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PSV-Ajax preview: Aissati can’t wait…

April 18th, 2009 | By: Jan | 22 Comments »

This Sunday, Ishmail Aissati will enter the visitor’s section of the PSV stadium for the second time in his career. The former PSV-talent visited the Eindhoven behemoth once as loan-player for FC Twente and will do the same this weekend as Ajax’ number 10. “The first time, I still felt a PSV player, so it was very weird. Now, I’m an Ajax player.”

Aissati has said farewell to the club where the trained five days a week since his 12th birthday. Taking the train everyday from Utrecht to Eindhoven with his buddy Ibby Afellay. The latter is still his best buddy and he also talks regularly with PSV players Otman Bakkal and Nordin Amrabat.

But this season, Aissati takes the train to Amsterdam. With a big Ajax bag, an iPod and a second class ticket. “It beats standing in a traffic jam,” smiles the player who still lives with his mum.

Aissati’s start in Amsterdam wasn’t too flash. A chronic knee injury kept him in the sickbay for more than six months. “Every time I thought I was fit, something happened. And I had to train all by myself for six weeks. It seemed like it never ended. And I desperately wanted to do well.”

His debut came in February against Volendam. He started against ADO Den Haag and played the game against Olympique Marseille, NAC, Roda and Willem 2. He looked like the crass 17 year old kid who dribbled past the AC Milan stars for PSV in the Champions League. Van Basten quipped: “Really good players don’t need time to get back into shape. They’ll be there from the word “go”.”

Aissati caresses the ball. He will always find the free man and directs the play with his feet: with through passes in space. Suarez: “This is the type of player we lacked.”

Ajax has a playmaker again, the first since Kenneth Perez departure. Although Aissati plays the left midfielder role for now. “I’m more effective when I play behind the strikers,” he says. “If Ajax wants to win the title next season, I better play there. I don’t like playing for the second spot.”

With everyone fit at Ajax, the Amsterdam club has a very strong group. “The only disadvantage of this Ajax is that most players are under 23 years. Oleguer is our only leader. I really pay attention when he talks. I loved to do that with Phillip Cocu as well. At PSV, we had more experienced players. I do miss that.”

The name of his coming opponent is mentioned. Aissati smiles. He doesn’t know how the PSV fans will receive him. “I do know that most don’t like it that PSV let me go for 4 million euros. But, I’m an Ajax player now. That’s how it is. And I’m grateful that I can play football again.”

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Comments

By sonneveld | April 18th, 2009 at 8:45 am

I was thinking about the sneijder game accelarator post earlier.

stekelenburg

van der wiel mathijsen oijer gio
van bommel
sneijder
afellay robben
van persie
huntelaar

BTW with sneijder accelerating play with the speed of Robben, van Persie and Afellay in front are attacks would be lightening.

And for those who think i must be a kuyt hater im just about to finish a video about him I just think for a speed game afellay is better and should be rewarded for picking us and scoring goals in holland.

By sonneveld | April 18th, 2009 at 8:47 am

srry

——stekelenburg

-v.d. wiel-oijer-mathijsen-gio

———–van bommel

———–sneijder

-afellay——————robben

———-van persie
————kjh

By Jan | April 18th, 2009 at 8:51 am

I read you loud and clear. I am a Kuyt fan myself but to have him play is almost a weakness, since there are better skilled players around. The reason why coaches use Kuyt is because of “the balance” in the team. But it remains to be seen if we can play good football and results without Kuyt.

If it was up to me, this would be the ideal line up. But for some reason, Bert has the job and I’m just a hopeless down-on-my-luck underpaid writer in Australia:

——–Stekelenburg————
Kuyt – Van Bommel – De Jong – Gio
——-Sneijder—Schaars——–
Robben—–Van der Vaart—Afellay
———–Van Persie————-

You bet we would win games!

By Marc | April 18th, 2009 at 11:31 am

Jan i love this line up. All our talents will be used.

Posted from Switzerland

By Caleb | April 18th, 2009 at 1:18 pm

@Jan – no Huntelaar?? And we’re back to the no Kuyt argument again? I think we all need to go back and reread our comments after our last Oranje game to see what we all said about Kuyt. I know my mind is firmly made up, in this form there should be no question about Kuyt being in there.

*Arsenal-Chelsea spoiler*
Well, lucky Guus broke his supposed semi-finals curse, because Chelsea beat Arsenal to make it into the FA cup finals. I can’t figure out what Wenger was thinking with his line up. He played 4-2-3-1, with Van Persie out on the wing, and no Arshavin or Nasri… I can’t figure it out! Arsenal plays so much better as a 4-4-2, with Van Persie and Adebayour up front, and Arshavin has arguably been Arsenal’s best player so far this season. He came on as a late sub, but it was too late by then already. Adebayour was so isolated by himself up front, and Van Persie looked pretty useless out on the wing. Fabianski was terrible, and both goals against him would almost certainly been saved by a better keeper, but Arsenal didn’t look much better up front anyways. I’m so pissed off…

By alaa | April 18th, 2009 at 8:38 pm

finalllyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!

some of you guys are saying afellay should play instead of kuyt!!!

can you believe how much beauty we would have in the team by having a right winger called afellay and a left winger called robben!!!!

I hate coaches, they dont have the balls to try something like this!!! what balance of team are we talking about? i accept less defensive tasks from afellay, because Mr. marwijk is already using two defensive midfielders anyway (de jong and bommel) which is too much defense!!!!!

afellay and robben!!!! why doesn’t he have th courage to try next time?

I am pretty sure it will work very well.

