Ajax set new goals in Europe

Any lingering sense of disappointment following AFC Ajax's goalless draw against FC Timişoara in the UEFA Europa League last Thursday was quickly brushed aside by Sunday's 4-0 Eredivisie victory at VVV Venlo.

Goal rush
Undisputed star of the show was captain Luis Suárez, who scored all four Ajax goals, taking his tally this season to 14 from only ten games in all club competitions. The Uruguayan international is already halfway to last season's total of 28, a tally he needed 43 games to achieve. Ajax have scored 13 goals without reply in their past three Eredivisie matches to move to within a point of the summit, so being kept off the scoresheet in the UEFA Europa League came as a surprise.

No way through
"We knew how they would play, packing the midfield and the defence, but still we couldn't find a way through," said defender Jan Vertonghen after the game against the Romanian side. "A lot of people may have thought we would win because we were playing at home against relatively unknown opponents, but none of that matters when you're out on the pitch."

Attacking commitment
Vertonghen's defensive partner Toby Alderweireld added: "When we played NAC Breda the previous weekend [a 6-0 win] we pushed forward and it worked; against Timişoara it didn't. The substitutions we made didn't have much effect either, although we kept trying to force an opening right to the end." This trademark commitment to attacking football is, according to Alderweireld, shared by Ajax's next opponents in the UEFA Europa League and could be a blessing in disguise. "Anderlecht are also an attack-minded team, so maybe there will be more space for us in Brussels. That could work in our favour."

Homegrown talent
New coach Martin Jol has brought more stability to the Amsterdam side, and they look capable of mounting a serious challenge at home and in Europe this year. While keeping hold of Suárez was a huge boost, another key factor is Jol's faith in homegrown talent. Against Venlo and Timişoara, the entire defensive block – goalkeeper and four defenders – were all products of the club's youth system. Even more striking is how quickly the central duo of Vertonghen and Alderweireld has gelled. The two young Belgians, 22 and 20 respectively, have offered such effective protection that in the six matches they have been paired together in the heart of the defence the team is yet to concede a goal.

Expectations
As is generally the case with Ajax, Jol's main challenge is to manage expectations. The club is desperate to re-establish domestic domination, having missed out on the title five seasons in succession. With competition from a strong PSV Eindhoven and a resurgent Feyenoord, as well as champions AZ Alkmaar and the consistently-impressive FC Twente, it is not going to be easy, especially with the additional demands of a UEFA Europa League campaign. The signs so far are good.