Mats Seuntjens states that it is not always fun to play against Ajax at the moment. Fortuna Sittard lost 0-5 against the leader of the Eredivisie on Tuesday evening, after there was already a 0-3 score on the scoreboard before half time. Despite the fact that Seuntjens had been given a different role in a reinforced midfield from trainer Sjors Ultee, Fortuna never managed to make it difficult for Ajax.
“We wanted to have a lot of people in the ashes”, explains Seuntjens in front of the camera of ESPN the usefulness of his other role in a reinforced midfield in the match against Ajax. “That went well, I think. But then they just become extremely dangerous through the sides. If you keep the inside closed, they’ll pass through the flanks. And otherwise they combine via the axle on their own. Ajax is now just a size too big for many clubs in the Netherlands. Also as a team.”
Seuntjens is asked whether it is fun to play against Ajax. “I often have discussions about that, it is often said that you do it for these kinds of competitions. Of course it can turn out well at home once, but nine times out of ten I don’t feel like it. You are a professional football player and you represent the club, so you are very busy making and executing a plan. I can say that it is not always fun to play against Ajax now.”
“Yes, you are a bit powerless”, Fortuna captain Ben Rienstra agrees. “You do everything you can, you have a plan, but Ajax is a class too good for us. The plan? We wanted to come out every now and then and keep the middle close. But we started moderately. it quickly 0-3. Of course it is the best profession. but there are nicer evenings. Ajax played well and we didn’t get into the duels much. It was said: take the duels, but that ball was already gone. After the break we did it slightly better. Until we made the mistake at 0-4. For the rest, there was no chance.”
Fortuna trainer Sjors Ultee states that Ajax is currently world top. “They also played in the best formation. Then you know it’s hard. You try to sell your skin as dearly as possible and limit the damage,” says Ultee. “I think that few clubs in the Netherlands can offer Ajax a good match. If the bank had played, there would still have been a very good team. People say ‘you have to deal with them’, but it goes so fast. When the ball arrives at a player, it is already gone… Well.”