Oscar Gloukh Faces Heavy Criticism as Ajax Struggles in the Eredivisie
Oscar Gloukh faces growing criticism in the Dutch Eredivisie as Ajax struggles following a 1-1 draw against NEC. Despite decent attacking metrics, the Israeli midfielder must improve his finishing amid new competition from Simon Adingra.
Ajax continues to struggle in the Dutch Eredivisie following a disappointing 1-1 home draw against NEC Nijmegen, dropping to fifth place in the standings and falling five points behind the league leaders. Israeli midfielder Oscar Gloukh faced severe criticism after the match following his substitution just past the hour mark, having failed to convert several key scoring opportunities.
ESPN pundit Kenneth Perez harshly criticized Ajax's left flank, targeting the Israeli international directly. "With Gloukh it's amusing to watch, it looks nice, but his shots are children's shots. Nothing comes of it," Perez remarked. Head coach Francesco Farioli also expressed dissatisfaction, making it clear to the young playmaker that he must capitalize better on his chances.
The Search for Replacement and Tactical Shifts
Ajax is still struggling to find a true replacement for Mika Godts, who was sold to Paris Saint-Germain in August for a fee reaching 55 million euros including bonuses. The Belgian winger netted 17 goals and provided 12 assists in 32 league matches last season, cementing his status as one of the most dangerous wide players in the Netherlands.
"With Gloukh it's amusing to watch, it looks nice, but his shots are children's shots. Nothing comes of it," said ESPN pundit Kenneth Perez.
Gloukh and 17-year-old Abdullah Wazzan have been rotating on the left wing this term, but both prefer cutting inside rather than hugging the touchline. However, data from FootballTransfers offers a different perspective, showing that both youngsters actually register more dribbles, crosses, and overlapping runs than Godts's average last season. The main issue lies in their end product and conversion rates.
New Competition and Future Outlook
Gloukh's numbers in front of goal are respectable despite the criticism, boasting one goal and four assists in eight league matches, averaging 0.88 goal involvements per 90 minutes. Meanwhile, new arrival Simon Adingra has entered the fray following his loan move from Sunderland with a 16 million euro purchase option. The Ivorian winger made his debut against NEC and is expected to challenge for the starting role on the left flank, forcing Gloukh to elevate his game.