❌❌❌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
@thomashunter2199 wrote:Brobbey has so many goals this season. What are his assists looking like?
Assists come mostly from rapid left winger Arnaut Danjuma (12) and central attacking midfielder Kenneth Taylor (11), who in real life also happens to be the best of buddies with Brian Brobbey - so, in the story as in real life: either both stay, or it'll fall apart (they're also two from three most valuable players).
However, for a second time on the trot, a late comeback by an opponent costs us a win; in 4 league games across two seasons, it's 4 defeats against PSV...
There was nothing to gain for Lech Poznan, while Ajax couldn't reach the top 8 anymore with a highly unlikely possibility they'd drop below 24th place. The only thing at stake was a win and some coefficient points.
It was reflected in the game: Ajax-manager Daniel Marzec did not field his finest players and after 90 inspirationless minutes it ended 0:0. The third match in succession that Ajax did not manage to win. The Amsterdam side ends the league phase in 15th after 2 wins, 5 draws, 1 loss and 11 points. In the preliminary round of 16 (played on 12 & 19 February 2026) the opponent will be Viktoria Plzen from Czechia.
From the top countries, Spain is performing surprisingly poor. No Spanish team managed a top 8 position in the UEFA Champions League, with Athletic Bilbao not even making it to the preliminaries. On the other side, England and Germany still have all of their seven teams each in contention.
Netherlands has seemed to have succeeded in holding off Portugal, but by focussing to much on the Iberian country, they dropped attention towards Türkiye who's outperforming the Low Countries and are on the verge of surpassing them in the upcoming season when the ponts of the 2021/22 season aren't valid any longer.
Juventus are having their best European campaign in years and are crawling back near Europe's top 20. Ajax on the other hand are about to fall out of the top 40, with points from their flawless group stage run in the 2021/22 UEFA Champions League about to fall away.
Weak start to 2026: that's the third time this year, that a late goal ruins our result and a fourth no-win in succession... A bit like last season, where a weaker January/February period wrecked our chances in both Eredivisie and Europa League. Winning the Cup was a reconciliation price.
Some expected another rout when Ajax and Willem II drew each other in the quarter finals of the Dutch Cup: KNVB Beker. But Ajax-manager Daniel Marzec fielded a complete B-team. 'We play them again in three days time; then it's for the league - after that it's time for Europa League. The schedule is demanding, we need to manage the energy expenditure of the players.'
Ajax opened the score quickly. Willem II did not have the quality to concern Ajax, while the home team focussed on field play and excecution rather than goals. A dull, very formal 1-0 win. "It is the first win in five games, isn't that important enough!? And for the first time in ages a clean sheet and no issues whatsoever for our defenders. I am actually very satisfied with today's display.'
After the game, there was some first team news: Owen Wijndal has rejoined training after a three month absense due to injury. Meanwhile, a first transfer for the 2026 summer window has already been concluded: Academy almun 18 year old midfielder Christiaan Peters will make a move to English side West Ham United for a transfer fee of € 5,000,000,-. In the winter of 2025, Peters was the first player to move from the youth team to the main squad under the spell of current manager Daniel Marzec. In 20 appearances until now, the midfielder with two good feet made one goal.
For the first time in 2026, Ajax gave a glimpse of what they're capable of when playing full throttle. The first part of the second half, Ajax were stellar and the goals by Davy Klaassen, Roel Kuiper and Kian Fitz-Jim were true beauties. Klaassen's goal was the end of very fast left-to-centre passing and position play. The recently promoted youth player 17 year-old Roel Kuiper made a pretty maiden goal, volleying the ball via the near post into the net, while Kian Fitz-Jim produced a very accurate long shot, resulting in 5-0.
- Utrecht - PSV 4:4
- AZ - Fortuna 1:1
- Feyenoord - Roda JC 2:1
- Twente - Heerenveen 2:1
Spain are also dropping in the country coefficient table in my save. A few clubs doing well, but others underperforming, making them drop behind Germany too (already being behind Italy from the start).
A lot of draws for you in the Europa League. You really should have beaten Lech Poznan there. A win wouldn't have made a huge difference though, and I suppose Viktoria Plzen isn't the worst draw anyway. I think you'll advance from this. Perhaps with two draws and a win from the penalty shootout...
I'm just happy with that 5-0 win and that I finally know again how to find the goal, because there really was a dip in form recently and a leaky defence. Sometimes a win like that (against a modest team) is just good for morale.
@JustinCase0110 wrote: Perhaps with two draws and a win from the penalty shootout...We were on course for a draw, then I managed to restore the two goal lead I had earlier in the match; A very open and equal game, both sides with dangerous attackers, but dodgy defences.
