Dutch Eredivisie Thread

Calum1903 said:

Any Dutch people want to explain some of the background to this one? What the hell's happening at Feyenoord?

Click to expand...

Pedro said:

They have no money, they haven't been a top team some time now. Look at their team... filled with youth players...

Click to expand...

Dwa Milan said:

good God 10-0
are they playing with 11 amateurs??
haven't follow the Dutch league in a while, never imagine that Feyenoord would decline like this

Click to expand...

Pedro said:

10... after the 1-0 Feyenoord got a red card (harsh decision)... so the card surely helped a lot to the 10-0.. also, Feyenoord kinda sucks nowadays..

Click to expand...

Capitão Lugano said:

A red card, even though it were unfair, would help a lot for a 4x0 or maybe 5x0 max. But not a 10x0, haha.

Click to expand...

Capitão Lugano said:

A red card, even though it were unfair, would help a lot for a 4x0 or maybe 5x0 max. But not a 10x0, haha.

Click to expand...

KujaIX said:

It's practically a youth team. It's like Milan playing Inter with the Primavera and Robinho at LW. Kinda doesn't help but that's like their squad. What would happen in this match? Around 10-0 if Inter were relentless.

Click to expand...

Ajax deemed Nacer Chadli not good enough for the Amsterdam giants, but the tricky winger is proving the Godenzonen wrong with his outstanding performances for Twente.

Amsterdam powerhouse Ajax put in a disappointing performance against ADO Den Haag last weekend and the Godenzonen were deservedly beaten 1-0. Head coach Martin Jol received his fair share of criticism after the match for his decision to start the home game against the Dutch minnows in a 4-4-2 formation.

Jol wasn't impressed though and justified his decision by pointing out that Ajax lack the wingers to play in their traditional 4-3-3 formation. The Ajax gaffer added that he'd be more than happy to play with three attackers, but that Ajax simply don't have the financial resources to sign any wingers. However, there's plenty of room for discussion in Jol's comment that he doesn't have any wingers in his squad.

Star attacker Luis Suarez started the majority of his matches last season from the right wing and the Uruguay international managed to score 35 league goals as a winger with a free role. Sure, he's no natural winger, but there's little doubt that Suarez is perfectly capable of playing from the wing. Additionally, young attacker Miralem Sulejmani was one of the Eredivisie's most dangerous wingers before joining Ajax from Heerenveen, yet Jol claims that Sulejmani is a centre-forward who doesn't have the abilities to play as a winger. Finally, promising youngsters such as Florian Jozefzoon and Marvin Zeegelaar have already made their debuts at senior level and should be considered to be candidates for the winger positions by Jol.

Even if we decide to go along with Jol's statements though, the Ajax gaffer largely has himself to blame for the lack of wingers in his squad. Jol knew perfectly well how his squad looked like at the beginning of the season, but instead of going after a winger, the Ajax coach signed two centre forwards with Mounir el Hamdaoui and Mido, while midfielder Teemu Tainio and defender Andre Ooijer also moved to Amsterdam.

Ajax did also have a number of wingers on their shortlist last summer, but they eventually opted not to make a move for either of their transfer targets. Some wingers, such as Utrecht's Dries Mertens and Heerenveen's Roy Beerens, were deemed too expensive, while others, like then AGOVV starlet Nacer Chadli, were supposedly not good enough for the Amsterdam giants.

Ajax were one of the few teams that weren't impressed with Chadli, as clubs such as Lille, Standard Liege, Hoffenheim, Heracles, Groningen and Twente were all eager to add the young winger to their squad. The Belgian attacker of Moroccan descent had plenty of options and eventually decided to join Twente for a fee of only €400,000.

The 21-year-old Chadli had to settle for a spot on the bench in his first weeks with Twente, but the winger has quickly developed into an important first team member at the reigning Eredivisie champions in the past couple of months.

Chadli scored his first Twente goal in the KNVB Beker match against Capelle on September 22 before opening his Champions League account only one week later against Tottenham Hotspur. The Liege-born attacker really sprang to life in the past couple of weeks though. He scored the winner in the away match against Eredivisie giants PSV, then put in a man of the match performance in the Champions League match against Werder Bremen before scoring goals against Excelsior and Zwolle last week.

It's not just Chadli's ability to find the net though that would really have added something to Ajax's front line. His ability to go past his direct opponent with a good individual action, the fact that he's equally comfortable with both feet, his excellent work-rate, his great positional sense and his precise crossing are all attributes that are crucial for a winger if he's to be successful.

Ajax might have decided that Chadli wasn't good enough for the Amsterdam giants, but the winger hasn't wasted any time to prove the Godenzonen wrong with his outstanding displays so far. While Chadli continues to be successful with the Enschede side, Jol will have to wait until the January transfer window before he gets another chance to make the signings he deems necessary. It appears to be unlikely that he will get his man on the cheap though, like he could have had with Chadli last summer.

Click to expand...

Ajax are reportedly set to make a move on Arsenal forward Nicklas Bendtner if Luis Suarez should leave the Amsterdam ArenA.

The 23-year-old Uruguayan scored 35 goals in 33 games in the Eredivisie last season, and a positive shoeing - albeit marred slightly by an infamous handball incident against Ghana - has seen the player being linked with several high-profile moves.

Now talkSPORT claims that insiders at the Dutch club have confirmed that a sale could be in the offing if a sizeable offer should arrive.

And it has been reported that a move for the Gunner would be on the cards if the Uruguayan were to leave.

Bendtner has started only two Premier League games this season, and has been vocal about his situation at the club.

Click to expand...