Calvin Bassey - Ajax

[MDFC Manager]

Yeah, he wasn't good at the ball against Liverpool. But in easier matches he looks quite comfortable, so i hope it's only a matter of time until he can do that against stronger opponents.

I hope so too, and the wan Bissaka comparisons are way off the mark. Bassey actually showed for the ball and tried his best to get involved in the game unlike Bissaka who's a passenger most of the times

 

[Amsterdammed]

First time watching him. He looks an absolute beast in the making.

I’m just confused as to what his position is. The guy is everywhere. Been at RB, CB and LB!

He's a LCB, but you are correct. He was everywhere last night. Because our backs are not good enough. Blind ---> Salah, serious? And Rensch (RB) is not ready for this level. Better Sanchez at RB.

Schreuder made bad choices yesterday. Taylor is a good player but not ready for this level too. And when you have to play the long balls you need speed in the front line. He had to bring Brobbey earlier. Hope next time, Kudus and Brobbey start both and Taylor will not.

 

[rooney2009]

He has improved so much from a couple of years ago and is still improving
He is developing into an awesome player

 

[Lay]

Seemingly going through a tough spell? Got criticised by de Mos, a former Ajax manager:

He has no insight, no speed of thought and he gets turned far too easily. He isn't good enough to compete at this level.There is no aggression in him. I also can't believe that Ajax spent that amount of money bringing in a player from the Scottish league.

 

[MUFC OK]

Seemingly going through a tough spell? Got criticised by de Mos, a former Ajax manager:

Wow that’s pretty scathing.

Should probably do his research on players from the Scottish league though.Van dijk was certainly worth the outlay for Southampton.

 

[Gio]

Not from what I’ve seen in the Champions League, he’s mostly been solid. They’ve conceded a lot of goals, but the bulk of the individual errors appear to be elsewhere. They’ve had structural issues in the build up, which were brutally exposed in the Napoli pumping. And look pretty soft at set-pieces which is a collective problem.

 

[Melbourne Red]

Yeah, that comment about the Scottish league is nonsense. It's not like they haven't produced decent to good players in recent years

 

[Ludens the Red]

Saw their game yesterday with PSV and he was really poor to go with some sub standard champions league displays. Looks very raw which is understandable to be fair. He’s definitely not as good as I think a lot of people thought he was after the Europa League Final.

 

[mu4c_20le]

https://thecelticblog.com/2023/02/a...n-bassey-was-a-waste-of-money-why-didnt-ajax/

So last night, Ajax crashed out of Europe.
Out of the Europa League.

A side which casually swatted aside the one from Ibrox, they lost to Union Berlin and Juranovic scored one of the goals. He set up another one. Ajax gave away a penalty during the match, and guess who the culprit was?

It was, indeed, our old friend Calvin Bassey.

Everyone, I’m certain, will remember the utter incredulity on this site and others when we read that Ajax were willing to spend £20 million or thereabouts on this player, and although I suspect the fee was nearer to £15 million, it’s still a huge chunk of change.

The point I kept making over and over again was that the only people who could possibly have believed he would justify that price-tag were those who hadn’t watched him.

And so it proves, with even Ajax insiders now asking who the hell scouted the player and what exactly is his actual worth?

Who told them that this guy was worth it?

“How is someone who played for Glasgow Rangers like Calvin Bassey going to be able to lead the defence at Ajax? Where was the Ajax youth system? Was there no one there better than him? Because if there isn’t then you have a major problem. Sometimes it’s better if you don’t have any money because then you don’t do crazy things. Then you wait for the right moment and occasionally take a chance. Instead they spent 23 million Euros on Bassey. Alfred Schreuder made too many big mistakes.”

“I really have the feeling that every time that round thing rolls towards him he thinks: ‘oh f***, what am I going to do with that thing again’ I do agree with what Schreuder said: ‘It will never be a Frank de Boer, but maybe a Davinson Sánchez’ … He has power and speed, but on the ball it’s really just abysmal. It doesn’t get any better, of course, because he will also get a bit of the fact that he is the joke … I think you can only benefit from him in the centre of the back, but 26 million euros is a lot of money. The only thing is: he can’t help it that he has cost so much. He can’t help it that someone said ‘You know what, it seems like a nice amount to pay for him’.”

“Without scouting reports, no players are bought here. You shouldn’t believe everything you read in the newspaper.”

