Ajax keep up with Feyenoord for one half: 3-2
3 (2) - 2 (1)
Eredivisie
De Kuip, Rotterdam
Sunday, 05 February, 2006
The nightmare continues... Against arch-enemies Feyenoord
Ajax suffered their 8th defeat of the season (3-2). It
was only Ajax's second league defeat at De Kuip in
the last ten seasons and the Amsterdammers dropped to 8th
because of it. "We keep things quiet internally," implored
technical director Martin van Geel after the game. "We analyze
everything, we know where we stand and we know where we're
going. There is no crisis."
It really says something about Van Geel's talents
that you tend to believe him. Things are remarkably
peaceful at the ArenA on a managerial level. On
a sportive level, however, the crisis is already
undeniable. The current season is Ajax's second worst in
Eredivisie history and the club are still 'on course' for a
similar stinker as the dismal 1964-1965 season, when Ajax
finished 13th (out of 16 teams at the time) and almost got
relegated. In that season Ajax lost 10 times in their
first 22 games (this season: 8 times) and had a
dramatically poor goal differential of +6 (now: +7). Had
they been awarded three points for every win back in the
sixties, they would have had 28 points after 22 games. Today
they have 34 out of 22, which is a bit better
than in 1965, but far worse than under Jan
Wouters in 1999-2000 (46 points) or Co Adriaanse in
2000-2001 (43).
Patrick Paauwe attacks
Tomás Galásek. [Photo: Ajax.nl]
Ajax (starting in the same formation as last
Wednesday in Heerenveen) had a surprisingly good start in
Rotterdam, where (thankfully) both sides' fans behaved
themselves this time. In the first 20 minutes Ajax's play was
more than acceptable. They were actually the better side for 20
minutes, although there were no real chances at
either end. The most dangerous moment was a low Sneijder cross
(or was it supposed to be a diagonal shot...?), on which two
Ajax strikers came sliding in, causing major unrest in the
Feyenoord defense.
Feyenoord's opening goal in the 21st minute came out of
nothing. Almost everyone on the pitch failed to do
what they had to do: the Ajax defense cleared
poorly, referee Temmink failed to notice that Salomon
Kalou was a yard offside when he flicked it on to
Nicky Hofs, Thomas Vermaelen's attempt to intercept
wasn't determined enough and Hofs did not hit the ball the
way he wanted to -- but it went under Maarten
Stekelenburg anyway: 1-0 (21'). Ajax did not deserve to be
a goal down at that point and the Amsterdammers required only
one minute to restore the order at the ground where hosts
Feyenoord lost more 'Classics' than they won. Urby Emanuelson's
fine cross from the left was perfectly tapped home by an
onstorming Markus Rosenberg: 1-1 (23'), the Swede's 7th goal
out of the last 9 league games.
Dirk Kuyt: stronger than Hedwiges
Maduro... [Photo: Ajax.nl]
The goal brought Ajax back into the game, but - ironically -
also marked the end of Ajax's strong opening phase. In the
remainder of the first half Ajax could more or less keep up
with their Rotterdam opposition, but it slowly became clear
that Feyenoord were out there to win and are simply more
of a team. After three moments of panic in the Ajax
goalmouth (Kalou almost made it 2-1 in the 37th minute)
Feyenoord took the lead again at a moment and in a fashion
that typifies the cluelessness of the current Ajax team.
In spite of the fact that Hedwiges Maduro and Urby
Emanuelson had left their positions and moved to midfield,
Thomas Vermaelen opted for an extremely risky pass through the
middle. It was intercepted, after the Ajax defense was fatally
exposed: Dirk Kuyt had a completely free passage over the
right flank and Romeo Castelen could simply tap home at the far
post (45'). What an extremely, extremely clumsy goal
to concede. Such a risky pass, seconds before half-time... It
must be driving Danny Blind insane.
