I think van Aanholt is a relatively good comp for Dest. They both like to dribble, are good at it. Obviously they tend to play different sides of the park, and Dest, at the moment, is more likely to cross a ball in than look for the tika-taka, which I think vAa tended (tends? - haven't seen him much in a bit) to do too much, but the folks I chat with are certain Dest will get sold for good money in a few years and expect him to have top team upside. EPL coin is always hard to resist although most of the talk has centered around Spain. The Dutch still fetishize Spain a bit, due to Real's huge money and the ghost of Cruyff I guess.. Feyenoordfan had mentioned Gio at one point, and I've seen that comp elsewhere as well.
Dest's style of sneaking forward into the attack against weaker teams will be useful for the US - overlapping or joining the attack late against a lower-level Eredivisie side is just a harder version of helping break the bunker of a non-Mexico CONCACAF side. Now if we can just get the Dutch fans to stop acting so damn civilized, we'll be getting somewhere.
One of my favourite players and the one his superteam mates years later in interviews called the best left back they've seen. Yet there are some weirdos that insist I've got something against Dest
I personally think Gio is more of a natural "playmaker" type than Dest will end up being - if only because Dest is really comfortable with and knows how to use his quickness and close control and I think he will rely on that skill more than others. But, while Dest's vision and read of the game is not Gio level (even when Gio was fairly young - I watched him a lot with Gers, for instance) it's still pretty good. The questions re. Dest are when/where he plateaus and if his game evolves beyond speed to where he becomes a very strong two way player who becomes a more effective defender due to his ability to read the game. Am interested to see where he starts to plateau and if he has the grit to grind it up a gear at that point.
Yeah, agree with that. I wasnot telling he's on Gio's level, but he's the kind of player that will be comfortable and successful in a likewise role. Man, we both should be running the US national team. When I lived close to Earnie in Zaandam I should have made preliminary moves on that.
It was clear as day that they were when the dressed him up in the flag. I don't get why people ignored to see that but marketing side of the club is ESTATIC. I wonder how Ajax will line up Friday then Tuesday. I actually think Pulisic killed Dest so badly that Ajax will move Alvarez to CB and Veltman to RB. I wonder if they'll try that out Friday against Zwolle.
Ten Hag about Mazra as competitor for Dest. https://www.ajaxlife.nl/2019/10/31/ten-hag-gelooft-niet-in-tweedejaarsdip-voor-mazraoui/
some quick translated quotes: “Mazraoui has not yet reached the level of last year. He had a difficult start to the season with injuries and a red card. He also started much later than the rest." “He has been fit for the last two weeks. He has to fight for his place. A physically and mentally fit Mazraoui is very valuable to Ajax. " (this is not a direct quote, but from article: ) He (Maz) is now fit. Vs RKC (1-2) he was in the starting line-up by a suspension from Nico Tagliafico. It was his fifth premier league appearance this season, but it doesn't look very sharp yet. (more) The right back position at Ajax is one where there is a fast turnover. Gregory van der Wiel, Ricardo van Rhijn, Kenny Tete, Joël Veltman, Mazraoui, Dest… As fast as everything goes now for Dest, things went so fast for Mazraoui last season. Is there such a thing as a second-year dip? “No, I don't believe in that. That is a myth, "says Ten Hag. “He (Maz) played fantastic last season. He showed his potential value for the team. I hope he can show that again soon. ”
honestly thats why we want more kids at clubs like this where they are fighting tooth and nail for their spots against other highly regarded players every day
I'm interested to see how Pierie comes out of this year - going from the hottest CD prospect in the Netherlands to not making the bench for Jong Ajax - a good 2nd division team. The contrast between him and Dest - despite not playing the same position - over the next few years will be interesting.
I wondered in one of the threads about all the CD's Ajax aquired, what the use was of it this summer. Turns out not one of them is used in the centre of the defense. I told you Kik would regret his choice for Ajax.
90-98%...I guess. However nobody knows if ten Hag has plans for changes in the Chelsea match line up (=more defensive) and then the only chance to test it is vs PEC Zwolle.
The name derives from what a higher, sandy spot, in this case a sandy ridge in a swamp was called, a "suolle". The first settlements were built on that obviously drier spot and still visible in the city, as some parts are elevated compared to later additions. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zwolle
Apart from all the CD's they got signed they also wanted to sign PEC's Sepp van den Berg (17 yo) and his little brother Sav (15). However Sepp was swooped up by Klopp for Liverpool and Sav chose to stay. I think it looks more like crippling the competition by making quality unavailable than real interest in them all as first team players.
Maybe, but that seems a weird strategy. It's not like Heerenveen have done anything to scare anyone the past couple of years. Perhaps the calculation is buy enough horses and one wins the Derby and gets you a crazy stud fee. The ones that don't stick are just written off against the big money - but CDs are not really the place to gamble... In any event, it is odd how many defenders they've dragged in. Relegating to Pierie to Jong Ajax reserves does not seem like the way to increase his value, but he has gotten 1st team chances too and is obviously not impressing. Dest took his shot and ran with it. Obvious props to him. I think Maz gets shipped at end of year if things don't change substantially. With Schurr still getting the odd chance it's more likely Veltman sticks as 2nd RB than Mazaroui at the moment.
I meant to keep them out of the teams of competitors like PSV, AZ or Feyenoord. Ajax tries the weaken strategy by buying out quality too as they tried to get their hands on Malen, Bergwijn, Berghuis, Wijndal, Stengs and Boadu too from PSV, Feyenoord and AZ.
Rumors re Mazraoui ... https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/...icester-city-monitoring-ajax-defender-3490582 "Leicester City have been linked with a move for Ajax defender Noussair Mazraoui. The Foxes are said to be one of several clubs monitoring the Morocco international, alongside Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur, Valencia and Roma."