Old flaws Ajax surface
Monday 17 August 2009
To score three goals away to PSV and still lose, it's
a thing that shouldn't be allowed to happen said Ajax-coach
Martin Jol after the exciting game between PSV Eindhoven
and Ajax Amsterdam.
But his many predecessors could point out to him that
it's an old flaw, that of an incapable back four.
Much to his dismay Jol will have seen that Ajax showed
the same defensive vulnerability as it did during the
Amsterdam Tournament.
Back then Atletico Madrid (3-3) and Benfica (3-2 defeat)
exposed the weaknesses of the Amsterdam defense without
much effort.
A soothing Jol then said it would surprise him if Ajax
would meet the same opposition in the Eredivisie.
The first two league games of the new season (FC Groningen,
0-2 and RKC, 4-1) proved him right, but didn't offer
any security.
For that the opposition was too weak and Ajax were
hardly tested.
The real test would come on August 16 against PSV,
that much was clear.
In this game, early in the season, that gave Ajax the
chance to widen the gap with PSV to 7 points the team
were hurled back to reality.
Goal keeper Stekelenburg, right-back Van der Wiel,
center backs Wielaert and Alderweireld and left-back
Atouba: it's not a back four that pairs calm to defensive
ability.
The experienced Wielaert (30), of whom it is expected
that he leads his defense simply falls short in games
that matter.
At the second PSV goal he ran over Van der Wiel rather
clumsily when Dzsudzsak broke through down the left
flank.
On the fourth decisive goal he was pushed aside to
easily by Bakkal.
Atouba (26), making his debut also failed to make
a big impression.
He may be pacy and physically strong - he's also the
type of player who embarrasses his team mates with silly
pranks.
The best example of that came in the 62nd minute when
he decided to put a throw into his own box and Toivonen
almost benefited.
Jol has known Atouba from his days at Tottenham and
Hamburg, but he will not have taken him along hoping
for many of this blood pressure raising moments.
But it wasn't only the Ajax defense falling short.
Vertonghen and De Zeeuw lost the ball too often and
up front all danger came from captain Suarez.
The Uruguayan struck in the second minute after PSV's
goal keeper Isaksson couldn't control a poor back pass
by Salcido.
Suarez reacted well, rounded the Swede and scored.
The crowd had little patience with Isaksson after that
moment and he was treated to cynical reactions each
time the ball came his way.
PSV then equalized through a screaming free kick of
Dzsudzsak, but not even three minutes later Ajax had
scored a second when Andre Ooijer lifted the ball over
his own keeper with Suarez breathing down his neck.
After the break PSV turned the tables within minutes.
First Bakkal equalized after a great dribble by Dzsudzsak,
and four minutes later the Hungarian curled another
free kick into the far top corner with his left foot.
Afterwards he would admit that it was intended as a
cross.
But again Ajax came up with a quick answer when Emanuelson
beat Isaksson with a howling shot from 20 meters out.
But 15 minutes from the end PSV again scored and this
time it was the decisive goal.
Lazovic broke down the left found right-back Manolev
on the overlap and his cross was met by Bakkal for his
second and PSV's fourth goal.
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