Feyenoord's second was the turning point in the game. The
knock-out blow followed three minutes after the break, when
Dirk Kuyt once again had the space to rush forward over the
right flank. Urby Emanuelson was not there, Thomas Vermaelen
didn't do anything and Kuyt's absolutely stunning diagonal
screamer whistled past a desperate Stekelenburg and into
the far side netting, making De Kuip explode with joy: 3-1
(48'). Kuyt booked a record by scoring: he scored against Ajax
in five 'Classics' in a row.
Rosenberg and Greene chasing
the ball. [Photo: Ajax.nl]
Ajax stumbled, and never resurrected. The
Amsterdammers created precisely one scoring
opportunity in the second half, which Klaas-Jan Huntelaar
converted like a striker should (he placed his foot
against a Maduro shot and beat goalkeeper Lodewijks: 3-2), but
that was in the very last minute of the game, when it was
already too late.
In the 40 minutes before Feyenoord were painfully
superior in almost every thinkable way. They had more
possession, were physically stronger, won every aerial duel
and could have seriously ripped Ajax to
shreds had they been a bit more effective. On some of
Feyenoord's set pieces, in particular, it was almost a
miracle that the ball did not go in.
The only highlight from an Ajax perpective was the official
Eredivisie début of young Jeffrey Sarpong, who replaced
an injured Wesley Sneijder after 61 minutes. The young
midfielder comes straight from the Ajax A1 youth team
and pretty much skipped Young Ajax so far. He made
his official Ajax-1 début in the cup fixture at FC
Eindhoven in December and it must be said: amidst all the
misery Sarpong had a fine Eredivisie début.
Meanwhile, a few journalists suggested that Wesley Sneijder was
not injured at all, but simply threw in the towel and asked for
a substitution.
"Two moments, just before and just after half-time, proved
decisive," said Danny Blind, referring to Feyenoord's second
and third goals. Which is true if you look at the facts,
but the truth is that Feyenoord had everything that
Ajax lack: team spirit, determination, will-power, the will
to do dirty work for a team-mate, the ability to
recover from a poor opening phase and fight yourself into the
game (Dirk Kuyt!). In spite of Ajax's promising opening
phase Feyenoord never looked like they were going to lose.
Feyenoord don't beat Ajax too frequently. This season they did
it twice. The fact that Feyenoord almost immediately
announced that the two Ajax games will be released as a
double DVD set, shows that it means the
world to the Rotterdam fans.
In a recent interview with newspaper Algemeen
Dagblad Danny Blind said: "If the gap between us and
the 5th team on the league table increases to seven
points, we will lose our target [the play-offs, ed.] out
of sight. If that happens it's up to the club to take a
decision. I am not naive." A remarkable quote. The gap
between Ajax and the #5 on the table (FC Groningen) is
currently 'only' three points. Moreover, the three upcoming
Eredivisie opponents for Ajax are the three bottom teams on the
table. Which must be a relief to Danny Blind, but also an extra
worry: if points are dropped against one of the Eredivisie's
weakest, his days really must be numbered... (MP)
GOALS
- 21' 1-0 Nick Hofs
- 23' 1-1 Markus Rosenberg
- 45' 2-1 Romeo Castelen
- 48' 3-1 Dirk Kuyt
- 90' 3-2 Klaas-Jan Huntelaar
Referee: Temmink
Yellow cards: Lindenbergh,
Grygera (Ajax), Hofs, Greene (Feyenoord)
Attendance: 45,000
Ajax
line-up: Stekelenburg; Grygera, Maduro,
Vermaelen, Emanuelson; Galásek, Sneijder (62. Sarpong),
Lindenbergh; Rosales, Huntelaar, Rosenberg (80.
Babel).
Feyenoord line-up: Lodewijks; Greene
(79. Collen), Vlaar, Bahia, Bosschaart; Hofs, Paauwe, De
Guzman; Castelen, Kuyt, Kalou (85. Van Hooydonk).
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