35 comments

  1. Watched Bremen and Bayern. Gravenberch started this game but on the right and no surprises there and like I have always said, his stronghold is on the left ( frenkie’s position). Not saying though his performance was bad but he couldnt fluently show his strengths while playing on right compared to when he plays on left and indeed this was on the showcase when on occasions he found him self on left linking up with cancelo. ( like with blind during Ajax days). On the right he just had no to very little chemistry with mazzaouri and was often involved in passing phases (mostly back pass) , link ups , overlapping etc. from attacking stand point he was just average. I mean was not able to penetrate head on directly ( lateral and back passing), over head balls , or complement the forwards. Also defensively if caught upfront meant the back line had to dealt all the pressure . You can instantly recognize all this traits to his time at Ajax and it’s seems like he is still in the same bus.

    At this point in time he is just another Player to growing list of those whom will have to play second fiddle to frenkie on that LCM. I will also add koopmeiners to this list. It also would be in the best interest for koeman to invest players whom play that position. For example Wieffer ( already) or Anyone in future for that matter.

    I also watched PSV and Sparta and while sangare was not involved in the game, veerman had to switch to the right and Guti started on the left. First of all you could tell sangare absence with veerman not effective in the break down areas as sangare and then veerman had to drift to the left to make his presence felt more but then guti playing on the left had to move to the right but could not get into the game because like veerman he his stronghold also is on the left. So both were repelling each other out and often one of the two would be floating around. This is exactly what happens when frenkie and koopmeiners start in NT. Now if you compare them to Wieffer , he is more direct, and doesn’t drift a lot. Well to some extent outside but then instead of going side ways, it’s more out ( right) and up. This doesn’t clog space in the middle . I think this is the type of midfielders that koeman shud invest in.

    As for the game, Sparta had a good game and it only took the subs from the bench for PSV to come and turn the game around. I actually wanted to watch how Vito Van crooj does and while he was always a danger lurking in the background, didn’t get balls from where he could make those decisive moments. Really would like to see him around better players. Sparta looks like a good team though and their young Japanese kido was instrumental in their pressing attack phases. Unfortunately for them , they had no response to the super subs for PSV and EL ghazi scrambled home the winner. The Sparta GK also looks good. Made some good

  2. @wilson, related to Ihattaren’s situation, I am not surprised at all. With his attitude, it is hard to develop into the World class football player. Dedication, discipline, and determination are not part of his personality. Plus, he is prone to gain weight. It is OK, he can open some food truck and he would be fine.

  3. its sad though. he could have been a star for the Dutch NT. All eyes on noa lang now.

    in transfer news Newcastle are linked with dumfries.

    1. IMO Eredivisie is a safe bet to rebuild his career but this is not the ideal one. He already outgrow Eredivisie, coming back there won’t be much he can learn from. Maybe moving to a smaller club in Ligue 1 or Germany could help his career.

  4. Joel piroe scored his 20 th goal for the season with a beautiful free kick vs West Brom.

    He just needs to prove himself on a more competitive level and I’m sure he will be make it into the NT. He is really matured into a fine striker.

    Another player that has caught my attention is gustavo hamer of Coventry city. Brazilian born but has featured for the dutch at youth level. Has being making headlines with 10 assists and 9 goals. Let’s see how his trajectory goes in next few years.

  5. AZ were toothless up front. No good servicing to pavlidis. Passing phases in the middle was excellent and maybe the highlight of their game but unfortunately they could not not covert that to final product meaning get the ball up to pavlidis. The wingers also looked to be playing cautiously. Played low and not sure if it was tatical. Overall good game by AZ but at European level and in knock out stage you need to have everything, depth, super subs etc.

    1. I’m not sure how much the home advantage will carry AZ in the second leg but their frontline needs to be step up if they really wanna make a statement and progress.

  6. Apart from the nice goal he scored, but reijnders is really good, excellent , very confident on the ball and can run with it, no more de roon please ?

  7. Hamer is a Feyenoord product. Played some games in the first team and played most of this games in Holland for Zwolle. He has a hammer of a left foot if I am not mistaken.

  8. Sorry wilson, couldn’t resist.

    Let’s face it though: Blind was pushed out by Schreuder. Now Schreuder is gone and Ajax has been struggling. Not saying it would be different WITH Blind, but it definitely can’t all be blamed on him, as he was not there when it all imploded.

    This deserves a longer post (not on Blind but on the Ajax issues).

    1. I wouldn’t say this, yes under schruder there were questions mark on selection and dropped some crucial points but if you look at the team under heitinga even after changes it hasnt worked.

