pace against FC Twente’
#ajapec: ‘Ajax’s teething problems from last season still surface from time to time’
#rsoaja: ‘The depth and running ability of Taylor and Klaassen were missed’
#necaja: ‘NEC was in charge against Ajax from the first to the last minute’
#ajautr: ‘It is hoped for Ajax that Godts will be fit again against AZ’
#azaja: ‘Berghuis adds nothing to Ajax’s game as a right winger’
#ajalaz: ‘Baas has been quite sloppy on the ball lately’