Elrithral Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 AFC AJAX Eredivisie: 1917-18, 1918-19, 1930-31, 1931-32, 1933-34, 1936-37, 1938-39, 1946-47, 1956-57, 1959-60, 1965-66, 1966-67, 1967-68, 1969-70, 1971-72, 1972-73, 1976-77, 1978-79, 1979-80, 1981-82, 1982-83, 1984-85, 1989-90, 1993-94, 1994-95, 1995-96, 1997-98, 2001-02, 2003-04 KNVB Cup: 1916-17, 1942-43, 1960-61, 1966-67, 1969-70, 1970-71, 1971-72, 1978-79, 1982-83, 1985-86, 1986-87, 1992-93, 1997-98, 1998-99, 2001-02, 2005-06, 2006-07 International Intercontinental Cup: 1972, 1995 European Champion Club's Cup / Champions League: 1971, 1972, 1973, 1995 European Cup Winners' Cup: 1987 UEFA Cup: 1992 UEFA Super Cup: 1972, 1973, 1995 AFC Ajax, seventh most successful team of the 20th century, one of only five teams who have earned the right to keep the European Cup after three consecutive wins between 1971 and 1973. They have won an amazing 29 league titles, 17 Dutch Cups, 4 European Cups, 2 Intercontinental Cups. 1 European Cup Winners Cup and 1 Uefa Cup. Far and away the most successful Dutch team of all time and that’s before you even consider the names that have come through their youth ranks, Van Basten, Cruijff, Davids and Seedorf, to name just a few. These guys are the real deal, they might not pack the punch they used to on the European stage, but when it comes to history and pedigree they are right up there with your Barcelonas and Inter Milans, which makes their return of only two league titles and three Dutch Cups since 2001 all the more disappointing. 08-09 saw Ajax suffer the ignominy of a third place finish, behind AZ and Twente, missing out on Champions League football and condemned to a place in the Uefa Cup. The club, the stadium and the loyal fanbase deserved better and I hope to turn things around for them, bring trophies back to the Amsterdam Arena and restore some level of consistency on and off the pitch. However, there’s more to this career than just trophies and reviving a legend, this is set to be based on the career of Guus Hiddink. In June 2009 Terk (FMS Mod) launched a Guus Hiddink Challenge for the FMS users, we were set the task of replicating (in a round about way) the career of the former Chelsea and Real Madrid, bettering it if possible. I made a decent attempt of it with Feyenoord using FM09, but eventually gave up because my squad couldn’t hold their own in Europe, with the arrival of FM10 I decided to give it another go, this time with Ajax and I hope to make a better job of it, with a view to an FMS story towards the end of the challenge. Wish me luck and I hope you enjoy it. Career Summary |Season | Club | League | UCL | Uefa Cup | Dom Cup | |--------|----------------|--------------|---------------|---------------|---------------| |09/10 | Ajax | 1st | N/A | Semi Finals | 3rd Round | |--------|----------------|--------------|---------------|---------------|---------------| |10/11 | Ajax | 1st | Group Stage | 1/4 Finals | 4th Round | |--------|----------------|--------------|---------------|---------------|---------------| |11/12 | Ajax | 1st | Semi Finals | N/A | 4th Round | |--------|----------------|--------------|---------------|---------------|---------------| |12/13 | Ajax | 2nd | 1/4 Finals | N/A | Winners | |--------|----------------|--------------|---------------|---------------|---------------| |13/14 | Ajax | 1st | Group Stage | N/A | Semi Finals | |--------|----------------|--------------|---------------|---------------|---------------| |14/15 | Ajax | 1st | Winners | N/A | Winner | |--------|----------------|--------------|---------------|---------------|---------------| |15/16 | Unemployed | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |--------|----------------|--------------|---------------|---------------|---------------| |16/17 | Nat Manager | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |--------|----------------|--------------|---------------|---------------|---------------| |17/18 | Nat Manager | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |--------|----------------|--------------|---------------|---------------|---------------| |18/19 | Valencia | 5th | 1/4 Finals | N/A | 1/4 Finals | |--------|----------------|--------------|---------------|---------------|---------------| |Season | Nation | World Cup | Euros | Conf Cup | |--------|----------------|--------------|---------------|---------------| |16/18 | Holland | 3rd | N/A | 4th | |--------|----------------|--------------|---------------|---------------| Season Club GP W D L GF GA DIF ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 09/10 Ajax 52 30 11 11 79 41 +38 10/11 Ajax 50 31 11 8 102 45 +58 11/12 Ajax 49 34 8 7 101 34 +67 12/13 Ajax 51 34 11 6 119 43 +79 13/14 Ajax 46 32 5 9 106 48 +58 14/15 Ajax 52 39 11 3 112 36 +76 15/16 ------------------------Unemployed---------------------------- 16/18 Holland 20 12 4 4 38 21 +17 18/19 Valencia 39 18 12 9 74 50 +24 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total 359 230 73 57 741 318 +423 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *All information and picture in this career update have been taken from wikipedia.org* Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elrithral Posted January 13, 2010 Author Share Posted January 13, 2010 August 2009 The first thing I noticed about the Ajax squad was the lack of quality in central defence, Oleguer was average, Alderweireld was a little too young to take the main CD spot, Vertonghen was more of a DM imo despite being classed as a CD and Wielaert just wasn’t good enough, I needed to bring someone in. However, I had a measly £4m to spend and had no chance of bringing in anyone with the quality to lead the defence, who had youth or recent first team football on their side, I gambled on Jorge Andrade, the former Deportivo and Juventus stopper, who had spent the ebst part of two years out of the game with a serious knee injury. His wages were relatively low so I was happy to bring him in, even if he only managed half a seasons worth of games, but he I hoped he would stay injury free as he definitiely had the quality to become a top Eredivisie defender. The rest of the team was adequate, but only just, though there were one or two players whose wages exceeded their ability and I set about offloading some dead weight and cashing in on a couple of players who had a bigger reputation than they deserved. Gabri moved to Zaragoza for £2.1m, Kennedy to Galatasaray for £3m and Vertonghen to Sporting for £5m, I had hoped that the hefty fees would be pumped back into the transfer budget so that I could strengthen, but no such luck. My budget was boosted a mere £5m and the only bit of business I could afford to complete before season kick off was Jose Salomon Rondon who came in for £220k from Las Palmas, he had youth on his side and would act as backup with a view to a first team place some time in the future. I would be playing a 4-2-3-1, with three attacking midfielders providing support to a lone striker and two deep lying play makers who would pick their passes to what was essentially a front four. With such an attacking formation I had to rely on a sturdy defence, which meant that my full backs would put more emphasis on defence than attack, my line up would be; Stekelenberg Ogararu Andrade Alderweireld Atouba De Zeeuw Lindgren Suarez Aissati Sulejmani Pantelic Season kick off seems to creep up on you, don’t you think? 02.08.09 FC Groningen 4 – 2 Ajax An absolutely hideous second half performance saw us walk away with nothing. The opening goal had been a kick in the teeth because we were performing well, but we recovered and went in to half time with the advantage. Unfortunately lacklustre defending and complacent finishing saw Groningen run out comfortable winners and me endure a disappointing start to me time with Ajax. 08.08.09 Ajax 3 - 0 RKC This was more like it, both wingers getting in on the act, Aissati either side of half time and Kennedy (before he moved on) from the spot. Three goals was no less than we deserved as we bossed the game, though it would have been nice to capitalise on Benson’s dismissal and get a few more goals. 