Kenneth Perez has mixed feelings about Calvin Stengs. The ESPN analyst regularly marvels at the qualities of the 27-year-old AZ playmaker, but he is also irritated by the casual moments in his game.
"I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with Stengs, because I really think he is a wonderful footballer," Perez says on Dit was het Weekend. "He can do things that make you think: where did that come from? But then he also does things that make you think: how?"
As an example, Perez points to Stengs' big chance against Willem II. With AZ 1-0 up, the attacker had a great opportunity to put the game to bed, but from close range he blazed high over. AZ then let their slender lead slip in the closing stages and dropped two costly points against Willem II.
"He deals with this chance so casually. That is so poor," Perez says. "If you score that, it becomes 2-0 and Willem II have to come out a bit more. Then you will probably get more space as well and can pull away."
At the same time, Perez feels Stengs does plenty that is hugely valuable for AZ. "He does a lot of things well, you know. He looks up, has an eye for his team-mates, but you simply have to finish chances like this. Then the game is over."
Even so, Perez believes a player with Stengs' qualities should be operating at a higher level. "His injuries have of course set him back, but a player with his qualities should not be playing for AZ at the age of 26 or 27. A player of his class should not really be playing for AZ now."
Elsewhere, Marciano Vink sees an interesting issue developing in AZ's midfield. With the return of Jordy Clasie and, later, the currently injured Kees Smit, coach Lee-Roy Echteld could face some difficult calls, because Vink also believes Dave Kwakman has played his way into the side.
"You are not going to put Clasie at No 10 and Koopmeiners is not a No 10 either, so who will it be then?" Vink wonders. "You can put Stengs there, but then you have to put one of those three on the bench. In the end, it may be that Kwakman becomes the victim when Kees Smit comes back, and I would find that an eternal shame. The boy has shown in the first three or four matches that he really belongs in this team."