I had a nice analysis prepared for today, focusing on Oranje and Koeman’s options but AZ Forever mowed the lawn under my feet! (Dutch expression)
In case you wonder: why the Frenkie de Jong pic for this Nations League post? Well, because from all I have seen, Frenkie makes the difference. He makes the team flow. He makes it look easy. He moves constantly, he sees the ideal solution, is flawless in his passing and he’s moving the team forward.
If I was Koeman, I would say Van Dijk Van Schwijk, Memphis Schmemphis, De Ligt De Schmigt, Cillesen Schmillesen: Frenkie is the first name on the team sheet.
That is what happens when you’re 10 hours behind (actually: in front, but in practice: behind due to time difference… I can only see Oranje matches the next day really).
So now Oranje analysis but a look at the Nations League and what it is.
It’s a new tournament for national teams, basically.
The UEFA realised that friendlies aren’t really helping a lot. The quality of the games are inconsistent and mostly poor. So this Nations League is an upgrade from friendlies, with a link to a ticket to the EC/WC tournaments.
There will still be friendlies, like the Peru – Sneijder farewell match, and in the run up to big tournaments, of course.
Every two years, we will have a Nations League tournament, in the odd year. So now we have the European Championship, World Cup, Confederations Cup and the Nations League. A bit much?
Surely, we will go to some big tournament again??
We will have the first edition now, with six match games in September, October and November. It’s also an alternative route to the European Cup. Four of the 24 competing nations will qualify for the EC2020 via the Nations League.
In March 2020, the 16 group winners will compete in play offs, within their division. Should the winners have qualified for the EC2020 already, the next best placed in that division will get the ticket for the EC.
This will be done based on position in the group, number of points, goal difference, number of goals scored, number of goals scored in away games, number of duels won, number of away duels won, Fair Play and finally the coefficient table.
Long story short: per division, the four best nations who haven’t qualified for the EC2020 will play the play offs. And it’s a knock out system. It’s a chance for countries missing out on the regular qualifications to still get to the EC.
The normal qualification games will start in March 2020 and not, like in the past, straight after the World Cup. This competition will result in 20 of the 24 competitors for the EC. The two top teams per group (10 groups). The final results in the Nations League will also be impacting the position in the draw for the EC.
So, in June 2019, we will have a mini EC played. There are different divisions and the 4 winners of Division A groups will go to the Euro2020. The winners of Division B will move up to the division up, while the last in the Division will get demoted down.
I think some people got their doctorate coming up with this system, but hey… more football, so….
Anyway, Holland is in the group with Germany and France. They both played already and drew.
Bring Terence Kongolo who plays as Left back. he can also cover as centre back. He will be a good player for netherlands better than blind and others. defensively good and i think he is improving offensively too.
Any body reckons De ligt can slot in at as rover in front of the back three.
Depay-Promes
Vilhnea-Frenkie- Vormer- Janmaat
De Ligt
Ake- Van Dijk- De Vrij
Cillessen
Van de beek is better than Vormer…
Mbhappe is Rocket,Griemanan is fast too..
Niether ake nor Devrij is faster..What you think???
You need a Robust speed man to stop Mbhappe…Mensah waould have manhandled Mbhappe…Bruma is faster than Dijk and devrij..
Anyways from vaialbel ones
Kenny tete is must..
I would give Annholt to man to man mark to Embhappe…Like dejong did to messi at WC2014..
——Depay——-Promes———
———–Propper—————-
—-Frenkie———Van debeek—–
————–Ake——————
Annholt—Dijk—-Deligt—-Tete
———-Cillessen————-
total 5 defenders 5 attackers..Both Frenkie and Debeek has better legs and better lungs than old static foes…
i am not a great fan of annholt considering the pace of Mbhappe,Lemar,koman and Martial ete etc…i would go with Tete and Annholt..
Jan u said in the article above that the 4 winners of Ligue A will qualify to Euro 2020! But that’s not the case!! Only the winner of Ligue A plus all the winners of the others leagues (b, c and d) for a total of 4 spots from the nations league!!!
And regarding France game tomorrow I really hope from the bottom of my heart not to see strootman playing with orange anymore he has been painful to watch! Daley blind shouldn’t start either when we really have a nice long list of defenders at the highest level!!!
People say we lack in attack, but for me our main disaster is in midfield, except the young de jong we have literally nothing worth mentioning there!!!
Attack with depay and Promes is descen!
Today is acid test….Only a Joker would play Daley Blind as defender at the expense of Kongolo,Mensah,Bruma,Devrij etc….
Only a Joker would play strootman Ahead of De Beek,Frenkie,Juste ,Ake in Midfeild…
Wijnldum should sit in bench but he could replace PRomes upfront later…
Jesus save us form Daley Blind and Kevin strootman..
ALAA you are correct. I stand corrected, thanks for this…
Tiju, are we really that desperate that Jesus is brought into save us from Daley and Kevin???
Hahahaha, why not ask Jesus to beat France. Much easier.