Ajax vs Standard Liege
Football: European Europa League
Thursday 29th September 2016 - Kick Off 18pm
Ajax
This is a club that should really be competing in the Champions League as a four times winner of that competition, but Ajax are not of the same level these days as previous teams. With the money around Europe, the best Dutch players do seek new foreign pastures much quicker than they used to and Ajax have struggled for a big impact in Europe in recent seasons.
Falling into the Europa League for the second season in a row having initially begun in the Champions League Qualifiers is a disappointment for Ajax. This is going to be a difficult Group to negotiate, but Ajax won at Panathinaikos on Match Day 1 which has put them in a strong position to do just that. However Ajax have drawn their last 5 home games in European football and have to improve markedly if they are going to go deep into this tournament.
Recent form has been very strong for Ajax who have won 6 in a row in all competitions since their surprising 4-1 defeat to Rostov in the Champions League Play Of Round. Ajax have won 3 in a row at home in all competitions and the side have scored 10 goals in their last couple of games here which should give them confidence.
Standard Liege
When the Europa League Group Stage draw pitted Standard Liege with Ajax, Panathinaikos and Celta Vigo, it looked like one in which the club from Belgium would struggle to get out of. They have been playing well enough domestically to give them some confidence to take into the European games, but every away game will be a big test for them.
Standard Liege came through with a 1-1 home draw with Celta Vigo on Match Day 1 and they will feel they can be in a very strong position in the Group if they can avoid defeat in this one. They have struggled away from home in the Europa League though as Standard Liege have failed to win any of their last 8 on their travels and they have been beaten in 6 of their last 7 away from home in this competition.
The side have won 3 of their last 5 games in all competitions and Standard Liege have lost just 1 of their last 7. Most of the positive results have come at home though and Standard Liege have won 1 of their last 7 on their travels while they have lost 4 of those games.
Head to Head
This is the first time Ajax and Standard Liege have played in a competitive fixture.
Prediction
The Dutch top flight might not be as strong as it once was, but I do think it is still significantly better than neighbouring Belgium's best teams and I am looking for Ajax to show that off in the Europa League on Thursday.
Ajax have been playing well in recent weeks and have scored at least five goals in each of their last couple of games at home. Against a team like Standard Liege who have struggled away from home in the Europa League, I would expect Ajax to dictate the play and eventually have too much for their opponents.
My one concern would be the poor recent form Ajax have displayed in home European games and their struggles to convert games into wins. Ajax have had 5 consecutive home draws in European football, but I think they have been playing well enough to change that here and can beat a Standard Liege team who have lost 4 of their last 7 away games overall and also 6 of their last 7 away Europa League games.
The Ajax price is just tempting enough for me to make a play on them to make it two wins out of two Europa League Group games.
