Ajax starts on Sunday against FC Groningen with Brian Brobbey in the striker. The nineteen-year-old attacker was the celebrated man with a goal and an assist in the away game against Fortuna Sittard (2-3) last week. Edson Alvárez returns to the base with the team from Amsterdam for the first Eredivisie match in the Johan Cruijff Arena. This is at the expense of Steven Berghuis. Captain Dusan Tadic moves from striker position to 10.
The opening match of the reigning national champion at Fortuna resulted in a victory. It was not smooth at all for Ajax, which at halftime faced a 1-0 deficit due to a goal from Paul Gladon. Immediately after the break, trainer Alfred Schreuder brought Davy Klaassen and Brobbey into the team. This had an immediate effect when Kenneth Taylor equalized two minutes after the break, whether or not after touching Klaassen. Shortly afterwards, Brobbey gave an assist to Devyne Rensch, after which the center striker took care of the 1-3 more than ten minutes later.
The ‘experiment’ with Daley Blind at 6 and Tadic as ‘false 9’ is now referred to the trash can by Schreuder. Blind moves back to the position left central in the back, the position that Perr Schuurs, who will most likely leave for Torino, occupied last week. That means Alvarez will take on the role of defensive midfielder and Taylor will take on a slightly more attacking role. At last Friday’s press conference, Schreuder already hinted that Brobbey could start in rush hour. “Maybe I’m saying too much now, but I do think Brobbey should play longer than 45 minutes,” said the trainer.
Ajax has achieved varying results in and against Groningen in recent years. Last season they won, but in the two seasons before the points remained in the Euroborg. At home, on the other hand, the Amsterdammers have little to fear from the northerners and have been unbeaten for almost three decades. Groningen’s last victory in Amsterdam took place in the 1993/94 season. Then it became 0-2 for the Groningers, by goals from Harris Huizingh and Ronald Hamming. The last point loss in the mutual confrontation in Amsterdam was in September 2007, when it became 2-2. The Groningers started the season last week with a 2-2 draw against PhD student FC Volendam.
Ajax setup: feather; Rensch, Timber, Blind, Wijndal; Alvarez, Tadic, Taylor; Antony, Brobbey, Bergwijn
FC Groningen setup: Verrps; Kasanwirjo, Te Wierik, Balker, Määttä; Pelupessy, Duarte, Lundqvist; Ngonge, Larsen Beach, Suslov