Orange, the rebuild starts now

My exact thoughts on the team filled with speed which is a most necessary component for winning football today.
The Dutch have lacked athletically and in the speed department the past 2 qualifying campaigns, and that has bore out poor results.
Winning football today is about pressing and playing quickly.

 

For Belgium v Holland, Martinez is planning on resting quite a few players and he also said he'll use all 6 subs. I'd almost prefer watching France v Germany instead, but it's the derby after all, so I won't. We've played some crazy derbies. You never know. This might be a good one.

Belgium, Spain, Italy, Switzerland and Portugal are guaranteed a top seed in the EURO2020 Preliminary Draw (on 2 Dec.) and can't be relegated from League A. France will join this list with a draw or a win against Germany in today's game. Holland have both everything to lose and everything to gain. The NL relegation battle, qualification for the Final Four, who'll grab the few remaining top seeds for the ECQs, which two League A teams will end up in pot 2, and so on will be decided during next month's international break. Best of luck.

 

Indeed this will be a good one, even if some of the big guns are unavailable. Key match-up for me to watch is De Ligt vs. Lukaku (28 goals in last 26 international caps... or something impressive like that). Hopefully MDL won't get bullied around, if he was, well, at least it'll be good learning experience to up against a powerful beast. Also excited to see Rosario making his debut - hope he won't disappoint. He is a disruptor with his tall body and lanky legs, and he can also spread the ball. We'll see if he is speedy enough to keep up with the game.

 

Yep, Lukaku bagged a goal goal every 64' since Martinez took over (and Henry did lend a hand as well). The atmosphere has been quite convivial. Lots of talk about Holland's promising talents and the 3-0 against Germany, likening that game to a Low Countries derby from about 6 years ago, the 4-2 win was the moment when things started to look rosier and Belgium started to qualify for major tournaments again.

I'm not expecting a high tempo game, maybe hit the accelerator a few times like in the previous derby, but I doubt they'll exert too much energy. I wouldn't mind being wrong.

 

Belgium's starting XI: Mignolet, Alderweireld, Boyata, Denayer, Castagne, Chadli, Tielemans, Witsel, Mertens, Lukaku, Hazard.

1/2 B team, 1/2 A. That makeshift defence is worrying.

 

Netherlands XI: Cillessen; Dumfries, De Ligt, De Vrij, Aké; Van de Beek, Blind, Strootman; Promes, Memphis, Danjuma Groeneveld

Also an experimental side. With Strootman and Blind in midfield (no Frenkie De Jong in sight) the hope of a high-flying tempo game is pretty much gone. I predict a lot of back- and side-way passes.

 

We are also resting a few players. Its pretty much even given you are the hometeam.

Lets hope for a good match

 

Van Dijk is so important to this team. De Vrij has had a rough start

 

Also, Strootman and Blind in midfield lol. Way to kill an attack real quick

 

Memphis is a star

 

More enjoyable than I had hoped for. Plenty of subs coming up though.

 

I really hope for a change in midfield. Strootman has been better than expected although he still lost the ball that almost lead to a Belgium goal. Donny has been sub-par, I hope he gets subbed out. Other than that I’m pleasantly surprised by how the Netherlands reacted to the sub-par opening minutes. Depay is great, Danjuma also inspires confidence. Shame the Promes’ attempt didn’t ricochet into the goal. Hope we can snatch the win.

 

Donny has been okay. He intercepted the ball that started the goal. Had his up and down moments

 

I thought vdBeek was good as well

 

Can we sign up Groeneveld as our Ajax striker ASAP??

I'm not sure why he plays midfield cause he looked good as a forward

 

What about nathan ake. Some of us being very critical about him. Feyenoordsoccerfan?

 

So our tactic is passing the ball at the back until one player decides to hoof it forward and lose possession? Jesus, this is pathetic. We’re just hoping Memphis creates something out of nothing at this point. No creativity whatsoever. Haven’t seen anything special about Rosario either.

 

All in all a good result away against Belgium while missing some key players. Could have gone either way in the end. Danjuma left a positive impression on me. Depay is the star of this team. Aké actually did very well. Really missed Frenkie in this one.

 

But the 1-1 was played as a striker

 

I knew I should have switched over to France v Germany during the 2nd half. Germany lost their must-win game. A draw in Holland v France guarantees France advance to the Final 4 and thanks to Holland's 3-0 victory over Germany it basically guarantees Holland stay up and top seed status for the ECQs. Of course Holland can always look to grab the win against France and go for qualification to the Final 4 themselves.

 

Belgium was more dangerous surely?