VideoAjax lashed out hard against Willem II at the start of a series of home matches in December. Partly due to the 5-0 victory, the leader is bathed in unprecedented luxury at the end of the year for a change.
Johan Inan/Sjors Tanis
Latest update:
00:21
By Johan Inan
That was different in previous years, when December started with a disaster scenario. Ajax, missing several basic players due to injuries, was bowled out of the European premier class by Valencia and Atalanta Bergamo. That blow reverberated, especially at the end of 2019, as witnessed by the margin compared to AZ, which then went up in smoke.
A year ago, Ten Hag sounded the alarm when he saw the light go out against Willem II after the break (1-1). According to the coach, the killer program took its toll on Ajax, which, just like a year earlier, lacked the freshness, so shortly before the winter break. Ten Hag has hardly anything to complain about now. Not only did he see his selection expanded in the summer, he also has all the basic players at his disposal, just before the holidays.
Antony shines
And fresh and fruity too, as it turned out against Willem II. Antony, who recovered from a minor injury, mainly had it on his Brazilian hips. As if he was inspired by the many Brazilian songs that reverberated through the empty Johan Cruijff Arena during the warm-up. The international had barely had a ball when he was played by Edson Álvarez after fifteen minutes. Just like against Vitesse and Groningen, he curled the ball nicely into the top corner.
And although it was only the opening goal, the final blow had already been given to Willem II. This is characteristic of a club that no longer won a match after the stunt against PSV (end of September) and that confidence was approaching zero. Two minutes later it was hit again when goalkeeper Timon Wellenreuther intervened halfway at a corner and Lisandro Martinez saw the ball slide into the long corner.
The third goal also rolled in there, after Sébastien Haller, who was still ill on Sunday, helped his companion Antony to his first double in the service of Ajax. And then the first half was only halfway through. When the striker’s tenth Eredivisie goal was subsequently rejected for offside for unclear reasons, Ajax’s productivity stopped for a while.
As a result, the frontrunner will find an unprecedented luxury this weekend, during the Sinterklaas party and from the armchair. Not only does Ten Hag have a fit group, with three more home matches, two of which are pleasant snacks, the trainer is given plenty of opportunity to keep the team that has only suffered two defeats in competition this year, taxable.
Champions League
The reason that the home game against Willem II took place tonight was that Ajax foresaw that the last group match could once again be a crucial one and therefore asked the KNVB to provide a longer run-up. After five consecutive victories in the Champions League, that is not necessary. Ajax is group winner and mainly plays on Tuesday to become the seventh – and the first Dutch – club to remain clear in the group stage.
In the past years, everything had to give way to the billion-dollar ball in December, but Ten Hag can now take the national title fight into account on the European stage. After Sporting, Ajax will receive a visit from former executioner AZ. Also the general for the squatter in De Kuip, the cup match with the amateurs of Barendrecht, is not an unpleasant one for the technical and medical staff.
They gave the necessary basic forces some rest and saw the title favorite via Davy Klaassen, who replaced new father Steven Berghuis in the base, and Danilo lead to a 5-0 victory. As a result, Ajax also conceded no goal in the Eredivisie for the seventh game in a row and for almost 650 minutes. With two goals against, the team from Amsterdam has the least beaten defense ever after fifteen rounds. A defense that is rock solid; that too has previously been on the wish list of Ten Hag, who equaled Leo Beenhakker with his 124th Eredivisie game as Ajax coach.
During the winter break, Ajax will go to Portugal for a training camp. That’s what trainer Ten Hag told after the big win over Willem II. “The intention is to go there in the first week of January,” said Ten Hag. Ajax did not organize a training camp abroad during the winter break last season because of corona.
Ajax will resume the competition after the winter break on January 16 with an away match against FC Utrecht. A week later, PSV is the opponent in Eindhoven.
Do you want to relive the match? Read the live blog below:
Free unlimited access to Showbytes? Which can!
Log in or create an account and never miss a thing from the stars.
#Ajax #floors #Willem #start #December #differently #previous #seasons