House of Frank

Was it an anti-Ajax conspiracy or was Feyenoord saving itself for next weeks Dutch Cup final? Either way the outcome dealt an easy 2-0 victory to competition leaders FC Twente and disappointment to second placed Ajax. 

The thought of Feyenoord coach Mario Been granting supporter demands by ‘throwing’ this game to prevent arch rivals Ajax from going top of the table seems implausable! However, this performance was bad enough to cast doubts! 

The always reliable Bryan and Blaise Show, the combination that has not gone more than two matches without finding the net this season, was due to strike! It came in the 40th minute when Bryan supplied the perfect pass to Blaise who rocketed home the opening goal from just inside the box. 

Miroslav Stock the support act of this entertaining Twente cast was also due to strike. Hampered by injury and mean defence the Slovakian pocket rocket was yet to make his mark in the new year. However the drought ended on the hour when a perfectly weighted Kenny Perez thru ball put Stock into the open and onto the score sheet.

“I was so relieved to get that goal, I’ve had to work hard for my chances since the break and I’ve been finding it difficult to recover from some injures, so it was nice” said Stock.

The moment of truth arrives in two weeks when Twente take on NAC in Breda for the final match of the season…only a win will assure Twente the title.

Title: NAC V Twente
Location: Rat Verlegh Stadium
Description: Final round of the season! Twente or Ajax will be champion!
Start Time: 14:30
Date: 2010-05-02

The 2010 Eredivisie championship all comes down to this one game! After nine months of competition, 306 matches, 3000 minutes of playing time and 20,000 minutes of training, FC Twente can claim the 2010 championship with victory over NAC in Breda!

A draw or loss will almost certainly hand the crown to second placed Ajax, who sit just one point behind Twente, and face an easier task in Nijmegen against 12th placed NEC.

The battle has been a classic case of ‘the hare and the tortoise’, as flashy Ajax kicked butt all over the country with big numbers while FC Twente methodically went about it’s business notching one goal winners! Hence Ajax with it’s impressive 102-19 goal difference doubled it’s chances of winning the Shield for the 30th time in the club’s 110-year history. 

Twente clearly suffered a case of nerves during it’s 1-0 away loss to AZ in round 32 but Steve McLaren, the master of puting old heads on young shoulders, has clearly addressed the issue. Twente is ready to meet the challenge of ‘The Rat’ (Verlegh Stadium), and bring home the silverware for the first time since 1926.

Title: FC Twente v Feyenoord
Location: Grolsch Veste Stadium
Description: First versus fourth clash with the championship on the line for Twente
Start Time: 14:30
Date: 2010-04-18

There  was a bizarre confrontation between Feyenoord supporters and players at the final open training session prior to this vital clash against FC Twente. The Feyenoord ’Legion’ demanded an FC Twente victory in order to prevent second placed Ajax from going top of the table. Such is the hate between the Rotterdam and Amsterdam rivals, supporters are willing to take a loss and European competition at risk to spoil the Ajax party.

Feyenoord coach Mario Been flatly refused to consider the ultimatium saying, “we are professionals and are going with one aim to the Enschede and that is winning!”

Ajax is one point behind Twente at the top of the table with two games remaining but Ajax’s run home is a dream. Twente is certainly boosted by the news but wonder weather ‘the legion’ demands are genuine.

“I’m very surprised to hear of such a request and wonder which team they’ll actually cheer?” said Twente coach Steve McLaren. ”If Bryan Ruiz is brought down in the box will they point to the spot; it’s quite bizarre”, he concluded.

The head to head record between the two teams is virtually even however Twente has been unable to defeat Feyenoord in their four previous league meetings both home and away.

Title: Willem ll v Ajax
Description: Ajax about to prove again there are plenty of easy games in Football
Start Time: 19:00
Date: 2010-04-14

There are plenty of easy games left in football! Ajax has proven that with it’s pulverizing performances against clubs lower down the table this season. Their next victim, second last placed Willem ll, is in for the thrashing of its life as Ajax attempts to narrow the gap between themselves and competition leaders FC Twente to just one point. 

Twente’s 1-0 loss to AZ in Alkmaar last night means victory for Ajax in Tilburg can norrow the four point deficit between the teams to just one with two matches remaining. 

The cheers could be heard all over Amsterdam as AZ took an early lead and then fought on tenaciously to inflict Twente’s second defeat of the season. 

It’s the break that Ajax has craved for over a month. Now watch the merciless Ajax goal scoring machine, with 96 goals already on the board, move into triple figures, against a hapless Willem ll in Tilburg tonight.