16.08.09 PSV 1 – 2 Ajax A fantastic result against one of the teams that were bound to be challenging us for the title at the end of the season. This win would give us the confidence and belief to go from strength to strength and make a genuine play for the league title. De eeuw’s goal came in injury time, when everyone thought the points would be shared, is there any better way to get one over your rivals? 20.08.09 Amkar 0 – 2 Ajax Not a bad result against a potentially dangerous opponent in the first leg of the fourth qualifying round for the Uefa Cup, our place in the group stages looked like a certainty as we still had the luxury of the home leg to make sure of it. 23.08.09 Ajax 1 – 0 Sparta I would have liked to have won by a bigger margin as Sparta have to be considered one of the weaker teams in the division, but at the end of the day 3 points is what it’s all about and Andrade’s first goal for the club, in the 11th minute was enough to give us the win. 27.08.09 Ajax 2 – 1 Amkar The return leg of the qualifying match and another professional performance. Both goals came in the opening half hour, which meant that we could relax and prepare for the trip to Heracles in three days time. 30.08.09 Heracles 1 – 0 Ajax A humiliating defeat, though our cause wasn’t helped by a needless red card for Ogararu in the 8th minute. We battled valiantly, but eventually my ten men tired and Heracles snatched a winner in the 86th minute. Two defeats in our opening seven games concerned me, but I had to believe thatw e would have won had Ogararu kept his head. My first month in the job and I’m pretty pleased with what I’ve seen so far. We may struggle in Europe because we lack strength in depth, but I’m confident that we can hold our own in the league and expect us to be in and around top spot come May. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dalbeider Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 Nice to see you typing fluently again, Elrithral. How's that arm holding? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elrithral Posted January 13, 2010 Author Share Posted January 13, 2010 Not too bad Dal, left handed typing sucks, that update took me ages Physio appointment at 2pm though, so hopefully i'll egt some good news and be able to drive, let alone write, sooner rather than later. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terk Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 *waves* Good luck on conquering Europe with Ajax, hopefully it'll be easier than it was with Feyenoord. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeLikeFM Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 Cant wait to read this as I love your stories. KUTGW ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neji Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 Good luck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
iacovone Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 Great start there Elrithral (the style over the results ). This looks as though it'll be an enjoyable read. I reckon Andrade could end up being one of the league's signings of the season if he stays fit Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romanista1994 Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 Good luck with Ajax! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJ234 Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 Good luck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elrithral Posted January 13, 2010 Author Share Posted January 13, 2010 Terk! What about ye? Thanks for the encouragement. MeLikeFM, high praise indeed, many thanks. Neji, Romanista & SJ234, thanks for the ecouragement i'll make you all proud Iacovone, what makes you say that? Inside information me thinks....thanks for the kind words. *** September 2009 International call ups meant that September would be a quiet month, the closing of the transfer window also meant that I had a definite squad for the next four months, however, i’m not sure if that’s good or bad. 13.09.09 Ajax 1 – 0 NAC Breda Our fifth clean sheet in eight games, it’s early days but Andrade was already looking like an inspired bit of business as he marshalled the defence and controlled games. However, despite out fire power we are struggling for goals and had to rely on left winger Sulejmani to give us the win. 17.09.09 Ajax 2 – 2 Partizan We had been handed a relatively difficult group in the Euro Cup and would have to outdo Club Brugge, Sivasspor or Partizan if we were to make the knockout stages. Partizan were probably our strongest rivals, but even so I expected us to take three points, especially at home and especially considering we had a two goal lead. Another injury time goal conceded, couple with a Stekelenburg own goal ruined what looked like a definite three points. 24.09.09 Ajax 2 – 0 WKE The second round of the Dutch Cup had us pitted against lower league opposition so I decided to field a youth team, with a couple of first teamers to spur them on. It was the first teamers who got the goals, but one or two of the yout teamers made a good impression, Rodney Sneijder (younger brother of Wesley) in particular looks like one for the future. 27.09.09 Ajax 2 – 0 ADO Den Haag We left it late, in what should have been an easy victory against lowly opposition. Not that we didn’t have chances, we hammered them from the off, but it took 78 minutes for Pantelic to break the deadlock and somewhat indicative of the way my team was playing, we had to rely on an own goal to double our lead. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AcidBurn Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 Good luck Elithral, I like the style of your updates once I catch up with myself on my career I may steal that style from you lol. Good win over PSV, who are the main teams to watch out for in the league? In real life McClaren is doing very well how is he fairing so far? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elrithral Posted January 13, 2010 Author Share Posted January 13, 2010 I've just finished my second season, McLaren manages Twente and they are playing in the european place playoffs so he's doing ok, but the strongest teams are the obvious teams tbh, AZ, Feyenoord and PSV, Groningen and Heerenveen are tough, but beatable. Glad you like the style AB, I wasn't sure about it Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elrithral Posted January 14, 2010 Author Share Posted January 14, 2010 October 2009 October saw us playing 7 games in the space of 28 days, a game every four days would be ok for players fresh after a summer off, but come March and the inevitable injuries we might struggle to contend with such a hectic schedule. That said, such a schedule is a direct result of relative success as you fight your corner on so many fronts, three competitions atm, if it wasn’t for the challenge expectations I would forfeit Dutch Cup participation for an extra few days of rest each month. 01.10.09 Club Brugge 1 – 0 Ajax A poor to start to our Uefa Cup group stage continued as we followed up the draw against Partizan with a loss away to Brugge. Not a bad side, but one we really should be beating and even at this early stage of the season our away form is worrying me. It could have been so much better, Ogararu given the chance to equalise from the penalty spot on 60 mins, but his shot was tame and the keeper was able to push it round the post. 04.10.09 Roda JC 3 – 0 Ajax Yet more away woe and a humiliating defeat to boot. Roda are also rans, always capable of the odd shock result, but nowhere near good enough to claim a three goal win against a team of our quality. Perhaps it’s time to shake things up a little, only three months in, but already looking complacent. 07.10.09 VVV 0 – 2 Ajax Our first win of the month and a much deserved win at that. We absolutely hammered VVV and deserved more than the two goals we got, one either side of half time, Enoh and Pantelic getting on the scoresheet. I’m starting to worry about Suarez, playing on the right seems like I’m wasting his goalscoring ability, but I don’t have anyone good enough to take over the right side of midfield. 