Well, half our defense is injured, although Bruma being out doesnt necessarily be a bad thing. My backline will look something like this against both countries: ----------------------------Zoet----------------------------- Karsdorp------------deVrij----------Hoedt............Blind Bulgaria already is a MUST-WIN game btw
I'd like to see... Zoet Karsdorp - de Vrij - Blind - Willems Strootman Sneijder - Wijnaldum Robben - Promes - Memphis Maybe Janssen instead of Promes but these are important games and we need someone playing with confidence up front.
I wouldn't play Willems in a 4 Man backline with his defensive issues. I would either go with a 5-3-2 with Willems @ LWB & Blind @ CB or put Blind @ LB & play a 4-3-3. It depends on the tactical aspect.
I would go for diamond midfield. Promes- Robben Van Ginkel Wijnaldum- Toornstra Strootman Pieters-Hoedt- De Vrij- Karsdorp Zoet
At least Robben is fit as in form! Worth pairing him up front with in form Dost? Sure, Dost has not been so impressive for us, but surely we can tweak some tactics to capitalize on his form? I'm not sold on it, but Janssen is barely even playing.. maybe a front 3 of Robben - Promes - Elia is better? Play Kongolo at LB and Elia has his club partner behind him as well.. and maybe Toornstra in the middle, if van Ginkel and Sneijder are not ready. But I believe it will be Klaassen.. I'd also like to see Hoedt partner de Vrij under the circumstances but Blind could play there too. Karsdorp on the RB. Can't see Strootman - Wijnaldum not starting. No one really touches Zoet right now.. I think I would go with: Zoet Karsdorp-de Vrij-Hoedt-Kongolo Wijnaldum - Strootman Toornstra Robben - Promes - Elia (or Promes - Dost - Robben)
Yea, their points per minute are almost the same (112' / 116'). I'm not against Memphis, and glad to see something happening for him again, but those points came against low table teams - would be cool if he did well in his next matches before the break, versus Toulouse (9) and PSG (2) as well because he probably will start for Blind. I'm not sure about Elia anyway, not really trying to push him or anything, not too much between them for me. The LW situation is so unfortunate that I guess I just prefer the idea of having club form/ familiarity among the players, so Kongolo and Elia on the left, de Vrij and Hoedt at CB (CB where that familiarity is even more valuable).
If all those people are out I'd like to see this: Karsdorp - de Vrij - Blind - Willems Strootman Fer - Wijnaldum Robben - Promes/Janssen - Memphis Willems especially will come in handy against a team like Hungary who we'll need to be offensive against. I also think that it'll help against Italy to provide the extra width against their 3 man backline.
De voorlopige selectie: Steven Berghuis (Feyenoord), Daley Blind (Manchester United), Jasper Cillessen (Barcelona), Memphis Depay (Olympique Lyon), Bas Dost (Sporting CP), Leroy Fer (Swansea City), Wesley Hoedt (Lazio), Vincent Janssen (Tottenham Hotspur), Luuk de Jong (PSV), Rick Karsdorp (Feyenoord), Davy Klaassen (Ajax), Tim Krul (AZ), Jeremain Lens (Fenerbahçe), Bruno Martins Indi (Stoke City), Davy Pröpper (PSV), Quincy Promes (Spartak Moskou), Bart Ramselaar (PSV), Arjen Robben (Bayern München), Marten de Roon (Middlesbrough), Kevin Strootman (AS Roma), Jens Toornstra (Feyenoord), Joël Veltman (Ajax), Tonny Vilhena (Feyenoord), Michel Vorm (Tottenham Hotspur), Stefan de Vrij (Lazio), Georginio Wijnaldum (Liverpool) en Jeroen Zoet (PSV)
So no Willems...I guess Blind will play leftback and Hoedt will play centreback with de Vrij. Hopefully they play Fer and Wijnaldum together they already have good chemistry with Strootman behind.
GK - Cillesen, Zoet, Krul, Vorm Def - Karsdorp, Veltman, Hoedt, De Vrij, BMI, Blind Midfielder - Fer, Strootman, Wijnaldum, Propper, Ramselaar, Klaassen,Vilhena, Toornstra, De roon Attackers - Robben, Depay, Promes, Serghuis, Lens, Dost, De Jong, Janssen He'll probably drop De Jong, Vorm, Vilhena, De Roon later. Dunno why so few defenders, no1 else @ LB to compete. It's like he creates teams where Daley Blind won't even have a competitor !
I think - Zoet Karsdorp De Vrij Hoedt Blind Wijnaldum Stroot Klaassen Robben Dost Promes He selected 3 ST's & sill start with a ST & Dost has 21 goals & 5 assists in 33 games - That is flat out phenomenal ! Depay & Fer as super-subs. Propper or Ramselaar or Toonstra may get a go in the 2nd game for Klaassen, no way he is not playing Klaassen, he does donkey works & scores goals.
I'd like to see the following for starting 11. Zoet Karsdorp De Vrij Hoedt Blind Wijnaldum Stroot Klaassen Robben Janssen Promes Netherlands - Bulgaria 2-0
Where is Kongolo? Should be decent enough to be a back-up. BMI over Hoedt... because of the experience. Can't gamble on a full debutant in a crucial qualifier match. Dost over Janssen... because of recent playing time and scoring record. Janssen is probably very rusty stuck on the bench lately. Zoet Karsdorp De Vrij BMI Blind Wijnaldum Stroot Klaassen Robben Dost Promes
I might swap Dost for Janssen, but BMI should never be given his starting position back so easily after getting a stupid red card like that (against Iceland no less)