ESPNanalyst Kenneth Perez has in This was the Weekend responded to one of the statements that Ajax right winger Steven Berghuis made after the 4-1 win over RKC Waalwijk. The 32-year-old left foot said, among other things, that he and colleague Steven Bergwijn should be cherished as the best players in the Eredivisie.

Berghuis believes that he and Bergwijn are often the target of criticism. “Everyone looks at me and Bergwijn a lot. I think unfairly. When you have two of the best players in the Eredivisie, you are more likely to cherish them than the other way around. Isn't it actually a compliment? I do not know. It would be strange if the problem lies with me and Bergwijn, I'll leave it at that.”

Perez has to laugh a bit at Berghuis' statement. “It's funny that Berghuis says that we should cherish him and Bergwijn. It's the Ajax DNA, isn't it? So off: we are the best players in the Eredivisie, cherish us.” Presenter Jan Joost van Gangelen complements the Dane. “And otherwise keep your mouth shut.”

“He is convinced of himself,” Perez continues. “I don't know if he's right. In any case, Berghuis and Bergwijn have not shown that they are that great this season.” Berghuis played 21 official matches for Ajax this season, in which the 46-time international scored 3 goals and 10 assists.

Finish off
The Apeldoornian managed to score for the first time this Eredivisie season against RKC Waalwijk in the Johan Cruijff ArenA. Perez is critical of a specific point in Berghuis's game. “He's just finishing really poorly this year. He really has had so many shooting opportunities where he shoots like a novice.”

“At Feyenoord, finishing was his quality,” Perez continues. “That quality has kind of disappeared…” Perez also sees that Berghuis often loses the ball unnecessarily. “Against Go Ahead he surrendered twenty balls like that. That could also have resulted in more goals conceded and then you talk very differently.”

On behalf of Feyenoord, Berghuis scored 87 goals and 64 assists in 199 official matches. His average in Amsterdam is slightly lower. So far, Berghuis has played 109 official matches for Ajax, in which he scored 26 goals and 35 assists.

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