17.10.09 Ajax 1 – 0 Willem II With Alderweireld injured I was forced to bring in Oleguer, which I didn’t want to do as I don’t particularly rate him, but thank heavens I did. His goal on 45 gave us a narrow win and it says it all that two wins in a row felt like a corner turned. 22.10.09 Ajax 1 – 0 Sivasspor Make that three wins in a row! This time it was Sulejmani who bailed us out, thankfully this time it was a little earlier and we could afford to spurn the amount of chances that Pantelic wasted later in the game. 25.10.09 AZ 1 – 0 Ajax Our fourth league loss of the season, yet again away from home, but worst of all, against one of main contenders for the championship. AZ scored early on and went a man down on 65, but we couldn’t break them down and Aissati and Pantelic wasted enough chances to win three games. 28.10.09 Sparta 2 – 0 Ajax It might well be early days, but I already consider this season a bit of a disaster. Atm it looks like we’ll struggle to qualify for the knockout stages of the Uefa cup and if our form doesn’t pick up soon we’ll be out of the running for the title. With that in mind I took the decision to exit the Dutch Cup on purpose, fielding a weaker side and giving Sparta an easy ride into the next round. This ruins my chances of completing stage one in one season, but if I focus on the league I’ll increase my budget and more players will be interested, which means we’ll be stronger and more capable to challenge on all three fronts next season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
iacovone Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 Oh dear Elrithral. Do you have a different tactic you use away from home? It may be worth making a more defensive OR more attacking away formation (as you're not scoring away from home). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elrithral Posted January 14, 2010 Author Share Posted January 14, 2010 November 2009 01.11.09 Ajax 2 - 0 Feyenoord Every other game seems to be a big game, a must win game, but I have to keep reminding myself that there are only 18 teams in this division and at least 7 of those teams were challenging this season. Feyenoord were our fiercest rivals so it would do confidence the world of good to pick up a win against them, goals coming from the wings, yet again. 05.11.09 Partizan 1 - 3 Ajax At last! A decent away win at last! Partizan held us at home so I was worried about the away game, but there was nothing to worry about and we controlled the play from start to finish. The victory would have been all the more impressive had Atouba not put the ball through his own net, late in the game. 08.11.09 FC Twente 1 - 1 Ajax We took the lead early on against Steve McLaren’s team, another goal from Sulejmani, but we couldn’t hold on and ended up sharing the points despite deserving the win. Our problem seems to be finishing teams off, we’ve had the lead, but thrown it away far too often. 22.11.09 Ajax 1 - 0 Heerenveen Heerenveen are another decent team who could pose a problem, but our home form had been exceptional so far so I expected the win. It took 76 minutes for the goal to come, Lindgren, who had been average at best so far this season, finally doing something of note. 29.11.09 Vitesse 3 - 1 Ajax November had gone quite well, but with this result we came back down to earth with a bump. Our disastrous away form continued, but I had to take solace in the fact that we had scored away from home for three games running. Even I know that that is just clutching at straws. I’m not so sure that my problem was tactical; I think it’s got more to do with personnel. The defence has been fantastic, but my attacking players, with the exception of Sulejmani, have been abysmal. Aissati, Suarez and Pantelic have done nothing, money will have to spent in January so December will be spent looking for the quality that we need in order to find some level of consistency. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rancer890 Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 Just read through the thread. The Eredivisie is one of my favourite leagues to manage in, it's nice to read a career in Holland. Good luck with Ajax for the rest of the season (although I do support PSV...so just as long as you don't beat them too much I'm fine ). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elrithral Posted January 14, 2010 Author Share Posted January 14, 2010 Cheers Rancer, it's turned into quite a fun save, far, far better than my 09 attempt with Feyenoord. *** December 2009 December would see the midway point of the season and give us a proper chance to assess the season so far. We would know whether or not our European season was over, 50% of the league schedule gone and we would know if we stood any chance of a league title, or at least know what was needed if we were to stand any chance. Perhaps most importantly, the end of December would bring the transfer window with it and the chance to bring in new faces, strengthen the team and hopefully give us some quality in the areas that we were most lacking. However, I finally took the tactical plunge and changed to a 4-4-2, perhaps it isn’t just down to personnel. 03.12.09 Ajax 2 - 0 Club Brugge The first game with the new formation provided a wonderful performance and a comprehensive victory. It could have been three, but De Zeeuw missed a 90th minute penalty. Either way, we were now in the driving seat at the top of the group and, but for a bizarre loss in Turkey, would be continuing our European campaign into the new year. 06.12.09 FC Utrecht 1 - 2 Ajax Hazaaaaaaaa! An away win against a decent team. Even De Zeeuw’s red card couldn’t take the shine off this performance. The change to two up front seemed to make a world of difference and I finally got a performance out of Suarez! 11.12.09 Ajax 1 - 1 NEC Following up two great wins with a lacklustre draw is always difficult to take, especially when you do more than enough to win and especially when your home form has been so good. Another good performance and another goal from Suarez though, things are looking up, up front. 17.12.09 Sivasspor 0 - 3 Ajax Wowsers, what a difference 4-4-2 can make! Another great performance from my strikers, in particular Pantelic, who until the change had struggled to make any sort of impact, now he has 4 in 3. We top our group, but face a tough trip to Romania to face CFR Cluj in the First Knockout Round. 30.12.09 NAC Breda 2 - 2 Ajax We should have had another away win and another little bit of morale boosted, but De Zeeuw’s red card in the 80th minute left us short when it really matters and the NAC equaliser was inevitable as my ten struggled to cope with an 11 man attack during the final minutes. Going in to the New Year, midway through the season and despite indifferent form we are still in with a shout as everyone seems to be struggling for form. There’s only three points in it and I hope that my January signings can make at least three points difference. Mid Season League Table Uefa Cup Group K Finish Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toktamisj Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 Nice read! hope you have succes in the next half of the season! It would be advisable to try and buy a good winger because suarez is amazing as a striker! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
iacovone Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 Good to hear the tactical switch has provided an improvement in your away form. The table is so tight at this stage, its all up for grabs. And Heracles . Wow they're doing well for a side that would surely be expected to be around the relegation spots. Who do you have in the next round of the Europa League? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AcidBurn Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 I was about to ask that iacovone, be good to see the Europa League draw. 4-4-2 is a good idea to try and improve your away form, which is needed. Any chance of a screenshot of Suarez are you playing him upfront now? I had him as striker for Sunderland and he was kick ass. The league is all up for grabs very close and exciting league by the looks of it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dalbeider Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 Who do you have in the next round of the Europa League? I was about to ask that iacovone, be good to see the Europa League draw. Er... 17.12.09 Sivasspor 0 - 3 Ajax Wowsers, what a difference 4-4-2 can make! Another great performance from my strikers, in particular Pantelic, who until the change had struggled to make any sort of impact, now he has 4 in 3. We top our group, but face a tough trip to Romania to face CFR Cluj in the First Knockout Round. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AcidBurn Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 That'll teach me to read properly lol. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
