“He doesn’t know the Ajax game” – Ex-Aston Villa star rips into Chuba Akpom after Twente no-show

The Super Eagles hopeful have had a slow start to life in the Netherlands and was far from his best at the weekend

Former Aston Villa and Feyenoord star, Karim El Ahmadi has expressed his disappointment with Ajax’s performance against FC Twente on Sunday, Soccernet.ng reports.

The Amsterdam giants, with Chuba Akpom making his full debut, suffered a 3-1 defeat at the Grolsch Veste.

El Ahmadi, a former Morocco international, was critical of several of Ajax’s new signings, including Akpom.

He remarked on ESPN, “I have to be honest: with some players, I really have the feeling that it is also (a lack of) quality.”

Specifically addressing Akpom’s performance, he stated,

“I have the feeling that Akpom does not know the Ajax game at all and does not know how to play between the lines. I saw him looking for the position of number 10: I don’t think he knew what to do.”

However, Ajax manager Maurice Steijn defended Akpom, explaining his tactical choice.

Steijn deployed Akpom as a right winger, despite the player’s preferred position as a number ten. But that is a role the coach has already reserved for Dutch midfielder Steven Berghuis.

Steijn clarified, “We trained for that this week. I’m still looking on that right side because I would like to have Berghuis at 10 to get the football into the team. As soon as he got involved with the team and got involved in the game, we started playing football.

“So that’s not the discussion for me. We had hoped that things would work out better today with Akpom, who actually had to play as a kind of second striker. But he didn’t come there enough.”

Ajax’s next fixture is against French side Marseille in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday. Akpom will aim to redeem himself and prove his worth to the Ajax faithful and fans.