Given the early red card from Devyne Rensch and the course of the match, Ajax coach Alfred Schreuder can live with the 0-0 draw on Saturday in the Johan Cruijff ArenA against FC Twente. After the fifth consecutive loss of points in the Eredivisie, he praised the “tactical discipline” of his team, but also pointed to the nervous start.
Ajax escaped twice in the initial phase, as both Michel Vlap and Vaclav Cerny hit the post. “I thought we started very nervous, even bad for us,” Schreuder acknowledged ESPN.
“I didn’t see that coming. We had a good training week and yesterday at the last training it looked good. The bad start was unnecessary. Twente smelled blood and had two good chances.”
Ajax’s problems got bigger in the 35th minute. Rensch was sent off the field for knocking down Ricky van Wolfswinkel, who had broken through, but Schreuder did not think that was the fault of the single Orange international.
“We were not in a good position. It is about the takeover between Edson Álvarez and Jurriën Timber. If Edson remains central, we will remain two-to-one. Anyway, in the end Van Wolfswinkel is just doing it smart.”
Top 5 Eredivisie
- 1. Feyenoord 15-34 (+22)
- 2. AZ 16-33 (+11)
- 3. Ajax 16-32 (+27)
- 4. PSV 15-31 (+22)
- 5. FC Twente 16-31 (+17)
“Tactical discipline was high”
What was special was that Ajax had fewer chances after the red card. Schreuder also thought his team played well with ten. “The tactical discipline was very high, we defended well and had good chances with Kenneth Taylor and other counter opportunities.”
Still, Schreuder was not dissatisfied with a point. “0-0 is normally too little for us, but given the course of the game and given the red card, we have to be able to live with that.”
Ajax has now not won five games in a row in the Eredivisie and that is the first time since the 2010/2011 season. The gap with leader Feyenoord is now two points, but the team from Rotterdam will play against FC Groningen on Sunday.
Eredivisie-speelronde 16
- Heerenveen-AZ 0-2
- Volendam-RKC 2-1
- Ajax-Twente 0-0
- Sparta-Excelsior 1-0
- Zondag 12.15 uur: Vitesse-NEC
- Zondag 14.30 uur: Go Ahead-Utrecht
- Zondag 14.30 uur: Fortuna-PSV
- Zondag 16.45 uur: Groningen-Feyenoord
- Zondag 16.45 uur: Emmen-Cambuur