Title: AZ v FC Twente
Location: AZ Stadium
Description: The true test of mettle for FC Twente begins here
Start Time: 20:00
Date: 2010-04-13

AZ is unbeaten in 11 straight Eredivisie matches, a far cry from the disastrous season start that cost them all hope of retaining the title. Coach Dick ‘poker face’ Advocaat has restored self belief with his reportedly inspirational team talks and ’attack minded’ stragedies. FC Twente, despite being competition favourites, find themselves the underdog in the build up to this match at AZ Stadium

Twente must win to keep second placed Ajax at bay! The Amsterdam based outfit has managed peg the once mamoth deficit back to just four points with three matches remaining.

AZ is motivated by the possibility of overhauling fourth placed Feyenoord and thus earn automatic entry into European competition next season.

There are currently no visible chinks in the FC Twente armour but a loss tonight may have coach Steve McLaren reaching for the microscope.

There was much ado about ADO this week! The player munity leading to the disposal of coach Raymond Atteveld suddenly seemed justified as 16th placed ADO turned on one of it’s best performances ever against arch rivals Ajax. 

Even Atteveld, watching from the comfort of a private box, seemed disappointed as the ’all new’ ADO was beaten deep in extra time by a stunning Toby Alderweireld strike from outside the box.   

The classic encounter took almost 100-minutes to decide as high drama and injury forced referee Jan Wegeeref to continually add ‘time on’. The turning point of the match came in the 75th minute when ADO reserve keeper Barry Ditewig, on for injured starter Robert Zwinkels in the 64th minute, was red carded for striking out at Demy de Zeeuw.

Until that moment ADO could have quite easily scored it’s first home win over Ajax since October 1980 with the best chances falling to Karim Soltani and Tim Derijck. But when veteran midfielder Ricky van den Burgh pulled on the gloves and stood between the posts it was party time for the Ajax strike force. 

“What a huge relief, in the dressing room at half time we were yelling ‘come on we want this so bad and it’s not going our way’, but we turned up the pressure and after the dismissal we finally got one.” Said Toby Alderweireld after the game.  

Despite the 0-1 loss, the previously hapless ADO showed it can avoid the drop under the leadership of interim coach Maurice Steijn.

As expected, Saturday was V-Day in Venlo for  Twente as the championship favourites strolled to an effortless 2-0 victory against struggling VVV. 

The result came courtesy of the Bryan and Blaise Show, Blaise N’Kufo scoring just before the break and Bryan Ruiz shortly before the final whistle.

At no time was Twente troubled by VVV, the table toppers controled the game in typical fashion, holding onto the ball for long periods patiently waiting for the creaks to appear. Their job made easier by the mounting suspension and injury toll confronting VVV which excluded the likes of captain Patrick Paauwe, midfielder Gonzalo Garcia and Nigerian superstar of the future Michael Uchebo. Uchebo displayed sublime skills in front of goal before suffering a season ending foot injury just seven matches into his campaign which began during the January transfer window.

Victory in Venlo also rewrote the history books for the Enschede based club who have now notched a club record 24 wins in a season. The previous total of 23 wins from 34 matches, set in 1973/74, could be sunstantially bettered by Steve McLaren’s men who have four clashes remaining. 

“The team is playing well it’s no wonder the records are tumbling but we’re not thinking about that, we have four more games to go, we must win three, thats sure to break some more club records but more importantly it achieves the real prize, the championship!” Said coach Steve Mclaren. 

The win opens a seven point gap to second placed Ajax who face ADO in Den Haag tomorrow.

Title: PSV v Feyenoord
Location: Philips Stadium
Description: Third versus fourth clash that PSV must win.
Start Time: 12:30
Date: 2010-04-11

Feyenoord coach Mario Been admitted during his post match interview following the round 7, ’top of the table’, encounter between these teams that “PSV was in a league of it’s own!”

It was a comprenhensive 1-3 victory for Fred Rutten’s men who were en-route to a 32-match unbeaten run in the Eredivisie. However, it all fell apart after the winter break, beginning with a resounding 3-0 Dutch Cup loss to Feyenoord in February, followed by two straight Eredivisie defeats.

Even though PSV has lost it’s edge the club is still unbeated in 19 home games and remains a contender in the three-way-battle for the title. They are one point adrift from second placed Ajax and a further 5 points away from FC Twente with four rounds to play. 

Thus, it’s hard to see fourth played Feyenoord with very little to play for, coming away from this match with anything but, disappointment!