Will Berghuis bring the creativity Ajax need? ‘Making them at least ten percent better’

It has been alive in Amsterdam for a while, from the stands to the boardroom: Ajax have lacked creativity this season. And especially from midfield.

At the end of September, coach Francesco Farioli and midfielder Jordan Henderson spoke about a lack of creativity after Ajax failed to get beyond a 1-1 draw when visiting Go Ahead Eagles. “We just weren’t creating enough,” Henderson said.

Farioli recognized this, immediately saying: “We’re not here now to cry about what we don’t have.” Whether he was referring to the injured Steven Berghuis is anyone’s guess. but what is certain is that the pedestrian knows the way back now.

And he could be the main reason for the problem of creativity in the Ajax midfield, according to former Ajax players and analysts Theo Janssen and Kenneth Perez.

Janssen: “If Berghuis returns to Ajax, it will make a big difference. That has to do with what is special about Berghuis. He will ensure that Ajax becomes ten to twenty percent better.”

Perez adds. “Berghuis would certainly be a reinforcement for Ajax at the moment. He is an experienced player who will bring stability to a team that is still inconsistent.”

According to a Danish analyst, other midfielders such as Kenneth Taylor and Davy Klaassen would particularly benefit from the return of the 32-year-old footballer.

“Berghuis doesn’t like a passing player, but he is very creative in passing and he also connects his vision with it. Then you need players who run on the balls. Think Taylor and Klaassen, they are real runners “They’re going to take advantage of it.”

Figures from statistics group Opta show that the loss of Berghuis at Ajax is significant. Last season, only Brian Brobbey created more chances (55) than Berghuis (54), and the left-back was the Ajax player with the most assists in all competitions (10 ).

The Amsterdam team also miss Berghuis, who is blessed with a beautiful kicking technique, at corners and free kicks, as the figures show. Fourteen times last season he put his teammates in scoring position from a normal position, more than any other teammate.

“But that also has to do with the fact that Ajax is not that strong,” said Perez. “In the past, when Ajax was still very good, Berghuis was twelve.

On average, Berghuis created almost four chances per game last season (3.7). In this season, Kian Fitz-Jim (1.9), Henderson (1.7) and Kenneth Taylor (1.4) have not even reached half the mark.

And a final, important statistic: in this season, Berghuis created fifteen chances, just six less than Henderson (21), the most creative Ajax player to date. While the Apeldoorn have been out since August and did not play a single game in September and October.

“Ajax doesn’t have a lot of creativity in the team,” observes Janssen. “Gods can still go past his man and do something creative, but otherwise it’s usually the players who are responsible for the their running actions and their ‘simple’ passing.”

As for the Arnhemmer, Berghuis will be back in the team soon. Whether that’s at ‘ten’ or from the side.

“He can do both very well. That’s possible.

Perez would place Berghuis on the sidelines. “Christian Rasmussen is far from ready to start. With Berghuis and Godts you have different wings, because Godts can pass anyone. Berghuis can’t do that anymore.”