Ajax Fans Demand Substitution for Oscar Gloukh

The scoreboard at half-time tells one story. The stands in Amsterdam tell another.

Ajax and PSV went toe to toe in an even opening period, but the tension inside the Johan Cruijff Arena has fixed itself on one man: Oscar Gloukh. Every misplaced touch, every lost duel, every late recovery run from the Israeli winger is drawing a sharper reaction from the home crowd.

Given another chance to start on the left in one of the biggest fixtures of Ajax’s season, Gloukh has looked more exasperated than explosive. His attacking contributions have been snuffed out, with efforts on goal repeatedly blocked, and his work without the ball has come under fierce scrutiny.

Flashpoint

The flashpoint arrived in the 27th minute. Sergiño Dest, his direct opponent, simply ran off him down the flank. Gloukh never got close. As Dest surged away, Guus Til burst into a dangerous position in front of goal, only to lash his effort high over the bar. The chance went begging; the anger did not.

“Now Gloukh is basically just giving up and gesturing to his team-mates: ‘Yes, I’m not going to get there anymore. You have to sort it out,’” he observed, before adding a stinging assessment: “Gloukh simply does not have the lungs to keep up with Dest all evening either.”

The Ajax support showed little patience with that image of resignation. Social media filled quickly with blunt verdicts. “Take Gloukh off now,” read one widely shared comment. Another supporter did not hold back: “This is truly disgraceful. Gloukh is one of the worst players I have seen at Ajax.”

The criticism is not just about one bad half. It is sharpened by the presence of an alternative.

In recent weeks, 17-year-old Abdellah Ouazane has impressed whenever he has been given minutes, and his name echoed around fan discussions as Gloukh’s struggles continued. “Why isn’t Ouazane playing? He is five times the player Gloukh is, surely,” one fan wrote. Another called for an immediate change: “Gloukh off for a quick shower and bring Ouazane on.”

The match may still be finely balanced on the pitch, but for Gloukh, the margin for error with this crowd already looks brutally thin.