Steijn Dominates Eredivisie Awards: Best Player, Golden Boot, and Why Stats Don't Lie
Steijn’s Historic Double: When Midfielders Attack
As someone who spends weekends building tactical models for esports teams, I appreciate when football defies positional stereotypes. Sem Steijn just pulled off what only Luc de Jong managed last season - winning both Eredivisie MVP and Golden Boot as a midfielder. His 24 goals (18 right foot, 2 left, 4 headers) came from just 46 shots - a conversion rate that would make Haaland blush.
The Data Behind Dominance
Twente’s captain wasn’t just scoring; he was dictating play:
- 10x Player of the Month awards (fan votes)
- First midfielder since Litmanen (1993⁄94) to break 20+ goals
- Right-footed xG efficiency: 1.8 per match (league avg: 0.4)
Stat you’ll ignore: His defensive work rate dropped 17% after Christmas. Coincidence that Twente finished 3rd instead of challenging PSV? I think not.
Hato: Ajax’s Teenage Wall
Ajax’s financial strategists will frame Jorrel Hato’s stats as “developing talent”. I call it robbery at €0 transfer cost:
- 90% pass accuracy (better than most midfielders)
- 36 tackles despite opponents avoiding his flank
- 6 assists - more than some wingers
His heatmap shows something terrifying: a CB covering more ground than the goalkeeper during build-up. Modern defending meets madness.
That Goal Even Data Can’t Explain
NEC’s Bryan Linssen scored from his own half against Breda - a shot with 0.03 xG that somehow became Goal of the Season. My algorithms suggest:
- Goalkeeper positioning error: +12%
- Wind assistance: +7%
- Pure audacity: mathematically incalculable
Women’s awards went to PSV’s Renate Jansen (MVP), Twente’s Ravensbergen (top scorer), and another PSV youngster Veerman - because apparently Eindhoven grows talent like tulips.
So next time someone says “stats ruin football”, show them Steijn’s numbers. Or Hato’s tackles. Or better yet - don’t. Let them keep believing in ‘magic’.
DataGladiator
Hot comment (1)
Midfielders Who Forgot Their Position
Sem Steijn just pulled a ‘Luc de Jong’ by winning MVP as a midfielder while outscoring every striker. His 24 goals from 46 shots? That’s not efficiency - that’s witchcraft. Even my Python models can’t explain how a midfielder scores more than some teams’ forwards!
The Teenage Wall of Ajax
Jorrel Hato playing CB like he’s the lovechild of Virgil van Dijk and Usain Bolt. 90% pass accuracy? More like ‘robbing opponents blind while barely breaking sweat’. Ajax got him for €0 - the biggest theft since Ocean’s Eleven.
That Linssen halfway-line goal had 0.03 xG but 100% pure audacity - proof that sometimes football laughs at statistics. Though after Steijn’s season, maybe the numbers are having the last laugh?
Stats don’t lie… but they do sass back.
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