The ‘rickety’ Ajax suffered a new blow on Thursday evening when it visited AEK Athens (1-1), Mike Verweij concluded on Friday morning in The Telegraph. The journalist points to, among other things, the weak performance of the central duo, Josip Sutalo and Gastón Ávila. Johan Inan from it Algemeen Dagblad believes that goalkeeper Jay Gorter was the real standout for the Amsterdam team.
Verweij does not hold back during his analysis for the morning newspaper. “Steijn said before the match that he had hope from the fact that he saw his players growing closer together. Yet Ajax was again loose sand against the champion of Greece.” While the journalist compliments Ajax’s attack, he is not happy with the defense.
“It was dramatic from a constructive and defensive perspective. The guests never stood compact for a moment. And the number of long balls that reached an opponent was astonishing,” said Verweij, who believes that Ajax could have taken distance on the counter after Steven Bergwijn’s 0-1. “So that didn’t work.”
“Because of that and the rickety state of the Ajax defense, it remained exciting,” Verweij continues. “Steijn’s team initially stayed on their feet thanks to a great save by Jay Gorter on a shot by Mijat Gacinovic. But the ‘winking Croat’ Domagoj Vida scored after a cross from Amrabat: 1-1.”
Verweij draws the same conclusion as Inan A.D: Gorter has ensured that Ajax can add a point in Group B of the Europa League. “Amsterdam club also vulnerable in hostile Athens, but goalkeeper Gorter saves a point,” is Inan’s final assessment. He states that it is ‘the umpteenth time’ that the Amsterdammer has saved Ajax.
Inan, like Verweij, points to Sutalo and Ávila as the causes of the vulnerable defense. “Josip Sutalo and Gastón Ávila got lost on the ball too often. It was the Croat who initiated dangerous counters against RKC, but the Argentinian delivered a few suicide balls against AEK.”
According to Inan, change must happen quickly. “Where Olympique Marseille and the Greek champion often did not unwrap the Amsterdam gifts, which have been a pattern since the preparation, Ajax would be better off refraining from shooting against the upcoming opponents. AZ will follow on Sunday and after the international break, leader PSV and the English stunt club Brighton will be waiting.”