❌❌❌Rebuilding AJAX❌❌❌
AJAX are looking for ways to come out of the hole they've essentially dug themselves. It seems a lifetime ago but just over two years ago in February 2022, Ajax was on the peak of its powers...
Forum Discussion
Good on you getting the wins from those two must-win games. Now comes the real test, as you say. Looking forward to see how you come out of these games. Good stuff.
A good run of games even if as you say not all the top sides, but they are the must win games and tend to be banana skin risks. Set back against Sociedad but not a disaster.
I can almost feel that Sociedad defeat myself. Equalizing, then falling behind 2-1 shortly after. Having an opponent sent off, creating a late push for a point away from home, only to concede in the other end in the dying minutes. Always awful to concede when you have more players on the pitch.
Good luck with the transfer window. In my opinion that's where the most interesting part of Career Mode lies. I look forward to see how you'll approach it.
@JustinCase0110 wrote:I can almost feel that Sociedad defeat myself. Equalizing, then falling behind 2-1 shortly after. Having an opponent sent off, creating a late push for a point away from home, only to concede in the other end in the dying minutes. Always awful to concede when you have more players on the pitch.
Exactly how it went. We drew even, they pulled ahead after that. We got ever closer to an equalizer, especially after the sending off for them, but finally exhausted and error prone we received the killing blow in the dying minute.
In truth it was a very even fight, but this team does not have the quality (yet) to sit back, control the game and routinely create a two or three goal margin, or play for a point against a bigger team. It really needs to go all out every time, sometimes against smaller teams too. The games against Go Ahead Eagles (6-0) and AZ Alkmaar (3-1) were exceptions until now, but that is what is supposed to become the norm.
Was gonna comment on the fine scoring form for Brønby, but then to see he's gonna be out of action for a while could be damaging for the side. Hopefully someone steps up into his shoes and the goals and wins keep coming.
@thurlow885 wrote:Was gonna comment on the fine scoring form for Brønby, but then to see he's gonna be out of action for a while could be damaging for the side. Hopefully someone steps up into his shoes and the goals and wins keep coming.
Chuba Akpom (ex-M'boro) scores relatively easy, however he's not the classical target player that you need in a traditional 4-3-3. I might revert back to the 4-3-1-2 I used for a while, but I would like a game where I can try out safely. Feyenoord, or Europa League deciders are games that have to much at stake to experiment.
...and the Team of the Eredivisie at Winter Break...
@thurlow885 wrote:Was gonna comment on the fine scoring form for Brønby, but then to see he's gonna be out of action for a while could be damaging for the side. Hopefully someone steps up into his shoes and the goals and wins keep coming.
Almost spilled my coffee there. Fine scoring form for Brøndby? Did I miss something, or was it the wrong thread? Then I realized he meant Brobbey, heh...
Too bad losing him, agree with that. And too bad only getting a draw vs Lazio, who were down to 9 men! Being side by side with them in the Europa League, a win in that particular game would have been great for you.
League form is incredible, you almost seem to be unstoppable with only 4 points up now.
Question about your team of the fall. Did the game suggest these players, or did you pick them yourself, using their performances in the process?
I noticed Luuk de Jong being included with 12 goals, whilst Brian Brobbey misses it despite 19 goals. Any reason why?
I picked them and I did so by picking the highest rated players in each position according to team stats: best rated goalkeeper, best pair of centre backs, etc etc, that's why Castillo of RKC is in there as well. But that wasn't based on one or two games, he actually did play 14 out of 18. There were also a goalkeeper from Sparta and a midfielder from Heracles scoring incredibly high, but that was on the basis of one game, probably a successful substitute.
@JustinCase0110 wrote:
@thurlow885 wrote:Was gonna comment on the fine scoring form for Brønby, but then to see he's gonna be out of action for a while could be damaging for the side. Hopefully someone steps up into his shoes and the goals and wins keep coming.
Almost spilled my coffee there. Fine scoring form for Brøndby? Did I miss something, or was it the wrong thread? Then I realized he meant Brobbey, heh...
Too bad losing him, agree with that. And too bad only getting a draw vs Lazio, who were down to 9 men! Being side by side with them in the Europa League, a win in that particular game would have been great for you.
League form is incredible, you almost seem to be unstoppable with only 4 points up now.
