Ronald de Boer shocked by Ajax player: ‘He was supposed to be quick, but he’s slower than expected!’
Ronald de Boer has yet to be impressed by Viktor Tsygankov's pace. The former Netherlands international expected more explosiveness from the Ukrainian forward, who starts on the bench against Atalanta on Thursday evening. Speaking to Ziggo Sport before the Conference League match, De Boer explained his surprise at the newcomer's qualities.
Above all, De Boer believes Míchel Sánchez's Ajax lack pace in attack. "If you look at Paris Saint-Germain's match against Barcelona this week, you see genuine, outright pace. That's what I'm missing at Ajax, for example," the former midfielder begins his analysis.
For De Boer, too few players in the Amsterdam side can make the difference with their pace. "Marcos Leonardo isn't especially quick, Gloukh isn't especially quick, and then Brandt is on the right wing, or Klaassen is there to some extent. Then you have to rely on the full-backs getting forward on the overlap, but they're hardly sprinting marvels either."
Tsygankov looked like a possible answer to De Boer, but the former Ajax player has been disappointed by what he has seen so far. "I thought Tsygankov was quick too, but he hasn't lived up to that, has he? He has a wonderful left foot, you can see that, but he doesn't make you think he can hurt opponents with his pace as well."
When opponents give the ball away, Ajax struggle to exploit the space, De Boer believes. "Sometimes you win the ball because the opposition give it away carelessly, and then you have to be able to hurt them. This Ajax side lack that ability to get in behind," says the analyst, who also points to the absence of the injured Simon Adingra. "You had hopes for him in that regard too, because you think: he's quick."
Wim Kieft also has doubts about Tsygankov's current form, although he knows what the Ukrainian can do. "I've seen him do truly wonderful things in the past, but that was in the past. He hasn't been able to show that here yet," says Kieft, who suspects the forward did not arrive in Amsterdam fully fit.
Once Steven Berghuis is available again, Kieft wonders how Míchel will fill the right-wing position. "A fit Berghuis is, of course, of immeasurable value to Ajax," the former striker stresses.
De Boer does see encouraging signs in Ajax's play despite his criticism. "If their general play is very good, and at times it is, you can compensate for the lack of pace," he explains. "They did that well against Groningen, but now you're not playing FC Groningen, you're playing Atalanta. In my view, they're a better side."
