Ajax on the up after early slump as Grim stays to season's end | OneFootball

Ajax have hauled themselves back from an early-season slump after John Heitinga’s dismissal in early November. They were struggling in the Eredivisie and bottom of the Champions League, but interim coach Fred Grim has steadied results and will stay until season’s end.

According to AjaxDaily, the league upswing has cut the gap to second-placed Feyenoord to two points, with PSV Eindhoven 18 clear and the title looking inevitable. Since late November they have managed four wins, including a key victory over Feyenoord, and three draws.

European form has improved too. A 2-1 win at Villarreal made it two Champions League victories in a row, leaving Ajax within reach of a play-off spot that seemed unlikely three months ago.

Before Villarreal they were winless in two, a 2-2 home draw with Go Ahead Eagles following a 6-0 KNVB Cup last 16 defeat at AZ Alkmaar that effectively ended realistic hopes of silverware.

January has brought movement, with Kenneth Taylor joining Lazio for €16.85 million and Takehiro Tomiyasu arriving on a free in December, and it is understood talks are under way with Oleksandr Zinchenko’s camp and Arsenal. Jordi Cruyff becomes Technical Director in February. The focus now is to exploit any Feyenoord slip and cut out the errors AZ punished, while the Champions League tie against Olympiakos on 28 January is a must-win, Ajax must prevail and hope other results fall their way, and progress would be huge given where they were a few months ago.

Source: AjaxDaily