Tottenham vs Ajax: Dutch show off a cohesiveness even the all-conquering Real Madrid did not possess

The reason that Zinedine Zidane’s squad won so much was because of their deep individual quality, with so many top stars in their prime. Ajax do not have that, but they do have more of an idea as a team

Far from running their course, this Ajax side simply change their course. It is another way they keep winning in this Champions League, and another way they keep astounding.

It is also why they were are so much more than upstarts, or a novelty semi-finalists. They are the real deal.

The lingering sense with such surprise sides – from Bayer Leverkusen 2002 to Monaco 2017 – is usually that they will just run out of steam, the excitable energy propelling them through such campaigns eventually being expended.

Ajax showed no signs of that at White Hart Lane. They just showed a different way to play when required, having already shown their quality.

That was what was so impressive here.

After a first half-hour where they so fully eviscerated Tottenham Hotspur, pulling them apart with movement, they then switched up and just stood their ground.

Ajax displayed such an impressive resolve against Spurs’ bludgeoning attack.

It was all the more impressive because manager Erik Ten Hag said they didn’t expect that.

In other words, his players showed an impressive and acutely mature ability to adapt themselves. This is genuine composure beyond their years.

“We were immediately all into the game,” Ten Hag explained. “In the first phase of the match, we were completely dominating. After that, Tottenham changed the system, found a different gear, and played much more directly. That caused some problems for us. I don’t think we anticipated that.

“What was very good about the team is they fought really hard. They fought for everything.

“Yes, I am satisfied with our attitude, their fighting spirit, with the resilience we have in the team. The fact that we were playing less good football… We can play in different styles and I’m satisfied with that.”

But this was it. It was only “satisfactory” to Ten Hag: a 1-0 win away to Spurs.

“We know we can do a lot better,” the manager said. “We need to just be on the ball a lot more. We need to keep the ball longer, especially in the second half.

“We have to work with our own strengths. I think we did that. That causes problems for the opponents.

“This is criticism at a very high level, I understand that. But if we want to get to the final, we have to improve… If we look back, of course it’s a very good result.”

Donny van de Beek celebrates putting Ajax in front (Getty)

There are important points here beyond the basic desire for improvement. It first of all shows that Ajax are not just content to have got so far. They are far from just happy to be here.

It emphasises that they have realised they are so good, and genuinely at a Champions League-winning “level”.

And who could dispute that?

In different ways on Tuesday, and for the third tie in a row, Ajax did look like one of the best sides in Europe.

This is the other element to the general perspective of underdogs. When such sides do go on to get to finals, there is a similar sense that they’ve somewhat overshot to get there, that there is an element of fortune to it that may make any showpiece one-sided.

Not a bit of it here.

Ajax are not just as good as almost any team this season. They look as good as most recent finalists.

There is an even argument that they are more cohesive and better balanced side than recent champions Real Madrid, as well as more of a team.

This isn’t to say they are superior to that Madrid. The reason that Zinedine Zidane’s squad won so much before this season was because of their deep individual quality, with so many top stars in their prime. Ajax do not have that, but they do have more of an idea as a team, more direction as a team.

That really isn’t an exaggeration, not when they’ve just completed their third successive away win in the competition – a perfect record in the knockout stages.

That was something else Madrid managed last year. That’s Ajax’s level.

That is what Tottenham Hotspur now have to rise to, to deny what now looks a rightful place in the final.

Spurs are going to have to change the course of Ajax’s entire campaign. That is now easy feat, because these are no mere upstarts.