Hopefully Alkmaar can provide a more permanent home for Elsner after a turbulent eighteen months.
1
Hopefully third time's a charm!
1
Club Overview
Elsner inherits a squad that has some very nice pieces, a big contrast to his early days at ASSE. However the club has still not won the league since 2009 but last season was the best since. In the KNVB Cup, we have routinely been the runner-up to Ajax.
AZ in the Eredivise
2018 / 2019 – 6th Place (Feyenoord wins title)
2019 / 2020 – 3rd Place (Ajax)
2020 / 2021 – 6th Place (Ajax)
2021 / 2022 – 4th Place (Feyenoord)
2022 / 2023 – 2nd Place (Ajax)
2023 / 2024 Expectations – Top half
AZ in the KNVB Cup
2018 / 2019 – Lost to Ajax in Quarter Final (penalty shootout)
2019 / 2020 – Runner up (Ajax)
2020 / 2021 – Runner up (PSV)
2021 / 2022 – Lost to FC Twente in the Third Round
2022 / 2023 – Runner up, lost in extra time (Ajax)
2023 / 2024 Expectations – Reach Semi Finals
Hopefully we can provide some stability to push this club over the top.
Goalkeepers
Jasper Schendelaar
Marko Dmitrovic leads a talented group of goalkeepers, he is more than adequate but he is not a natural fit as a Sweeper Keeper that we desire. He truly lacks the acceleration to clean up behind the defense. That said he has been the first team goalkeeper for the last 4 seasons. Last year he had 13 clean sheets in 26 league appearances.
A pair from the Jong AZ Academy round out our first team squad in Jasper Schendelaar and Mees Bakker, both 22 years old. Schendelaar has immense potential and he is also a natural Sweeper Keeper.
As a group we are above average in Kicking, Reflexes, Handling, 1v1, and Throwing when compared to the rest of the league. However, we are below average in Aerial Reach, Command of Area and Agility.
Defense
Borna Sosa
Our wing backs are by far the strength of the defense, on the left side we have Borna Sosa (25 years old, Croatia) and Thomas Oewajan (26, Holland). On the right side we have Abbubaker Mobara (29, South Africa) and Oleg Danchenko (28, Ukraine); both are very good options.
At center back we have a lot to be desired as we enter the summer, with only Martin Hinteregger (30, Austria) and Pantelis Hatzidiakos (26, Greece) as options. Both leave a lot to be desired and surely we will be focused on improving this area over the summer window.
In comparison with the rest of the league, our defense has the highest pace and above average in tackling, marking, positioning, and acceleration. With heading, jumping, and strength below average.
Midfield
Fredrik Midtsjo
We have some exciting pieces in the midfield but lack great depth. Fredrik Midtsjo (29, Norway) and Teun Koopmeiners (25, Holland) are both solid options with Kenzo Goudmijn (21, Holland) more than capable of covering for Koopmeiners. Peer Koopmeiners (23, Holland) is another decent option but this is area that could use some more depth with a better option here.
This group is above average everywhere and tops in the league for vision and decision making.
Attack
Calvin Stengs
Calvin Stengs (24, Holland), Guus Til (25, Holland), and Ole ter Haar Romeny (22, Holland) all headline this group. Elsner’s top priority will be fighting off several Premier League club who are rumored to be interested in Stengs and ter Haar Romeny. We have some capable depth here too with Dorin Rotariu (27, Romania) and Nicolas Guerra (24, Chile) leading the next wave.
We have the quickest attacking unit in the league but lack any real aerial presence.
Elsewhere in the Eredivise
Media Prediction
1) Ajax (3-1)
2) Feyenoord (4-1)
3) AZ (5-1)
4) PSV (6-1)
5) Vitesse (20-1)
6) FC Utrecht (25-1)
7) sc Heerenveen (30-1)
8) FC Groningen (60-1)
9) Hercales Almelo (80-1)
10) FC Twente (85-1)
11) VVV-Venlo (250-1)
12) NAC Breda (300-1)
13) Sparta (350-1)
14) Willem II (650-1)
15) Excelsior (700-1)
16) PEC Zwolle (1000-1)
17) N.E.C. (1000-1)
18) Fortuna Sittard (1000-1)
Ajax lost some star power over the summer after selling David Neres to Leicester for €12.5M. However, they still have 9 players on the “Dream Eleven”, including 19-year old striker Brahim Benali who had 12 goals and 5 assists last season in 22 appearances. Ajax bought him for €1M three years ago from Sparta.
Pre-season 2023/2024
Ole ter Haar Romeny missed most of the pre-season after suffering a groin injury during training.
We struggled to get going out of the gate against Rapid Vienna but finally got a late equalizer from Nicolas Guerra in the 88th minute. Once again we were sluggish at the start against FCN, but 4 goals in the final 25 minutes make it look better than it was. Guerra scored again. Svetoslav Kovachev had a brace and an assist.
Dmitrovic gifted Fenerbache the only goal of the match after some lazy play, in fairness we played a completely rotated squad. Finally we made quick work of CFR Cluj with goals from Calvin Stengs, Kovachev, and Guerra.
Borna Sosa
Sosa suffered a bruised thigh in the preseason finale against CFR Cluj but he is expected to be available for the Erevidisie opener.
Svetoslav Kovachev
Kovachev also went down with an injury against CFR Cluj, he has a tight calf. He should also be available for the Erevidisie opener.
