Ajax lost 2-0 to Inter on Wednesday evening, and after the match, analysts Wesley Sneijder and Theo Janssen were quick to draw some harsh conclusions. The approach from John Heitingaโs team on corners left the duo baffled.
Inter popped the Ajaciedenโs returning Champions League bubble, as Marcus Thuram scored twice. Notching on either side of the interval, he guided home a header at each end of the pitch as corners seemed to be the order of the day. Sneijder was surprised that Ajax didnโt learn from the first goal.
โItโs another well-taken corner,โ Sneijder analysed Marcus Thuramโs second goal on Ziggo Sport. โHe heads it in very simply. Yes, those are set-pieces. You have to train for those, too. You have to put the right players together there. Then youโd think โ if Thuram had scored the first โ that youโd convert something. I thought that was quite remarkable.โ
Janssen added that Ajax probably thought Davy Klaassen, who was supposed to provide man-to-man marking for Thuram, was the man for the job. โThere must be a reason. But Thuram is so powerful. Klaassen doesnโt even get a chance to jump. Heโs just a really good striker.โ
In the end, Ajax only had one real chance, and it became just before Thuramโs first goal as Mika Godts missed a one-on-one opportunity in the 40th minute. โYeah, that would be a different game,โ Sneijder lamented. โBut if you donโt create these kinds of shots โ and they havenโt created anything since โ the conclusion is stark: Ajax canโt compete at this level. And Inter werenโt even at their best.โ
Finally, Sneijder had a message for the Amsterdam side. โItโs now important for them to flip the switch. They knew beforehand that Inter were perhaps a size too big, and thatโs proven to be the case. But donโt let that get to you; you have to do it again on Sunday. Itโs a long season with a lot of matches. They have to flip the switch very quickly.โ This coming Sunday, they face reigning champions PSV at the Philips Stadion in Eindhoven.
GBeNeFNย |ย Max Bradfield
