The bullit is through the church, as the Dutch saying goes. Marco Bizot, Steven Bergwijn, Anwar El Ghazi, Hans Hateboer, Rick Karsdorp, Jeremiah St Juste, Kenny Tete and Tonny Vilhena are not needed.
Cody Gakpo, Jurrien Timber and Teun Koopmeiners are the chosen ones. For the PSV winger and the Ajax defender it will be their first Oranje selection. Wout Weghorst is part of the Euro squad too, returning after 1,5 years. Maarten Stekelenburg is the nestor of the group, with his 38 years.
Bergwijn is the biggest shock, for many as he was a firm mainstay in the Oranje selection and often times starter under Koeman. Bergwijn lost his spot in the Spurs first team and the last two starting births were not enough for De Boer to change his mind. Marco Bizot’s bad luck is the return to the first team of Stekelenburg. The lanky Ajax goalie is known for his exquisite technique, his chilled out personality and his experience. Karsdorp has reason to be disappointed. He played 46 matches for AS Roma with seven assists and reached the semis in the Europa League. And he might have felt to be the best option for Oranje in a 5 man’s defensive line up. Tonny Vilhena could have beeen an option for the left wing back role, a position he holds with his club Krasnodar as well, but De Boer is content with Van Aanholt and Wijndal and if need be Blind.
Frank de Boer only has two weeks to prep for the Euros. Ridiculously short and for this first stage, he only had the prelim group of Dutch and Russian internationals, and two players from England (Krul and Veltman). If all goes well, Daley Blind will join this coming Friday.
Blind’s ability to play is of key importance to De Boer. The experienced lefty is usable on three positions. For years, Daley played left back for the Oranje, but ever since Van Dijk’s injury and Owen Wijndal meteoric rise, the 77 times capped player is centre back. Just like he does at Ajax. With a fit Blind, De Boer is capable of changing the system like that. In a 3-5-2, Blind will be the ideal build up man, and he’s also accustomed to the usual 4-3-3 both as defender and as midfielder.
De Boer demands tactical fluidity of this team. In his first match as NT, against Mexico, he changed the midfield set up and broke with Koeman’s line of thought. Koeman used a 4-2-3-1 and De Boer went 4-3-3, with one controlling mid. Against Bosnia Herzegovina, De Boer reverted to the trusted system and in the game against Italy, De Boer opened his bag of tactical tricks and went with 5 at the back. He was a spectator when Oranje played the Azzurri at home and he was facepalming all the way through the thrashing we got in a weak tactical performance. In the away game, he played Van Dijk, Ake and De Vrij and with two strikers (Memphis and Luuk de Jong), Oranje seemed more capable: 1-1.
In De Boer’s first weeks, we saw the three faces of De Boer’s Oranje. He wants to go from 4-3-3 to 5-3-2 to 3-4-3, even in one match. And he demands similar things from individual players. Wijnaldum was strongest in Oranje when he played as a 10, close by Memphis. He had goals and assists and was Oranje’s most prolific player under Koeman. De Boer changed it and used Wijnaldum as a box-to-box player, in a more serving role. Frenkie de Jong can play central mid in a controlling manner, he can play centre back and he play the playmaking left midfielder too. Koopmeiners has demonstrated to be able to play centre back and midfielder, while Klaassen and Van de Beek are capable of playing on the 10 spot, as box-to-box player and if need be as holding mids.
Up top the expectations for Memphis are high. Koeman used the Lyon forward as a striker. Under Frank de Boer Memphis need to be satisfied with a role from the left side. This allows for De Boer to use Luuk de Jong, an out and out number 9. As a result, the prolific duo of Wijnaldum and Depay is no longer coupled as a duo.
De Boer likes to see the Wijnaldum of Liverpool, just like he wants the box always to be “manned” by a number 9. In this way, Memphis has the freedom to roam and play where he feels he has the most threat. De Boer: “Players of that quality will always shine. You underestimate Gini and Memphis when you think they have to play close to each other to be excellent. Nonsense.” De Boer doesn’t want to push Memphis in a defensive role though. “It’s of course not the plan for Memphis to have to chase after Kyle Walker. Playing strong opponents might well mean that we will adjust. This is the flexibility I require.”
No Karsdorp, no danjuma, they should be given a look at and also botman & bizot. Well one good news is there Narcel lucassen appointed as director of football development by JNVB.
I would think the final squad is as good as it can possibly be, maybe except for Dumfries over Karsdorp and Promes vs Bergwijn. Anyway, believes that these players ain’t going to be starter or key substitutes in the games.
