Oscar Gloukh has been criticised for his decision-making.
Following the departure of Mika Godts during the summer transfer window, Ajax spent several weeks searching for a replacement for the Belgian winger.
Ajax held talks over deals for several wingers, and Noa Lang was reportedly the club's top target. That move failed to materialise, though, with various reports claiming Ajax did not want to match Napoli's asking price, which was said to be in excess of €20 million.
In the end, Ajax completed the signing of Simon Adingra on loan from Sunderland, with the Amsterdammers also having the option to buy the Ivorian next summer for €16 million. He has not yet played, though, as he continues to recover from an injury.
In Adingra's absence, Oscar Gloukh has started regularly on the left wing for Michel Sanchez's side. He has been particularly impressive in Ajax's last two games. Gloukh registered an assist and also scored a goal in Ajax's 5-1 win against Willem II, and assisted Tolu Arokodare's goal against Excelsior in Ajax's 2-2 draw against the Rotterdam-based club.
In all competitions so far this season, Gloukh has made 12 appearances, scoring five times and assisting four goals.
Sutorius criticises Gloukh
Despite Gloukh's impressive form this season, the 22-year-old has faced criticism. Speaking on the Branie podcast, journalist Daan Sutorius criticised Gloukh for his decision-making.
"I think he goes for his own success too much," Sutorius said.
"It is so annoying that in every situation he always looks first at what he can do himself. It is not a fair assessment of the options he has on the ball. I think that out of ten balls he receives, he actually makes the wrong choice six, seven, eight times.
"If someone persists in making the same mistakes over and over, it starts to get irritating at some point."
Gloukh has been impactful so far this season
While Sutorius makes a valid point about Gloukh's decision-making, he has been very good in the last few games. While he likes to move into more central areas, he is developing into a very good winger. Against Excelsior, he had quite a few impressive actions close to the touchline, dribbling past the full-back and also had a decent burst of pace.
Even though Sutorius says Gloukh shoots too much, he is a very creative player. In the Eredivisie so far this season, Gloukh's xA (expected assists) is 3.08, ranking him among the most creative wingers and attacking midfielders in the Eredivisie.
Gloukh is the kind of player who makes things happen. Ajax will also play against a lot of low blocks so far this season, and to break down a low block, you often need a player to produce a moment of brilliance. Gloukh is the kind of player who can produce such a moment.
It remains to be seen how many minutes Gloukh will play when Adingra is fit, and it will also be interesting to see in which position he plays most regularly.
