Calvin Stengs is in a form slump, the analysts note ESPN on. The AZ attacker has not been able to make a difference for a long time. “He probably has a lot more talent in his whole body than Davy Klaassen, but Davy Klaassen understands what it is about, and has other specific qualities,” said Kenneth Perez on talk show This was the Weekend on ESPN.
Klaassen decided the top match between Ajax and AZ (2-0) on Sunday with two goals. The midfielder of Ajax opened the score halfway through the second half after a cross from Dusan Tadic and headed towards the far post in the final phase. Perez thinks that Ajax’s match winner showed a greater fighting spirit than Stengs. “He probably has a lot more talent in his whole body than Davy Klaassen, but Davy Klaassen understands what it is about, and has other specific qualities. Stengs really has qualities, but shows far too little.”
No player on the field was involved in more duels than Stengs (fifteen) during the match between Ajax and AZ and the winger won nine of them. Yet he is physically short, notes Ronald de Boer. “I think he will have to catch up physically in the summer. His legs have to be firmer. Not so much that he turns like a truck, because he has to remain fast and agile: that is also his quality. But I find him occasionally. he really needs to become a bit more of a guy “, the former midfielder concludes.
In the broadcast, the comparison is drawn with Cody Gakpo. The PSV attacker is younger than Stengs (21 to 22 years), but is in better shape, despite being sidelined for about two months between January and March with an ankle injury. “I think he looks better physically than Stengs, one hundred percent. How he moves, enters into duels …”, says De Boer. “He is more explosive, although Stengs has a good speed when you see him sprint. Stengs always loses the duels with an opponent when the ball comes between them.”
“What Stengs has for Gakpo is that he can do something super genius out of nowhere in a match,” Perez said. “But the moments are so scarce. And when they don’t come, you pay more attention to the moments when he fearfully enters into a duel. Gakpo is much more goal-oriented and plays at a top club; I also think that is a difference. I can hardly reconcile it. that he has never been with the Dutch. He has been injured for a while, so that made it difficult, and last time he went to the youth European Championship and not to the the Dutch. I can also imagine something about that. I knew then that you could take him there to see what kind of player it is, with a view to the European Championship. “
Also in talk show Rondo the performance of Stengs is discussed. Khalid Boulahrouz thought the right winger played ‘fine’, especially in the first half, but Marco van Basten ‘is not happy’ with him. “I am annoyed by how phlegmatic he plays football, but that is more down to me than to him. I can hardly look at that.” Dirk Kuyt responds by saying that many Dutch talents are ‘not deadly effective’. “Stengs has so much quality. With that potential he just has to score ten to fifteen goals and give assists, but it seems as if that’s not the point with those guys. He doesn’t play a game to score those goals. to go to play football. “
?? Calvin Stengs is developing well at AZ, you see @marcovanbasten. It is precisely the resistance in top duels like today against Ajax that makes it stronger. ‘This kind of competition is much better for these kind of guys. The level, the speed… That’s what you have to do every week. ‘#RONDO #ZiggoSport pic.twitter.com/0AhTO0zXVo
– Ziggo Sport Football (@ZS_Voetbal) April 25, 2021
Stengs himself gives in front of the camera ESPN to criticize the way in which the defeat came about. “Until the 1-0 there is nothing wrong, but after that you have the feeling that it collapses a bit for us. We became more and more sloppy and brought Ajax into their strength. The possibilities that we had in the first half have we didn’t work out well. Maybe I should have scored myself. There were big chances that were allowed. ” Stengs acknowledges that Ajax will become champion. The leader has a lead of twelve points on number two PSV, with four matches to go. Ajax’s goal difference is superior. “A shame for us. Of course you always keep hope, but that was more difficult than last season, because we were so many points behind this season.”