Pre-match: 2022 World Cup Oranje qualifying matches

We’re in the driver’s seat in the group but the Montenegro tie on the road could be tricky as well as Norway at home - hopefully we only need to draw that one

 

Surprising that Berghuis didn’t get to play as a CAM - given his current form Seems like an easy experiment to do to add more width. (Lang coming in for Til or Klaassen).

The center of the Latvian defense was barricaded, and the pitch condition didn’t help at all for exchanging quick passes.

 

Or even not so fine bourbon

 

Only caught bits of the first half. Van Gaal needs to get the line-up sorted. He experimented with Til today and I think he did as well as I expected him to, which is decent but nothing that moves the needle. IMO he has heart but he’s a limited player in midfield.

The midfield lacks creativity, Berghuis can bring that as well as being a goal threat, which is why he’s been so successful at Ajax in that CAM position. Klaassen did well in that CM position. A midfield consisting of Gravenberch/Klaassen, Berghuis and Frenkie would be nice to see how they play together.

Malacia really ought to be getting the nod over Blind at this point.

 

Berghuis will never thrive in CAM vs big teams. You have been consistetly saying this in you last couple of post. I have said this before, dont compare Ajax to NT. It wont yield the same.

 

Even Ziyech is seen as too big of a risk playing CAM and he does a whole lot more backtracking than Berghuis does and he is far more creative.

 

I’m not making any comparisons. I’m simply observing a player being consistent and prolific in a certain position in the CL against the league champions of different leagues and in the domestic league.

He’s not only thriving against minnows the way you like to suggest. As of this moment there’s nothing to suggest that he won’t do well against “big” teams.

Lastly, what makes you think that any alternative we have will do better than him? What proof do you have?

 

Ziyech would walk into the CAM position of this team easy.

 

I guess the whole team decided collectively to take Friday off from the office. Too many key players with flat and dull performances… Memphis, Dumfries, Blind, even Frenkie wasn’t as dominant as he usually is.

Berghuis once again was so predictable from the RW. Gakpo was lively and direct, but needed better touches and cutting edge in the box. Klaassen worked tirelessly. Til seemed to get confused where he needed to be. The subs were subpar. Thankfully Bijlow was alert enough to avoid disaster in the end.

I think Malacia in the final 20 minutes would have been interesting… let him run the tired defenders. Never been a fan of Memphis in the left wing, he has tendency to cook the ball too much (and lose it!). Maybe Van Gaal should have sacrificed a defender (Dumfries), but keep the two wingers (Gakpo + Lang), allowing Memphis staying in the middle alongside an extra pinchitter Weghorst.

Definitely a match that wouldn’t last long in the memory. Oh well, 3 points in the bag - and top of the table. Onward and upward.

 

Yeah, I had that sinking feeling, too. Whew, what a relief.

 

Seems Bijlow had a big hand in that, literally.

 

Yeah, I'm suddenly worried about that Montenegro game. Hopefully they will be mathematically eliminated by that point. This Holland team just struggles to get untracked on the road.

 

Yeah, you're probably right. I'm still learning the nuances of the game. Ha!

 

Definitely the field. I've never seen Frenkie have so many passes arrive slow and short.

 

I was talking about NT level (vs big teams) . Klaassen was in the same boat under Danny Blind. They tried playing him best to his strength, CAM,RW, False 9. but it just never yielded at NT level and mind you klaassen at that time was at his peak and was already being compared to Bergkamp.

The fact is NT lacks a creativity midfielder and berghuis is simply not the answer regardless if he is thriving at Ajax. We have all already seen that with klaassen and plus he has the players around him at Ajax which he wont have the luxury of in NT. It becomes a different ball game or in other words his workrate becomes more and this is where the axe falls. If he cant step out of comfort zone playing out from the wings, how can you expect him to be any different at CAM. The game vs spain and mexico.

Berghuis,Blind,Klaassen are ok players and thats it. They wont survive at SF or Final stage level. Yes at the moment there is no one else but then you have to face the facts and whats in the best intrest of the team and objective ( winning big). Drag with them or improvise more tatically with better players. Depay in a deeper role and Malen upfront. etc.

The way it looks like they gonna drag on with klaassen based on his popping up on goals. This is one reason for me they will fall short at WC. They dont have the right ingredients.

 

Forgot to mention in improvise part, push frenkie up and accomdate for koopmeiners.

 

I agree with your concerns about the lack of truly top-class players at key positions. But first they have to get to Qatar. Can't blame LVG for sticking with the OK veteran players at this precarious stage of qualifying (rather than rolling the dice with new blood who have higher ceilings). Even today's game against relative minnows Latvia was a white knuckle affair. Maybe they should try some things in the Gibraltar game, but that's about the only reasonable time to take a chance, IMHO.

 

Any chance of van Ginkel making the squad. Around the end of the season. Perhaps.

 

Jeremie Frimpong will be the RB for this team for the next 10 years. You heard it first lol. He looks like a Jordi Alba / Davies type of player. Lighting fast and great cross, he just need to work on his defensive game and we are set. He is miles better than any other RB in the offensive department, including Dumfries. In his last 10 games has 5 assist for Leverkusen, not bad at all.

 

Yeah I remember him getting hyped a few years ago already at Celtic. Ive had my hopes set on him a while now too... Let's hope it happens!