Marciano Vink comes with a shocking analysis of Ajax’s game against FC Groningen (2-3 win). The analyst of ESPN shows that the team from Amsterdam fell short defensively on all sides by switching badly or not covering sharply. “With that 2-3 by Laros Duarte you have to pay attention to how Ajax walks with the man… Not at all! They all have something like: it probably won’t. Well, it will,” says Vink.
Ajax took a 1-3 lead in the second half and then looked easygoing. “It should not actually be the case that Groningen is still dangerous, being Ajax. But if you think: it will comeor that ball isn’t going to my husband anywaythen you will always see that Groningen will make use of it.”
Laros Duarte beautifully brings the tension back into the match ??#groaja pic.twitter.com/i9bdUjaZkP
— ESPN NL (@ESPNnl) May 16, 2023
Just before the break, Ajax already conceded a goal from Florian Krüger in the switch. Even before the end of the first half, Johan Hove should have made it 2-1, according to Vink. “Hove is in a switch moment within two passes for Rulli and he just has to shoot him in.” Ajax looked extremely vulnerable at that moment. “It starts at the front, but then you see that the whole team is out of balance, that players no longer switch, that spaces are created. Then it just gets difficult.”
Duarte’s 2-3 also came from a counter. “There are three men from Groningen completely free in midfield… Nobody is short, nobody switches back… Look how Mohammed Kudus is standing here watching Duarte shoot… This is symptomatic of this Ajax.” Kudus also received the same criticism from Ajax coach John Heitinga, who at ESPN said the Ghanaian “simply has to defend”.
Vink saw only one exception at Ajax. “I have to compliment Steven Bergwijn, he has picked up the switch well in this match. He has done it about 25 times, but the rest? Really ridiculous.”