Dirk Kuyt thinks that Memphis Depay is viewed too critically in the Netherlands. ‘s analyst RTL 7 takes on a visit to Benfica prior to the Champions League match of Barcelona for the center striker, who has a base place with the Catalans.
“I’ve watched the Barcelona games again and I think Memphis is doing really well,” says Kuyt. “Of course he has had some moments where he could have scored some extra goals, but he is really becoming the tastemaker of Barcelona. It will never quite work out, but he has picked up on missing Lionel Messi well.”
Hedwiges Maduro, also present in the studio, thinks it is too early to judge. “He is doing well, but it is always linked to performance. He now plays for an absolute top club. Now he has to perform and score goals and at the end of the season you will be judged. Then at a certain point you can say, For example, if he makes 25, he’s going to go to the top of the world, he’s the kind of player who likes the attention and who thinks: let me do it. Whenever he is criticized, he scores again. That suits his character.”
Kuyt picks up on that. “I think he gets a lot of criticism in the Netherlands, especially in the the Dutch matches. Too much criticism. You are judged differently abroad. That is what Hedwiges says: you are judged on the assists and goals you make “Look at Lionel Messi yesterday: a bit of a slow start at Paris Saint-Germain, but in the end it’s all about the goal he scores. If you look at the stats, how many times he lost the ball, you think: he actually played all the way not so good. But in the end it’s about the goal he scores.”
And according to Kuyt, this is the same with Depay. “I think that’s fantastic about Memphis, because when he has the ball, something can always happen. He has to be judged on the goals and assists he gives. If you look at his statistics with the Dutch national team, they are excellent. They are also good at Barcelona and they must also be excellent. I hope he succeeds.”