❌❌❌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
@JustinCase0110 wrote:Crazy how similar this game was to my current Brøndby European campaign with 0-0 against Roma in the first leg, then being dominated away in the second, but still keeping the draw until the latter stages of the game.
Well, that's actually why I brought on players such as Weghorst and Forbs - I was betting on a penalty shoot-out already.
Unfortunately for me, now I need to sell: however, the trouble with the so-called Mislintat Players is that they're annoyingly hard to get rid of: no one wants to buy.
- Chuba Akpom - loaned out for one season to Alaves, who'll cover 50% of his wages
- Carlos Forbs - loaned out (again) to Wolves, this time with a € 11,000,000,- buying clause while already covering 50% of his wages
- Betrand Traoré - club hopper returns to Spain; RCD Mallorca this time
Back on track with two comfortable 3-0 wins there. If only you could have borrowed one or two of the goals in the Celtic fixture... Anyway, European qualifiers are wrapped up, nice to see Brøndby making the cut to the Europa League. Now I'm hoping to end up playing against them. Regardless, I'm curious whom your opponents will be.
@JustinCase0110 wrote:Back on track with two comfortable 3-0 wins there. If only you could have borrowed one or two of the goals in the Celtic fixture... Anyway, European qualifiers are wrapped up, nice to see Brøndby making the cut to the Europa League. Now I'm hoping to end up playing against them. Regardless, I'm curious whom your opponents will be.
Yes, I'd gladly trade a domestic win for a European win. But this does motivate do already go at it a third season, because it's not over until there's a domestic title and a nice Champions League campaign (read: get to final 16). That's the goal as long as I am manager at Ajax.
@JustinCase0110 wrote:Now I'm hoping to end up playing against them. Regardless, I'm curious whom your opponents will be.
@Danimal5981 wrote:Yes, I'd gladly trade a domestic win for a European win. But this does motivate do already go at it a third season, because it's not over until there's a domestic title and a nice Champions League campaign (read: get to final 16). That's the goal as long as I am manager at Ajax.
Well, in that case: GO CELTIC! 😉
Incredible 7-1 win, and you're in a good position in the league. Selling two players for 40 million each, that has to count as good business. Mengi is a class signing, I think, I've signed him a few times, and he's always been great for me. Usually I would probably look at his nationality and think it unusual for an English player to go to Ajax - thus making the transfer less likely to happen IRL. But with Chuba Akpom and Jordan Henderson in recent years I don't think I'm right to think that way anymore...
@JustinCase0110 wrote:Usually I would probably look at his nationality and think it unusual for an English player to go to Ajax - thus making the transfer less likely to happen IRL. But with Chuba Akpom and Jordan Henderson in recent years I don't think I'm right to think that way anymore...
He was my 3rd choice actually.
My 1st option was Philippe Sandler of NEC: Ajax Academy and from NEC, Ajax is a step up in Eredivisie.
My 2nd option was Danilho Doekhi of Union Berlin: Ajax Academy. But lacks a bit of speed and has had a stellar start with his club and is outside of my budget.
So, I ended up with Mengi, or make do with what I have. Hato is growing out to a real monster, but the rest of my defenders are mediocre at best, so I decided that Mengi is better than nothing. From Luton in Championship, to Ajax playing for Eredivisie title and Europa League (as a regular) is a step up, it would seem.
'Coming from the international break, before our first European game and a visit to PSV, these were international breaks', Ajax-manager Daniel Marzec said. Ajax won both games, though the visit to Heerenveen was hard fought. 'But, in terms of possession and passing, we were significantly better than our opponents', the manager analyzed.
Marzec provided a significant change. Where Ajax normally enters in a 4-3-3-holding fomation (so-called tip backward), Ajax now entered in a 4-3-3-attack (tip forward) similar to how the golden Ajax played in the 1990s under Louis van Gaal.
'I enjoyed very much from what I saw'. During the game against Heerenveen Teden Mengi made his debut in the starting eleven. Against Groningen, Marzec used Pablo Rosario as defender who'd slide in into the midfield, which created many situations of numerical superiority.
The two wins mean Ajax now go into the lead, which is a first during the tenure of Daniel Marzec. 'That's nice, but I have the feeling it's going to be a tight season. After Braga in UEFA Europa League, we play PSV in Eindhoven. They are the defending champion, three points down on us. It could all look very different, next week.'