iacovone Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 Oops. Cheers Dalbeider Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elrithral Posted January 15, 2010 Author Share Posted January 15, 2010 *Toktamisj, i've just moved him up front and brought in a right winger, the change alreayd looks very promising . iacovone, AB, thanks for the encouragement, keep up though * *** January 2010 Finally, the transfer window, I’ve been waiting for this moment since September 1st, but I couldn’t go mad. Money was still tight so I had to sell to buy, if my buying was going to total anything near the amount I expected. Aissati looks like a great prospect, but where does he play? Left wing, right wing, attacking midfield, midfield? I’d tried him in every position and he hadn’t produced the goods, so when Madrid came sniffing and matched my £8.25m price tag there was only one answer going to be given. Reserve right back van der Wiel moved to Liverpool for £2.2m and Sporkslede joined him for £700k. Despite bringing in £22m since August I was still only given 50% to spend and my budget stood at £11m, nowhere near enough to bring in the number of players and the amount of quality I believe we needed. Unless….unless I raided the transfer and loan lists. First through the doors, the only permanent signing to be made in January, Hedwiges Maduro returns to the club after a torrid spell in Spain, he’s cover for central defence and central midfield and a real bargain at £770k. Next up were Manchester United’s two Serbian midfielders, Ljajic and Tosic £1.1m to bring both of them in on a 6 month loan, Tosic was just what we needed on the right wing, which would free up Suarez for a place up front. Central midfield is an area that I really needed to improve, Lindgren was poor and De Zeeuw was off form, step up Ekdal and Diarra, another pair of 6 month loanees and a snip at £1.3m and £1.4m respectively. Ekdal would be the creative force, with Diarra bossing and breaking up play, both were far superior to what was currently on offer and both would walk straight into the first team. My new formation and line-up would look a lot like this; Stekelenberg Ogararu Andrade Alderweireld Emanuelson Diarra Ekdal Tosic Sulejmani Suarez Pantelic Since coming to the club I have shown a real taste for a bargain, spending only £4.7m and receiving £22m back, I’m just hoping that these loan signings have enough about them to guide us to victory and come the summer window I’ll be given some of this cash to splurge on a squad fit for the Champions League. 23.01.10 Ajax 5 - 0 AZ Well that’s those three points taken care of and it already looks like the new guys will settle in just fine. Tosic in particular, netting a hat trick on his debut and becoming a fans favourite almost immediately. What a difference a few new signings can make, what a difference Suarez up front can make, he was instrumental in our attacks and really took the AZ defence to task, a man of the match performance despite not getting on the scoresheet. 31.01.10 Feyenoord 0 - 1 Ajax Another big rivals game and another impressive performance from the newbies. Pantelic got the only goal of the game in the 5th minute, but Feyenoord never caused us any problems as Ekdal picked his passes and Diarra controlled midfield in order to give his partner time and space. Getting the three points away from home is probably the most pleasing aspect of the result, and it might only be early days with this “new” team, but things are already looking good. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
iacovone Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 A few real bargains there Elrithral. Tosic is bound to be a good move. Which Diarra is this? Also a slight request. Would it be possible for your screenshots to be split-screen and have the overview and player ratings? This would give us a chance to see directly how your players are performing. No worries if you prefer it how you have it Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elrithral Posted January 15, 2010 Author Share Posted January 15, 2010 It's Mahamadou Diarra, his tackling ability will help us a lot. No probs re screenshots, any sugegstions are welcomed, i'm actually three seasons into this save, so I can't change season one screenshots, but i'll make the change for season two Any other advice? I'm so used to FMS and not being allowed to use pics. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elrithral Posted January 15, 2010 Author Share Posted January 15, 2010 February 2010 Unbeaten in seven, unbeaten in two months if I wanted to make it sound fancy we hoped to take our excellent form into February and onwards. With only fourteen league games remaining and eight games between us and the Uefa Cup final, it was time to focus and time to take control of our season. Consistency was the order of the day, the title was the target, the Uefa Cup might be a bonus. 03.02.10 Ajax 0 – 0 Roda JC A really boring match, following on from two great results and two great performances with a lacklustre showing like this, it’s hard to describe how frustrating that is. 07.02.10 Ajax 3 – 0 FC Twente The change in formation had seen Tosic and Suarez assume the roles of talisman, everything went through them and this game was no different. Twente struggled to cope with us and this performance gave everyone else an idea of how good we could be. 13.02.10 Heerenveen 1 – 1 Ajax We had over fifty minutes to try and make something of this game, but our away from, though it has improved, continues to drag our overall performance down. As of this point in the season we are top of the league for home record and a very disappointing 7th for away record, which tells you all you need to know about this campaign. 17.02.10 CFR Cluj 1 – 1 Ajax Not a bad performance against tricky opposition. Another equaliser in the 80’s is difficult to swallow, but it’s better than nothing. Diarra is unavailable having played in the Champions League for Madrid, he could be a big loss, especially considering De Zeeuw won’t be getting much of a run out between European games. 21.02.10 Ajax 2 – 0 Vitesse Suarez and Pantelic combined to give us a comfortable win in the build up to the Cluj return leg, consistency still wasn’t there, but a clean sheet is always pleasing for a manager. Most importantly, two months earlier Vitesse had truly humbled us in the away game and it was nice to get our own back. 25.02.10 Ajax 2 – 0 CFR Cluj Before the game I was really worried about the possibility of an upset, even though we had that away goal. CFR Cluj are a good team and a professional performance was called for, Alderweireld was the star performer, but it was Pantelic who steadied nerves with his goal just after the break. We would meet Toulouse in the next round, another professional performance would be called for. 28.02.10 Ajax 2 – 0 FC Utrecht Perhaps more important than the result was the extension of our unbeaten run, nine games without defeat, in which time we had conceded only two goals and scored an impressive seventeen. Morale was on the up and consistency seemed to be coming along with it, slowly, but surely. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike7077 Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 Just on my lunchbreak from work and had a read through this. Really like the format and the little mini match reports. Tempted to pretty much steal this format and do my own update! