{"id":1228362,"date":"2021-10-11T19:11:06","date_gmt":"2021-10-11T18:11:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?p=1228362"},"modified":"2021-10-12T11:56:57","modified_gmt":"2021-10-12T10:56:57","slug":"explained-ajax-noussair-mazraoui-levelling-up","status":"publish","type":"features","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/explained-ajax-noussair-mazraoui-levelling-up\/","title":{"rendered":"Explained: How Ajax’s marauding right-back Noussair Mazraoui is levelling up"},"content":{"rendered":"

Defending, according to former Dutch midfielder-turned-analyst Jan van Halst, is “almost a dirty word” in the Netherlands.<\/strong><\/p>\n

This should come as no surprise when the overarching coaching philosophy in the kingdom is predominantly attack-oriented; central defenders are expected to combine their bread and butter \u2014 stopping goals from being scored \u2014 with playmaking, while full-backs must serve as auxiliary wingers.<\/p>\n

In the Eredivisie today no one illustrates the latter more perfectly than Dutch-born Moroccan right-back Noussair Mazraoui who is levelling up in front of our very eyes and, by doing so, has reportedly attracted customary glances from the usual suspects including Barcelona and Juventus.<\/p>\n

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Rise, fall and rise again<\/strong><\/h2>\n

A graduate of Ajax’s world-renowned academy, by nurture Mazraoui is well-versed in multiple positions. Curiously, like Trent Alexander-Arnold (who, alongside Achraf Hakimi, is the current benchmark when it comes to his designated role) the native of Leiderdorp was raised as a midfielder and in fact made his first-team debut there, albeit a one-minute cameo against NAC Breda at home in February 2018, and next five Eredivisie appearances before Erik ten Hag had other ideas. Taking a page from Pep Guardiola’s playbook, whom Ten Hag shadowed as Bayern Munich’s reserve team coach, Mazraoui started at right-back in a 3-0 win over AZ in April 2018 and he’s never looked back since.<\/p>\n

Throughout the follow season, Mazraoui was De Godenzonen<\/em>‘s first choice right-back in Ten Hag’s fluid 4-2-3-1 shape, with his breakthrough moment coming at Bayern in the Champions League group stage. It was a game that showcased the potential specialness of this particular Ajax side; trailing Germany’s finest, Mazraoui displayed his keen eye for goal by equalising, striking a sweet left-footed shot from distance.<\/p>\n

The effort complemented Mazraoui’s full-back play which channeled his predecessors including Ten Hag’s right-hand man Michael Reiziger. He finished 2018\/19 having registered four goals and recording four assists in 48 matches across all competitions, winning the Marco van Basten Award presented to Ajax’s ‘Talent of the Year’.<\/p>\n

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However, niggling injuries that led to a substantial dip in form, plus the emergence of Sergi\u00f1o Dest, put Mazraoui on the back foot, with some observers questioning his future in the Dutch capital. But Mazraoui’s former understudy and rival for that right-back berth jumped ship instead.<\/p>\n

Dest followed Frenkie de Jong to Barcelona, allowing Mazraoui some breathing room to regain the previous form that lit up Ajax’s first double-winning campaign under Ten Hag’s leadership. The productivity in the preceding two years wasn’t there, however, as Mazraoui recorded just one assist and no goals across 32 league matches between August 2019 and May 2021. With that being said, Mazraoui remained a tireless worker and someone his manager and teammates could rely upon – but a switch was certainly flipped in the summer.<\/p>\n

Unleashed<\/strong><\/h2>\n

“I’m comfortable in my own skin,” he told Voetbal International<\/em> last month.<\/p>\n

“This is also due to my summer vacation being more than three weeks. It’s been six years since I’ve experienced something like that. I started the season fresh and could therefore keep up with everything.”<\/p>\n

To say Mazraoui is flying at the moment would be a gross understatement. The 23-year-old made 11 appearances across all competitions before the October international break, netting four goals and creating three (one of those assists being in the sensational 5-1 win at Champions League group rivals Sporting on the opening week). To put that into some perspective, he managed only five goals in 102 matches before this campaign. In any given Eredivisie outing, Mazraoui is seemingly enjoying more time in the opposition final third.<\/p>\n

No moment expressed this more explicitly than when he recently ghosted past Groningen’s backline to convert Ajax’s third in their 3-0 rout. It further highlighted transitioning from defence to attack as Mazraoui’s most distinguished strength. It’s also worth noting that in Ten Hag’s system he fulfils another important task. By regularly moving into midfield, Mazraoui gives Ajax a numerical advantage in the middle third, which allows the formation of (passing) triangles, with the fundamental aim to create scoring opportunities. Of late it’s been too easy. Prior to a shock 1-0 home loss against Ten Hag’s former club FC Utrecht, the Amsterdammers were ruthless, relentless and remorseless.<\/p>\n

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Oh Nous… pic.twitter.com\/Xun833TBYQ<\/a><\/p>\n

— AFC Ajax (@AFCAjax) September 25, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n