      Few things I would say here when schruder wanted to bring around changes everybody was opposed to it as the results were not favourable.it would have taken time and he showed that at club brugge when he took over there but the expectation in eredivisie particular at ajax is too high and the hierarchies,management ex players were consistently on your back. Now when they have finally realised it and transfers looming, they are saying it’s time to overhaul.

  9. Watched NEC vs twente. 0-4. Replay actually to check out cillessen. If koeman calls up Cillessen he simply has lost it. Misidjan ( speed)and cerny (crafty) simply were to hot for NEC to handle. Both have had a good season for twente with 8 goals 3 assists and 12 goals 10 assists respectively.

    For NEC poor game as their forwards with Tavsan, Dimatta and Tannane couldnt came into the game. Feyenoord bound zeerrouki and Propper were like brick wall in the midfield. For NEC I must say this Sandler should be playing in a top club. While him and the other CB were left to soak the twente onslaught, they did well. I really hope Sandler can move to a bigger club.

  10. Forgot to mention cillessen made another blunder in the game after holding that ball at feet for too long. Nearly gifted twente attacker a easily goal but the deflection went to Sandler who cleared the ball to save his blushes.

  11. a spotlight on Xavier mbuyamba (21) at Volendam. First season after arriving from Chelsea. 5 goals and 1 assist, ball playing CB, he looks like a future NT and I hope to see him in JO soon. He has been detrimental in the Ariel department and most of his goals has comes from headers. Still a long way to go but his start has been promising. Volendam needs to invest in a good striker, muhren and veerman are just lanky average strikers.

  12. My wishlist for players in NT includes ludviot Reis whom I think is the missing puzzle in the midfield given he can play anywhere in that department. If Hamburg fails to qualify to the top flight in bundasliga he has to move by all means.

    Lang even though he has already being called up, he needs cut down all the bullshit crap and really cement down a starting spot. He needs to be called if not injured and clock minutes as much as possible. The same I am expecting for danjuma once he starts playing regularly pending transfer.

    Clavin stengs, he has already indicated he back to his best with life at Antwerp and with him currently being deployed in the midfield, he can cover up for both AM and RW. Time to move on from berghuis. This was his debut game under koeman. Check out his interventions

    https://youtu.be/1dTm_wboUQk

    Lastly a RW specialist who is plays consistently and in form as Malens back up. I think this particular position ( back up) is up for grabs.

    1. YEah ludviot Reis has immense work rate,good redemer of ball…NT has avacancy for that spot..
      Good to see stengs back,he has the quality to play no 10 and right wing..He is mercurial..he can dispalce Berghuis easily….i wish we had him at WC along with malen at qatar….
      when koeman is going announce provisonal sqaud? as per uefa we could have 26 man squad… i cannot stabd cillesen,De roon at NT…i want to see Depay and gini gets benched..also taylor and klassen to be dropped..
      Can some one please advice Timber to become a DM? as NT CBs are getting stacked…Micky van de ven,Virgil,Deligt,Shuurs,Botman,De vrij ,Doekhi thats too much quality…these guys are monsters and walk in to any top club…

  13. Forwards
    ———-
    Joel piroe,Dalinga,Depay,Malen,Gakpo,Noah lang,Simons–7 nos
    Midfeild
    ——–
    Frenkie,Weiffer,Gravenberch,Tijjani,koopmeiners,wijnaldum,Stengs-7 nos
    Defenders
    Virgil-Ake-Deligt-timber-Frimpong-Dumfries-Botman-Malacia-hartman-9 nos
    Goal keeprs
    bijlow the no1,Noppert,Verbuggen…..

  14. @wilson: Koeman has lost it. I don’t expect any change from him. In ESPN interview, he stated that he will consider Cillessen for the squad. It is fine to call back players doing well previously to check, but if he played like that and Koeman could not see it in training session and started him, it already told the story.

    I am shocked by how Koeman started his second spell. Given what he does, I expect he will keep calling all dead woods and crash out early.

  15. And finally “Italian victory for nothing”..Sorry ,third place ….o.k…The Dutch team played much much better in the second half…a real pleasures for the eyes in the moments . …On the whole ,the Netherlands practically defeated itself..(not for the first time) ..This kind of game might be good enough for weaker teams..It should be
    In Munich 1974 World Cup …the Netherlands was the best team in the tournament (and in the world) , they had everything they needed for win ..And in the final they practically beat themselves …Symbolically it is a “broken sword” ..The damage done was repaired in 1988…but it is not like being number 1 in the World Cup…)
    .(PS…Argentina -Netherlands (1974) …it could have been 10,15-0 for Netherlands ..Best game I have watched ..Argentina with M.Kempes.Leo Luque..Ayala …was not weak team ..plus Independiente was a finalist in the Intercontinental Cup 1974…..)

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