Donny Van de Beek – Ajax’ buccaneering box-to-box motor
Donny Van de Beek spends a lot of time with Ajax legend Sjaak Swart, who is his manager, as in his youth, the Ajax midfielder would go to Swart’s house for lunch while gaining essential insights and critiques from his mentor. Ajax’ leader in appearances frequently watched Jong Ajax matches like other legends at the club as he believed that Van de Beek had the potential to be important in a much deeper role. After struggling for appearances under Erik Ten Hag at the beginning of last season, Van de Beek became integral in an attacking midfield position, receiving the ball in between the lines and making late runs into the box. This season, he has moved into a deeper role as a box-to-box midfielder, having a greater influence while still making late runs into the box.
A deeper role is not completely foreign to Van de Beek as during Peter Bosz’ season-long tenure, the young Dutchman was deployed as a defensive midfielder against Standard Liege. Whenever one thinks of Van de Beek in a deeper role, they normally imagine his assist for Anwar El Ghazi in the Europa League game away in Belgium. The then 19-year-old played a magnificently looping chip that landed perfectly in El Ghazi’s stride for the now Aston Villa winger to catch it on the half-volley and sumptuously strike past the keeper. Bosz had an established midfield three of Lasse Schone, Hakim Ziyech and Davy Klaassen as Van de Beek was making inroads to the first team.
Bosz would utilise Van de Beek in a much deeper role, sometimes using him as a substitute for Schone as the youngster possessed the in-built motoring skills to be effective in the possession. Every time Van de Beek receives possession, be it in the deeper zones or the final third, his first instinct is to shield the ball and turn before working a pass. Van de Beek demanded possession in tight areas an in a match against Go Ahead Eagles as the opposition targeted pressed him, but his movement was so quick, and his passing so astute that his markers could not catch him in possession. In the time since, Marcel Keizer and ten Hag have utilised Van de Beek in a much higher role due to his ability in the final third and the emergence of Frenkie de Jong.
Ajax also had Dusan Tadic and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar trading the striker positions so Van de Beek’s movement in the final third and his ability to make runs beyond the striker added another dimension to Ajax’ attacking play. Van de Beek is a highly talented and intuitive footballer who has mastered the simple things such as letting the ball run across his body when receiving it, little movements into space to receive the ball while he has become calmer and more efficient with his finishing as the years have gone by. The 22-year-old also plays higher up the pitch because of his pressing abilities and his physicality in winning the ball back and being able to utilise possession after counter-pressure. The reason that Van de Beek is so efficient in tight spaces is that he is master of body shape and body angles, putting himself in - between his marker and the ball while opening his body and moving into space to work quick passing interchanges.
This is his third consecutive season with double figures in goals in all competitions as in 2017/18, he had 11 goals and 6 assists, last season he had 12 goals and 12 assists while this season he has 14 goals and 6 assists. He has gotten more comfortable with performing on the big stage and dealing with increased responsibility and more influence in Ajax’ style of play. In terms of goals, few more showed his impeccable sense of calm than his goal away to Tottenham Hotspur in the UEFA Champions League semi-final. He received the ball behind the last line as he made the subtlest of movements to receive the ball behind a lunging Danny Rose to then turn and finish with aplomb to put Ajax in the lead.
Donny Van de Beek turning out of pressure.
Van de Beek plays with such a maturity and buccaneering sense of endeavour that it has become very customary to see him facing the man in possession vociferously pointing towards his feet and gesticulating for a pass to his feet. Van de Beek even does this with a marker within yards of him as he is so assured and confident that he can beat his marker and earn a yard of space, even before he receives the ball. Onlookers with little knowledge of Van de Beek believed him to be a Siem De Jong or Davy Klaassen clone, an attacking midfielder with more physicality and goal scoring prowess rather than imagination but Van de Beek has proved those observers wrong.
He has become an all-round midfielder capable of filling a number of midfield positions as well as being a fascinating tight space player in all areas of the pitch. In the UEFA Nations League semi-final against England, he proved why he was such a unique player as he could be a starter for Ronald Koeman at Euro 2020. He blasted an opportunity over from inside the box but continued to navigate the tight spaces in the final third. He had a brilliant cross for Memphis Depay to have his header saved as a Dutch side that had 0 shots in the first half was now creating opportunities due to Van de Beek’s work in the final third. He looked like a player tailor made for Ronald Koeman’s predicament with the National Team, receiving the ball in tight spaces and showing physical strength to hold the ball and spin out of tight areas. He provided a presence in and around the box in situations where the Dutch heavily rely on Frenkie de Jong and Depay to create opportunities.
As a deeper-lying midfielder, Van de Beek has dropped into a three-chain alongside the centre-backs to distribute possession while also positioning himself in the six space. He moves forward with the progression of play as Ten Hag has given him the freedom to continue to operate in between the lines as well as beyond the central striker. He also moves into the half-spaces as he has shown enough skill to beat defenders in 1v1 situations, drive to by-line and provide cut-backs for teammates. His new role is a perfect illustration of his well-rounded set of attributes as he has more responsibility in build-up play then he moves in between the lines, receiving passes to work combinations as well as bursting past his striker for lobs into the box.
Defensively, Van de Beek is a highly astute and aggressive presser, marking the opposition defensive midfielder by being in his cover shadow or by closing the passing lane towards him. He is involved in a few high turnovers for Ajax while he is also an essential cog in Ajax’ counter-pressing as he has the athleticism and physicality to outmuscle an opposition player off the ball while having the vision and technique to distribute possession into a counter attacking opportunity. The Dutchman has developed as a world class box-to-box midfielder as he has mastered the nuances of an age-old position from the combination ability, timing of the runs, finishing as well as the defensive effort as he has always thrived in the deeper and higher areas.
"Positions and systems are nowadays often only for paper," said Van de Beek to Voetbal International. 'Because in practice it often looks different. When I am at eight and we put pressure, I am already very deep next to the number 10. Actually, we are already playing with one controller, so with the point to the back. It all rotates, and we can no longer speak of permanent positions. "
Van de Beek will most likely follow in the footsteps of Matthijs De Ligt and Frenkie de Jong in moving to a European heavyweight in the summer. He will move as a complete midfielder with an incredible eye and touch for goal as he will be able to play as a shadow striker or a box-to-box midfielder who will add technical guile to a team. Swart will be the steady hand guiding his career as he did with Wesley Sneijder and Rafael Van der Vaart as Van de Beek came through a rough patch to develop into a key player for club and country.