 

[BarryWinks]

Can't feel bad for Ajax (although I feel bad for the player having to deal with fans questioning his worth) after they made us pay through our noses for Antony. What goes around comes around and all that.

 

[pascell]

They'll still make half the fee back off a club like Everton.

 

[Glorio]

https://thecelticblog.com/2023/02/a...n-bassey-was-a-waste-of-money-why-didnt-ajax/

So last night, Ajax crashed out of Europe.
Out of the Europa League.

A side which casually swatted aside the one from Ibrox, they lost to Union Berlin and Juranovic scored one of the goals. He set up another one. Ajax gave away a penalty during the match, and guess who the culprit was?

It was, indeed, our old friend Calvin Bassey.

Everyone, I’m certain, will remember the utter incredulity on this site and others when we read that Ajax were willing to spend £20 million or thereabouts on this player, and although I suspect the fee was nearer to £15 million, it’s still a huge chunk of change.

The point I kept making over and over again was that the only people who could possibly have believed he would justify that price-tag were those who hadn’t watched him.

And so it proves, with even Ajax insiders now asking who the hell scouted the player and what exactly is his actual worth?

Who told them that this guy was worth it?

100% agree. I watched him a fair bit while following Amad at Rangers and he was largely poor. A handful of big games in the Europa league suited his power and pace where he shone (mostly recovery tackles mind), but technically, he really appeared to be lacking massively in most games.

 

[Lay]

Only seen him for Ajax against Napoli I think. He was woeful, as were Ajax but he looked hopeless with the ball. I don’t think he was rated that highly for Rangers either until the latter stages of the Europa League

 

[Gio]

https://thecelticblog.com/2023/02/a...n-bassey-was-a-waste-of-money-why-didnt-ajax/

So last night, Ajax crashed out of Europe.
Out of the Europa League.

A side which casually swatted aside the one from Ibrox, they lost to Union Berlin and Juranovic scored one of the goals. He set up another one. Ajax gave away a penalty during the match, and guess who the culprit was?

It was, indeed, our old friend Calvin Bassey.

Everyone, I’m certain, will remember the utter incredulity on this site and others when we read that Ajax were willing to spend £20 million or thereabouts on this player, and although I suspect the fee was nearer to £15 million, it’s still a huge chunk of change.

The point I kept making over and over again was that the only people who could possibly have believed he would justify that price-tag were those who hadn’t watched him.

And so it proves, with even Ajax insiders now asking who the hell scouted the player and what exactly is his actual worth?

Who told them that this guy was worth it?

I can’t speak for Ajax domestically but have seen all their games in Europe this year and Bassey has been far from the root of their problems. At times he’s looked like the only proper defender in a fairly shambolic back line. Even the penalty against Union Berlin was a point-blank range handball he could do little about. The other goals? First, awful keeping (again) to let Juranovic’s powderpuff shot trundle into the net. Funny the Celtic Blog - a crackpot obsessing over all things Rangers 24/7 and smarting over the smaller fee received for Juranovic - didn’t mention that. And second the defence getting bullied - Timber at fault again - at a set-piece for the umpteenth time this season.

The main gist of the criticism aimed his way has largely been about on the ball in building up from the back. I’d say that’s a fair one and reflects the difference in education between a British developed player and an Ajax-schooled drone from the academy. No doubt Ajax knew that and would expect to work on those areas to polish up the player to sell him on again in a few years time.

 

[MayosNoun]

Bassey looked brilliant as the left centre back in a back 3.

His limitations are evident in a back 2 though. He has potential though.

As above, I’d never pay any attention to anything Celtic related as it will mostly consist of Rangers. I lived in Scotland for a while and it was always clear that if you wanted any updated news on Rangers, signings or results, ask a Celtic fan. Even when Rangers were in the lower leagues, Celtic were winning everything and were more obsessed about Rangers. Huge inferiority complex.

 

[Red00012]

Played well in the EL final and got his move. Rangers probably couldn’t believe the fee they were getting

 

[Champ]

Strange bump from a poster who was asking why Leicester let him go and was angry that Ajax were buying this player with money we have them, but anyhow.

He's a quality player, sometimes a move just doesn't translate well, he's joined Ajax in the middle of a transition where they have lost their identity.
He'll be fine once they get back on track as he is a very good player.