Things are far from reaching a crescendo with AZ. There are still starting points: Utrecht, Bilbao and Tottenham. Three games in which the football was quite reasonable. What you can cling to. Like a lifebuoy in a stormy ocean. Where man and power are needed to prevent the ship from capsizing, to throw in a metaphor. Causing your arrival at the troops. Times like these require a lot of fearlessness. Courage, boldness. AZ benefits from strong fighters, especially now that Feyenoord is on the agenda on Saturday. An evening match in De Kuip, where the boys are always separated from the men. Where spirit, courage and decisiveness are required to avoid going under. Nowhere is the ocean as restless and restless as in South Rotterdam. Which also makes it difficult as a trainer, but you also have to make logical choices in the setup. This means that AZ can no longer muddle through with Sven Mijnans at 10. It was truly distressing on Sunday evening. Yet Martens allowed him to remain standing for the entire match. Even with yellow in your pocket. On what basis, you think. And this at a time when guys like Kwakman were banging on the door. And yes, I’ll call him again, Mastoras. Boys with flair and self-confidence, dynamic and in shape. Let them start in the Kuip. Where AZ needs a lot of fearlessness. Start with Meerdink as the first striker. Parrott’s vitality has been similar to that of Mijnans in recent weeks. A four-man midfield with Clasie, Mastoras, Kwakman and Belic means a lot of physical strength, which is actually against agile types like Hwang In-beom and Timber. With Kwakman and Mastoras you bring more football onto the field horizontally. Fearlessness in addition. Something that should not become invisible. This is how Martens and Sierksma can show it on Saturday, in a Kuip that smells blood. Do we see an AZ with swagger there? It is not only possible, it must be done. Pieter Visscher