I am absolutely delighted to see Weghorst, Gakpo, Timber and Koopmeiners inclusions. They are technically competent and have proven themselves. Next two weeks will be critical for FDB to mould the players and team.
Highlights on Promes at Spartak Moscow. Looks good. Wonder why can’t he perform the same at Ajax and the NT. Is Russian league level of competition not as high as the Eredivisie?
https://youtu.be/UDLNKyBUG-o
Russian league is stronger than Eredivisie, although the latter is catching up. I think the competition in Ajax is very high and that is why Promes can get into first selection. Plus, age….
*can not
Any transfer news on AZ contingent apart from Wijndal. I hope this time around they adquently reinforce the team for Europa.
At Ajax, the upcoming law suit about his alleged knife attack will have been another reason to move him on.
In terms of football, Promes is not as good in the small spaces as he is in space. With Ajax, the likes of Neres and Antony are simply better for those roles.
Dropped best RB..karsdorp
Froppe best winger Danjuma..
thats suicide..
Botman would have been a solid choice as well…
Hope we dont start games with Luuk and Berghuis,Hope Memphis retire from taking useless freekicks…Hope Tim krul stay as third goalie only (Tim krul on 90 minutes is like leaking boat in oceanm any time u can sink)
Happy for Promes over elgahzi
Timber over shitboer
koopmeiners etc….
Hope Wijnaldum,Luuk and berghuis starts on bench…
Start as 4213
Promes—–Depay—Gakpo
———-De beek———–
—Frenkie——-koopmeiners——
Blind—De ligt–De vrij—Timber
————–Cillessen————–
Bench442
——Luuk——Weghorst———-Gravenberch–Wijnaldum–klassen-Berghuis
Annholt——Ake—Veltman–Dumbfry
————–steke————-
stand
Winjdal
De roon
krul
You have to except beggers cant be chooses and the only positive thing to take away from this selection is those of the inclusion of the youngesters who will gonna inject the new blood in the team and carry it forward.Gakpo especially who has big future lying ahead of him.
Bit disappointed on the likes of danjuma,karsdorp and few others but either way that the downlow of FDB and his preference and come the end of the euros his faith will be decided.
From team pespective, it looks good on paper and From coach pespective it will come down to credibility of FDB to blend in the new and old players.Good luck to him. Like I said at most round of 16 is where I can see the team reaching. The winners of NT Group is likely to meet the best (1st) 3rd place and that is likely to be from the group of death and either of France,Germany, Portgual as all of them will thrash hungry with good margins.
But if we get one of the other two teams, likely Scotland or Poland, then we have a good chance of advancing to the quarters and playing the winner of 2A and 2B, which will likely be Denmark and then any of the Group A teams besides Italy. Which is winnable.
either of Denmark/Russia from Group B (3rd) or like I said the (3rd) from Group which is the group of death. highly likely group B. reason being group c is weakest group and its hard to see the third best qualifying from there. this cancels out 3A and of course 3C. 3B and 3F are the only remaining options.
in the event of being Group runner up, then Winner of Group A which is highly likely to be Italy.
A weak group doesn’t necessarily mean that the team’s don’t qualify unfortunately. Let’s say Ukraine and Austria both beat Macedonia, and draw each other, they’re on 4 points.
In Group F, let’s say everyone beats Hungary. Then France and Portugal both beat Germany, and draw each other. Germany finishes in 3rd with 3 points and would be lower than Austria.
I think for players like Depay and Wijnaldum, it will be important to get their transfers completed before the Euro’s, so that isn’t weighing on them.
For other players like Malen, Wijndal and Dumfries, I think it’s probably best they hold off on any transfer talks until after the Euro’s, as their value could potentially go through the roof with a good player. Specifically a player like Malen, who could go on to score three, four or five goals maybe. That’s the difference between a middle tier club and a top tier club.
https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/arnaut-danjuma-to-wolves-is-it-a-good-potential-move-would-he-start-what-does-he-offer/
Getting back to the premier league would open oranje door for Danjuma
Though I’m not sure if wolves would be a good choice tot him , especially seeing how Ki Jana Hoever is treated there
West Ham, Everton, Norwich and wolves all have shown interest in him.
Its a good selection. As Wilson says, now it is up to DeBoer to select the right group to get the best out of it. I’m really curious as to the lineup now. Reflective of his comments, the selection is heavy on versatility, and players who can change positions and formation in the middle of the game, but we’ll see.