Two dominant performances, even though it was only visible on the scoreboard in one of them. Interesting detail with Rosario in defence. I like these tactical gambles and trying players out of position to force something different out of them. Good job.
What's at stake in Europe for Ajax?
Five seasons ago was a highly successful season in Europe for Dutch clubs. In the 2021-22 season, Ajax came through the group stage of UEFA Champions League with a perfect campaign (18 points from 6 games) against Dortmund, Sporting CP and Besiktas. Meanwhile, Feyenoord made it to the first ever final of the UEFA European Conference League, only to be beaten by Jose Mouinho's AS Roma. Because of this, Netherlands made a huge leap on the UEFA coefficient rankings.
However, that points haul is now on the line and the main rival to snatch away 6th place from the Dutch is Portugal. Therefore all confrontations between Dutch and Portuguese clubs this season will be highly charged games. But none more likely so, than the opening game in UEFA Europa League between Ajax and SC Braga. If Braga would win in Amsterdam, the Portuguese side would overtake Ajax in the rankings. Later, Ajax will also play Portugal's other contender SC Vítoria from Guimaraes.
Overall, Netherlands still hold a lead over Portugal but the Dutch have more points to lose from five years ago. Therefore, the Dutch clubs need to outscore the Portuguese clubs by ca. 1,500 points in order to maintain 6th place. However, Belgium and Türkiye are not far behind and especially the Turkish clubs have made a promising start to their campaigns (points in pre-league stage games do not count for clubs, but do count for the country's coefficient), so according to a Dutch proverb: when two fight over a bone, a third might get away with it alone.
What a difference one goal makes. If the game had ended after 90, then you'd have stood there with a 2-1 win, and no one would have cared that Braga actually deserved at least a draw. I'm not sure Sir Alex Ferguson's old "win home, draw away" rule applies with the new league format.
Let's say one has Real Madrid, Man City, Bayern and PSG in the four home games. Whilst the four away games are against Slavia Praha, FC Midtjylland, AEK Athens and KRC Genk. Surely you would pinpoint the away games to be where you'd need to assemble your points. The rule was a great guideline, when you played the same teams home and away. In my opinion they don't apply anymore.
By the way: I like the way your country coefficients has pinpointed these games between Dutch and Portuguese clubs, providing extra importance to them. That's a great way to look at it IMO.
A frustrated coach blaming the ref. I don't question the hurt and feeling of injustice here. A penalty AND a red card given falsely in such a game. That is harsh. But caving in like this, inviting the opponents into your half like this, so they end the game with 26 attempts against 5. Had you somehow managed to come back and equalize, it would appear to be nothing less than a steal. The referee played an unfortunate part here, no doubt about that. But the coach also has part of the blame for his team not showing up properly.
You're spot on @JustinCase0110 , but I suppose Marzec is slowly beginning to feel the heat.
Since Rinus Michels (1965) it hasn't happened that a manager held his place at Ajax without winning the title within two seasons (the only exception being Johan Cruijff. However, as manager he won 2 Dutch Cups (1986, 1987) and the European Cup Winner's Cup in 1987). But then he ended up empty handed in 1988, so his move to Barcelona was a lucky escape (he would've been sacked).
So, Marzec knows the way the cookie crumbles in Amsterdam. Last season 2nd place and a Dutch Cup; this season already missed out on Champions League, again failing to win against a top 5 team (like last year) and an unconvincing start in Europa League to boot... I mean, you can win big against the smaller teams, but when it really mattered Ajax didn't do much under Marzec just yet...
Glad to see Mengi fitting in well with a man of the match performance (at least among Ajax players) in the draw vs Rennes. Starting with two draws then. Not great, but not bad either.
@JustinCase0110 wrote:Starting with two draws then. Not great, but not bad either.
Make that three...
Still no win against a Scottish teams: not against Rangers, not against Celtic and not against last season's UEFA Conference League-winner Hearts of Midlothian.
This one was really down to an excellent goalkeeper on the side of Hearts: our play was good. Sure, we play in a different system that allows more initiative, possession and control, but it's more open at the back so it's not as airtight as before. Still this was a very solid effort by us, but still not good enough for three points.
Nearly gave it away, but then Christiaan Peters gave himself a great (18th) birthday present. My midfield and attack are regularly the same six players, but I keep rotating the four at the back, until I've found a solid mix of defensive strength plus good build-up and passing from the back.