"It's as if we must choose every game: either we keep things closed at the back, having all the trouble to create good opportunities at the opponent's goal. Or, we choose to attack with the risk of leaving our defences vulnerable. It seems we can never have the best of both worlds", Daniel Marzec (Ajax-manager)
- Almere - AZ 1:2
- Groningen - PSV 0:2
- Derby of the East: Heracles - Twente 0:1
- Rotterdam-derby: Sparta - Feyenoord 0:2
First psychological hurdle taken: at least one round further and better than the season before. And in the same match: two players returned from injury (Sosa and Aboukhlal), while one entered sick bay (Teden Mengi) and remains there until the end of March.
Good to see you win both legs of the preliminary round after having a hard time finding the wins in the league phase. The second one looks rather comfortable though, already having a two goal lead from the first leg and seeing an opponent sent off early on top of that.
Tottenham Hotspur in the round of 16? Hard not to see this and instantly think about what happened back in 2019. Good luck against this nemesis.
@JustinCase0110 wrote:Tottenham Hotspur in the round of 16? Hard not to see this and instantly think about what happened back in 2019. Good luck against this nemesis.
Plus just over a year ago (click link) we've lost to Spurs 3:0 in the final round of the league phase, so that's three times they've had the better of us. Traumas against the Spurs and the Scottish...
@Danimal5981 wrote:
@JustinCase0110 wrote:Tottenham Hotspur in the round of 16? Hard not to see this and instantly think about what happened back in 2019. Good luck against this nemesis.
Plus just over a year ago (click link) we've lost to Spurs 3:0 in the final round of the league phase, so that's three times they've had the better of us. Traumas against the Spurs and the Scottish...
Yes, I remember there was a more recent heartbreak against them too. Gonna be an interesting Round of 16 for sure...
In a fairly equal game, it were visitors Twente that surprised Ajax just after halftime with a quick breakaway. Ajax recovered from 0:1 behind to 2:1 in front, but Twente surprised yet again, ending the match on level terms. Fortunately for both teams, neither PSV or Feyenoord could benefit from the loss of points. In fact, Ajax even extended the lead up front by a point.
- AZ - NEC 2:0
- GA Eagles - PSV 1:1
- Feyenoord - Groningen 1:2
- Utrecht - PEC Zwolle 2:2
Meanwhile, Daniel Marzec is scanning the player's market for next year's first team. This time the manager does hope to leap his team into UEFA Champions League. 'But out approach hasn't changed. We're still aiming for players with a prior connection to Ajax, or to fill up gaps with academy players.'
The Ajax manager continues: 'However, if you want to survive on the absolute highest level, we might reintroduce our presence in the Latin American part of the world where we very efficient and successful before.' A large part of the success of Ajax until 2022 was because of Latin American players such as Davinson Sanchez, David Neres, Edson Alvarez, Lisandro Martinez, Nicolas Tagliafico and Antony; they were all bought for transfer fees under €20 million but were all sold for far more, after having won a considerable amount of silverware.
The second confrontation with Twente in the same week (this time for the Dutch Cup: KNVB Beker) went considerably better for Ajax. Lots of precipitation made conditions on the pitch difficult; still, it was surprising to witness a high passing accuracy by both teams.
Daniel Marzec analyzes: 'This was the third time this season we've played Twente and it was also the third time we managed to score twice against them. However, this is the first time we managed to keep a clean sheet against them. It shows you how we approach our opponents: we take the data of the current and last season, we see the number of goals scored and against, possession and passing rates and make a battle plan according to that.'
'In this case, the data against Twente indicated their defense has trouble with our split through pass. The first time here in Enschede, it was Taylor serving Brobbey twice through the middle, now we slightly altered the plan with our wingers making the decisive stab through their backline. The other priority was to keep it tight at the back. You have clearly witnessed that today, my team has learned from the previous experiences.'
The win over Twente means Ajax plays a second cup final in just as many attempts under the tenure of Daniel Marzec: last time Ajax won that final 10:0 against Willem II. This year's cup final, they'll face SC Heerenveen who were better than AZ Alkmaar at penalties.
- SC Heerenveen - AZ Alkmaar 3:3 (2:2 regular, 1:1 extended time), 4:2 penalties
fantastic result. I hope you can bring home the bacon in the final. Wont be easy thats for sure
- 1st in Eredivisie, Dutch cup final, still in UEL
- keep core key players (extend contracts)
- follow former-Ajax players, Latin-American players
- attention to Ajax Academy
Another cup final, that's brilliant. Avoiding the other top clubs in the final does make you strong favourites for the title. Even though you probably won't win 10-0 this time.
