Ajax Impress as Míchel's Vision Takes Shape

Ajax are starting to look like a team built in Míchel’s image, and people in Spain have noticed.

Catalan daily Mundo Deportivo devoted space on Wednesday to the transformation in Amsterdam, arguing that Ajax now resemble a settled side that has been together for years, even though the Spanish coach has only been in charge for a few months.

“Míchel’s Ajax have reached their cruising speed,” the paper declared, a headline that captures the growing sense that this project is moving fast.

The timing of that verdict is no coincidence. It comes straight after a ruthless 5-1 dismantling of Willem II, a match in which Ajax suffocated their opponents with 70 per cent possession and unleashed 33 shots. They were already 2-0 up at half-time, yet refused to ease off, continuing to press and probe until the final whistle.

That intensity has not been a one-off. Mundo Deportivo pointed to Ajax’s last four league games as evidence of a side finding its attacking rhythm. Telstar conceded four, Fortuna Sittard and Willem II both shipped five, and even in the 3-1 defeat to PSV, the Spanish outlet felt Míchel’s men had deserved more for their performance.

The numbers are stark. Across those four fixtures, Ajax collected nine points and scored 14 goals, with the PSV loss the only blemish on an otherwise prolific run.

It is not just the forward line drawing praise. Mundo Deportivo also singled out defender Youri Baas for his assured performances at the heart of the back line, a symbol of a team that looks increasingly balanced as well as bold.

For a club that demands both style and silverware, the question now is simple: with Míchel’s ideas bedding in at this pace, how far can this Ajax side push the title race?