Steven Berghuis played at number ten for the first time at Ajax on Saturday evening. In the absence of the slightly injured Davy Klaassen, the attacker was assigned the new role of trainer Erik ten Hag in the Eredivisie match with PEC Zwolle (0-2 win). Berghuis himself indicates that, despite the fact that he provided two assists, he had to get used to his role and Ten Hag also found the game of his pupil ‘uncomfortable’ at times.
“It was a bit of adjustment for me”, Berghuis starts in front of the camera of ESPN about his role as number ten. “I think I can play well there, but it’s a very different game than if you come from the right. You start at ten in the ashes, so it is a bit busier around you and you have to be a little more patient. It is more an interaction with the striker and as a right winger you have more interaction with the right back. It’s actually quite a different game and the interaction could have been better,” admits Berghuis.
Berghuis has a large share in Ajax’s profit with two assists ??#PECAJA pic.twitter.com/kYfu9jSFZt
— ESPN NL (@ESPNnl) September 11, 2021
“There are other things being asked in the ten position: be patient and stay away for a long time. I’m a player who naturally likes to hit the ball, so that’s adapting. It’s just natural to feel the ball because I’ve always done that. Sometimes I have a hundred ball contacts in a match, that is really a lot. I didn’t get there by far today. You do have more freedom of movement and I am not dissatisfied, but there is room for improvement,” Berghuis concludes.
Ten Hag is also asked for his opinion about the way in which his choice for Berghuis has turned out. The coach indicates that the attacker has achieved a pass, but that Ajax’s game in general looked ‘uncomfortable’. “You have to play football in a different composition and automatisms disappear again. You also see various unease in the game: both in defensive terms and up front. We often suffered very simple loss of the ball and from an offensive point of view we had problems with forcing,” says Ten Hag.
“Of course we also played with a different type of number ten and that also gives a different interpretation,” continues the coach. “He did a very good job for me. Sometimes he really needs to be a little more patient. When it comes to choosing a position, he sometimes still has to think too much, but that should grow. But I also see very good things, for example the goal,” Ten Hag refers to Ajax’s 1-0. Berghuis popped up on the left and went low on Sébastien Haller, who simply tapped in at the near post. “That’s where his qualities come into their own.”