The Dutch newspapers saw Ajax show resilience during the away match against Qarabag FK. It gave the Amsterdam team the first (three) points of the Champions League season, while the various media saw Fred Grim saving players for the meeting with Feyenoord on Sunday.
‘Ajax showed enormous resilience when visiting Qarabag and recorded its first victory in the Champions League (2-4)’, opens The Telegraph. ‘It didn’t look like that until the 79th minute, but Oscar Gloukh, Anton Gaaei and Gloukh again turned the deficit into a resounding victory. On the way to Sunday’s Classic against Feyenoord (2.30 p.m.), it is a huge boost for Fred Grim, who gambled and won in Baku and saw a bright spot in Kasper Dolberg.’
The newspaper mentioned mentioned that Grim stated a day before the match that he would like to get rid of zero points. ‘How great – or rather, how small – that desire actually was became apparent 29 hours later when the significantly changed line-up was announced. Even though the interim coach reiterated that he took the game seriously and said he had formed the freshest team with which they could win. And winning coaches are always right.”
Although a starting place for Kasper Dolberg did not seem entirely desirable, Grim opted for it anyway. He wouldn’t have regretted it. ‘That turned out to be a wise decision, because Dolberg enabled Ajax to “continue playing football” in possession of the ball and after 39 minutes it was the Dane who put Ajax at 1-1. In doing so, he repaired the damage Ajax had suffered at the hands of Ko Itakura and Viteszlav Jaros after just ten minutes.’
At the Algemeen Dagblad attention is also paid to the resilience that Ajax showed in Azerbaijan. ‘A youthful Ajax has taken the first points of the Champions League campaign with a nice resurrection against Qarabag. Oscar Gloukh, who normally would not even start in the starting line-up, turned out to be a guide in Baku.
The youth players made a mixed impression during Qarabağ FK – Ajax. ‘Steur showed why he has been considered a top talent at Ajax for years. The midfielder showed himself to be agile and creative on the ball. Companion Mokio is still in a slump, as evidenced by his sloppy assumptions, although he also recovered in the final phase. Bouwman played very well at the back, while Dolberg proved useful at the front. His replacement Don-Angelo Konadu already squandered a mega chance to equalize in his Champions League debut.’
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While there has been regular negative writing about Ajax this season, people noticed de Volkskrant that there is real talent within the selection of the Amsterdam team. ‘Ajax does have talent and a young selection with potential. It is a matter of molding, patience, selection, trial and error. Ajax also showed resilience, with stylish footballers such as Sean Steur and Aaron Bouwman. Teenagers.’
“Dolberg, Steur, Bouwman, Ajax has a good level of football in it, especially now that coach Fred Grim had also lined up a lot of youth because of Sunday’s Classic against Feyenoord,” they continue. ‘Steur and the disappointing Jorthy Mokio, this time midfielder instead of defender, are 17 years old; Bouwman is 18. Steur and Bouwman are stylish players with calmness in their game.’
Where there de Volkskrant there is more room for optimism, we are watching Wednesday evening’s match Het Parool especially realistic. “The truth is that the victory was again a penny on his side, just like the victories over FC Groningen (2-0) and Fortuna Sittard (1-3),” it is written. ‘In contrast to the two games won in the Eredivisie, Grim’s team had a higher score this time expected goal-value. In other words: Ajax had better chances than the opponent and therefore deserved to win.’
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“The third win in a row and the first of the Champions League season has brought Ajax back to life,” the newspaper said. ‘After the dismissal of John Heitinga, the team resembled an air mattress from which all the air had disappeared. In any case, the contours of the air mattress are now becoming somewhat visible again, although the thing is still far from comfortable.’
‘Let’s mention some more bright spots in these dark days: the return to the base of Kasper Dolberg. With a stylish individual action, the Danish striker brought Ajax back into the match shortly before half-time. The game image indicated that Ajax was well on its way to another defeat, but a hard long shot from Dolberg had a resuscitating effect.’
