Ajax coach Míchel Sánchez has explained why Tolu Arokodare was substituted during Saturday’s 3-1 defeat to PSV Eindhoven, despite the Nigerian striker scoring Ajax’s only goal of the game, Trybal News reports.
Arokodare was replaced by Kasper Dolberg shortly after the hour mark as Ajax searched for a way back into the match after PSV had regained the lead.
The Super Eagles forward had earlier put Ajax level in the 23rd minute with a low finish into the far corner, extending his scoring run to four consecutive matches and taking his tally for the club to five goals.
But while Arokodare continued his impressive scoring form, Míchel felt the striker was not having his best game and lacked the energy required for Ajax’s pressing game.
Due to a lack of energy. He is a player we all support. Perhaps he wasn’t playing at his best level and we needed fresh legs to press and try to find space in behind the defense,” Míchel said after the match, as quoted by Ajax Showtime.
The Ajax coach also revealed that he had been demanding more from Arokodare from the early stages of the game, particularly in his role as the team’s focal point.
We said that he would be important as a focal point. He had to enable us to hold onto the ball and allow us to play as a team. I wasn’t pleased with his first actions,” he said.
Míchel added that he had asked the Nigerian to show greater determination and energy in his play.
From the sidelines, we see everything much more clearly. I have asked him to put more determination and energy into his actions,” he added.
The Spanish coach explained that the changes were also designed to give Ajax more attacking depth against PSV’s central defenders.
I also tried to make a difference by looking for depth against the central defenders. Today, it didn’t work out,” Míchel said.
PSV eventually secured the victory through Lutsharel Geertruida and Esmir Bajraktarevic after Ricardo Pepi had opened the scoring early in the first half.
Despite the defeat and Míchel’s reservations about aspects of his performance, Arokodare’s goalscoring form remains a major positive for Ajax.
The 25-year-old, who joined the Amsterdam club on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers, has now scored in four successive matches and has five goals since arriving at the club.
His recent run is also likely to strengthen his case for a return to the Super Eagles. Arokodare last represented Nigeria in November 2025 in the 2026 World Cup play-off against DR Congo and was subsequently omitted from the squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