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terk Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 I'm so used to FMS and not being allowed to use pics. Pfft, you're allowed links to pictures like you've put here, you're just not allowed to put the image directly into the thread Nice to see a bit of consistency seeping into your play Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dalbeider Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 I love consistency. Or would love it if I managed to have it, you know, consistently. The only consistency I find lately is that my teams are consistently inconsistent. In short: I envy you sooo much. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elrithral Posted January 15, 2010 Author Share Posted January 15, 2010 *Mike, feel free to nab the layout, look forward to seeing an update if you have the time. Terk, what's worse, a pic without a link or a poll? Dal, FM10 is the version that I have had greatest difficulty with finding consistency, it's all down to morale afaic and the T&TT teamtalk sticky really helped Three seasons in now and morale etc is a lot better.* March 2010 March would be all about two things, the Uefa Cup and the game against PSV. Toulouse would pose formidable opposition, if we managed to beat them and progress we would have exceeded board expectations and fired a warning shot across Europe. PSV would give us a game and a half; if we managed to beat them then the title run in would be between ourselves and AZ. 07.03.10 Sparta 0 – 1 Ajax I was going to say that this was payback, but then I remembered that the only reason we lost at Sparta in the Cup was because I wanted to lose and wanted to free up some fixture space. Ogararu’s strike just before half time was enough to give us the points in the build up to our trip to France. 11.03.10 Toulouse 2 – 0 Ajax I had started to forget what losing felt like, quite a crash after ten games without loss, but Toulouse were just too good. Andre Pierre Gignac was in sparkling form, grabbing a brace and even a 63rd minute red card for Sissoko didn’t help our cause. 14.03.10 Ajax 3 – 2 PSV On the face of it this was a great result, bouncing back from the Toulouse result and beating a rival in the process, but it could have been so much better. A three goal lead at half time, a red card, and an edgy final few minutes as we claimed the win by a single goal. 18.03.10 Ajax 3 – 0 Toulouse A performance that dreams are made of and I’m not exaggerating. Within 41 minutes Suarez had turned the game on it’s head and we were back on level terms, then on 68 Tosic got the winner, that goal was worth the £775k I paid for 6 months service. We would be drawn against big gun opposition in the quarter finals and would have to schedule another trip to France, this time to Lyon. 28.03.10 Ajax 3 – 1 FC Groningen Sulejmani and Pantelic made the difference in this game, another win on our way to a fourth month without a league defeat. Unfortunately Andrade and Suarez picked up injuries, which will see them miss the first week of April, everything was crossed in the hope that they would return for the return leg of the Uefa Cup Quarters. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elrithral Posted January 15, 2010 Author Share Posted January 15, 2010 April/May 2010 I’ve decided to include both April and May in a single update because there was only one game scheduled for May and I was hoping that it would have no bearing on the title. Also, I doubt I’ll be updating over the weekend, so I can make sure I have any screenshots etc ready for next week. 01.04.10 Lyon 3 – 3 Ajax A barnstormer of a game for a neutral, a heart attack pack for me and a positive result thanks to the away goal rule. We were two down within 22 minutes and it looked like we would struggle, but Cvitanich, deputising for Suarez, had the game of his life and rescued us. In the end we could have won it and only needed to hold on for another 23 minutes, but three goals away from home gave us a great chance of progression. 04.04.10 Ado Den Haag 1 – 0 Ajax An early goal for Ado meant that they could sit back, eleven men behind the ball and frustrate us. Cvitanich had played a blinder in the previous game, but we were really lacking the creative spark that Suarez brought to the frontline and never managed to claw a goal back. This loss brought our unbeaten run to an end and it couldn’t have come at a worse time. 08.04.10 Ajax 2 – 1 Lyon The return of Suarez gave Pantelic the freedom to find space for the opener, then Suarez got number two, we would be in the semis, regardless of Toulalan’s consolation. Valencia would be waiting for us and it really would take a miracle to pull something out of the hat in that contest, but I’m really proud of our achievements in the Uefa Cup in my first season in charge, especially considering our plight after only two group games. 11.04.10 Ajax 0 – 0 VVV At home against mid table mediocrity in the title run in and you expect your boys to have the motivation to deliver. Sure, it makes things more interesting, but give me silverware over interesting any day of the week. 14.04.10 Willem II 1 – 1 Ajax I was starting to wonder if the pressure was too much for my lads to handle, the title was there for the taking, but we had fallen short for the third game in a row. It took us 63 minutes to break them down and we only held onto that lead for 4 minutes! The only saving grace was that AZ were matching us result for result and we remained in the driving seat despite our loss of form. 18.04.10 Ajax 1 – 0 Heracles Oleguer got his second in as many games and this time we were able to see out the game without conceding. A red card for Ekdal and an injury for Atouba meant that the final few minutes were a little more nail biting than I would have liked, but the win took us to within three points of the title as AZ lost, yet again. 22.04.10 Ajax 0 – 0 Valencia I had to hope that we would be able to nab something at home against far superior opposition, but at the same time I had to be realistic and accept that a draw was a good result. I wouldn’t say that I gave up hope of reaching the final, but hope certainly diminished. 25.04.10 RKC 0 – 2 Ajax The title is ours! AZ were six behind with one to play. Pantelic takes the honours with a brace, one of only a few highlights in an otherwise stop start season from the Serbian targetman. I’m delighted, yet surprised, that we managed to claim the title, but I’ll go into that in more detail soon. 29.04.10 Valencia 2 – 1 Ajax And so it is only one trophy in my debut season, as Valencia limp to a win and claim a place in the final. Truth be told, we were the better team and we deserved that place more than them, they got their win thanks to two counter attack goals scored early in the game, against the run of play. We were on the back foot and away from home, but we had plenty of chances to get back into it and Suarez gave us hope, but we just couldn’t find that second goal. Either way we can be proud of our European season, the fact that we can be disappointed with only a semi final place speaks volumes. 02.05.10 NEC 1 – 0 Ajax In a game that didn’t matter I gave the youngsters a run out and some league debuts. Sneijder, Castillion, Eriksen and Blind all started and all four should get one or two more games next season, with a view to a first team place when they have enough experience under their belts. The loss wasn’t a big deal, if anything we were doing NEC a favour as they tried to escape relegation, but the teams around them also won their games and the final game of the season was first against last. So there we have it, my first season in charge saw me sell £22m worth of players, spend only £4.7m and still walk away with the league title and a place in the Uefa Cup semi finals. For me Europe was the biggest achievement, not only because nearly every team we faced was expected to beat us, but because we didn’t have to rely on other results for our success. That might seem like a strange thing to say, but afaic other team’s results are the only reason we won the Eredivisie. FINAL LEAGUE TABLE 2009/10 I can’t believe that a team who lost 7 games in a 34 game season has come out on top. That’s not to do myself a disservice, my transfers were excellent, even if I do say so myself, but it’s obvious that we weren’t the only top team who struggled for form or consistency all season long.. However, I’ve earnt my spurs and the players know how I like to play etc, so there is no excuse for inconsistency next season and I expect us to go from strength to strength. I have one big, big problem. Diarra, Tosic and Ekdal have all played so well that their respective teams have removed them from the transfer list and won’t consider selling them, so all three positions will have to be replaced in the summer. The plus point of this is the extremely positive balance and the promise of a £20m+ budget!