Now Is Not the Time…
By: Matt | February 8th, 2009… to panic? Or maybe it is. 4-1 loss at Vitesse. Supporters interrupted training earlier this week, and even MvB has admitted he considered resigning. The high spirits that continued even after transfer news distracted everyone has quickly evaporated as the failure to take points has continued. This leaves us with nothing but questions.
> Is MvB to blame? More than one of you has pointed out the uncanny resemblance this tailspin bears to the Oranje disaster at Euro. The team’s form suddenly vanished, along with the confidence of many players. Perhaps mercifully, that tournament ended. What will happen this spring? Does MvB know how to pull up?
> Is this attributable to our personnel losses in January? (you know, Rommedahl and some other guy) We had a few good matches before, including a long spell without what’s-his-name, but is the loss of one guy enough to lead to this debacle?
> What has happened to the defense? I would have expected that getting Steks back and adding a “quality, veteran” defender in the window would lead to continued improvement. But if Vitesse can score 4, how many will we allow against better opposition?
> Is Suarez enough to carry the side? His form has not dipped, and he continues to score and create opportunities, but the results just are not there. I am not saying that he should be Superman, just that our problems seem to be far bigger than one position or one aspect of the game.
I am normally not the kind of guy who calls a title race before February ends, but I am almost ready to start aiming for second honors. And here is why: AZ has conceded 12 goals this season. In their position, being able to grind out points late in the season is the most crucial. And it looks like they have all the tools necessary. If it were not the for the fact that no one in Alkmaar can have forgotten the last time they led the league, I would have given up all hope today. But if we can put any pressure on them… Regardless, I think we can safely say that the title is AZ’s to lose. Hats of to them.
More pressing is this question, which I will leave for all of you to answer. If Ajax fails to win the Classic next weekend, will it be MvB’s last match?
Category: Team News
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Comments
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4-1 !!!ajax f*** you see you 19th of February
Posted from
United States
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I’ve been saying that people need to lighten up on MvB and give him time. But IF he’s really lost the players, and IF they don’t beat the crap out of Fword in the Classic, then yeah, I’d have to say it might be time for a change. Hard to believe how good things were looking less than a month ago, and it’s pretty discouraging to think of going back to square one AGAIN.
Posted from
United States -
MvB is not God, he cannot turn the team around in one season. He can and will make mistakes! This is not Ajax of 95. Its time we fans stop expecting miracles. We cannot keep changing coach/players (and more importantly selling our best), we must give them time to work through their problems. Our team needs our support! This is Ajax!!! we will rise stronger and more brilliant than before.
Posted from
United States -
Its sickening. And disappointing. Its sickappointing.
Posted from
United States -
Hmmm… wanna make sure my previous post isn’t construed as calling for MvB’s head. I would HATEHATEHATE to see him resign now (or be sacked by the club) – we’re still in the running for second, technically, and he’s only had half a season in charge. There is just way too much impatience in football these days (Big Phil’s out at Chelsea!?).
Posted from
United States -
What we desperately need is a midfielder of the likes of Litmanen who can control the pace of the game ..and a Captain like Danny Blind or Frank De Boer. There is no leader on the field now…..no one…
Posted from
United States -
You cannot expect Ajax to win the Eridivisie 1 year after Henk Ten Cate. and seeing things now we should try to hold onto second and get back into shape.
In the summer we need to make some drastic changes
heres an analogy:
the great ajax was once a great building, but someone blew up the basement and the building is now tilting sideways and will soon collapse in a few years. someone must find a way to keep the building standing before its base is rebuilt. Then the damaged floors need to be cleaned out and replaced with beatiful ones. This project will take time. Once this project is finished the building will come out better than it was before…
So Ajax is this tilting building
the players it has right now are the other floors, but it needs the basement (the leader, structure) to hold the building (team) together. the damaged floors are our other weaknesses.
MvB is the architect.
Yeah that was weird, but all I could think of…Posted from
United States -
Do you realize how young this ajax side is? only cvita, wielaert,gabri and stekelenburg are older then 23 in the side that played vitesse. Ajax are really promising, and looked ready for it, until the last few weeks. Now they are still promising but proven not ready for it, I hope MvB is given time because I think he can make Ajax great again. Also, most coaches need more then one season to build a good side out of a mess(ajax last year), so MvB should be given time
Posted from
Netherlands -
I am not calling for his head either, and I am not surprised that few of you guys are. But, if a manager (or player) loses the confidence of the Arena, things can get pretty awful.
Syd – Yeah. Not sure I thought of the same word, but, yeah.
Flippy – Marco the Architect. I am sure I have said or heard that before…
Koewart – Great point. Right now, I think that is the best thing one can say about the Wielart purchase, too: he is older than your typical university student. Of course, he is also slower as well.
s – Of all the comments, this is perhaps the most significant. Who will speak in the dressing room, now? And remember, the captain has to be on the pitch enough to matter (sorry, Gabri).
Posted from
United States -
Last season, AZ fans were not too happy with their coach… I don’t see them slowing down. They are playing some champagne football on a beer budget.
The difference is a season. MvB needs time and players trust. I think if he has one critism it is that MvB threatens people’s place in the team too quickly.
Posted from
Canada
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