Champions League: New generation Ajax mirror Johan Cruyff's Total Football to unsettle Tottenham in first leg

A solitary goal was all it took for the new generation Ajax Amsterdam stars to secure an all-important victory against Tottenham Hotspur in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final but the scoreline doesn’t paint the true picture of a match that saw two brave, young football sides have a fair go at each other.

Ajax were the far superior side for most parts of the match after taking an early lead through Donny van de Beek in the 15th minute, and arguably had the best chance for scoring the second goal of the match when David Neres’ angled left-foot shot ricocheted off the post in the 78th minute. But Spurs can pat their backs for clinging on to the tie and making a comeback after a first half that saw the Dutch team remind the world why they are the masters of Johan Cruyff’s Total Football.

A Total Football Blitzkrieg

Spurs didn’t know what hit them for the first 30 minutes of the match. Ajax moved the ball around rapidly, with intent when in possession, and hunted down their opponents in packs when not, allowing Spurs no room to implement whatever strategy Mauricio Pochettino had devised prior to the match.

Tottenham were expecting Ajax to dominate the early stages considering how they lined up in the midfield. Pochettino had packed his midfield in a 3-5-2 formation with Fernando Llorente and Lucas Moura playing up front. But Spurs’ trio in the centre – Christian Eriksen, Victor Wanyama and Dele Alli – struggled to get a stranglehold of the match as their Ajax counterparts dictated the proceedings and set the tempo.

Erik ten Hag probably pre-empted Spurs’ plans to crowd the midfield and he adjusted Ajax’s system slightly to ensure there was always someone in the midfield to set up the attacks. As expected, Tottenham’s main focus was on limiting Frenkie de Jong’s creative influence but ten Hag made sure de Beek played in a slightly deeper position than a usual No 10 role, to spoil Spurs’ plan. Van de Beek was perhaps the best player for Ajax in the match, darting forward at every opportunity and also helping the defence when required.

Donny van de Beek’s game by numbers vs. Spurs:

5 ball recoveries
4/4 tackles won
2/3 take-ons won
2 chances created
1 goal

Talented & hard working. 🙌 pic.twitter.com/zOcJnI0f1h

— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) April 30, 2019

A game of two halves

Tottenham were forced to a substitution after defender Jan Vertonghen was knocked almost unconscious by Ajax keeper Andre Onana during a set-play. Mousa Sissoko, a surprising omission from the starting line-up despite being match-fit, came on for Spurs as Pochettino shifted to a 4-4-2 formation with Alli and Eriksen also helping Moura find knockdowns from Llorente.

Sissoko had a stellar influence in the match and helped Spurs gain control of the midfield by thwarting the Ajax attacks. The French midfielder finished the match with 10 interceptions, three successful tackles and an 81 percent pass accuracy, and was the vital cog in turning things around for Spurs. Moura was another key figure in the attack for Spurs. His pace and close control showed promises throughout the match but it was clear Spurs lacked a clinical finisher in the Harry Kane-mould.

That said, the height advantage should be something Pochettino will be looking into more closely for the second leg. Toby Alderweireld, Llorente, Alli were all winning headers at ease but unfortunately for Spurs, there was no one to win the second ball.

Spurs are still in it

It is fair to say Tottenham missed Kane – their go-to man for the big occasions – in the semi-final. The side looked flat and devoid of ideas, especially during the initial parts of the game when Ajax were moving the ball around purposefully. This is where a great player can make a difference by creating something out of nothing and deflating the opposition’s confidence.

Former Manchester United defender Daley Blind had a good game in central defence, making the most number of clearances (8), winning the joint-highest aerial duals (5) and making the most number of interceptions (4). But it is also an indication of how Spurs failed to exploit what was supposedly the chink in Ajax’s armour.

The chances of Kane making an early comeback from ankle ligament injury for the second-leg are pretty low but Spurs will have the services of attacker Son Heung-min to call upon. The good thing for the English side is that despite all of Ajax’s slick football, they just scored one. Defensive shutdowns aren’t for everyone, as showcased by the sub-par performance in the wings by Kieran Trippier, and maybe Tottenham will take a bolder approach in the second leg by trying to attack Ajax from the whistle.

Kieran Trippier lost possession 28 times against Ajax, more times than any other player on the pitch.

Not the best showing in a Spurs shirt. 😕 pic.twitter.com/c3HBvCdhRY

— Squawka (@Squawka) April 30, 2019

That would certainly result in an entertaining match, even a high-scoring one like Spurs’ clash against Manchester City, with Ajax not known to sit back and defend a lead. What we saw in the first leg was an Ajax side merely continuing where they had left off against Juventus – quick, direct and inventive football with a focus on possession.

So will ten Hag be the first coach after Louis van Gaal to bring European glory to Amsterdam? Maybe.

But they sure look favourites to reach the final in Madrid though.