Every time I typed Brobbey it kept auto correcting to Brønby which ironically I've spelt wrong so many times with my fat thumbs it's now the default 😂😂
@Danimal5981 wrote:I picked them and I did so by picking the highest rated players in each position according to team stats: best rated goalkeeper, best pair of centre backs, etc etc, that's why Castillo of RKC is in there as well. But that wasn't based on one or two games, he actually did play 14 out of 18. There were also a goalkeeper from Sparta and a midfielder from Heracles scoring incredibly high, but that was on the basis of one game, probably a successful substitute.
Interesting. I make these lineups myself, as you know, and I don't take much notice of match ratings. I mainly choose from goals and assists, so Brobbey would definitely have been in mine in stead of de Jong, if I had made it. But it's interesting to see other approaches, and with goals/assists playing such a big part of my own choosing, my selection of attacking minded players is often also more accurate than my selection of defenders that is sometimes quite random. I do use number of clean sheets and goals conceded to select from, if no defenders have stood out in other ways. But maybe I should consider looking at the match ratings for defensive players too, providing a more accurate base for selection in the future.
@JustinCase0110 wrote:Interesting. I make these lineups myself, as you know, and I don't take much notice of match ratings. I mainly choose from goals and assists, so Brobbey would definitely have been in mine in stead of de Jong, if I had made it. But it's interesting to see other approaches, and with goals/assists playing such a big part of my own choosing, my selection of attacking minded players is often also more accurate than my selection of defenders that is sometimes quite random. I do use number of clean sheets and goals conceded to select from, if no defenders have stood out in other ways. But maybe I should consider looking at the match ratings for defensive players too, providing a more accurate base for selection in the future.
The game pays much more attention to the tackling rate, positioning and passing of players and thereby paint a more complete picture.
Brian Brobbey, Luuk de Jong and other strikers are target players or poachers: they score a lot yes, but aren't really that actively involved in other parts of the field game, that's where this match rating comes in: the higher the rating of a player the higher his passing, interceptions and correct positioning.
I take that very much into account: when I start the game it's mostly about clean sheets and possession. From there, I try to be a bit more daring, more forward thinking. Currently, a lot goes well with this Ajax although my possession isn't always dominant and unless it's against a significantly lower team, my passing percentage is always lower than the opponent's. So, not only am I working on that in the current team, I'm also looking for future players that can help me with that next season, as I hope to make it into UEFA Champions League.
@Danimal5981 wrote:
@JustinCase0110 wrote:Interesting. I make these lineups myself, as you know, and I don't take much notice of match ratings. I mainly choose from goals and assists, so Brobbey would definitely have been in mine in stead of de Jong, if I had made it. But it's interesting to see other approaches, and with goals/assists playing such a big part of my own choosing, my selection of attacking minded players is often also more accurate than my selection of defenders that is sometimes quite random. I do use number of clean sheets and goals conceded to select from, if no defenders have stood out in other ways. But maybe I should consider looking at the match ratings for defensive players too, providing a more accurate base for selection in the future.
The game pays much more attention to the tackling rate, positioning and passing of players and thereby paint a more complete picture.
Brian Brobbey, Luuk de Jong and other strikers are target players or poachers: they score a lot yes, but aren't really that actively involved in other parts of the field game, that's where this match rating comes in: the higher the rating of a player the higher his passing, interceptions and correct positioning.
I take that very much into account: when I start the game it's mostly about clean sheets and possession. From there, I try to be a bit more daring, more forward thinking. Currently, a lot goes well with this Ajax although my possession isn't always dominant and unless it's against a significantly lower team, my passing percentage is always lower than the opponent's. So, not only am I working on that in the current team, I'm also looking for future players that can help me with that next season, as I hope to make it into UEFA Champions League.
I'm looking for that perfect game:
Possession at least 2/3, no shots on target by the opponent, a passing rate over 90% and better than the opponent, plus at least 3-0 score or two per half (4-0) - that would be the ideal game for me. And after that challenge has been met, the thrill goes into repeating at as many times as possible against increasingly tougher opponents. In a Cruijffean Style (read: classic Total Football, something between modern Wing Play, Gegenpressing and Tiki Taka)
A tough defeat for Feyenoord and a mountain for them to climb to come back. All the more important for you to beat them, manifesting yourself as a hunter for the top two positions in stead of joining your arch rivals further down the table. Your tactical change at half time seems to have paid off. I often forget to do this myself, but when I do and it pays off, there is actually nothing sweeter. Good job, and good hunt against Twente and PSV.