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terk Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 Firstly, congratulations on the title, it does seem that no one took advantage of your poor start to life in Amsterdam. Secondly, a poll is much worse. Start a poll in FMS and I will find you and kill you Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AcidBurn Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 Well done on the title win Elithral, did Valencia win the Europa League? It always feels better going out to the eventual winners. Champions League next season, good luck. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elrithral Posted January 15, 2010 Author Share Posted January 15, 2010 Thanks chaps. AB, Sevilla thumped them 3-1 in the final. Can't wait for the Champions League, but I know the group I get and, not wanting to spoil anything, but it's just a little bit tough Edit: Link to Euro Cup tree. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
iacovone Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 Excellent end to your season Elrithral. That's a nice league win in what was a very tight Dutch campaign. Shame you missed out on a Europa League final spot but there's no shame in losing to Valencia. Beating Lyon is impressive enough! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJ234 Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 Well done Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romanista1994 Posted January 16, 2010 Share Posted January 16, 2010 Well done on bringing the 30th title to Ajax. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elrithral Posted January 18, 2010 Author Share Posted January 18, 2010 *iacovone, I was delighted with our run in the Europa League, our form in that competition was far, far ebtter than our league form so it was really disappointing to miss out on the final. SJ234, Romanista, many thanks.* *** July 2010 Participation in the Dutch Super Cup meant that we started our competitive season a week earlier than everyone else and with the prospect of a longer winter break the entire league was starting a few weeks earlier than normal. The previous three months had been spent trying to strengthen the squad, getting rid of dead weight, freeing up wages and replacing those loan players who had been so instrumental in our title triumph. On the wages front, the free transfers of Dennis Rommedahl and Evander Sno freed up over £40k pw this coupled with transfers out gave me a healthy wage budget to work with. My budget was £20m, but I managed to add an extra £6.5m with the sales of three players who stood no chance of breaking into the first team, but expected a first team place. Lindgren, who had been so disappointing in season one, was shipped off to Fiorentina for £3.2m. Vermeer was an excellent prospect, but he was too good to sit on the bench and he wanted to leave as soon as he knew that Madrid were interested, £2.2m and off to the Bernabeu he went. Finally, Anita moved to Galatasaray for £975k, he was behind Lindgren in the pecking order, so that tells you all you need to know. I waited until the last minute to bring anyone in and by that time my loan stars from season one had found themselves back on the transfer/loan list. Ekdal and Ljajic were available for loan and for a fee of £775k and £1.9m respectively I acquired their services for a full season, Ekdal would retain his creative midfield position and Ljajic would fill the troublesome right wing slot (I had hoped to sign Tosic, but he chose Milan over Amsterdam). Diarra returned, this time on a permanent deal, a real bargain at £1.7m, he would continue his midfield partnership with Ekdal and consign Maduro and de Zeeuw to the bench. Finally there were two major coups for the club, one was a gamble and one was just what Andrade needed. Nicolas Burdisso was available for £3.5m, from Inter Milan, but I didn’t want to offer him more than a year because I expected Alderweireld to make CB his own within the year so I settled for yet another loan deal. £375k for a defender of Burdisso’s quality has to be considered one of the bargains of the season, he would give Andrade stability in the centre and he had experience of playing on either side of the defence as a makeshift fullback. The gamble was as high profile as it gets, David Beckham! I thought long and hard about this signing, but eventually I decided to take the plunge as he was available for free and only wanted £30k pw. I could afford the risk for a two year contract and if it didn’t work out….well I’d cross that bridge when I came to it. He would start off on the right, which was a little unfair on Ljajic, but at the same time it was just too difficult to ignore his crossing ability, something that I hoped Pantelic would take advantage of. That was the end of my summer spending, I would have liked to bring in a couple more, replace a couple of positions that I didn’t think were strong enough, but the fees their clubs were asking for were too high and I’m sure you’ll have noticed that I’m a bit thrifty when it comes to spending. It was time to get the season underway and the squad didn’t look all that much different to the one that finished season one; surely that’s a good thing. 24.07.10 Feyenoord 0 – 1 Ajax It might not mean all that much, but adding a piece of silverware to your trophy cabinet is always nice, especially when it involves a victory over one of your fiercest rivals. Burdisso and Andrade settled in well at the back and Beckham got an assist on his debut, his corner headed home by Andrade. However, an injury to Ogararu meant I would have to settle for Bruno Silva who really is sub-standard, for the beginning of the league season. 31.07.10 FC Den Bosch 0 – 1 Ajax An efficient performance and a victory, with a first team that included four benchwarmers was pleasing, even if the fans expected a few more goals. Cvitanich was on fire and could have had two or three, Burdisso had another great game, but Beckham was extremely poor and struggled to keep up as the clock ticked down. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
iacovone Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 Becks!! \o/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike7077 Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 I hope Beckham does well for you. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elrithral Posted January 18, 2010 Author Share Posted January 18, 2010 *I’ve returned the favour to Mike7077 and stolen part of his update method , monthly reflection helps split match reports and my musings on our form.* *** August 2010 07.08.10 Sparta 1 – 2 Ajax A really good team performance, better than the scoreline suggests. Defensively we were really strong and Sparta’s goal was a long range effort that nobody could have stopped, but Burdisso was on hand to do exactly want I wanted him to do and get a few goals from set pieces and Cvitanich was making a good case for a first team spot with another goal as he deputised for Suarez. Diarra’s red card could have been avoided, but it’s hard to fault such commitment, something that was sorely missing at this stage last season. 