Following their 3-2 defeat to Austria of their last group-stage match, Netherlands supervisor Ronald Koeman fielded questions on his facet’s defensive frailties, midfield dis-organisation and ineffective urgent, solely to then be requested if he was reevaluating his future.
Former Netherlands worldwide Demy de Zeeuw was within the stands among the many wall of orange in Berlin witnessing the defeat. “It was unhealthy,” he informed ESPN. “Very unhealthy. You’ll be able to’t think about you could play so unhealthy with such good gamers.”
In the meantime within the Dutch tv studios, former gamers had been lining as much as take their photographs on the supervisor, some gamers and ways. The legendary Marco van Basten was upset with centre-back Virgil van Dijk, whereas ex-midfielder Rafael van der Vaart labelled the defeat a “shame” and stated he was able to “cry” at how unhealthy they performed. After which there was poor Joey Veerman who was taken off after 33 minutes following a dismal efficiency. Some pundits stated that may very well be the tip of his worldwide profession.
“The one constructive factor is that we’re nonetheless alive,” was Koeman’s tackle the Dutch efficiency. However they nonetheless certified for the knockouts.
Then got here the twist within the story — due to unpredictable outcomes elsewhere, Netherlands went from doubtlessly taking part in England, to being drawn in opposition to Romania. “It’s not unimaginable to beat Romania and develop within the event once more,” ex-forward Dirk Kuyt informed ESPN.
There do appear to be a number of questions round this group and their unpredictability: are they poor at urgent? Have they got striker points? Is Koeman the proper man to steer them? Or maybe all the above? It is dependent upon who you speak to — the optimist or the pessimist — as there’s additionally nonetheless loads of optimism across the Oranje, however lose on Tuesday and the backlash might be brutal.
Urgent points within the midfield
Veerman appeared devastated as he sat on the bench having been substituted. Denzel Dumfries — a shock omission from Netherlands’ beginning XI for the Austria defeat — requested the cameras to veer away from Veerman and his footballing grief. The midfielder had a profitable passing charge of simply 47.4%.
“He is not the one one who may have been substituted, all of us may have been substituted,” midfielder Jerdy Schouten stated afterward because the Dutch took inventory of their 3-2 defeat. “We’re not happy with how this match was performed. We had been late all over the place. We didn’t get the stress on. All of it went fairly simply for them.”
Veerman’s desolation was remoted, however symptomatic of the broader malaise. “We had been too passive and gave them an excessive amount of time to seek out the free man. If we had the ball ourselves, we’d lose it too rapidly,” midfielder Tijjani Reijnders stated. Koeman added that the group defended like “headless chickens” and ran far too usually “out of our positions.” He stated there was far an excessive amount of house between the strains, and the group lacked aggression.
“For his or her second and third targets, we do not sustain with our opponent,” Koeman stated. “Should you play like that, you aren’t entitled to extra.”
Former Ajax and PSV Eindhoven midfielder, and present ESPN analyst, Marciano Vink insisted: “It was so disappointing the way in which we carried out. Some gamers are completely off form, a few of them did not step up and so they take cost over issues like communication, [and] getting the group again into form. There isn’t any disgrace in shedding in opposition to Austria, nevertheless it’s the way in which we misplaced.”
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Midfield steadiness, or lack of it, has been one speaking level all through. On the eve of the event, the midfield misplaced Frenkie de Jong, Teun Koopmeiners and Marten de Roon to harm. Each De Jong and Koopmeiners would have been assured starters.
“Frenkie de Jong is Netherlands’ finest participant, the motor of the group,” ex-Denmark worldwide and ESPN analyst Kenneth Perez stated. “That is a giant factor, taking out your finest participant — he is the one who made the clock tick and the group play higher.”
There have been calls from former star Wesley Sneijder to incorporate Feyenoord midfielder Quinten Timber within the squad, one thing he reiterated after the Austria defeat. “I’ve talked about it earlier than, however I feel Timber is a participant that we miss in midfield,” he informed De 538 Middagshow. “Particularly with that positioning, capturing balls and he may shoot from distance. It’s too simple in midfield.” However there have been doubts over his health as nicely.
