I've watched the first half of the France game from more than a year ago. It's interesting that Wiegmann had Martens and Van der Donk switched back then--Van der Donk playing left forward and Martens in the midfield. Clearly switching them has been a very positive change--as has starting Van der Gragt instead of Zeeman. Van de Gragt is better, but pace remains an issue with her and Dekker, and I think Zeeman is even slower. Spitse started this game on the bench, as did Dominque Janssen, who has now established herself as a starter at outside back instead of van Es, I think. Janssen's pace and athleticism are clearly needed in the back, as one can see all of the defender's struggling with France's pace. France's centerbacks are very good, a lot of speed, and they really shut down the Dutch attack in the first half. At one point one of them, Mbock Bathy?, misplays a deep ball and Miedema gets on it and has a clear path to goal, but the centerback recovers and chases down Miedema before she can get a shot off. France simply has a lot of pace, athleticism and depth. I think the Dutch can play with them, and beat them, on a good day--but les bleues are certainly one of the top teams in the world--inconsistent, a bit underachieving in the WC, but talented. As good as Martens is, I think she's got to get better at pulling back crosses to the box when she drives to the touchline. She is good at beating her mark in either direction--but I don't think she's great at finding open teammates when she goes left and needs to use her left foot.
here's the Dutch u20 in action in couple of friendlies just prior to the upcoming WC. They play well enough to tie tourney faves, Japan, but get hammered by Germany. Looks like the #9(Smitz?) has the potential to become the next Lieke Martens, but only a sub vs Japan &
Saw Miedema, Van de Donk, Janssen (now married and with a last name of Bloodworth) and Van Veenendaal all play today for Arsenal in a preseason match against Juventus. They all looked good as the Gunners absolutely destroyed Juve. Last I checked, with more than 10 minutes to go, it was 5-0 Arsenal, and Miedema had 4 goals. Hey, save some for the regular season! The Italian league is quite clearly way behind the English league, as indicated by the fact that Juventus won it last year in its first season. Van de Donk is a talented midfielder, and Janssen (Bloodworth) is getting better at outside back--and she will be a key piece of the Dutch NT going forward.
I'll say one thing about Miedema: She is not the fastest or most physically dynamic center forward in women's soccer--but I don't think there's anyone who's a better finisher in and around the box. She's got pretty good ball skills, can hit the ball with authority with both feet--and if given room to shoot will put the ball in the net about 75 percent of the time.
That's a good Fan Day.. Fantastische dag ☀️Geweldige fans 👫 #AjaxOpenDag = geslaagd! 👏 pic.twitter.com/jXOO1dCAHq— Ajax Vrouwen (@AjaxVrouwen) July 28, 2018
here's the Dutch highlights in u20. They are in an easy group; they'll probably to the home town French, but the next opponent, Ghana, looks weak on defense.
Uh, well, it'd be nice if the Ajax women could get those kinds of crowds on their own... but it was both teams. The Dutch WNT could probably manage it. Which reminds me: 1 year ago today Stefanie van der Gragt and Shanice van de Sanden at the Dutch Euro 2017 celebration in Utrecht (Jip Bosch, cc-by-sa)
the u20 team marched into their 2nd win & thus qualified all ready for the quarters, they got one game remaining in group play against home town France. Here's highlights of their 4-0 drubbing of Ghana the lead scorer of the team is an 18 year old named Fenna Kalma, Checking her record; she plays for Heneveen. Their not very good, only in 6th place in the league. She scored 21 goals last season & played an amazing 2096 minutes!
I'm dying to see The Netherlands v. Norway WC qualifying match on TV in one week but not sure it will be possible to get the game the U.S. unless I subscribe to a European broadcast service. Should be a good match. Maybe Slovakia can come through on Thursday with the upset against Norway and then The Netherlands will be in and the game won't matter!
I know Miedema's back! You might want to ask on the Norwegian threat for a live stream link for that game(they usually do). but the threat's seem to have recently gone dormant; possible it;s fans heart broken cuz their beloved Ada dumped their NT, lol
What the hell happened in the opening minutes of today's game against Norway? The Dutch could not have been ready to play. Disaster. How do you give up two goals in the first six minutes--I obviously wasn't able to watch the match? I thought The Netherlands would at least tie it, being only a goal down, in the second half--but couldn't get it done. Very disappointing, to say the least.