21.08.10 Ajax 1 – 1 RKC Yet again the performance was there, but the goals weren’t, the reverse of early season, last season. De Zeeuw wasn’t strong enough to fill Diarra’s boots and Cvitanich, who had kept his place at the expense of Pantelic, was abysmal. Suarez wasn’t much better and chance after chance was missed, Pantelic (a half time sub) made the break through, but two minutes later a defensive mix up gave RKC the chance to equalise and we never managed to get a second. The Season So Far It’s too early to tell, but it’s been less than emphatic, especially considering the second half of season one when we were scoring for fun. Either way, a Super Cup win and seven points from nine isn’t a bad start and the new guys are settling in well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elrithral Posted January 19, 2010 Author Share Posted January 19, 2010 September 2010 01.09.10 Willem II 3 – 1 Ajax Back down to earth with a thud as we were humiliated and outplayed by a very average Willem II side. Four players had a shocker, the usually reliable Ogararu, the past it Wielaert, Sulejmani, but worst of all Beckham. It took us 90 minutes to register and by that time it was merely a consolation. 11.09.10 Ajax 0 – 0 VVV A bit of an improvement from the Willem result as player performance improved and those who failed to impress were either dropped or bucked their ideas up, but there was nothing doing up front. Enough chances to win four games and every single one of them missed, over elaborate wing play is a serious issue, I wish I could get my players to stick it in the box and let Pantelic challenge for it, but they insist on trying to take it past their man, by which time Pantelic is marked. 15.09.10 Ajax 4 – 0 Dinamo My first game in the Champions League, THE competition. Everyone played fantastically well, Beckham did a great job in the centre of midfield and Ljajic set up two goals playing on the right. Pantelic and Sulejmani were too much for a pretty good Dinamo side to handle. 18.09.10 ADO Den Haag 0 – 0 Ajax Another really average performance in the league, without a win in three, which is bad, but this early in the season makes it really bad. We can’t rely on other teams not performing, this season has to be a win because of our performance and right now our performances are screaming mid table. 21.09.10 Ajax 2 – 0 Be Quick 1887 I fielded a weaker team against lower league opposition in the Dutch Cup, but we still coped with them well and fully deserved our two goal win. Pantelic produced the goods once again, but another good performance from Cvitanich is giving me food for thought as Pantelic’s form does fluctuate and it’s only a matter of time before he goes on a lengthy barren spell. 25.09.10 Ajax 3 – 0 AZ You thought season one saw us struggle for consistency?! How can a team of our quality stumble from league loss to league also rans, league draw against cannon fodder and then produce a breathtaking display to claim a convincing win against your biggest title rival? Stars of the show, so far this season, are the defence, Ogararu, Emanuelson, Burdisso and Andrade have played a blinder so far, but for the odd blip. 28.09.10 Barcelona 4 – 0 Ajax Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the gulf in quality between the best team in Holland and the best team in Spain. In so doing, I highlight the uphill struggle we have in front of us if we are to ever mount a serious European challenge. Barca were brilliant and we were awful, it’s after games like these that I think long and hard about forfeiting Champions League participation for Uefa Cup participation, in the hope that we stand more chance. The Season So Far It’s difficult to see us progressing from a Champions League group that includes Barcelona and Juventus, so we have to focus our attention on bettering Dinamo, claiming third spot and joining the latter stages of the Uefa Cup. That said I don’t fancy another 4-0 thumping, no matter who we are playing and expect a lot better from the players at my disposal. In the league we are struggling for consistency, yet again. Five points from a possible twelve this month is not good enough, the only saving grace is the win against AZ which keeps us in contention with our biggest rival. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike7077 Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 Yeah you've not the best of months there. League form has gone a bit iffy, but I reckon you'll turn that around. Which Dinamo is it? Moscow? Zagreb? Bucharest? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AcidBurn Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 League form does seem a bit dodgy but AZ match was a good result. I struggle for consistency as well on FM10. I hate Barcelona on this game as well they are just too powerful, good luck dude. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elrithral Posted January 19, 2010 Author Share Posted January 19, 2010 *Mike, you were right to believe, sorry about the Dinamo bit, it was Zagreb. AB, Barca were fanatstic, they absolutely destroyed us, but there might be shock for Pep in a few matches time * *** October 2010 02.10.10 Vitesse 0 – 2 Ajax A really solid performance and a nice way to bounce back from our humbling in Catalonia. Sulejmani was a joy to behold, cutting in from the left wing and really taking the Vitesse defence to task. Pantelic on the other hand, he was nothing short of woeful and I’m getting really sick and tired of him only turning up when he feels like it. 16.10.10 NAC Breda 1 – 3 Ajax Another solid performance and another fantastic game for Sulejmani, but best of all; we came back from a goal down and showed a perfect mix of determination and flair to get back into the game. Another woeful effort from Pantelic though, that coupled with Sulejmani’s form has made up my mind that Pantelic will sit out the trip to Turin. 19.10.10 Juventus 3 – 2 Ajax So close and yet so far, we were within three minutes of a shock result, away from home against one of the European powerhouses, but Stekelenberg was finally beaten. A man of the match performance, despite conceding three, from our number one, we can be really proud of this result, perhaps I was too hasty in talking about the gulf in class. 24.10.10 Ajax 3 – 1 Roda JC Suarez and Sulejmani continue their excellent form, Pantelic retains his position on the bench, but puts in a decent substitute appearance. With Beckham injured we’ve had to rely on Ljajic and he’s been doing really well, his pace is a major asset and Becks might struggle to get back into the first team. 28.10.10 Ajax 3 – 1 Schijndel Yet more lower league competition thanks to the Dutch Cup, gives me a chance to field a couple of youngsters and give the benchwarmers a run out. 18 year old Geoffrey Castillion is a prospect and did quite well, but Sarpong and Ljajic are the top performers, unfortunately both have very capable rivals for their position, Sulejmani and Beckham and if it wasn’t for that they would be getting more games. 31.10.10 Heracles 0 – 4 Ajax Another fantastic result and another fantastic away performance, our issues away from home last season seem like a lifetime ago. It’s our fifth straight win in the league and a comprehensive win at that, another mom performance from Ljajic is particularly pleasing and with a hefty wedge of transfer budget remaining, I’ll be trying to sign him permanently in January. The Season So Far What a difference a month makes, eh? This time 31 days ago I was worried, now I couldn’t be happier. The five straight wins have seen us bounce up the table and into contention, but even more important than that is the way the team is playing and the number of players who performed wonders all month long. I’d love to tell you who player of the month was, but there were too many to choose from! Suarez got 3 in 5, Sulejmani got 6 in 5 and Ljajic averaged 7.7, we were excellent all month long. The only disappointment was the loss to Juve and even then we did ourselves proud, just a shame that we couldn’t hold out for the three points and a momentous win, but we definitely fired a warning shot across Europe and showed that we are no pushovers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AcidBurn Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 Harry freaking Kewell how much did they sign him for? unlucky with that result especially the timing of their goals. I forgot to say Be Quick 1887 has got to be one of the best team names I have seen. Good to see you scoring freely in the league especially. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elrithral Posted January 20, 2010 Author Share Posted January 20, 2010 *AB, Kewell was signed for £3.6m from Gala and did really well in the 10/11 seasonm, he scored 7 in 16 and averaged 7.9!