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Dutch Clubs in Europa League (until it lasts…)

October 1st, 2009 | By: Jan | 12 Comments »

With another AZ debacle behind us, another proud Dutch club wasn’t able to concentrate for the full 90 minutes.

The mighty Ajax this time, at home against Anderlecht. Ajax missed many chances (one Suarez, in particular) but it did seem Ajax was cruising towards a 1-0 win. It was the much criticized Dane Rommedahl who scored the Ajax goal in the second half, coming on as a sub. Ex-Ajax defender Jelle Van Damme got red-carded and with minutes on the clock, Ajax thought it could celebrate the three points, only for the Belgium club to score the equalizer and snatching one point back to Belgium.

Heerenveen had an away game in Lituania after their defeat earlier in Portugal. Jan de Jonge’s team got away with their first point after a 0-0 draw. Roy Beerens made his comeback after struggling with groin injuries and he injected some much needed flair to the team. Gerald Sibon missed a huge opp late in the game, but the 0-0 was well deserved for both.

PSV disappointed in a good way. The consistent and focused Rutten-managed team created many chances but only Bakkal – him again – found the net, 1-0 against Cluj. Toivonen, the Swedish striker, replaced the injured Koevermans and missed a number of good chances. Rutten: “I’m not unhappy with him. As a striker, the main thing is to get those opps and to at the right spot. If he keeps doing what he does, he’ll find the net, I’m not worried.” PSV is unbeaten in all competitions and has reasons to look forward to a bring future.

FC Twente couldn’t beat Steau Boekarest at home: 0-0. The Tukkers did managed to create four of five good chances. McClaren: “This is a disappointment. At home, we want to win all our games. That’s our motto. And if you create five chances at this level, you need to score at least one. We didn’t, so we feel like we’ve failed.” The players were a bit surprised by the reaction of the fans. Ronnie Stam: “It’s clear something has changed in Enschede. Normally, Steau would be regarded as a strong opponent and 0-0 wouldn’t be seen as a bad result. But with our progress of the last years, the fans expect us to beat these opponents… But it’s not a bad team, Steau, you just don’t play them off the pitch like that. You’ve seen how they too got their chances. We have two points after two tough games. I’m not pessimistic about our chances, but I do wish people realize we’re in a tough group.”

Tags: Ajax, Bakkal, Beerens, Group C, McClaren, Oranje, PSV, Ruyz, Sibon, Suarez

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Comments

By Jeroen | October 1st, 2009 at 9:37 pm

It was an away game for Ajax in Antwerpen

Posted from Netherlands

By Carlos | October 2nd, 2009 at 6:45 am

The Dutch team for the trip to Australia incl Engelaar

Goal: Maarten Stekelenburg (Ajax), Piet Velthuizen (Vitesse), Michel Vorm (FC Utrecht)
Defence: Edson Braafheid (Bayern München), Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Feyenoord), John Heitinga (Everton), Gregory van der Wiel (Ajax), Glenn Loovens (Celtic), Joris Mathijsen (HSV), André Ooijer (PSV)
midfield: Ibrahim Afellay (PSV), Orlando Engelaar (PSV), Nigel de Jong (Manchester City), Demy de Zeeuw (Ajax), Stijn Schaars (AZ), Wesley Sneijder (Inter), David Mendes da Silva (AZ)
forwards: Ryan Babel (Liverpool), Eljero Elia (HSV), Klaas Jan Huntelaar (AC Milan), Dirk Kuijt (Liverpool), Robin van Persie (Arsenal).

Posted from Singapore

By finnster01 | October 2nd, 2009 at 8:25 am

Daily Mail today reports Babel is scared about being left out of Oranje (and he should be)

In any event, the thing in the article that sticks out to me is BvM saying he’ll only select players that plays for their club on a regular basis (as I have mentioned before).

Some Dutch should make a note of that come January.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1217558/Dropped-Ryan-Babel-scared-action-Liverpool.html

By Sol | October 2nd, 2009 at 10:24 am

I know right now I’d rather see Babel in the starting line-up than Kuyt as forward striker again (and that says more about Kuyt’s ability as forward striker than Babel’s quality). If it’s going to be Kuyt again, I’m afraid it’s going to take too long for us to score and we might even get a late goal against us. I’m hoping for Kuyt to prove me and all the critics wrong of course and score a hat-trick in the first half but I wouldn’t put my money on it.

It will be interesting to see whether Bert van Marwijk will use Engelaar ahead of Schaars, he had some really nice passes for PSV and Schaars could create very little for AZ.

Or will he go with de Zeeuw in spite of the height/aerial strength in the Austalian team? Might be the right choice cause Schaars and Engelaar are both still too slow to brake up a decent defense (which Australia WILL have, and those high balls over the top that they’re so good at, won’t work as well against a tall defense).

Posted from Netherlands

By Sol | October 2nd, 2009 at 11:20 am

I also think it’s time for Drenthe ahead of vBronckhorst (never thought I’d say that).

Posted from Netherlands

By 3ric | October 2nd, 2009 at 12:26 pm

I hope Afellay gets a nod to start, with Sneijder is not fully fit and VDV is excluded. I think Afellay can thrive very well in a no. 10 role.

Posted from United States

By Andrew | October 2nd, 2009 at 1:15 pm

Please, not Engelaar. Holding midfielder needs to be able to hold on to the ball,cover on defense, and compete for and retrieve the ball in midfield. In the Euro’s (primarily I’m thinking of the Russia), he got pushed around and had the ball taken off of him too easily. Agree that they should keep Kuyt away from the striker position. Prefer Elia, Kuyt, Sneijder beind RVP up front.

Posted from United States

By OranjeRules | October 2nd, 2009 at 1:36 pm

No Robben? What did I miss?

If he is out then Elia should clain that AML position. Kuyt on the right and Sneijder on the centre if healthy (if not, Afellay).

By Andrew | October 2nd, 2009 at 1:47 pm

@OranjeRules, Robben hurt his knee, out for amonth according to the reports.

Posted from United States

By sonneveld | October 2nd, 2009 at 5:24 pm

i think if sneijder doesn’t play van persie will probably play in behind kuyt.

maybe elia and afellay on the wings.

By Miguel Rosado | October 2nd, 2009 at 10:59 pm

I’d also love lo see Afellay as a starter. He need to get more confidence from the coach because he’s an extraordinary player.

By Sol | October 3rd, 2009 at 4:36 am

I also heard vPersie and Ooijer will most likely stay home because their wives could give birth at any moment. That might open up some room for Affelay to get into the starting 11. It’s a good test for him if that’s the case.

We will get to see whether Affelay can really do the things he does in the eredivisie on an international stage with some decent defenders facing him. I doubt there will be much advantage in testing Engelaar for this match, cause it wouldn’t be a good test for him, their forwards are not as fast and skilled as the top nations, so even if he can handle them, I will still be unsure how he does against the big boys (big in terms of skill).

I think de Zeeuw is the best option for this game on def.midf. S.Korea did really well in their friendly against Australia with all their short fast guys.

I think it will be a hard game though without Robben and vPersie, our 2 most in form forwards. Now we’ll have to depend on Elia, Kuyt and Sneijder. Perhaps Hunter will start as forward striker. Of those 4, Elia is the only one really in form.

Posted from Netherlands

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