❌❌❌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
@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.
I nearly wrote it yesterday in relation to the Europa League game tonight between Man United and VIktoria Plzen IRL. Both started their campaign with three successive draws, then followed by two wins. But then I thought it wasn't too relevant for your story anyway and decided against mentioning it. However, now you have three draws too, I hope you can replicate the form of the two clubs mentioned, meaning that you'll win your next two games in the competition. Fingers crossed.
It's not a good look for the Danish teams though. Brøndby and FC Midtjylland both in the bottom three. Don't care about the 'wolves', but I would like to see Brøndby climb a bit in the table. They have been notoriously bad in Europe since the early 2000's though.
@JustinCase0110 wrote:However, now you have three draws too, I hope you can replicate the form of the two clubs mentioned, meaning that you'll win your next two games in the competition.
Let's hope I do, I'm starting to wonder how far I'd get with draws only...
Meanwhile in the domestic Eredivisie, manager Marzec is leaning more and more to an all-out attack flat 3-4-3. Three at the back, with the wingbacks pushed up, are the only tactics where I can effectively field Mengi, Rosario and Hato without sacrificing the depth of any of the wingbacks or midfielders. 4-3-3 holding is too conservative, 4-3-3 attack is sometimes exposing me at the back.
3 or 5 at the back work better in that regard and is very much Ajax as it was in the golden years between 1986 and 1995 under managers Johan Cruijff, Leo Beenhakker and Louis van Gaal. In that decade, Ajax literally won everything there was to win: anything nationally, anything European and the world cup for clubs (then known as the Intercontinental Cup).
@Danimal5981 wrote:I'm starting to wonder how far I'd get with draws only...
Well, Rangers and Toulouse advanced from the league phase with 8 points in my current season (where I continued to play the European games with Brøndby). But we also saw a team being eliminated with 9 points in the Champions League, and in the season before there was a 9 points elimination in both the Champions League and the Europa League.
So my guess would be that you need to win at least one.
I like your formation changes and experiments in that regard. I can't seem to make 3 in the back work myself, but perhaps I should give it another try soon. With my scoring troubles this season, surely I could do with something less "conservative". And with 24 attempts against 2 in your Utrecht win, maybe I should give the formation another try.
@JustinCase0110 wrote:So my guess would be that you need to win at least one.
Done!
Marzec: "A great win for us! But don't let the numbers fool you. It was a very even contest and we've won it on sharpness towards halftime: first the goal out of the rebound from the corner by Pablo Rosario, followed by a brilliant in-depth pass by Davy Klaassen that launched Brian Brobbey towards 4-1; all in the span of two minutes. Outside of those moments, it was a very even contest. They allowed us the ball, which plays both sides to their strengths. In fact, they were a bit more effective the times they had the ball, which make those two minutes before halftime all the more crucial..."
Good job getting a win finally. It doesn't look like your most convincing performance though, losing in both shots and xG, but hey, you've suffered the opposite situation quite a few times, and it's about time that you got the best of it. Well done, and this should bring you into a comfortably position to secure a 9th to 24th place.
Who was that Sørensen that scored against you for Vitoria, by the way? Has to be a Dane...
@JustinCase0110 wrote:Who was that Sørensen that scored against you for Vitoria, by the way? Has to be a Dane...
Full name: Oliver Sørensen Jensen, left-footed central midfielder - great talent. Product of Midtjylland. I marked him as my 3rd option on the short list if Kenneth Taylor decides to leave and when Enzo Loiodice or Max Finkgrafe turn out to be too expensive.
Winter came early: a game in icey conditions had a severe impact on the quality of both sides with low passing accuray percentages and barely any attemps on target.
An in-depth pass by Davy Klaassen in the 78th minute seemed to be an easy roller for AZ-goalie Max Weiß. The ball decelarated suddenly and Brian Brobbey happened to be quicker near the ball. The ball was touched by the tip of Brobbey's shoe, then richocheted via the body of the tumbling Weiß into the AZ-goal. A lucky 1-0 away win for Ajax in a game that didn't deserve any goals, winners or losers: the game was simply too poor, due to the bad condtions and two teams unable to cope with them.
@Danimal5981 wrote:Full name: Oliver Sørensen Jensen, left-footed central midfielder - great talent. Product of Midtjylland. I marked him as my 3rd option on the short list if Kenneth Taylor decides to leave and when Enzo Loiodice or Max Finkgrafe turn out to be too expensive.
Yeah, I'm familiar. He was sold to Spanish side Celta Vigo in my save. He's a good young player for sure. A true workhorse in central midfield.
Stunt team GA Eagles (currently in 5th) gave Ajax a true run for their money's worth. The visitors from the city of Deventer surprised friend and foe by holding out and striking 0-1 just before halftime on the counter attack. Ajax needed to go full throttle in the second half, but eventually Danjuma and Brian Brobbey managed to defeat the magnificent goalie Jari de Busser.
A very hard fought 2-1 home win for Ajax. Up next are two away games: Sevilla (Europa League) and Feyenoord (Eredivisie), followed by a Dutch Cup Round-of-16 game at home against PEC Zwolle.
