Kenneth Perez is very critical of Jurriën Timber’s role in Ajax’s European elimination. The analyst is actually a big fan of the center defender, who, according to him, made a horrific mistake with the third goal of 1. FC Union Berlin (3-1 loss), made by Danilho Doekhi. “No chance, Timber. No chance”, is the harsh judgment of Perez in the studio of ESPN.
Shortly after the break, Ajax came back in the return of the intermediate round of the Europa League via a goal from Mohammed Kudus. The final goal of the game came within three minutes. Timber was unable to make it in the header duel with Doekhi, and saw the ex-Vitessenaar head in from a corner kick. Perez takes that seriously to the defender of Ajax. “We always talk about Timber: ‘Great player. Oh, he’s good. Oh, it’s all fantastic.’ I think one of those too, because I also like how he plays,” the Dane admits.
“But then there is a corner… Then you wanted to play at the top of Europe… Then Doekhi comes in… Well, isn’t there a boy opposite? Those are the moments where you have to be strong, aren’t they? That you should think: this isn’t going to happen to me? This isn’t strong, is it? Well from Doekhi, but Timber has to solve this in advance, right? You know you’re physically less…”
In general, Perez is harsh about the performance of John Heitinga’s team. “Ajax is just weak. We can say every time that they have such good players, but Ajax is just weak. Ajax has a very weak season. How else do you explain that you have had such a hard time all season, and now is eliminated against Union Berlin, of which most Dutch people think: they can’t do anything about it. Why aren’t you weak? It’s unbelievable that they are only three points behind Feyenoord. I actually find that quite special. If you already who sees problems they have and the weak game…”