[Wally]

Since the main forum is dead and others have left the place, thought we could talk about the exploits of the other sides in here.

Willem II were a bit disappointing in losing 0-4 to Glasgow Rangers last Thursday. Thought Willem II could at least pose a threat going forward. Wonder if Morelos will stay there this season. He probably will one day fancy himself in a bigger league, even though he probably won't yet interest an absolute giant, partly also maybe because of his height?

AZ have been disappointing so far, but the pressure is off them. Koopmeiners is apparently interesting Leeds United.

PSV are probably the side with the most interesting transfer window with Roger Schmidt being allowed to rebuild things. Mvogo was brought in on loan as the new manager wanted a footballing goalkeeper. He could come out good after his shaky start. Jeroen Zoet left through the backdoor to go to Spezia for 1,5m euros. Once upon a time, Crystal Palace were willing to spend big money on him.
PSV have finally got a proper LB (in Max for 8m euros) after none of the replacements last season were anywhere near as effective as Angelino the season before. Dumfries looks to be staying. I don't think he has actually seriously been linked to anyone. PSV fans for sure can't complain about their wing backs.
In midfield, Schmidt is doing some more rebuilding. Hendrix will probably be allowed to leave for a million or two after holding midfielder Ibrahim Sangare was today bought from relegated Toulouse for 9m euros. PSV do have a bit of a problem in midfield with Mo Ihattaren having a bit of a dip. They basically only have a couple of holding midfielders in Rosario, Thomas and Sangare as things stand.
Up front, Sam Lammers was sold after Atalanta Bergamo surprisingly offered 9m euros for him. PSV let him go thinking they could give a proper chance to Maximiliano Romero, but he's now out for the whole season after getting injured in the Europa League tie against Slovenia's NS Mura. Now PSV will have to do with Malen (still not really in form) and experienced Israeli journeyman & hit in China Eran Zahavi. Not the end of the world, but PSV would have hoped that this would be Romero's season after spending almost 10m on him a few seasons ago.
On the wings, young Englishman Noni Madueke looks like he might be the player to watch with this being his breakthrough season. Bruma in contrast looks to be a disappointment at his Xth club.

 

[Clocker]

Regarding Morelos, I'm sort of surprised if he'll stay at Rangers. He was an immediate hit there, which suggests he might quick to adapt in general. I think he could play in a decent Serie A club for instance. He's an absolute cock of a player, but I'd take him over what we have any day! Though what might be holding some other clubs back as well is his tendency to get red cards.

 

[Wally]

Ajax got Liverpool, Atalanta and Midtylland in the CL. Tricky pool. Was quite amusing to see Atalanta's former Eredivisie wing backs Gosens and Hateboer have the times of the lives against Lazio earlier in the week.

AZ meet Napoli, Real Sociedad and Rijeka in the EL. AZ might even finish last in that pool. Rijeka's goal against FC Copenhagen last night was hilarious by the way. It'd be impossible to reenact that even if you tried a thousand times.

PSV have the easiest of the draws with PAOK Saloniki, Grenada and Omonia Nicosia. Still not a piece of cake though.

 

[Teak]

Ajax got Liverpool, Atalanta and Midtylland in the CL. Tricky pool. Was quite amusing to see Atalanta's former Eredivisie wing backs Gosens and Hateboer have the times of the lives against Lazio earlier in the week.

AZ meet Napoli, Real Sociedad and Rijeka in the EL. AZ might even finish last in that pool. Rijeka's goal against FC Copenhagen last night was hilarious by the way. It'd be impossible to reenact that even if you tried a thousand times.

PSV have the easiest of the draws with PAOK Saloniki, Grenada and Omonia Nicosia. Still not a piece of cake though.

Liverpool and Atalanta will beat Ajax. So, I pick Ajax to finish 3rd. Same with AZ. Real Sociedad looked really good in their cup run last season and likely retained most of those players for this season. Napoli have a very good squad. I suspect AZ >> Rijeka, so AZ for 3rd also.

PSV could win their group, but Spanish clubs typically have some good talent. Not everyone can fit into the Real Madrid and Barcelona sides. I pick PSV for 1st or 2nd in that group.

 

[Wally]

Atalanta look so good lately. Sam Lammers this weekend with a great debut goal.

Danny Buijs and Groningen I would actually prefer him over Kuijt, if the board thinks it's a must to get a "Feyenoord guy" after Advocaat at the end of the season.

AZ are still real unstable. Threw away a 0-4 lead at Sparta with Koopmeiners missing a penalty which would have put them five up.

