Feyenoord won it’s 16th title, only 6 years after a complete different team (under Van Bronckhorst) won it. And they won it about 19 years later after the trophy in 1999.
The gaps between titles becomes smaller and if Arne Slot has any say on it, the next gap will be even smaller…
At the start of the season (when Gakpo was still at PSV), many pundits and analysts were convinced that PSV and Ajax would be slugging it out for the title and Feyenoord and AZ would battle for 3rd place.
Yes, PSV had to sell their two most prolific attackers in the winter, but Ajax had a complete meltdown while Slot’s Feyenoord transformed into a winning machine. Where Feyenoord won the title in 2017 with 1 point difference on Ajax, today Feyenoord is 13 points adrift from the Sons of Gods after 32 matches. Two more to go.
A very unlikely title, in other words but thoroughly deserved.
When Idrissi scored the 1-0 in the championship match versus the Eagles, the whole city erupted, but Arne Slot was stoic on the sidelines, hands in pockets. When Gimenez scored the second goals, the coach showed some emotion. Understandably, as the second goal was a training ground goal: Feyenoord played in towards the right wing, luring the Eagles’ players to that side. A quick combination brought the ball back into the centre of the pitch, where Eagles now were short handed. Mats Wieffer accelerated the play when he say Paixao popping up in the axis and the Brazilian was able to lob the ball in the path of the explosive Mexican: 2-0.
The 3-0 came when Feyenoord lost the ball close to the Eagles’ box. Three Feyenoord players, led by Polish international Szymanski, immediately put pressure on the defenders. The ball was blindly played out, Wieffer picked the ball up and he got his assist by finding the shrewd Paixao who came in between the lines: 3-0.
Slot has been able to mould this Feyenoord based on four particular pillars.
The Turnaround when possession is lost
In interviews Slot usually says: “What is attacking football? For me, it means hunting for the ball if you don’t have it.” His players can now dream the wise cracks of the coach. Time again he asks his players: can you deliver? Do you have the intensity to play like this? For Slot, how a players reacts when losing the ball is key. When he started at AZ, he showed his players footage of lacklustre players jogging back after losing possession. He clearly hates it. Spicy detail: Slot him self was a bit of a lazy #10 who played elegant and skilled football but wasn’t known for his running and tackling.
In Rotterdam, Slot started with the attackers. They were ones who had to suddenly work their socks off as first defenders. “If you can up the pace of the game and if you can play at a higher pace than the opponent, you will force them into mistakes and you can win the game. Simple.” The opponents were driving to complete breakdown, broken by the energy of the Feyenoord players.
Playing at Ajax in the Cruyff Arena, all these components came together in one particular moment. See the images. The match is only 4 minutes old or Alvarez intercepts a pass to Gimenez. But there is no mourning phase or disappointment. It’s Symanski who runs like a maniac onto Alvarez and got his foot on the ball. Berwijn got the ball but was circled by 5 opponents. Kokcu got possession and and a couple of seconds later it’s 0-1 Feyenoord, goal Gimenez. This goal was made by seven (!) Feyenoord players who immediately went into 5th gear when the opportunity arose. This intensity seemed to much for most opponents, this season.
Alvarez intercepts pass and wants to dribble forward
Szymanski is immediately on Alvarez’ toes and makes it hard for Ajax to play out
Bergwijn collects and is harassed with 5 opponents around him
Feyenoord wins the ball and plays the forward pass. Via Idrissi, Hartman can cross to Gimenez
The Ajax defense is complete overrun
And Gimenez has a tap in, basically….
Defending
Slot: “We need to create a man more situation everywhere on the pitch!”
When Slot was signed by Arnesen, two years ago, many people doubted that the high octane game Slot likes to play would work in Rotterdam. He laughed it off: “I don’t believe it. This can work, because we have 6 non-defenders who need to chip in and help.” He used the World Cup break to work on his team, 6 days a week. And what he did was basically getting into the players’ heads and convince them of his vision. And he did. By repeating the positives and positive examples. He used books and documentaries, such as the Michael Jordan Doco and the book Intensity by Liverpool assistant Pepijn Lijnders to make his case. The core message: make sure we always have more players around the ball when defending. Dick Advocaat used man marking, Slot went to zonal marking. He wants the team to collectively move with the ball, ensuring there is always players close to the ball.
