Team Focus: Explaining Ajax's style under De Boer

It’s also used to break down stubborn opposition. The majority of sides they face play in a compact 6-3-1 formation: the general idea being to make the pitch small, suffocate their creative players, and hit them on the break. To counter that, the centre-backs play a key role by constructing from the back. Stefano Denswil (104.4), Joël Veltman (98) and Moisander (95.4) are averaging the most passes per game in the division.

Ajax only play horizontally after a vertical pass; a case in point being when the centre-backs go out with ball, opening up the field and moving wider so the right or left-back can join the midfield line. De Boer has talked about it: the centre backs provoke the opponent, invite them forward, then if the opponent applies quick pressure the ball goes to the other central defender who then makes a vertical pass.

This leads us to another Van Gaalisten concept he’s incorporated: ‘pressure play’. Ajax press the moment they lose possession, seen as the perfect time because the opposing player who has just won the ball is vulnerable. He’s wasted energy to win it. Possession needs to be regained in three seconds, usually by forming a wall of three behind the player closing down. If they haven’t won it back, instead of falling back and regrouping, they move up the pitch using a high defensive line and forming a compact ten-man wall.

Once they’ve won possession the job is to keep the ball, controlling the ebb and flow until a gap appears (normally through the opposition becoming tired). Subsequently each attack is built patiently with the desire to finish with a sweeping move – a higher percentage of their total chances created have come from open play than any other team (83.8%).

Peerless man-management has allowed everything to come to fruition; with the average age of the side in the early 20s. De Boer’s duties have extended far beyond simply coaching, stating, “You’re effectively a surrogate dad.” He’s not a totalitarian like Van Gaal but isn’t afraid to crack the whip either. A typical free-thinking Amsterdammer, even though he was born in Hoorn, the coach is a fundamentalist in every sense of the word.

With a four-year extension having been signed De Boer’s aim is to follow in his predecessors’ footsteps from an ideological point-of-view. Michels, Cruyff and Van Gaal, in their respective eras, moulded Ajax into their image, leaving a legacy which is still breathlessly spoken of today. His revolutionary act of re-implementing their ideals – as well as adding a few of his own to combat the tribulations of 21st century life – has given him a chance to do that.