An exciting first month to the season with away games at Ajax in the JC Schaal, Champions League Qualifying matches versus Kobenhaven or Shakhtar, along with some mid-table Erevidisie matches.
Transfers Out
Dorin Rotariu
Sold to Feyenoord for €6M with future fees going to €7.5M. Rotariu's contract was expiring next summer and did not want to resign, not ideal to sell to Feyenoord but it's a business move. He appeared in 27 matches scoring 7 goals and 4 assists last season. Youngster Angelo Saro is more than ready to step in and take his place.
Most importantly we were able to keep Calvin Stengs and Ole ter Haar Romeny from moving to England after both received multiple offers but neither was interested in leaving.
We also sent Thijs Oosting to PEC Zwolle on loan, Richard Meendering to Hercales Almelo on loan, and Peer Koopmeiners to FC St. Pauli on loan.
Transfers In
Felix Eboa Eboa
Felix comes in from EA Guingamp for €4.8M and they also agreed to pay €19,500 per month of his salary for two seasons. He gives us some much need physicality in our central defense.
Jordan Torunarigha
We buy Torunarigha from Schalke for €4.9M and they also agreed to €50,000 per month of his salary for the next three seasons. He is another athletic center back option, perfect fit for Luka's defense.
Jake Doyle-Hayes
Doyle-Hayes gives us some much need cover for our midfield. We bought him for €1.8M from Aston Villa, they also agreed to pay €21,500 of his salary for next season.
AZ are still in the market to add a left wing/central attacking midfielder in the transfer window.
The game against Ajax will be a good opportunity to see where the team is in terms of talent. This is the year that AZ spank them.
Some decent imports there. Looking forward to seeing how the latest chapter of Elsner's career fairs.
AZ are a very promising club with HUGE potential. Hopefully Elsner can help them realise it. And very impressed with the Jordan Torunarigha signing, he is real quality in from Hertha.
AZ draw Ukraine side Shakhtar Donetsk in the Third Qualifying Phase of the Champions League. Shakhtar beat FC Kobenhavn 1-1 on away goals to advance.
First Leg - Away
Despite dominating possession and holding the match on their side of the pitch, Shakhtar get first blood after Felix Eboa Eboa gives away a penalty on a sloppy challenge in the 32nd minute. Maxym Malyshev was able to beat Jasper Schendelaar to give them a 1-0 advantage. It was Shakhtar's first time advancing into our box on the evening. Moments later the match turned further in our favor when Shakhtar's 19-year old Igor Ilkiv committed a professional foul to stop Ole ter Haar Romeny's breakaway and Ilkiv was given a red card in the 40th minute. We still had a 1-0 deficit into the break.
The second half we picked up the tempo to take advantage of the man advantage. Jordan Torunarigha scored his first goal for us off a corner, he smashed in the volley to give us the equalizer in the 49th minute. We continued to press the issue but were unable to get another goal until Angelo Saro scored in the 90th minute off a cross from Abbubaker Mobara!
We take a 2-1 advantage home with us!
Second Leg - Home
Despite the advantage we brought into the match we wanted to attack them out of the gate. We did just that as the boys were raring to go. Calvin Stengs opened the scoring after converting a penalty in the 12th minute. It was only fitting as he drew the penalty with a great run into the box. Guus Til smashed home a rebound for the second goal of the night in the 24th minute giving us a 4-1 advantage on aggregate. From that point on we choked out the match and were absolute control throughout with them getting their first shot of the night in the 60th minute.
AZ advance, winning 4-1 on aggregate!
Next up a difficult draw with Sporting. They still have Bruno Fernandes and have added Son from Tottenham along with Steve Mounie on loan from Southampton.
1
Despite an early scare, it was a comfortable victory over the two legs. Also good to see Stengs performing as he will be a massive player for you this season.
1
First Leg - Away
From the opening of the match it was clear that Sporting simply wanted to take stifle any attack we could manage through their midfield of Fernandes, Wendel, and Joao Palhinha. We had a distinct advantage in possession but could only manage 2 shots in the first half. Once we made a mistake they attacked furiously, but were unable to get on the board.
Entering the second half we finally were able to make some progress but never were able to open them up enough to even get a shot on goal, we finished the night with a total of 7 shots. Sporting finally scored off a corner kick with Willan Jose scoring his first goal of the season in the 56th minute. We had several chances clear it but failed to do so before finally allowing the goal.
We head home trailing 1-0.
Second Leg - Home
Bruno Fernandes injured his knee in Sporting's match against Moreirense over the weekend and missed the second leg. We found things much easier with Niklas Dorsch in his place. Ole ter Haar Romeny scored in the 15th minute assisted by Kovachev. Despite our significant advantage we were up just 1-0 minutes before the break when Teun Koopmeiners launched a ball into the box and Stengs won the header and scored (45+1).
In the second half our midfield and defense dominated and held Sporting to just 3 shots, none on target. Kovachev had a great opportunity to give us another goal but hit the post! We were able to hold out for the 2-0 win and 2-1 win on aggregate as we comfortably saw out the last 45 minutes.
The Group Stage draw was not nice to us - we draw Barcelona, Juventus, and Leverkusen in Group G. However, the €15.25M in prize money for advancing makes it all better. Either way, this will be a great experience and source of additional income for the club.
You are reading "Legenda - The career of Luka Elsner".