Four attackers all involved in the initial press
The former Sparta playmaker appeared quite flexible in his execution of his ideas. He started last season with his high press of two forwards: the striker and the 10. He started this season with three attackers pressing, the left and right winger and the striker. In the World Cup break, he worked with the team to place a fourth pressure point in the mix: playmaker Kokcu was going to be the 4th presser, behind the striker. But when Gimenez got the role at the expense of Danilo, Slot changed it back. Gimenez feels best with a 10 next to him, so Slot adepted again. And the striker paid Slot back with important goals.
Turnaround when winning the ball
Slot: “If you are well organised in your press, then opponents make mistakes. And their mistakes will immediately provide opportunities for us.”
Gimenez is Feyenoord’s top scorer this season with 15 goals. The high press helped him tremendously, as 12 goals came straight from a turn around high up the pitch. Under Advocaat, in his last season, this only happened 4 times. Only Celtic in Europe scored more often than Feyenoord from a position of high press.
Always a man more around the ball
These statistics were already in Slot’s thinking when he was an assistant at Cambuur. There, he said: “We can be more lethal when the opponent has the ball on their half, as opposed to us having the ball on our half.” And it worked for Feyenoord, as the Rotterdam club was at their most lethal when opponents decided to build up from the back.
Attacking
Slot: “When you have the ball, you need to create a man-more situation immediately and use it.”
His principles aren’t much different in the attacking sense of the game. He was able to increase the % possession from 54% to 60% and when the Feyenoord attackers were totally trained up during the World Cup break, he was able to execute his preferred playing style.
Slowly suffocating the opponent
Slot: “I don’t have the illusion I can make players play better. But I can make the team play in a way that makes the individual seem to be better. So they can play in their strength.”
It’s also good to see that Slot doesn’t force his players into a style of play. He does look at the skill set he has available to him. Good example: the right back position. Geertruida is a very intelligent player, who can play the inverted right back/midfielder role (like Trent Alexander Arnold, John Stones and Joshua Kimmich can play). In that case, the right winger takes the right wing. Pedersen however, doesn’t feel comfortable playing in that role, so whenever he plays, Slot uses him as a wingback marauding down the line and the right winger will come more inside to fill in the extra midfielder role.
And always keeping track of the distances between players
Arne Slot sticks to his guns, but is always looking to finetune his vision to allow the players to play to their strength. This resulted in the miraculous title for Feyenoord.
His next mission: keep as many players on board as possible and try to make a name in the Champions League.
Thanks to Pieter Zwart VI
Feyenoord had the winning formula, I have said this many times , individual players, quality players in every position AND ON THE BENCH, depth whom were on the same page or same level when they were called upon. Danilo, Dilrosun and at most Igor Paixao. They instrumental in those super subs moments.
I would also say this if PSV would have the same squad now after the January transfer from the the start of the season, the gap would have been closer. They also have a good squad
Shout out to AZ as well. Remember this guys, 24/ 25 season will two eredivisie teams qualifying directly for CL and straight after that season is the world cup.this is why I have been emphasizing how important it is to start building the team from now.
Danjuma started his first game for Spurs. Didn’t look comfortable at all on the right and the only highlight of his game was linking up here and there, back passing. Kuluveski playing on his also did help his game as he was drifting more towards danjuma and then trying to cut in.
Got subbed around 63’ for Moura
Spurs losing 3-1. FT
Danjuma does not look like the same star shining in the CL campaign back then. Correct me if I am wrong but he looks slower and might pick up a few pounds.
He has been deployed out of position. Remember when Schruder shifted bergwijn to the right. He was average. Danjuma needs a find a club where he can play consistently and in his stronghold which is on the left.
