Wesley Sneijder finds it incomprehensible that John van 't Schip continues to stick to the traditional 4-3-3 system at Ajax. The Dutch record international notes that the team from Amsterdam do not have a single suitable winger left due to injuries, while there are center forwards available. “If you continue with 4-3-3, then you are failing as a trainer, aren't you?”, Sneijder wonders in Veronica Offside.

Ajax had a dramatic performance against NEC on Sunday (2-2). “Due to the loss of Steven Bergwijn and Steven Berghuis, Ajax no longer has any wingers,” Sneijder notes. “Then I expect Van 't Schip, an Ajax trainer, to do something different. Then you certainly wouldn't play with Ar'Jany Martha, who we know as a left back, as a right winger, would you?”

Sneijder knows that in Amsterdam it is very sensitive to deviate from the 4-3-3 system. Yet this happened quite recently under the reign of Erik ten Hag. In the last months before his departure to Manchester United in 2022, Ajax played 4-4-2 against PEC Zwolle (3-0 win), AZ (2-2) and SC Heerenveen (5-0 win). With these results, Ajax achieved the 36th national title in club history.

“Brobbey is in top form,” says Sneijder, who would absolutely play with two strikers against FK Bodø/Glimt on Thursday. Chuba Akpom was injured against NEC. “Then you put Rijkhoff next to it, right?” Sneijder thinks that Van 't Schip is afraid of criticism. “Because they want to stick to the Ajax system, the 4-3-3. But Kristian Hlynsson is not a winger.”

“Then you fail as a trainer,” is Sneijder's stark conclusion. “You have to play up front with Brobbey and Rijkhoff. You have an abundance of midfielders, that's not the problem. You even have a bit too many.”

Sneijder sees an important role for Branco van den Boomen. “He is now slowly coming back after his injury. He is always being brought in and he will eventually become a basic player.”

Wim Kieft adds: “I would play together in midfield with Jordan Henderson and Van den Boomen.”

More sports news