Like several others here, I think they are more suited to a 5-3-2 (or 3-5-2). De ligt and de Vrij for sure—an added benefit is that de Vrij is very good in a three CD set up. Picking then between Blind and Ake for the spot. Ake is a better defender, Blind’s game is his passing.
Whether it is Blind or someone else, they need to get FDJ others to play off in the mf. Teams are picking him up deep in his half, that opens things up for others near him. Wijnaldum can take advantage of that, Blind can take advantage of that, same with Gravenberch. De Roon has good qualities, but any team that plays Oranje would be happy to have him on the ball as much as possible.
Up front, I’d like to see how a partnership between Weghorst and Depay would fare. Weghorst scored alot of goals in a top league; and in the earlier games this year, Depay often looked like he could use a foil, so… But I don’t know where this leaves Malen, though, and you’d like his speed on the field.
I’ll be disappointed, though, if his starting lineup is a 4-3-3 containing De Roon, Luuk De Jong, Berghuis. All fine players, but such a lineup would be too static, and for all of FDB’s talk of being able to change formations in mid game, these are not the guys to do that. Too much would have to go too right for such a team to go far in any tournament. Plus it is no way to build towards the WC or the Fall qualifiers which are right around the corner.
My group—and feel free to throw whatever slings and arrows my way that you want, we’re all just talking:
Oops, sorry, my group:
Deligt—de Vrij—Blind/Ake
Dumfries/Timber Wijndal/Blind
Wijnaldum/Grav De Jong
Van de Beek/Wijnaldum
weghorst/malen Depay
I really cant see how the versatility card will be prosperous to the team. I mean you sacrifice an experienced and top level playing defender to somebody who hasn’t has had much experience and plays dual position. frankly speaking if this is not stupidity then what is this. Timber looks promising and future prospect but what has he done to deserve a call up is unclear to me. if you say versatility, then what does his stats show being versatile. I mean if you look at St juste stats, It gives a true picture of his performance this season.
Also if Timber is there then Botman should have been there as well. Timber still lacks that experience factor and no need to remained here how others defenders including Van Dijk and De ligt struggled in the early stages of their NT outings. FDB has given priority to an injured Blind whose form and fitness is still unknown but due experience factor. its confusing and looks messy and than Van Annholt selection is just a dead wood if considering Blind to be cover up for LB.
never the less, Lets see what in store for FDB.
The Van Aanholt pick surprised me a little bit, as well. But perhaps he is thinking of Blind purely as a CD. Perhaps his thinking is that he wants the left sided fb to provide speed and width—which is what Wijndal and Van Anholt do—because he is planning on playing Depay on the left, with LDJ or Weghorst as a true 9, knowing that Depay drift inside to play more centrally. Perhaps he is hedging his bets against Blind’s fitness. Hard to know.
I was happy with Timber’s selection; I like his game. But, fair point, I didn’t see St. Juste play.
As you say, lets see how it all unfolds.
Lyon in talks with Peter Bosz for the coaching job and Van Bommel to Wolfburg also looks set to be confirmed. two very good news.
Saw that about Van Bommel. The story I read in FootballOranje.com also mentioned the rumor that Ihatarren and Mickey Van Ven (CB Volendam, who I hadn’t really heard of, but I suspect you have) could be players he’d like to bring in.
I havent watched him , but followed through news and articles.just like Joey Veerman and he is also the germ of Volendam and last I read, Ajax was tracking him. Mink Peeters is also playing there but in the reserve team. its has been a nightmare journey for him after departing for Real Madrid.
Denmark squad
Goalkeepers: Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester), Jonas Lossl (FC Midtjylland), Frederik Ronnow (Schalke)
Defenders: Simon Kjaer (AC Milan), Andreas Christensen (Chelsea), Jannik Vestergaard (Southampton), Joachim Andersen (Fulham), Mathias Jorgensen (Copenhagen), Daniel Wass (Valencia), Jens Stryger Larsen (Udinese), Joakim Maehle (Atalanta), Nicolai Boilesen (Copenhagen)
Midfielders: Christian Eriksen (Inter Milan), Thomas Delaney (Borussia Dortmund), Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (Tottenham), Mathias Jensen, Christian Norgaard (both Brentford), Anders Christiansen (Malmo)
Forwards: Kasper Dolberg (Nice), Jonas Wind (Copenhagen), Andreas Cornelius (Parma), Martin Braithwaite (Barcelona), Robert Skov (Hoffenheim), Mikkel Damsgaard (Sampdoria), Yussuf Poulsen (Leipzig), Andreas Skov Olsen (Bologna).
Who will Denmark play?