Slot is doing good job. At the beginning of the season, noone expect them to win. It looks like he will take the Spurs job. I don’t know if that will work for him, the club is not well managed and there will not be a lot of fund for him.
Watched Real Madrid vs Valencia. Without a doubt kluivert is showing his best form if not reaching his full potential. Not sure if the Madrid team are burnt out or the Valencia defenders had their forwards in their pockets.
Kluivert started on the left which looked like 4-2-3-1 but at times he popped up on the right and at times in 4-4-2 as loose man upfront to pounce on counters with cavani dropping deep. It’s was his build up, and his final key pass which slightly deflected and led to Diego Lopez scoring the only goal of the game. In open space he was a menace and squandered a good chance on one break where his final pass went stray and straight to Madrid defender. His ability to hold the ball in tackles was also excellent especially when in congested situations and trying to link up in attacking phases. Had a goal correctly ruled offside.
He has become one of Valencia’s key and influential players in last month or so and which has seen them rise from the relegation zone to safety after struggling under Gattuso ( sacked) for long periods. I certainly would say, he is the type of player that NT needs, individual quality, can make great impact ( super sub) and versatile ( upfront). I hope NT scouts are keeping a tabs on him. I also read Ajax are interested in bringing him back. He is still a Roma player and going into his final year of his contract. He will be a free agent come June. At 24, having played in eredivisie, serie A, bundasliga, Ligue1 and la liga, quiet an accomplishment there in terms of experience. Hope to see him soon in NT. If not for injuries off course
I would say he is pretty much in the same boat as Lang at Brugge when it comes to being the difference makers in the team.
strootman will be back in Serie A with Genoa. no idea what form he is in.
http://www.football-oranje.com/jeremie-frimpong-an-international-mystery/
A few articles ago, I commented that Alphonso Davies, had he been Dutch, would have somehow found himself on the fringe or altogether ignored by Oranje. I feel the treatment of Frimpong again absolves me from a seeming absurdity.
The thing I hate most about Dutch coaches is their innate cowardice couched in superfluous confidence.
There is only one reason that people make excuses that everyone could clearly see as excuses: they clearly know what they are doing is wrong and just don’t have the guts to fix it.
I don’t know if the wider Dutch population, for seeing and suggesting the obvious, irks these Oranje coaches to the point where they are incapable of thinking straight or spite is just a DNA thing, but there is not a single one of them without a glaring wrong decision as that of Frimpong.
If it wasn’t Van Bommel, it is NDJ. If it is not Van Dijk it is Ake. Or Karsdorp or Danjuma or any player that is doing extremely well but always not well enough for them.
Jan asked me a couple of articles ago who would be my Dutch coach. As if that is a hard question.
Any decent Dutch coach that has no “blood” affiliation with Ajax or KNVB-related would be fine by me.
Peter Bosz, Arne Slot. Any coach of that calibre preferably foreign ones would be fine by me. If Brazil is considering foreign coaches, I don’t know what Oranje, who’s NEVER won a world thinks of itself.
Hell, the only person who made a final after ’78 is a total outsider in BVM.
But here we are with another Ajax affiliate clearly in tattered robes posing as if he is in garb fit for royalty.
It’s one big scam and the few bright spots that pops up every now and then appears to be the never ending individual profile of talents which they’ve consistently failed to make the most of.
Either out of spite or incompetence. Same result.
Malen won Bundesliga Player of the Month. What a great redemption by him. Totally change his G+A in last month. He is the reason why Dortmund is heading toward the title.
https://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/news/player-of-the-month-2022-23-ea-sports-fifa-bayern-dortmund-leipzig-22582
It is worth checking out the part of the article about Frimpong too. He just added another assist last game. It would be sad to see him switch alliance but I would not blame him if he consider doing so.
I know, the decision to not use Frimpong does my head it too. Then again, would you drop Dumfries for Frimpong? I think we have two right backs, one who can play the wingback role (Dumfries) and one who plays the more traditional and inverted role (Geertruida). Koeman seems happy with just two options. As he is able to select 26 players, he could well decide to add Frimpong, as Geertruida is also an option for CB and for holding mid.