the poor performance in the Slovakia game should of been a wake up call for Wiegemann for tune up game/more practice together. before such a big event(vs Norway) . But it's easier said than done. the NT is spread over 6 nations, so it's pretty monumental task to get all those players together for extra practices & games. You would have to get them first released from their respective clubs(which is hard if it's not during FIFA's open window). there's other factors involved Norway's domestic league is in season Norway would of been a #1 seeded team for group play, but were downgraded to a low #2 after they flopped at last year's Euro's(lost all 3 games for 15th out of 16th record) thanks to their success. Martens, van de Sanden & Miedema got all big contracts last year, But it was to clubs that took them out of their previous comfort zones. For instance, both Barcelona & Lyons play a slow down, more possession oriented type game where as Martens & van de Sanden were used to more speedier, more direct style soccer. Did that switch effect them? & it mighty be more superstition, but sadly it seems every time there's a huge crowd in woso, the home team buckles under pressure. From the little highlights seen, there's seems like they were more Dutch fans, than Norwegians, lol
I wonder if by any chance you have seen Van De Sanden in the final of this year's Women's Champions' League. You are aware that she tore apart Wolfburg's defense with her speed and her crosses, aren't you? Did she look to you like she was playing a slower and less direct style of soccer?
Well, Hinkle is an excellent DF: if she's a USWNT reject it's most likely for non-football related reasons.
Yup, as Martens in an interview said she wants her team to pass the ball faster to her as she than can take a one vs one challenge to the defense. So basically she has hardly done at Barca what she was good at in the Orange team, thus I guess getting rusty at her strong point. Typically a club purchasing a name without considering if she fits the philosophy of the club's style of play.
Didn't see the match but the two Norway goals were the result of just bad plays by Dutch players. Martens should have headed the corner kick away but instead just looked at it drop behind her, and then a Norwegian player kicked it across the goal mouth and it was put in. The next one was a long pass that bounced high and Dominic Bloodworth (nee Janssen) lost the 1v1 battle with a Norwegian player who put the ball in the net. Also, the keeper Van Veenendaal was out of position on the play. I thought The Netherlands would score another goal in the second half but they couldn't. I'm sure Norway parked the bus in the second half. It's also a shame they couldn't play on grass--lame, if you ask me.
A lot of pitches are 3/4G in Norway for weather reasons. I think the Netherlands had an outstanding home tournament in 2017 ( due to many factors) and not many players are getting back to that exceptional high level.
if a pre-season game was defining a players quality, clubs would buy at random and play football managers... It is the same as me saying I saw a player having a bad game against Bristol and she is therefore rubbish and overrated. Funnily enough, she captained England on Tuesday.
the ICC tourney was not a friendly/expo but in competitive format.(with the 3 sub rules/OT Lyon put it's a sizeable name & rep on the line, It put it's 1st line string as starters, /or as FIFA rates them 6 out 10 players on their world's top ten list(minus the one injury) vs an North Carolina squad that had 6 of it's top players missing due to NT duties & only compensated by fillers from an local amateur team. but I understand your whining. I mean being on the loosing side with the Dutch/ Wiegmann could of done so much more to prepare her squad, have a friendly/prep game when they had a bye four days prior(while Norway beat Slov. that day) If the turf was the problem, then she should of had her team constantly practicing on turf. Come to think of it, late July was an FIFA open window. Why didn't she get the her team together for more practice/chemistry/unity?(surely Lyon could of released van de Sanden if you feel the ICC had no real importance) unfortunately all these actions(or lack off) have consequences, for Dutch, it's possible out of the WC(and that be ashame since it's got so much fan support as their huge sell out crowds have shown would of been great for next year). same way with Lyon/ It's proven to be the best team in Europe with is 3 consecutive CL champs./ So why not prepare your best & show the world by beating the NWSL's top team? Instead from reading the comments(prior to ICC( from dozens of French posters in the much wider S1 forum, a total lack of respect for the NWSL/ Is exactly why they lost that game. now look, don't know why always keep attacking my posts(I've never attacked your)/all I ask on another thread is who seeds the Euro qualifiers(UEFA or FIFA?) and you replied with another snobby incoherent answer(like go find it yourself)instead of answering. So heck if you don't like my posts, than put me on ignore, just don't come with your morally superior attitude on this forum(BS) which had lost all ready so many posters(compared to previous years)
I had asked what you meant by 3/4G but now see that it means third or fourth generation, yes? My feeling is that FIFA should mandate that all WC qualifying games be played on grass.
I guess the main reason was that, while NC Courage was in the middle of the season, OL was basically just in pre-season: you normally don't plan to play at the maximum level of competitivness in pre-season, or which energies do you have to spend later and what do you do at the end of the season, when you could have another Champions' League final ahead of you?