Huntelaar has been a prolific goalscorer throughout his career, and scored 70 goals in 82 appearances in his first two years in Amsterdam.

However, Huntelaar's third season with Ajax has started slowly - at least by his standards - with two goals in six games and the striker admits he is struggling.

"I don't have an explanation for why it doesn't work," Huntelaar told the Spits newspaper.

Ajax won without a Huntelaar goal on Saturday, beating FC Groningen 1-0 thanks to Oleguer Presas' strike, but that has not stopped the Holland frontman worrying about his form.

He has refused to blame new strike partner Luis Suarez.

"Of the partnership with Suarez I have no complaints at all," he said. "Luis is a fantastic player and we are more and more accustomed to each other. Bat as I said, I have no idea why I score so little goals."

An incident a few minutes from time on Saturday seemed to sum up Huntelaar's recent run of luck.

Having broken free of the defence, Huntelaar ran through on goal but then scuffed his shot.

"I saw that the goalkeeper was down on the ground and I wanted to pass him by, but at that moment the ball jumped up a bit and it hit my shin instead of my boot," he said.

On the international scene, however, Huntelaar is pleased with his new role within the Oranje set-up, having been elevated in the pecking order following the retirement of Ruud van Nistelrooy after Euro 2008.

National coach Bert van Marwijk chose to give Huntelaar a starting berth for the World Cup qualifiers against FYR Macedonia, Iceland and Norway - much to the 25-year-old's delight.

"During Euro 2008 Marco van Basten already gave me the news that I was the number two behind Van Nistelrooy," he said.

"Now that Ruud doesn't play in the national team any more, I have been placed a bit higher. Bert van Marwijk has put his confidence in me and I am very glad about that."

Just like for many others, the 32-year-old Van Nistelrooy's decision to hang up his international boots came out of the blue for Huntelaar.

"His departure at Oranje came to me as a surprise," said the Ajax forward.

"I didn't believe it at first. On the one hand I was happy, because I got more chances on playing time. But on the other hand I find it a pity that Ruud is not part of the group any more.

"I always had a good bond with him, ever since I played at PSV Eindhoven. He then was the one who had already made it, while I was just starting. I looked up to him a lot and he was my example."