 

[Wally]

Mario Gotze is being linked to PSV

Marco van Ginkel and Adrian Fein have already joined them on loan for the season.

 

[Clocker]

I don't know about Fein, but van Ginkel was very good during his last stay. Good for them but bad for us.

 

[Wally]

I read that van Ginkel is aiming to be fully fit in December.
Gotze had a good debut against PEC. Thought he wouldn't be fit so quickly.

13 positive tests at AZ. Clasie was among those who had already tested positive prior to the weekend. Boadu is among the new ones tested positive. AZ might as well stay at home and lose 3-0 to Napoli 😇

 

[Teak]

Europa League action.

AZ surprise probably everyone by beating Napoli 0-1 IN Italy. Good for them!

On the other hand, PSV lost at home to Granada 1-2. I told you'all that Granada would be tough and likely will finish above PSV. I note that the young American Richard Ledezma made the bench for PSV. I watched him in a couple of matches two years back when he was with Real Monarchs, the farm club for Real Salt Lake. Glad to see that he is in Europe for development.

BTW, Mario Gotze scored for PSV, so he has fit in right away.

 

[Teak]

Bruno Martins-Indi played for AZ against Napoli. Why couldn't we have gotten him back?

Also, Maxim Gullit was on the bench for AZ. Is that Ruud's son? A defender.

 

[Wally]

Gotze has indeed fit in right away. Irritating loss at home to Grenada, but yeah, every La Liga side is capable of pulling a punch.

AZ's win away to Napoli was quite surprising. Napoli didn't play the kids and they had a big win last weekend.

That indeed is a son of the great Ruud Gullit

Bruno probably wouldn't have started with Senesi around. AZ really needed a central defender with Wuytens let go of and Vlaar turning 36 in a few months time.

 

[Teak]

Bruno probably wouldn't have started with Senesi around. AZ really needed a central defender with Wuytens let go of and Vlaar turning 36 in a few months time.

So if Senesi leaves on a big money move next summer, do we get Bruno back? I hate to see us developing players for other Eredivisie sides, like Wijnaldum, Clasie, Nelom, and etc.

 

[Teak]

Ajax beat VVV Venlo 13-0 with their new 19-year-old striker scoring 5 goals. Looks like Ajax were piling on. I wonder how the other clubs will respond to this obviously merciless shellacking. VVV player sent off with red card at 52' when the score was only 4-0.

 

[Clocker]

This phenomenon seems exclusive to the Dutch league - scorlines totally getting out of hand occasionally. I saw the highlights and looked like VVV were in complete disarray afte 0-3 or 0-4. I don't think my old amateur team was ever that shaken.

 

[Some idiot]

Anyone seen much of Ko Itakura? Man City loanee, doubt he'll make it there, but he's starting regularly for Groningen who're doing well.

 

[Teak]

Anyone seen much of Ko Itakura? Man City loanee, doubt he'll make it there, but he's starting regularly for Groningen who're doing well.

Feyenoord beat Groningen 2-0 on November 8, and I remember that Itakura was playing central defense. That was too many matches ago, however, for me to remember how he did. Interestingly enough, the other CB was Wes Dammers who started his career in the Feyenoord academy as a striker.

 

[Teak]

Ajax finished 3rd in their Champions League group, as I predicted, and drop down to the Europa League (EL). PSV surprised me and beat out Granada for 1st in their EL group and advance to the knockout phase. AZ and Feyenoord both finished 3rd in their EL groups and drop out of European action. Thus, the Netherlands have only two clubs advancing to springtime action, in the EL. Champions League is for rich clubs only, who can keep a deep bench of world class players.

 

[Wally]

First major wintertransfer is in. Sebastian Haller has joined Ajax from West Ham for 25m euros. He's eligible to start right away in Sunday's game against PSV.

Ravel Morrison has meanwhile left ADO without making any impact, the 11th club he has joined since leaving Man U in 2012.

 

[Teak]

First major wintertransfer is in. Sebastian Haller has joined Ajax from West Ham for 25m euros. He's eligible to start right away in Sunday's game against PSV.

Good pick up for Ajax, 6'3" striker with a decent strike rate. But, a different club each season for the last several seasons might mean he has trouble with managers. What do you think?

 

[Clocker]

My sense is Haller just wasn't deemed quite good enough for West Ham, who are doing quite alright at the moment. I saw him at their stadium early last season; looked alright, but not the most agile guy around. I reckon he should do well for Ajax though and should be a very good acquisition for them. None but Ajax could afford someone like him. I'm obviously hoping this'll backfire!