Who cares? 17-18 they lost to Rosenberg in the Europa League Playoffs, crashed out of the Cup and finished way behind PSV in the League. Does that mean the 18-19 team was terrible? Ajax more than probably any other "big" club can sway from quality from year to year. They went from terrible EL season to EL Finals to not even in any Europe to a miracle away from the CL Final over the last 4 years. I agree-- if you think someone playing at Ajax at 18 means they're destined for superstardom or even a great career, you are mistaken. Plenty of guys there flame out early. Dest is very, very talented but his defensive abilities are still really unknown.
It's not just the width but the timing. An attacker in the Netherlands has a lot more time to do something with the ball, in the Top 5 leagues he has someone on top of him in a fraction of a second.
Of course they have a defender on top of them faster than in the Eredivisie. But apart from the epl, mostly that's because the defenders stay at home as much as possible, while in the Eredivisie a wing back may be half way the opponents half when the attack is reversed the other way. So the chances your back is away is far bigger in the Eredivisie than for instance in Portugal or Italy. That doesnot mean those backs are bad or worse than from those defensive leagues. It just means we like attacking play more because it's more fun to watch.
He'd a winger before a midfielder IMO. But that's just opinion. But the main point being-- people are acting like this is an automatic starter for the next 10 years for the NT. He's a great talent and everything. But starting at Ajax at 18 does not mean you are definitely a great player. It's a good start for sure but plenty of guys even the last 5 years have looked like world beaters then done nothing with their careers.
If I was Dest's folks, I'd suggest this is the most likely - and perhaps most enjoyable for him - outcome.
A brutal report by Ajax paper de Telegraaf on his match against RKC. This is the paper that actively tried to get Dest into the Orange shirt> https://www.telegraaf.nl/sport/1688687357/dilemma-dest-mazraoui
Given his Ajax play, he would have a kind of Fabian Johnson-esque career for the US, I'd guess - a wing back when that made sense, a touchline middie when that made sense, a tradition FB when that made sense. His touch and attacking instinct is too good for the US not to sometimes use him further up the field. Jus like Ajax uses him. Interesting Maz got a run out at LFB v. RKC. Ten Hag is trying to get him back to game fitness. To anyone who bothered to watch, did Shuurs come in at LB? Or did Veltman slide out left?
Thx. That makes more sense. So, I guess what you're saying the coach of Ajax is locking strategic suggestions from Beerholder... (ducks and runs! Lol...)
In here there is. Dunno if it works: https://www.telegraaf.nl/video/10185915/ajax-supporters-zijn-hardleers
Full game first half and second half. You guys are aware that basically all first division games played in Europe are available in archives online, at least from 2005 onward, right? Yes, you have to search them, I'm not just giving the vaults away. Also, it's easy to set up your computer to record N simultaneous streams when you're away from home, set a start time and end time like with the old VCRs, then watch when you got the time.
You said that there was this brutal report on his match against RKC and I was looking for the text. Didn't see it.
"Wie hem tegen RKC voor rust echter oeverloos zag draven en de ruimtes voor de mensen voor hem zag dichtlopen, vraagt zich af of Mazraoui geen kans verdient." "Whoever saw him trotting endlessly against RKC before the break and saw him clogging up the spaces in front of the people close before him, wonders whether Mazraoui doesnot deserve a chance." He basically says Dest was running around like a headless chicken in the first half.
My take about that article is that it is a criticism of Mazraoui, not Dest. The part you quoted continues in the next sentence with (according to Google Translate), "Last season he was a revelation as right back. It should be noted that he did not make the best turn as a left back at RKC and Dest was at the base of the 0-1 from Dusan Tadic with a great pass." Not a great translation (at least that I can tell), but that looks as if it is criticizing Mazraoui and praising Dest. Please offer a correction if my understanding is wrong.
Indeed google translate doesnot understand the difference between translating words and what is meant. The article starts with: "In Waalwijk speelden beide backs vanwege de schorsing van Nicolas Tagliafico. Maar op dit moment is Dest de nummer één op de rechtsbackpositie." "Both backs played in Waalwijk due to the suspension of Nicolas Tagliafico. But right now Dest is the number one on the right back position." The writer states the facts for the match. He than writes: "Wie hem tegen RKC voor rust echter oeverloos zag draven en de ruimtes voor de mensen voor hem zag dichtlopen, vraagt zich af of Mazraoui geen kans verdient." "Whoever saw him (=Dest) trotting endlessly against RKC before the break and saw him clogging up the spaces in front of the people close before him, wonders whether Mazraoui doesnot deserve a chance." The criticism is aimed at Dest and the writer poses the question why Mazra shouldnot get the chance over Dest. "Vorig seizoen was hij als rechtsback een revelatie. Waarbij aangetekend dat hij als linksback bij RKC geen beste beurt maakte en Dest met een prima voorzet aan de basis stond van de 0-1 van Dusan Tadic." "Last season he was a revelation as right back (Mazraoui). It should be noted that he did not make the best turn as a left back at RKC and Dest with a great pass was at the base of the 0-1 by Dusan Tadic." He after all was the revelation last season (much more in fact as he was a decider in CL matches for them). To mitigate that he then writes Mazra at the left back position against RKC wasnot playing well too, while Dest did provide the pass for the 0-1. It was a great move how he prepared his pass! However that has to be put against the goal conceded where he simply did nothing to prevent the ball being put into the goal mouth. I thought it was Mazra who made that fault, but later it turned out Mazra had been subbed out for Perr Schuurs and Dest was moved to the left back position. As Mazra isnot a left back at all it was kind of strange ten Hag did put Mazra there in stead of Dest, who's better at that position anyway, but that may be because of Dest for now being the first choice for the RB position. So ten Hag corrected his own fault in the line up, but a few minutes later Dest does nothing to prevent the pass for the goal being given. "Woensdag zal Teg Hag opnieuw voor de lastige keuze staan, als Ajax het in de eigen Johan Cruijff ArenA opneemt tegen Chelsea in de groepsfase van de Champions League." "On Wednesday, Teg Hag will again be faced with the tricky choice, when Ajax will face Chelsea in the group stage of the Champions League in its own Johan Cruijff ArenA." This match will cause a major headache for ten Hag as the Chelsea kids up front are simply both very fast and very technically gifted. There are rumours someone is going to be taken off the regular team that's going to face Chelsea in the defense. Only question who, as not only Dest, but the whole defense played like shit. It willnot be Blind.
Pulling Dest from the lineup at home v Chelsea would be a concession - an act of cowardice, really - and unlike the ten Hag we've come to know and respect. De Dest, encore de Dest, toujours de Dest et Ajax sera sauvée!
It could also be someone from the midfield. Mind you, the quoted report criticising Dest is reflected in the changes ten Hag made. If Dest was playing well at the right back position he would not have been moved from there. He could have moved Blind to the left back position and Perr Schuurs in his. He didnot. He removed Dest from his RB position to the left and moved Veltman to the rightback position and Schuurs to the CD position. Edit: Ten Hag for the Chelsea match could choose to maimtain the CL back four and give Alvarez a more defensive role.