Great look on the academy. Seems like you could have a great new generation on your hands. If only a handful of these make it to the top, and you manage to hold on to them for some time, Ajax could really push back among the very best in Europe.
@JustinCase0110 'plan 2028', that's when I want Ajax to peak (the end of season 2027-28, two years from now)
@Danimal5981 wrote:@JustinCase0110 'plan 2028', that's when I want Ajax to peak (the end of season 2027-28, two years from now)
Dutch players in general, but those of Ajax in particular, are often deemed 'nice weather players' - only able to perform under ideal circumstances. And this was confirmed while visiting NEC: on a muddy, swampy Nijmegen pitch, Ajax couldn't show anything. Low possession and passing rates with hardly a dangerous moment in front of the opponent's goal.
It doesn't bode well in the run up to the games against Tottenham, while in March Ajax cannot afford a mishap against Sparta, Almere or Roda JC. In 2026, Ajax seemed on route towards a first title since 2022, but the battle for the Eredivisie win is wide open again.
The weather also affects my games, making it impossible to play sometimes. I like the idea that weather can impact games and make it a factor you have to address, but it's a bit too much that you almost can't make any runs with the ball under those conditions.
Looks like I’m back just in time to see another match with Spurs and Ajax. 🙂
Late to the party with Brobbey input but I think you keep him unless they pay €100m+. The €65m would be great to reinvest in the team but keeping him sends a bigger message to the club and the fans that you are serious about contending for the top trophies.
Ajax takes a 1-0 lead after the 1st leg of 2025/26 UEFA Europa League, Round of 16 against Tottenham Hotspur! Ajax was clearly the better, more aggressive, feisty and greedy side.
Shots on the post or upright don't count as an attempt on target, but Ajax had three of those. The late goal therefore felt as release, but also leaves behind a sense that not everything that Ajax managed to create was converted into goals.
The game was loaded because of the history between the two teams: On May 8th 2019 in the semi final of UEFA Champions League Ajax also took a 1-0 lead against Spurs, but lost out in the dying seconds of the return when Lucas Moura completed a hat-trick.
There are however two big differences: for one, this 1-0 win was booked in Amsterdam, whereas seven years ago the win was claimed in the 1st leg in London. It's also the first win in Amsterdam over Spurs, as the London side was victorious in said semi final in 2019 (3:2) and also last year during the league stage of Europa League (3:0). Another big difference is that the away goal rule no longer counts in UEFA sanctioned tournaments. It's what necked the talented Ajax team in the 2018/19 Champions League campaign.
The result is extra special for AFC AJAX, as it is only the 2nd home win against a Premier League team ever: Ajax beat Roberto Mancini's Manchester City (3:1) in the 2012/13 group stage of UEFA Champions League on October 24th 2012.
To underline the exceptionality of such result: that result in turn, was the only home win for Ajax against a top flight team from England since a 1:0 win over Nottingham Forest in the 1980 Europa Cup semi finals, though that initial home win was later undone in the return by the eventual winners of the tournament. Let's hope that 3rd time is the charm for Ajax and that they can finally advance from an European knock-out confrontation against an English side, because previous attempts against Tottenham (2025, 2019), Aston Villa (2024), Liverpool (2023, 2021), Chelsea (2020) and the 2017 Europa League final against Manchester United all ended in misery for the Amsterdam team.
Dang...Should have sold Brobbey.... 🙂
Like you said, the score looks closer than the match was. Completely dominated, not surprising considering Spurs tactics will either swarm opponents or be completely overrun by them. It looks like you handled their press easily and kept most of the possession.
@LABoog4 wrote:Like you said, the score looks closer than the match was. Completely dominated, [...] It looks like you handled their press easily and kept most of the possession.
Yes, just like in 2019. Across two games, the whole first one plus the first half of the second leg were for Ajax, in stats and score. But at the end it were the Spurs that won and advanced. So, let's manage expectations for now, we're only halfway.
... and in the return, we'll have to make do without Aboukhlal (again)...
An easy, regular win over Sparta Rotterdam, with goals no. 35 & 36 for Brian Brobbey, who's on route to break the 43-goal record by PSV striker Koen Dillen which has stood since the inaugural 1956-57 season of the Eredivisie.
Adding to the win was the pleasant surprise of Feyenoord, PSV and Twente all dropping points, which sees Ajax taking a little more distance again after the others closed in during February.
- PSV - Willem II 1:1
- GA Eagles - Feyenoord 1:1
- AZ - RKC 1:0
- Twente - Almere 1:1