By Michel-Olivier | April 18th, 2009 at 8:42 pm

@ jan
playing persie in the central forward role is a bad idea

Posted from United States

By Michel-Olivier | April 18th, 2009 at 8:49 pm

kuijt bring balance and afellay is selfish like robben.

Posted from United States

By Felipe | April 18th, 2009 at 9:03 pm

And I should say: it’s not Ismail who can’t wait for the match on Philips Stadium. Me too. After what happened today on DSB Stadion, I also believe most of Eredivisie followers also can’t. Who would dare to say this: Vitesse putting an end to AZ winning streak?! And Ajax can win PSV… and, by winning, next weekend there’s an Ajax-AZ… wow, ladies and gentleman, there’s still a championship!

By Carlos | April 19th, 2009 at 12:09 am

Off topic – How boring do Real Madrid play huh ? It’s so single dimensional with no real flair no passing skills, no flowing football?
I watch them to watch our guys but there seems to be no real understanding and “clicky” passes. Gosh Ramos has no idea how to play attractive football. ,……and Wesley pulled a hamstring was stretchered off in final minute. Hunter did nothing, Robben same style but no one reads him. *sighhhhh

Posted from Singapore

By Jan | April 19th, 2009 at 5:09 am

@Caleb… It’s a bit of a silly line up of course. Just to see how we could play with all our artists on board. Huntelaar… I’ve never been a real fan but he definitely is a tremendous killer in the box. What can I say.

As for Kuyt: I did put him in the team! I love watching him, but I have to say Afellay is the more skilled player. More of an artist, in other words.

But then again: Kuyt has survived the toughest competition with one of England’s biggest clubs. Let’s see if Afellay can ever do that…

How interesting will Ajax-PSV become suddenly?? I’m watching it tomorrow on Setanta. Delayed, I have to say, so I won’t be here till after the broadcast!

By ferenc | April 19th, 2009 at 5:25 am

wenger should be sacked at the end of the season. in the last 3-4 years he hasn”r won anything sold some real good players and arshavin was his only one good signing. arsenal should be more ambitious and forget to be always “work in progress.” football is about successes and wenger doesn’r guarantee anymore this, so wenger should be replaced. what the does he want in the midfield with players like denilson? etc. etc.

Posted from Hungary

By sonneveld | April 19th, 2009 at 8:09 am

the other thing about kuyt is if they double cover robben he can’t do much better with more space. but with afellay they can double cover robben cause he can thrive on space.

By sonneveld | April 19th, 2009 at 8:09 am

the other thing about kuyt is if they double cover robben he can’t do much better with more space. but with afellay they can double cover robben cause he can thrive on space.

By Jan | April 19th, 2009 at 9:19 am

@Sonneveld: and what’s the other thing?

@Ferenc: I read you loud and clear… It seems Arsenal is the Ajax of the EPL. Nice football, great intentions, always developing young and talented players but no cigar. I was appalled with Wenger’s line up (as stated before by Caleb) and I highly question the quality – and I mean it in a top European sense – of players like Denilson, Dyabi and Walcott. The latter has great speed and skills but his decisionmaking is worrysome. The crosses and final passes are just not good enough. I was impressed with Chelsea. They have it all: great individual players, team spirit and physical strength. Ballack and Lampard ruled. Alex was impressive again. I think Chelsea really deserved this.

By Brian | April 19th, 2009 at 10:51 am

@Jan and Ferenc – I’ve watched Arsenal quite a bit this season. They were vert unlucky yesterday – that team is *really* beginning to come together as the season has progressed. Just wach that team tear the Premiership and Europe apart in the next few seasons – they will be that good. And I’m not even an Arsenal fan.

To sack Wenger would be extreme folly.

Posted from United Kingdom

By Brian | April 19th, 2009 at 10:53 am

Oh – one last thing. This season is a last hurrah for Chelsea. Players on the wrong side of 30,no money for replacements. Hiddink has gotten one last effort out of them, but once he’s gone, that’sit. The long decline is about to begin.

Posted from United Kingdom

By finnster01 | April 19th, 2009 at 11:34 am

@Brian: Every year it is “finally Arsenal is coming together and watch them tear up the league”. It is a broken record.

By Brenda | April 19th, 2009 at 12:35 pm

Arsenal’s problem is like Ajax: they cannot keep players. If they had kept Hleb and Flamini in the beginning of the season, they would definitely win something.
The same. If Ajax had kept Klaas in the winter, they would keep pushing AZ, at least the title weren’t decided today…

Posted from United States

By Brian | April 19th, 2009 at 4:31 pm

@ actualy finnster, this is a *very* different situation. It’s been amazing to watch the difference in the side over the past 6 months – they’ve grown up. This season is too early for them, but, that side will be *special*. And quite possibly the best one yet by Wenger.

Posted from United Kingdom

By Caleb | April 19th, 2009 at 7:55 pm

@Brian – that’s if they can keep their players. If they sell more players again, then next season will be another “work in progress”. It’s very frustrating as an Arsenal supporter. It’s also frustrating for some of the Aresnal players, like Van Persie who warned Aresnal that they have to match his ambition if they want him to stay – he wants to win things, I think he’s had enough of this work in progress bs; that’s a good attitude for a player to have, Wenger should take note.

By Brian | April 20th, 2009 at 4:03 am

Actually, I think they will this time. Looks like van Persie and Fabregas will stay, now that they’ve qualified for the CL semis. If Wenger picks up a more reliable keeper too than Almunia or Fabianski, then they’re pretty much set.

If the calamity of the Birmingham game hadn’t happened last season, this side would be even further along in its development.

Posted from United Kingdom

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