Steven Berghuis thanked Daley Blind for the tip that laid the foundations for his goal against Telstar. The Ajax forward made it 0-2 on Sunday in the 0-4 win in Velsen-Zuid and revealed afterwards to ESPN reporter Hans Kraay junior that the injured Blind had given him some advice a few days earlier.
Berghuis starred against Telstar with a goal and two assists. His corner led to Davy Klaassen's opener in the first half, then he got on the scoresheet himself after the break and set up Tolu Arokodare for the 0-3. "I think it was simply a good win. This is also a bit where we need to go: these kinds of wins."
For his own goal, Berghuis went back to a conversation with Blind. Cutting inside from the right, the left-footer beat his man and finished with his right foot. Blind missed the game against Telstar through injury, but he had been watching closely after the 5-3 win over FC Sion in the Conference League play-offs on Thursday.
"There is someone watching, and that is Daley Blind," Berghuis said with a smile when his goal was shown again. "He came up to me after the match against Sion and said: 'You need to make that cut more often, because they expect you to go to the left.' Against Sion I cut inside two or three times. I have to thank Daley for this."
Blind's advice carried extra weight for Berghuis because of his experience as a defender. "These kinds of details are important. He is, of course, a defender and said: 'I see you and I look at it from a defender's point of view. I think it is good if you have variation in your cut.' That got me thinking again. You need that too."
He was also full of praise for Tolu, who got on the scoresheet against Telstar as well. "He really brings good energy. He is a nice guy to have in the dressing room, he has humour and a desire to prove himself. He is incredibly eager to make amends after a difficult season at Wolfsburg."
The veteran also sees plenty in the striker. "He obviously has many weapons with his strength and speed. You can play him through the air, but also along the ground. I think he is a good addition for us," said Berghuis, who again operated from the right.
Nor is Berghuis worried about the competition from Viktor Tsygankov, who was not yet in the squad. "Good players are always welcome. That was also said when I arrived and Neres and Antony were still there. I think good players can always play together as well."