Eredivisie 2019/20: Ajax vs FC Emmen – tactical analysis

After a tepid first matchday of the Eredivisie, Saturday evening witnessed the clubs heading for their second match of the season. Securing a point in the opening day surely couldn’t satisfy Ajax’s fans, especially when they were the superior team against Vitesse. On matchday two, they welcomed FC Emmen to the Amsterdam Arena with the expectation of winning all three points.

An expected tepid transfer window saw many of Ajax‘s players depart for bigger clubs. But they have already secured the future stars that will potentially replace the likes of Frenkie de Jong and Matthijs de Ligt. While Eric ten Haag remains on their sideline, nothing is impossible for the Amsterdam-based club. And everything started off perfectly for them with the Johan Cruijff Schaal over PSV Eindhoven.

Emmen are enjoying their second year in the Eredivisie after surviving relegation. But they didn’t enjoy the best start as a last-minute winner stole the headline against Groningen. They once again entered this match as an underdog and the difference in quality was shown during the game. A brace from Klass-Jan Huntelaar and three goals by Donny van de Beek, Hakim Ziyech and Dušan Tadić meant three points stayed at the Amsterdam Arena.

This tactical analysis will provide an analysis of how Ajax’s tactics helped them dominate the match. Meanwhile, using statistics, we will point out what went wrong in Emmen’s tactics.

Lineups

Ajax lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation with Lisandro Martínez and Joël Veltman starting as centre-backs. The back-four was completed with the two wing-backs Nicolás Tagliafico and Noussair Mazraoui. Central midfielders Daley Blind and Răzvan Marin screened in front of the defence. The usual front four for Ajax consisted of attacking midfielder Donny van de Beek, wingers David Neres and Hakim Ziyech. False nine Dušan Tadić was responsible for providing the goals.

Emmen also started with a 4-4-2 formation as central defenders Nick Bakker and Keziah Veendorp played in front of goalkeeper Dennis Telgenkamp. Full-backs Lorenzo Burnet and Glenn Bijl providing the width alongside wingers Marko Kolar and Nikolai Laursen. Michael de Leeuw was the team’s attacking midfielder and he provided supports for striker Jafar Arias.

Ajaxs style of play and how they dominated Emmen

Emmen entered the game in a very negative state as they defended deep inside their half. This allowed Ajax to build in their favourite style, which was the three-man build-up. The principles remained the same from last season and even the players’ roles. One of the pivots, usually Blind, would drop deep and push Veltman into the middle. Marin shifted centrally and created two passing triangles inside the middle third.

When the attackers sat on the shoulders of Emmen’s defenders, the wing-backs’ pushed high up the pitch and were willing to attack the wide spaces. Their high positioning, combined with the midfield line of four, forced the opponent to track back and fill in the spaces inside the box. Although this might bring them the numerical superiority, Ajax players tended to use quick combinations among each other and that advantage would be bypassed easily.

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