Koeman decided differently. What can you do?
The problem is that any coach will make decisions that some people will rail against.
I read that Orangutan believes Bert van Marwijk was an outsider? In what way, an outsider?
Welp I’ll say if RK views Frimpong as a winger, then select him as a right winger & he can deputize Malen. But if he’s deferring to Van der Looi for the U21s selection..still kinda lame.
I’m curious to see where Van Nistelrooy goes in the summer after resigning from PSV. A Bundesliga or mid to bottom table EPL club would be an interesting landing spot for him.
it will be dumb move from koeman if he doesnt get Frimpong on board..its no surprise they are so coward to make a change…We dont need a make shift CB as we have 9 defenders in 26 no squad with starwrts like virgil,Deligt,botman,timber,devrij…then shuurs nd doekhi..we need specilist RB or RWB..Frimpong,dumfries and Rensch are perfect for that…Geetruida should be th 4 th choice RB/RWB…
on form and merits
GKS.
Bijlow no1,Verbruggen 2 and flekken no 3..
Central defenders
Deligt-Virgil-ake any 2 as first choice
Botman-Timber…
right backs
Dumfries and Frimpong…koeman wants a robust hard tackling Rb then timber can play there..so no need fo geetruida…
Left backs
Hartman and Malacia….Ake can play there too…so its 9 nos of defenders..
Midfeilders
Frenkie–weiffer as first choice
Then we have koopmeiners,Wijnaldum (just for experience ),Reinders,Gravenberch,simons….
7 nos…
Forwards
Malen,Gakpo as first choice,then Depay,Dalinga,Joel piroe,Noah lang,Berghuis/Berjwin …ony 7 nos..
thats the real 26 we have..
@Jan: if Frimpong is the only bad decision, then i will take your explanation. But when i looked at the squad, bad decisions is everywhere. So the only explanation is Koeman is out of depth.
Why is Dallinga not in the squad? And why is Weghorst in? When did Weghorst score his last goal? Why is Brobbey in? I saw many times here the excuse that national team is not a club and there is no time to develop players. So why does that apply to certain players only? And look at De Vrij? How many minutes did he play this season? Inter is looking to replace him by Doekhi. Guess what? Doekhi is not good enough and not in the squad.
if Koeman’s decision contradicts with those clubs decision and he is winning then i will shut my mouth. But Inter is going to CL final and he took us to a glorious 0-4 then i will follow common sense then.
@ Jan- Would You drop Dumfries for Frimpomg? In a heartbeat. Are you kidding me? Having Dumfries as our right back stater tells you how low we have dropped. Tell me an exceptional qualities that Dumfries has. He is bad on the ball, his passing is terrible, he can’t dribble past a 10 year old. Just because these coaches doesn’t give other players chances, doesn’t mean Dumfries is good. Have you noticed how all of us are frustrated with these coaches. Koeman isn’t looking forward man! This is the perfect time to rebuild but he isn’t doing that. Business as usual Jan.
@Jean Dumfries literally just shut down (one of) the most potent left sided attacks in the world in a champions league semi final. Leao and Hernandez did nothing against him. I love frimpong and really want him in the squad but lets be realistic with the criticism of dumfries.
I read somewhere that for nations league the final squads will be always only 23 not 26? Is that right?
Jokingly if the final list is only 5 players for koeman, it will be Daley, wijnaldum, cillissen, de roon and Memphis 😂
@ Anthony
Arguing Over Dumfries is definitely a waste time. Why don’t you look at all the right backs that played for the Dutch national team over years and see if it’s worth having a debate over Dumfries. 😂😂😂😂
We all have seen this movie already and we all know how it’s going to end maybe expect you. Once again we are going to be absent at another major tournament.
@jean Are the former national team right backs available for selection?
Dumfries will not be the reason we do not qualify for the euros. Qualification to the euros for the netherlands is a much easier feat than inter making the champ league final. If dumfries can be a contributer at that level then he will not be the sole reason we dont qualify for the euros. If a champions league finalist is not good enough to go to the euros, then who is?
