You could quote my post about the same thing in the Ajax - Feyenoord match. Anyway, Mazraoui has been a beast in last season's CL campaign and it was quite funny to notice alot of people, also in the Dutch press, disregarding him as a bygone item, while everybody with integrity knew it was the result of a few ill timed circumstances like injury etc. coming together. So the moment Mazra is healthy and back to play rythm he's going to challenge Dest for the position. Their strong points are in opposite territory. Dest is stronger attack wise, Mazra is stronger defense wise.
Although in fairness I think Mazraoui is also much better offensively than defensively. Neither is really a certainty as a defender, although Mazraoui maybe has the slight edge defensively at the moment (or rather last year, he's very out of form at this exact moment). Both primarily excel as offensive fullbacks.
Dest did fine. It took Puli to break him, but until then, he kept Alonso and Mount in their place. The Dutch press had probably got wind he was going for the USA, they've turned on him for the last two weeks.
So, we're all going to pretend that Ajax didn't just beat Feynie 4-0 with Dest at RB and that they aren't 10-2-0 on the season, with Dest as starting RB? I mean, I got some questions about Dest's defense against top players as well... but some folks just make up the stupidest of stupids. Are folks just trolling cause it's another Friday night and they ain't got nobody?
I think it's the only real option he has with putting in Schuurs or Alvarez as CD. He has to prevent that guy who missed almost all his chances to be served again with those balls.
Injury... and Alvarez was terrible again in the midfield. Gave away the 2nd goal. He just isn't good enough to play Midfield for Ajax. CB maybe but there is a reason he came on as a sub and was pulled. Gravenberch is about ready and is should be worlds better than Alvarez as a MF. EDIT: Gave away first goal. In terms of Dest v Mazraouai.. someone posted Dest is better offensively, Maz better D. I think it's a mix: Dest is way better dribbler, combining and making runs off the ball. Maz is significantly better shooting (he scored Ajax' 2 biggest goals in the CL group stages) and holding the ball. Defensively Maz is better positioned, way stronger while Dest I think is better pressing/quicker. All of that is irrelevant though because currently Mazrouai has been just terrible this season. Combination of not really healthy, summer at AFCON and most telling: Ajax tried to convert him to play in the MF. He was a disaster there and I think lack of training at RB + confidence being shaken has led to how poor he's played. Clearly in their current form, Dest is better. I thought maybe Mazraoui could show something v Zwolle but he wasn't good.
maz is also almost 22 while today is serginos 19th birthday. wonder how much of the defensive advantages attributed to mazraoui are attributable to age/experience and dest will pick up on with time. happy birthday sergino!
And you guys probably already talked about but, I finally saw his interview with Andy van der Meyde and it seems like there was a point when he was with Ajax's youth teams where they will have team meetings(I assume they were watching film) and in the meetings they would spend the whole time pointing out his mistakes. And it got to a point where some of the other players were wondering if they were ever going to talk about someone other than him in the meetings. And at points it seems like he felt like a scapegoat.
For some reason they bought way too many CBs these last few seasons. Maybe they thought they literally needed 4 players to replace De Ligt. But, since the old heads who were already at the club Blind and Veltman have been the best performers at CB they have to try Alvarez and Martinez in midfield since those guys did not come to the club to ride the bench. Plus they have Schuurs who was the best player in preseason being subbed on late, Magallan is on loan even though he only joined in January and Kik Pierre is nowhere near the first team.
Heard on Grumpy Pundits that he said he was not interested in the job. But if he changed his mind it wouldn't shock me.
I would hate to see ten Hag depart right now, but I feel he has already accomplished everything I hoped for during his tenure at Ajax. He's given Dest a lot playing time and (at least) remained neutral during the MNT-choice drama. As a coach I would have been unhappy with all the drama, but ten Hag maintained his equilibrium throughout. And don't forget that Ajax has been successful on the field, which to me is an important - if secondary - consideration.
We paid special attention to Dest, but it seems like "big" Ered teams, esp Ajax and PSV have an "oranje or other country" player in their youth ranks, if not sr. team, almost every season. Maz, Dest, Ihatt, Bannis, Boadu, Unuvar etc etc... all had the option of the Oranje or another country. Not sure how much it clocked for ten Hag. Would be a bummer for him to go before seeing the season out, however. He clearly likes Dest and is not excited to push Maz back into the line-up at Sergino's expense.
Ten Hag needed a back up in the preseason with qualifying matches for the CL coming up and Mazra being off with Morocco, hence his pushing towards the board to make Dest available by signing him sooner than later. He obviously wanted Dest as he fits the same mold as Mazra, being a technically astute forwards oriented player. Dest grabbed the opportunity with both hands. National teams arenot a consideration at all for the clubs.
Said yesterday bluntly he will be with Ajax for the rest of the year. Makes no sense for him to take Bayern right now. I imagine he will have lots of options once we hit the summer. Honestly-- I think he's holding out for Barca and is thinking if they don't win CL, they'll have an opening. ten Hag did leave Utrecht for Ajax in a winter. But his career is different now. He holds all the cards no matter how Ajax performs in CL, he has last year on his resume and will be the hottest coaching target. In the summer with more openings, he will pick and choose as well as leverage offers against each other. I just hope Ajax gets another great fee like they did for Bosz.
I think from the start of the year, the idea was Blind to go to the MF. In theory it works: Blind is an incredible passer, positions himself well and great at tackling. Unfortunately with the amount of space that's open in that role, he just couldn't keep up especially when next to Marin. I would be interested if he was paired with Martinez or someone else who can cover more ground. However, I also think he's so good at LCB why mess that up? He also comes into the MF a lot. Veltman for about 3 off-seasons in a row they were counting on going. It's fashionable to hate him but I think he has done a hell of a job this year and was incredibly important last year when he came back. Magallan is so bad. He just can't play at all. That signing is a sunk cost. Shuurs seems to have just been dropped. In relation to Dest-- I thought the amount of CBs would have the position covered and have Veltman as a RB option. Fortunately for Ajax, Maz at RB + everyone else at RCB has flopped so Veltman has been tied to RCB.
Dest not in XI Chelsea XI: Kepa; Azpilicueta, Zouma, Tomori, Marcos Alonso; Jorginho, Kovacic, Mount; Willian, Pulisic, AbrahamAjax XI: Onana; Mazraoui, Veltman, Blind, Tagliafico; Van de Beek, Martínez, Ziyech; Neres, Tadic, Promes.— Dutch Football 🇳🇱 (@FootballOranje_) November 5, 2019 Him and Alvarez changes from last match with Chelsea. Pretty obvious with how poor both were in that match in Amsterdam.