* *** November 2010 03.11.10 Ajax 1 – 1 Juventus Dagnamit! Once again Juve come back towards the end of the game to save themselves and ruin our chances of a fantastic victory and it’s all thanks to Diarra. With Ekdal ineligible I decided to play a defensive central midfield with Diarra at DM and Maduro in CM, Maduro played fantastically well and netted the penalty that gave us the lead, Diarra also played well, but his red card on 81 gave Juve the chance to equalise on 83. 06.11.10 Ajax 1 – 0 Heerenveen Edge of your seat stuff as we left it late to snatch a winner through Luis Suarez, but another red card for Diarra, his second in two matches, puts a dampener on any last minute celebrations. I’m still struggling to decide who deserves the second striker spot, Cvitanich and Pantelic seem to be taking it in turns to find and then drop form. 10.11.10 Twente 1 – 6 Ajax My highest scoring victory so far as manager of AFC Ajax and it was fully deserved, we absolutely blattered them from start to finish. However, it wasn’t until the 51st minute that we actually took control of the game (even though we had taken the lead before that) and three goals in the space of eight minutes guaranteed an impressive victory against a decent team. 13.11.10 Ajax 1 – 1 PSV Not bad, but not great. The victory was there for the taking, but an uncharacteristic error from Stekelenberg gave PSV the chance to equalise and then fill their box with defenders, stifling our play and hoping for the draw. 20.11.10 Ajax 2 – 0 FC Utrecht Cvitanich and Suarez worked well together to give us the three points, but it was the team display that really pleased me. Only young Rodney Sneijder scored less than seven and he’s still finding his feet, the defence in particular, as usual, performed wonders and I’m caught in two minds about whether or not I should sign up Burdisso or give Alderweireld a chance. As tough decisions go, it’s a nice one. 23.11.10 Dinamo 1 – 3 Ajax Burdisso got a goal at either end of the pitch, though his own goal in the 22nd minute had already been cancelled out with strikes from Sulejmani and Cvitanich. This win guaranteed our third place finish in the group, going into the final game we would be level on points with Juventus, so a runners up spot was there, but the final round of fixtures meant that we would have to draw with Barcelona, at least, and hope that Dinamo managed to beat Juventus. Uefa Cup here we come. 27.11.10 PSV 2 – 4 Ajax An absolutely fantastic result, even though PSV haven’t found form this season, they will always try their best against one of their biggest rivals so the win will provide the confidence boost and bragging rights that would go down a treat as we approached the Christmas schedule. Cvitanich got his third in three matches and it started to get easier to decide who started alongside Suarez. We went behind twice and my lads showed great character to get back into it and walk away with an impressive victory against a very capable team. The Season So Far We stretch our unbeaten run in the league to twelve and our early season woes are long forgotten as we sit pretty at the top of the table, staring down at AZ, who appear to be our only realistic challengers. We’re scoring freely, averaging just short of three goals a game and defending well, the only blight on an otherwise excellent start is a dodgy disciplinary record, which Diarra didn’t help, but I’m confident that we can change our ways, the fine for Diarra should give the squad an idea of how I feel about poor squad discipline. The Champions League looked like it would be a struggle, Juventus and Barcelona too good for us, but we’ve done really well and held our own. To have any chance of progressing, as we enter the final round, is more than I thought possible and the games against Juve were particularly pleasing. However, even if we manage to beat Barca I don’t see Dinamo beating Juve, so it looks like we’ll spend the second half of the season in the Uefa Cup, no bad thing as I consider it a competition that we can win. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elrithral Posted January 20, 2010 Author Share Posted January 20, 2010 December 2010 01.12.10 Ajax 4 – 2 FC Groningen Forget the result, just check out Suarez! Twelve months ago I was playing him on the right wing and wondering why goals were few and far between, what a waste of a talent that was; I should be taken out and shot! Seriously though, surely a six minute hat trick is some kind of record?! 05.12.10 Ajax 1 – 2 Feyenoord Our first loss in fourteen and it had to come against our most bitter of rivals. Suarez didn’t turn up, still high as a kite after his performance against Groningen, complacency the issue, but we couldn’t have done any more. Feyenoord hit us with two long range screamers that no keeper would have saved and no defence could have stopped, the loss is difficult to stomach, but the performance was actually quite good. 08.12.10 Ajax 2 – 2 Barcelona Winning the league in my first season in charge pales into insignificance compared to this result and this display. Two down after only 34 minutes, we showed the grit and determination of warriors to battle back and earn a draw against the best team in the world. Towards the end we had chances to win it, but regardless of scoreline or points won it feels like a win because it shows how far we have come and gives us something to build on for next season. 11.12.10 Ajax 3 – 0 Sparta A really thorough and convincing performance from the lads, we were in fine form in front of goal, the game was over within 30 minutes. Sarpong got his second mom in a row, I wish I could give him more games, but Sulejmani is just too good to drop, at least I know I have a ready made replacement when the inevitable big club move comes for the Serbian winger. 18.12.10 Ajax 2 – 0 FC Den Bosch We made hard work of this one to be honest, especially considering the fact that Den Bosch played with ten men for almost 90 minutes! Some of the players might already be on holiday, but the most important thing is league position and we retain top spot going into the winter break. 23.12.10 Heerenveen 3 – 2 Ajax Last season I forfeit cup participation for league position and Uefa Cup run, this time round I expected to win the league and I thought we stood a good chance in the Uefa Cup, we had a bigger and better squad so I was aiming for a treble. No such luck. We gave up a two goal lead, the equaliser coming in the 82nd minute and then succumb to an extra time winner from Ingelsten, it was incredibly disappointing, but I had to put a brave face on it and hope that a reduction in fixtures would do us good. It’s no coincidence that this loss came on the same day as our worst defensive performance so far, Burdisso and Andrade failing to rate 6.5. The Season So Far We’re past the midway stage of the season, so let’s ignore the blip against Feyenoord and the stuttering start to the season and concentrate on league position. Top, with a four point lead on our nearest rivals and fourteen games to go, top scorers and second best defensive record, a goal difference of +29, it will take a serious drop in form to see us throw this away. That’s before I strengthen, and I do intend to strengthen, be it bringing one or two in during January or setting up deals to make one or two loan signings permanent in June. I’m extremely confident, hopefully not over-confident. LEAGUE TABLE We gave one hell of an account for ourselves in the Champions League, our home performances were particularly pleasing and a third place finish in the group of death is pretty impressive. It’s something we can build on, but we have to concentrate on this season and not next. The Uefa Cup has drawn us against Olympiakos in the First Knockout Round, with a view to CSKA Moscow or Spurs in the Second Knockout Round. I believe we can win this competition, though FC Bayern and Aston Villa will pose our biggest threat. CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GROUP Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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