All this criticism is so arrogant. Yes frimpong is brilliant but is he clearly better than dumfries? Thats debatable. Is tete clearly better than geertruida. Again debatable. What about the fact that Geertruida could have more potential than tete (Geertruida being scouted by barca suggests this). Are we not well served to include a younger back up option? Maybe but again its debatable.
Maatsen has been doing great. But is he seriously better than ake (champs league finalist) or malacia Champ league player? Is he better than hartman? Maybe but its debatable. Imagine the outrage on the blog if malacia got dropped.
Are our younger players better served sitting on the bench of the national team or going to youth tournaments and playing (Maatsen, frimpong etc)? Its debatable.
Taylor plays because half our squad is out sick and everyone loses their mind. Taylor gets dropped and people are still insisting we only pick ajax players and insist on using taylor.
I just dont understand why everyone is so negative about every single decision. Not just a little negative but catastrophic. All of the non netherlands blogs I follow have optimism and constructive criticism. Its always the dutch blogs where its impossible to support the team together. Its all about trashing everyone around the national team.
We are now criticizing a 16 year old centerback on the assumption that one day he will get an unjustified call up. It hasnt happened yet but lets be sooooo negative that we criticize a 16 year old for something thats not real yet. Why are we not excited to see young players doing well?
No matter what positive signs we show, I dont think we ever see any of that on this blog. The only times we compliment players are when its as a justification to tear down the players ahead of them or to criticize the selection of the coach.
It is so rare to see a comment that has an ounce of positivity.
@ orangutan
It’s so easy to figure out what you have said when you are an outsider looking from a neutral perspective then an insider who is likely to shrug the criticism off or call it as being “Anti/ phobic”
As much as I agree with you and will say are spot on , at the end of the the day you have to except that this is the blue print and how it is meant to keep the conveyor belt rolling so to maintain that status core intact which has been continuing from the past and which altering will mean changing the DNA like you said. The KNVB is just a propeller but the crankshaft which is rotating it is Ajax. This is simply what it is. Yes the past have paved a good foundation for both KNVB and Ajax but then even a good foundation over time has to give way for change and for a better and new complexion . This is where everything seems to be clogged and where any Dutch coach with Ajax affiliation or ex player are compelled to sing the brother hood song and keep the legacy going and strong and this will continue no matter what.
The next one in the line is Hato, you just watch after a series of continuous games how the brotherhood will come out praising his performance and for the red carpet to spread out. It’s already begun.
https://netherlands.postsen.com/sports/amp/187355
I mean are they blind to see Maatsen’s trajectory or is it unless you play for Ajax then you get to be given the special preference
As for the frimpong and Dumfries debate, I see the same typical old fashioned critics of not thinking out of the box
Dumfries needs competition so that when ever he is not available, there is somebody who can provide that back up cover and atleast can make the impact. the two player who can provide or do this is karsdorp and Frimpong. It’s a no brainer. Geertruida is defensively more balanced while Frimpong offensively. I mean it’s so simple, would you wanna have a player like frimpong to come on and make a impact or Geertruida. I mean if they are winning then definitely dumfries can cover up defensively and hence pushing Geertruida out of the equation.
Even then how Geertruida has surpassed Tete is again a mystery to me and something even koeman has failed to clearly justify so again its comes back to square 1. but either way geertriuda no way is or will be an upgrade to dumfries and neither can be an impact player. My two cents. Strictly looking from his general play. Like I said, what he can do, tete can do as well and we all have seen tete and how in big games it impacts the team performance.
And lastly the utility counter argument. this has become a bloody joke. First came blind and now him. My question here is this, why waste a valuable spot on him when there are better options available in those positions and those who play week in week out there.
How experienced is Geertruida playing in those multiple position that he has achieved that status of being a “ versatile”. Long story short, it’s just personal preference.
