Dutch media reacts as Rangers smashed by Ajax in Champions League
The Dutch media have thanked Rangers for handing Ajax the dream start in the Champions League group stages on Wednesday evening, as they won 4-0.
De Telegraaf insisted that it was down to the contribution of the away side as to why it was such a good night, described as “drunken” in their efforts.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst openly admitted after the game that his side can not compete with those in Group A of the Champions League, not filling us with hope exactly.
Writing in his latest column for De Telegraaf, Mike Verweij did not hold back in his assessment of the Bears and Van Bronckhorst over in Amsterdam.
“After a short scanning phase, the team from Amsterdam set off in the atmospheric Johan Cruijff ArenA,” he wrote.
“The opening goal of Edson Alvarez, who headed in after seventeen minutes from a corner from Steven Berghuis, was the signal for a gala performance. In it, the drunken Scots were lucky that it was ‘only’ 3-0 at half time.
“The team from Amsterdam had a dream start to the group stage of the Champions League against the team of Giovanni van Bronckhorst, partly due to their contribution.”
Standstill.
Wow, it was always going to be a tough start, but this was just embarrassing.
In what could be described as another run-through of the Old Firm defeat, Ajax were hungrier and given the easiest of tasks to walk to a huge win in Amsterdam.
There was no hunger, aggression and simple desire to win and that is something that needs to leave the squad instantly, or the upcoming games with Liverpool and Napoli could be even more embarrassing.
Spare a thought for the travelling fans too, who have had to spend big money to see a squad hardly try and continue to look like schoolboys from every single set piece.
It is the basics of football that continue to fail us and that is getting more worrying with each passing game, with a return to those certainly needed.
We’re hoping the power of Ibrox can change this around once the Champions League quickly returns, although this away form needs to be sorted as soon as possible – starting at Aberdeen.
In other Rangers news, Michael Stewart got stuck into one player after what he did in the past week