BEST XI: EREDIVISIE 22/23

GOALKEEPER

Nick Olij is known for being an agile, safe goalkeeper with good reflexes. His main virtue is ability to block shots from short and medium distance, thanks to his good positioning and speed of moves. He also stands out for his aerial game, where he usually imposes himself with authority and confidence.

His weak point is his footwork, where he sometimes makes precision or judgment errors.

He is a goalkeeper with experience and potential, who could make the leap to a more competitive league in the future. His style is well suited to modern football, where goalkeepers are required to be able to intervene in all phases of the game.

DEFENDERS

Joshua Brenet is a fast, powerful player with good offensive projection. His natural position is right back, but he can also play as a winger. His main virtue is his ability to join the attack with speed and overflow, taking advantage of his good dribbling and change of pace. He also has a good cross and a powerful shot from outside the area.

His main weakness is his defense, since he is sometimes insecure and hesitant in individual duels and in positioning. His concentration and reading of the game can also be improved, as he sometimes makes big mistakes that cost his team goals. His performance also depends a lot on his state of mind and his confidence, since he is a player who can go from being decisive to being invisible in the same game.

Edson Álvarez is characterized by his versatility, since he can perform both on the defensive line and in the midfield. His natural position is central defender, where he stands out for his anticipation, positioning and passing game. However, he has also played as a right back and defensive midfielder. His ability to adapt to different roles has allowed him to earn the trust of the coaches at both Ajax and the Mexican national team.

He is a player with a great personality and leadership on and off the pitch. His dedication, commitment and professionalism have earned him the respect and admiration of his teammates and fans. In addition, he has good individual technique and a powerful shot from long distance, which has allowed him to score important goals in his career.

Álvarez is one of the Mexican players with the most international projection today.

Dávid Hancko stands out for his physical strength, anticipation, positioning and ball release. He is 1.87 meters tall, which allows him to prevail in the passing game and in hand to hand duels. In addition, he has good speed and agility to cover space and recover positions.

His vision of the game and technique allow him to initiate plays from behind with precise and varied passes. He is not limited to playing short, but also looks for changes of orientation or deep shipments to surprise opposing defenses. He also joins the attack on occasions, especially in set pieces, where he takes advantage of his header.

Hancko is a mature, intelligent player who is committed to the team. He is 25 years old and has extensive international experience, both at club and national team level.

Gijs Smal is a very fast, strong and resistant player, who runs the band with solvency and criteria. His natural position is left back, but he can also act as a winger. He His main virtue is ability to defend with intensity and anticipation, stealing many balls and cutting off rival advances.

In addition, he has a good ball output and knows how to associate with his teammates in building the game.

In attack, he is a very dangerous player, who takes advantage of his speed and dribbling to overflow down the wing. He has a good cross, both with his left foot and with his right foot, and is also capable of surprising with long shots or joining the box. His weak point is his lack of consistency and regularity, as he sometimes makes mistakes or disconnects from the game.

MIDFIELDERS

Vaclav Ceny is characterized by his mobility, change of pace and vision of the game. He is capable of cutting towards the center and shooting with his left foot and crossing with precision. He also knows how to associate with his teammates and create spaces with his unchecks.

He is a player with a lot of potential, who can still improve some aspects of his game, such as finishing in front of the goalkeeper or making decisions in key situations.

His performance at Twente has aroused the interest of several European clubs, who see in him a footballer with projection and experience in a competitive league like the Dutch one.

Joey Veerman is characterized as a very complete player, capable of playing various roles in midfield. He can act as an organizing midfielder, distributing the game from behind with discretion and precision, or as a midfielder, taking advantage of his arrival in the area and his good shot. He can also play on the wings, where he takes advantage of his speed and dribbling to overwhelm opposing defenders.

His technical quality, his vision of the game and his ability to generate scoring chances have earned him recognition from both fans and critics.

Orkun Kokcu is characterized for being a creative midfielder, with an excellent ability to distribute the ball and generate scoring chances. His natural position is as an attacking midfielder, but he can also play as an inside or winger. His dominant leg is left, but he handles right well and has a good shot from outside the area. His mobility and intelligence allow him to find spaces between the lines and associate with his teammates. In addition, he has good pressure after loss and a competitive attitude.

• Strengths: Vision of the game, quality in passing and ability to break through defenses with dribbling and changes of pace. He is capable of making accurate short and long passes, as well as filtering balls into space for forwards. He also has good vision to assist from the wings or from midfield. His dribbling is agile and effective, which allows him to overcome rivals and create imbalances. His change of pace is another resource he uses to surprise defenses and generate advantages.
• Weaknesses: His lack of consistency and physical irregularity. He has had ups and downs in his performance, alternating brilliant matches with more discreet ones. His physical level has also been variable, since he has suffered some injuries that have prevented him from continuing. His defensive work can be improved, since sometimes he shows little participation or misplaced in the pressure and withdrawal. His positioning and his anticipation are aspects that he must polish to be more complete.

He is a player with great potential, who stands out for his technical quality and creativity.

Xavi Simons stands out for his vision of the game, technical quality and ability to generate scoring chances.

His versatility allows him to adapt to different systems and roles, although he feels more comfortable as a game organizer. His main virtue is his ability to distribute the ball judiciously and accurately, both short and long. He also has good dribbling, great spatial vision and a good shot from outside the area.

However, he also has aspects to improve. His main defect is his physique, since he measures only 1.78 meters. This makes him lose many aerial and physical duels against stronger and taller rivals. In addition, he must improve his defensive intensity, positioning without the ball and decision making at key moments in the game.

Simons is a player with enormous potential, who has already shown his level at PSV and the Dutch national team. However, he must continue working to polish his flaws and consolidate himself as a world football star.

FORWARDS

Dusan Tadic works as a left winger or midfielder, and is characterized by his technical ability, vision of the game and ability to assist and score goals.

He is a very complete player, who can play in various positions and who adapts to Ajax style, based on possession, pressure and speed. His technical quality allows him to dribble and create space for his teammates. His vision of the game allows him to give precise passes and find holes in the rival defenses. His goalscoring ability allows him to define with both legs and with his head, and also execute penalties and free kicks with great success.

Tadic is a player who stands out for his professionalism, commitment and leadership. He is the captain of Ajax and the benchmark in the dressing room. He is also a highly respected player by rivals and by the fans, who consider him one of the best footballers today.

Tobias Lauritsen is a striker with a great eye for goals and a remarkable physical presence.

His main virtue is his ability to finish plays effectively with right foot and also with his head. His height (1.95 m) and his physical power allow him to win aerial duels and protect the ball against opposing defenders. In addition, he has a good sense of positioning and unchecking, which makes him always attentive to scoring opportunities.

However, he also has some aspects to improve. His speed and dribbling are not strengths, making it difficult for him to create space for himself or outplay opponents 1 vs 1. He must also work on his game with back to the goal and on participation in the elaboration of the collective game, since sometimes he appears too isolated or disconnected from his teammates.