Ajax needs a miracle to secure wintering in the Europa League. The Amsterdam team lost on Thursday evening at home to Brighton & Hove Albion (0-2) and are now last in Group B. The morning newspapers saw Ajax perform better than in England, but the first defeat under coach John van ‘t Schip could not have been cannot therefore be prevented.
“The most important ‘win’ of the evening seems to be that Van ‘t Schip seems to have won over the foreign players, who Maurice Steijn had definitively lost after the competition match with Fortuna Sittard, as well as the fans,” Mike Verweij begins hopefully in The Telegraph.
“The fact that Van ‘t Schip dared to start with a midfield with a 21-year-old (Kenneth Taylor), 18-year-old (Silvano Vos) and a 19-year-old (Hlynsson) was a blessing to Ajax,” continues Verweij, who then also saw a ‘bad Ajax tradition’. “Akpom came on for Taylor, who was whistled at by his own fans after Gregory van der Wiel, Daley Blind and Hakim Ziyech – entirely in accordance with a bad Ajax tradition.”
Willem Vissers writes in de Volkskrant about a ‘powerless’ Ajax. “Ajax received an old-fashioned earwash in the Europa League from the Englishmen making their debut in Europe. All Ajax’s history turned out to be worthless against the newcomers, who played football like routines in the continental profession,” it sounds very blunt.
Yet Vissers also sees bright spots. “The three purchases from the stable of the dismissed football director Sven Mislintat who appeared in the starting team are doing better every week: Diant Ramaj as a stylish goalkeeper with a beautiful kicking technique. Josip Sutalo as leader of the defense and Anton Gaaei, who once will be a sensation at right back.”
A fourth acquisition from Mislintat also pleased Vissers. “Also hopeful was the short appearance of the fast Georges Mikautadze, who, with his first contact with the ball, gave a deep pass that was rarely seen on Thursday. But the others, those who have been playing for Ajax for a long time, were certainly not easy. Taylor is a shadow of the talent he once was.”
Mikautadze’s deliberate through ball with which he served Carlos Forbs.
“We still have to make do,” is the headline Algemeen Dagblad. “A new trainer and a new tactic, but the same final score. If Ajax itself was brutal with the ball, it was mainly in its own half. Revived wingers Steven Berghuis and Steven Bergwijn were hardly found before half-time. Brian Brobbey only when Ramaj had the ball kicked in his direction with his fine kick.”
John Graat writes in Fidelity that Ajax fell short on all fronts against Brighton. “Ajax may have shown signs of recovery in the Eredivisie, but on Thursday evening Amsterdam’s pride was painfully tested again on the second European stage. The English sub-topper was better individually and as a collective.”
“The realization that a lost season is also in danger in Europe also dawned on the audience in the course of the match in the Johan Cruijff ArenA, which was again quite full,” Graat continues. “The atmosphere in the stadium was constantly tossing between hope, shaky faith, but also annoyance about everything that went wrong in Ajax’s game. And that was a lot.”
It NRC states that there is work to be done for Van ‘t Schip. “The new Ajax coach has to get to work. For example, with Bergwijn, whom Van ‘t Schip expects to take the team in tow. He hardly featured in the attacking game.” Bee ESPN Kenneth Perez had already spoken critical words about the Ajax captain’s performance.