I will acknowledge here that the things are finally changing with respect to an outsider being appointed as SD but you look at how about it has come to this. Look at the Ajax academy now which was once renowned for producing great talents and how its getting thinner and thinner now to the point they have to look elsewhere and outside to replenish the team.
@Jan
Re: I read that Orangutan believes Bert van Marwijk was an outsider? In what way, an outsider?
I’m surprised that I have to spell this out for you but here we go.
An outsider, in context of Oranje football, is probably the simplest individual to define.
BVM never played for Ajax nor coached them.
He doesn’t believe that Dutch international football should revolve around Ajax of Amsterdam.
As we can see in 2010, he doesn’t subscribe to the belief that the Cruyff total voetball must be the standard and only acceptable tactical standpoint to operate from.
There was barely any complaints from fans about blatant bias and we saw one of the most balanced Dutch teams in decades.
Re: The problem is that any coach will make decisions that some people will rail against.
This line of thought is why, methinks, mediocrity and lack of responsibility has been so common place in Dutch international football.
Using this statement as a blanket excuse to play Taylor and persist with the likes of Berghuis and Blind is why Oranje finds itself in the state it is.
Dutch coaches should come to the realization that the real enemy is not the set consensus of Oranje football that you’ll find floating around in cafes of the Netherlands.
The real enemy is their fight against common sense. Common sense which the football layman (like myself) do possess and base their opinions on.
And of course this is scoffed at by the Dutch legends who see us as charlatans and novices not deserving of serious opinions.
Thus ensues the battle of ego against common sense.
Battle against the simple understanding that Taylor shouldn’t be starting. That Blind is way past it and trying to squeeze performances out of veterans as opposed to betting on a promising future could only yield so much. And 4-3-3 can’t be the be-all and end-all of football. And…
And it’s clear who’s winning.
@ orangutan
It’s so easy to figure out what you have said when you are an outsider looking from a neutral perspective then an insider who is likely to shrug the criticism off or call it as being “Anti/ phobic”
As much as I agree with you and will say are spot on , at the end of the the day you have to except that this is the blue print and how it is meant to keep the conveyor belt rolling so to maintain that status core intact which has been continuing from the past and which altering will mean changing the DNA like you said. The KNVB is just a propeller but the crankshaft which is rotating it is Ajax. This is simply what it is. Yes the past have paved a good foundation for both KNVB and Ajax but then even a good foundation over time has to give way for change and for a better and new complexion . This is where everything seems to be clogged and where any Dutch coach with Ajax affiliation or ex player are compelled to sing the brother hood song and keep the legacy going and strong and this will continue no matter what.
The next one in the line is Hato, you just watch after a series of continuous games how the brotherhood will come out praising his performance and for the red carpet to spread out. It’s already begun.
https://netherlands.postsen.com/sports/amp/187355
I mean are they blind to see Maatsen’s trajectory or is it unless you play for Ajax then you get to be given the special preference
As for the frimpong and Dumfries debate, I see the same typical old fashioned critics of not thinking out of the box
Dumfries needs competition so that when ever he is not available, there is somebody who can provide that back up cover and atleast can make the impact. the two player who can provide or do this is karsdorp and Frimpong. It’s a no brainer. Geertruida is defensively more balanced while Frimpong offensively. I mean it’s so simple, would you wanna have a player like frimpong to come on and make a impact or Geertruida. I mean if they are winning then definitely dumfries can cover up defensively and hence pushing Geertruida out of the equation.
Even then how Geertruida has surpassed Tete is again a mystery to me and something even koeman has failed to clearly justify so again its comes back to square 1. but either way geertriuda no way is or will be an upgrade to dumfries and neither can be an impact player. My two cents. Strictly looking from his general play. Like I said, what he can do, tete can do as well and we all have seen tete and how in big games it impacts the team performance.
And lastly the utility counter argument. this has become a bloody joke. First came blind and now him. My question here is this, why waste a valuable spot on him when there are better options available in those positions and those who play week in week out there.
How experienced is Geertruida playing in those multiple position that he has achieved that status of being a “ versatile”. Long story short, it’s just personal preference.