Berghuis Miss Stuns Van der Gijp in Ajax Defeat to PSV
Steven Berghuis has taken plenty of criticism in his career, but on Saturday night it was the sheer surprise that dominated. René van der Gijp simply could not believe what he had seen.
On Vandaag Inside, the former international laid into the Ajax forward’s miss in the top-of-the-table clash with PSV – a moment that, in his eyes, changed everything in Amsterdam.
“What disappointed me so much. That can happen, I know. Anything can happen,” Van der Gijp began, still shaking his head at the memory. “That Berghuis didn't put that ball away. That disappoints me. With such a good strike with his left foot.”
The chance came in the 30th minute with the score locked at 1-1. Close range. On his favoured foot. The kind of situation where Berghuis usually looks ruthless. This time, the ball flew wide.
Van der Gijp could hardly reconcile that with the player he knows.
“I think if he takes 20 penalties, he scores all 20. And this one you put wide, man. Come on, man!” the analyst snapped, his frustration aimed squarely at the Ajax winger’s wastefulness.
That miss hung over the rest of the evening. Ajax never fully recovered. PSV grew, took control, and eventually walked away 1-3 winners, their victory underlined by a stunning strike from recent signing Lutsharel Geertruida.
Driessen questions Míchel’s decisions
While Van der Gijp focused on Berghuis, Valentijn Driessen turned his fire on the dugout. For De Telegraaf’s football editor, Ajax coach Míchel got too many big calls wrong.
At the top of his list: the decision to withdraw Tolu Arokodare after just an hour.
“The very best player he has, Ouazane, wasn't in the team,” Driessen said, baffled by the line-up. He pointed out that Abdellah Ouazane’s partnership with Brandt has been one of Ajax’s brightest recent sparks. Against PSV, that combination never started.
“And he forms a very good partnership with that Brandt. And he takes Tolu off, even though he was playing quite well. And then Míchel has a stroke of genius with two strikers who haven't touched a ball all year,” Driessen continued, his sarcasm aimed at the introduction of Kasper Dolberg and Marcos Leonardo.
For Driessen, the substitutions summed up a coach overthinking a big game and paying the price.
The criticism didn’t stop there. He also highlighted the choice at right-back as another glaring error.
“And then Gaaei, who can't defend, plays at right-back against Van Bommel. And then he has another defender on the bench. What are you supposed to do with these kinds of coaches?” he asked, exasperated.
On a night when PSV showed clinical edge and clarity, Ajax were left to pick through a defeat framed by a missed sitter, disputed substitutions and a coaching performance that, at least in the studio, found little defence.