For his or her opener, a 2-1 win over Poland, Koeman went with a midfield two of Veerman and Schouten, with Xavi Simons simply forward on the proper and Reijnders by means of the center. For the 0-0 draw with France, they performed Schouten and Reijnders along with Simons within the No. 10 place. Then for Austria he reworked to a center three with Reijnders, Schouten and Veerman. The experiment failed. Netherlands could not hold the ball, they had been dominated on their left flank, and though Simons’ introduction did assist with stability, there have been nonetheless questions over different adjustments Koeman made.
Speaking to a number of figures in Dutch soccer, there may be nonetheless widespread bemusement over why the supervisor turns to Georginio Wijnaldum to assist shore up the midfield within the latter levels of matches, with the Al Ettifaq veteran struggling for kind.
The urgent statistics made for grim studying, as ex-pro Daan Sutorius highlighted for ESPN. The Dutch are solely profitable the ball 3.3 instances per 90 within the prime third of the pitch, which ranks them twenty third out of the 24 groups at Euro 2024. Additionally they enable the opposition 14.1 passes earlier than they regain the ball (Germany cleared the path averaging 8.8 passes on common), which sees them concede 5.0 photographs on the right track per match on common — with solely Albania, Scotland, Georgia and Poland extra beneficiant.
“There wasn’t a variety of aggression within the group, particularly the shortage of urgent,” Vink stated. “And it is fairly just like England. England additionally go into their very own half after which wait, and also you see that [Harry] Kane, [Bukayo] Saka, they do not know what to do. And that is mainly additionally what’s taking place [with Netherlands]. It’s not that they do not know what to do, however I imagine that possibly the ways will not be the proper ways for this group. It is a disgrace as a result of I imagine you’d slightly go full velocity forward after which see the place you find yourself, however as an alternative we now have this calculative method of taking part in, and that is not the way in which Dutch folks need to see their nationwide group play.”
Koeman and the striker subject
Koeman has are available in for loads of criticism. That query about his future post-Austria revolved round whether or not he would resign, or was involved about his job prospects in the event that they misplaced within the spherical of 16. Koeman is contracted by means of to 2026.
De Zeeuw has his issues, saying: “It appears as if Koeman can’t encourage the gamers. If in case you have been like this for 3 video games, you’ve got an issue.” However Perez stated the group will embody Koeman’s spirit. “He’s any person who will actually battle for his group and for himself,” he stated. “And he is a winner, he is a survivor.”
What Koeman has restricted management over is the gamers’ means to hit the goal when it issues. Netherlands have had 40 photographs, however simply 10 on the right track. That file of 25% places them twenty second in Euro 2024, with Serbia (23.1%) and Scotland (17.6%) worse off.
The place to play Memphis Depay has been a continuing theme each in these Euros and former tournaments. “Memphis must step up his sport, initially, after which as a result of he is shedding too many foolish balls in his personal half up entrance,” Vink stated. Towards France, he was remoted, and recorded zero profitable dribbles, received simply one among his 4 duels with a move success charge of 63%. Towards Austria, he dropped deeper, extra a hyperlink man than an out-and-out striker, and had better success.
“Everybody within the stadium [against Austria] was speaking about Memphis merely having to be ‘on 10,'” De Zeeuw stated. “That is the place he was within the second half and he scored immediately.”
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Vink want to see Brian Brobbey begin up entrance, in a job just like how Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku performed in opposition to Romania.
“Memphis is a really artistic participant who additionally goes deep, he alters up velocity as a sensible participant with a variety of abilities,” he stated. “If you’re up entrance there alone and … gamers are method too removed from you, it is a troublesome factor. However he’s skilful sufficient to deal with that and he wants just a little little bit of help, however he wants to alter his sport additionally. I would love to start out Brobbey, as he is able to laying balls off for the midfielders, that is the way in which Youri Tielemans scored in opposition to Romania. There are such a lot of methods to be dominant, but additionally to achieve success in opposition to Romania. You must be courageous, so Koeman, in my view, ought to make adjustments for the higher and never due to individuals who gave you numerous up to now.”
