Chelsea Hakim Ziyech watch: New signing’s first Ajax match after transfer

Hakim Ziyech will remain at Ajax for the remainder of the season after signing for Chelsea. How did his first post transfer match go?

Hakim Ziyech said he was happy to sign for Chelsea but he had unfinished business with Ajax. With Ajax still in all competitions, including leading the Eredivisie and very much having a shot at Europa League, Ziyech has a lot to do yet.

It is always interesting to see how a player and fans react for the first game after the player agreed to a transfer. Ziyech was last out of the locker room for kickoff and several of his teammates made a point to give him a hug before the match began. The fans never once booed or did anything other than cheer for their player despite his impending departure. That shows the loyalty he has towards the club as well as the respect he has earned from teammates and fans.

Mind, there is not a great deal that can be learned from one match, let alone just the one half Ziyech played. Still, it is interesting to watch the reaction of all involved after a transfer like this goes down. By all observations, Chelsea has someone truly special coming down the pipeline.

While formation does not mean a whole lot to a club like Ajax (and to a much lesser extent the same is true with Chelsea), Ziyech formed up as the 10 in a 4-2-3-1. It was not like the 4-2-3-1 Chelsea uses however as Ziyech was often much closer to the other two central midfielders. Offensively, he was almost like the base of a diamond behind the three strikers.

While it is generally assumed Chelsea will use him on the wing in an inverted winger/inside forward role, he is very much capable of filling in as the 10 too. What was perhaps most impressive in these 45 minutes was his timing in the position. Chelsea’s 10’s often rotate with the wingers as an attack is made and Ziyech is fantastic at that, but more importantly he knows when not to do that.

He would often stay put and serve as a secure option in the center for his teammates. He would also frequently push into the “halfspace”, pause to create a flick on, and then complete the full rotation with the winger. This is a skill that can be developed over time but can also be quite natural. Ziyech knows exactly when to push that button and when to wait.

On a similar offensive note, Ziyech seemingly never received the ball without a plan as to what would come next. This was not one touch passing for one touch passing’s sake, but instead was precalculated. He knew exactly where his teammate would go and before the ball even came the pass was prepared. This was a skill set Frank Lampard was a master of as he took “pictures” of the pitch constantly.

Of course, Ajax is built to do that from the youngest ages and Chelsea is still a mishmash of different youth set ups despite the youth revolutions. The Blues try those one touch passes often, but few players are connected enough to pull the move off like Ajax does around Ziyech.

On another Chelsea versus Ajax note, Ziyech pressed less than he would likely be allowed to at Chelsea, but the purpose of it was not for him to win the ball back. Instead, he corralled his opponent into a teammate who was pressing. Chelsea can of course do the same, but again, the Blues are a mishmash of styles and it takes a lot of time together to create that innate sense of understanding.

Finally, if the Blues are looking for someone to take someone’s head off from a corner, Ziyech is the man. He whipped the ball in like a lightning bolt a few times leaving the opponent with very little reaction time. If a Chelsea player were to know a routine, the opponent would have little chance to stop it given how quickly the ball would come in off a Ziyech corner.

Ziyech has been recovering from an injury and Ajax have Europa League midweek, so the midfielder was subbed off at the half given how one way the match was going. Overall, it was not a large sample size to really judge the player, but his reaction post transfer was incredibly solid and it is clear he still has the support of fans and teammates alike. Chelsea has signed someone special, and the unfinished business of the rest of the season will only continue to show that.