Heitinga wanted Ajax to play more compactly. “The plan made sense,” he said. “But the plan only worked for fifteen minutes. Then it was over,” he referred to a red card for Kenneth Taylor. “Then they score twice with a shot that is deflected and they use two penalties. At least one penalty was given easily, in my opinion.”
Valentijn Driessen: ‘This is how Kenneth Taylor and Wout Weghorst herald the dismissal of Ajax coach John Heitinga’
The accompanying Ajax supporters urged Heitinga to be dismissed for the first time this season. “Johnny, fuck off,” they sang shortly after Oscar Gloukh was substituted in the 23rd minute. “I understand those emotions,” said Heitinga. “But after the red card for Taylor, I wanted a controlling midfielder. And I wanted to continue with our fast wingers and Wout Weghorst as a striker. After that, I heard our supporters support our team again and that is how it should be.”
Ajax gets a new blow from Chelsea in the Champions League after an early red card
Heitinga hands out compliment
“We have to take this blow, but the boys ran for every meter today,” said Heitinga. “They deserve a compliment for that. Now they have to recover and we will play another important match against FC Twente on Sunday.”
It does not come as a complete surprise to Heitinga that Ajax is at the bottom of the Champions League after defeats against Internazionale, Olympique Marseille and Chelsea. “We would have preferred these first three teams a little later,” he said. “Every point from these matches was taken into account in advance. Now you have to get your points in the next five matches. There are many crazy results; today we were on the wrong side.”
Davy Klaassen after Ajax’s thumping at Chelsea: ‘Then our plan could be thrown in the trash’
| Position | Team | P | GS | W | V | G | DS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | +10 | |
| 2 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | +10 | |
| 3 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | +9 | |
| 4 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | +8 | |
| 5 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | +7 | |
| 6 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | +5 | |
| 7 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | +4 | |
| 8 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | +6 | |
| 9 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | +5 | |
| 10 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | +4 | |
| 11 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | +3 | |
| 11 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | +3 | |
| 13 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | +1 | |
| 14 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | -1 | |
| 15 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | +1 | |
| 16 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | +2 | |
| 17 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | -3 | |
| 18 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | +2 | |
| 19 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | -1 | |
| 20 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | -2 | |
| 21 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | -3 | |
| 22 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | -4 | |
| 23 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | -5 | |
| 24 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | -6 | |
| 25 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -1 | |
| 26 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -2 | |
| 27 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -3 | |
| 28 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -3 | |
| 29 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -4 | |
| 30 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -5 | |
| 31 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | -3 | |
| 32 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | -4 | |
| 33 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | -7 | |
| 34 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | -8 | |
| 35 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | -5 | |
| 36 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | -10 |