Then there’s additionally a faculty of thought that maybe it is time for Wout Weghorst — the super-sub from Qatar 2022 and of their opener when he scored the winner in opposition to Poland — to be given the keys to the beginning striker position. All of the whereas there’s additionally Joshua Zirkzee within the combine, the Bologna striker who has been linked with Manchester United, however was a late call-up to the squad so clearly Koeman has his misgivings there.
Former Netherlands striker Pierre van Hooijdonk steered Donyell Malen ought to begin up entrance, with Cody Gakpo and Jeremie Frimpong on all sides of him and Depay within the 10. Both method, the consensus is, Depay wants a foil.
“There needs to be a striker who can hold the ball and whether or not that is Zirkzee or Weghorst or Brobbey, it would not matter,” De Zeeuw stated. “At Atlético [Depay] usually performed with [Antoine] Griezmann. He wants somebody who strikes round him.”
Romania and the trail forward
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Virgil van Dijk: ‘We will not suppose additional than Romania’
Virgil van Dijk speaks forward of the Netherlands’ Spherical of 16 match with Romania.
However it’s not all doom and gloom — removed from it. The draw has opened up superbly for the Dutch, and so they have some in-form gamers; Gakpo has had a superb event, whereas Bart Verbruggen, 21, has put in performances past his years in objective.
Nonetheless, there are at all times expectations for the Netherlands. Kuyt remembered nicely the exterior stress that got here in main tournaments, having performed in 5 of them.
“I keep in mind in 2010 that we stated to one another that we had been in a tunnel, and you can’t escape exterior stress,” he stated. “You’ll be able to attempt to shut your self off to that, however a method or one other it nonetheless comes by means of mates or household. You at all times get that. This can be a new expertise for some boys. I’m positive that have will make them stronger.”
The group have been attempting to compartmentalise that each one week. The backlash to Veerman’s efficiency was steadily talked about within the build-up to Romania, however his teammates rallied round him. That previous moniker footballers roll out saying they have not learn the press or have not seen the feedback was solid apart to help Veerman on Friday. Nathan Aké stated the criticisms from the media “went a bit too far,” after which Van Dijk stepped in. “We are able to all have a nasty match. In fact, he did not play nicely, however one match would not outline the remainder of his profession,” he stated.
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After which Van Dijk was requested about his personal kind, which he took on the chin. “I can definitely perceive the criticism fully after the final match,” he stated. “I’ll work on it, and I additionally blame myself for it. The accountability I really feel for Oranje and likewise Liverpool could be very excessive, and I additionally suppose that I can and may do higher than that.”
There’s a normal acceptance that issues a lot enhance.
“It’s simply an eye fixed opener,” Van Dijk stated. “If we proceed on the identical path, we now have no enterprise right here and that has change into very clear. If we need to obtain one thing right here, one thing has to alter in a short time.”
Koeman ran the rule over his group in a practise match in opposition to TSV Havelse from the Regionalliga Nord throughout two 35-minute halves on Wednesday. The Netherlands received 6-1 — Weghorst and Micky van de Ven each bought two targets, whereas Brobbey and Frimpong additionally scored. Maybe somebody there’ll drive Koeman’s hand.
Van der Vaart needs Koeman to make three switches for Romania: He needs Simons beginning as an alternative of Veerman, Matthijs de Ligt over Stefan de Vrij, and Dumfries returning in Lutsharel Geertruida’s place. Vink needs different adjustments.
“I would like to Frimpong as a result of Romania will not be the quickest in defence, so I would like to see Frimpong on the proper, I’d play Brobbey as a striker and Depay as a ten with Gakpo on the left-hand facet,” he stated. “I would have Reijnders who’s extra eight, who’s a box-to-box participant, after which you’ve got Schouten who is kind of a sitting six. And I would not change the backline as a result of Geertruida may implement the midfield as a result of he likes to return in on the within and play there. So I would not change the final line, however I’d make some adjustments up entrance.”
However as Van Dijk insisted on Friday, the time for speaking is over. It is now time for the group to ship, a sentiment Kuyt agrees with.
“I hope that the boys seize this chance and make the event much more profitable,” he stated. “That is how event soccer is. You’ll be able to have a nasty day as soon as, however not anymore from this second on, as a result of then you’re out.”
