Marciano Vink and Karim El Ahmadi saw Calvin Bassey during The Classic not come out well. From a defensive point of view it wasn’t that bad, but especially when Ajax was in possession, he fell short according to the duo.
‘It is clear that Feyenoord as a team is much better than Ajax’, El Ahmadi begins ESPN. ‘But also individually: if I compare Hancko on the ball with Bassey, it’s a world of difference. In the first half I saw Bassey build up, but that was really unworthy of Ajax. I haven’t seen Ajax shoot like that in a long time. And then I’m not even talking about Sánchez, who I found very weak on the ball.’
‘It may be that there was too much tension’, Vink, a former Ajax player, shares his vision. ‘When you get porridge legs, a lot goes wrong. At one point he also slipped. It could be that the tension has done something to him. Let’s not judge him for it. He must be there, absolutely. But he also had a good period, this was a bad match.’
After Sunday, Ajax is six points behind the rivals and competitors from Amsterdam. If it is up to Vink, Feyenoord’s leading position is justified. ‘I am really impressed by Feyenoord. How they built the season and puzzled in the front. That it all comes out in these months… Even with a 1-2 deficit today. They come out of the dressing room for the second half with a new battle plan and get back to playing football. Feyenoord currently has more than rightly six points more than Ajax.’
Title race Eredivisie
In recent weeks, Arne Slot’s team did not always win their matches convincingly, but the points were collected all the time. There is a champion team, Vink suspects. ‘If you can be so consistent, it’s frustrating for the rest, but it gives you a boost yourself. I think that Feyenoord has really taken steps and can think in the direction of the Coolsingel.’