Pre-match: 2022 World Cup Oranje qualifying matches

However these are the matches the world can't wait to see, because most of the times these tend to be epic ones.

 

The Netherlands goalscorers during the World Cup qualifying campaign. 33 scored. Memphis 12 Klaassen 4 Malen 3 Luuk de Jong 3 Berghuis 2 Wijnaldum 2 Van de Beek 1 Gakpo 1 Til 1 Van Dijk 1 Dumfries 1 Danjuma 1 Bergwijn 1
Though Klaasen scored far inferior goals than Memphis, all the goals he scored were crucial, winner in the away game to Latvia, the equaliser in the away game to Norway and the opening goal in the 6-1 rout against Turkey. He also contributed 4 assists, ranked 2nd in the team after Memphis

Memphis 6 Klaassen 4 Berghuis 2 Wijndal 2 Gakpo 1 Danjuma 1 Bergwijn 1 Rensch 1 Malacia 1 Lang 1 Dumfries 1 Wijnaldum 1 Koopmeiners 1 Weghorst 1

 

Frankly speaking, Klaasen is not technically very gifted but his work rate appears to be quite amazing. However, I see Donny van de Beek a better player in the same field. Hope his situation will improve.

 

Klaassen is not good enough plain and simple. Yes somehow he has managed to score some goals, and he did play the game of his life vs a very poor Turkey side, but there are big problems when he plays.

Not starting now at Ajax does not help as Berghuis has proven to be pretty good playing the # 10 which Davy is not.

Berghuis should not play on the right flank for Oranje but that is a whole separate matter.

Speaking about Klaassen he likes to get forward but is pretty useless in possession, is certainly not a playmaker, and generally clogs the midfield getting in the way of Gini a lot, and Memphis who likes to drop in or drift wide.

Oranje currently do not really play a # 10, and, that needs to change for me, but with possible formation and alignment changes from Van Gaal it will be quite interesting to see what happens.

The Oranje attack seems to orchestrate amongst Dumfries raiding down the right flank, the pathetically slow and unathletic Daley Blind weakening distribution skills on the left, Memphis’ movement, and Frenkie bringing the ball out from deeper positions.

Midfield is not involved all that much in the possession or attack and that dynamic needs to change I believe.

Oranje have a great chance for an excellent World Cup run I believe despite some issues that need to be cleaned up.

Van Gaal has to keep his eyes open evaluating the talent.

 

Random thought/observation…

I noticed during the match that Henk Fraser was the one wearing the earpieces and taking notes… presumably getting instructions from LVG from the skybox. Blind Sr., sitting next to Henk, looked awfully bored with elbows on his laps

Looks like an encouraging sign to me… I don’t really trust Danny when it comes to tactics. Also wonder if Henk is groomed to take over from LVG after the WC next year. Wasn’t he one of the finalists for the NT job to replace FDB?

Koeman is unemployed, but I think by this time next year, he would already have a gig.

 

The chances rated to win the WC. I donot agree with their opinion.
https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...m_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&CMP=fiver_email

 

I was wondering who was in charge myself. I was not happy seeing “Daddy” Blind in the Coaching box whatsoever.

Fraser has to be the next guy after Oranje win the World Cup but we are talking about the mindless idiots of the KNVB.

 

I’m actually kind of surprised that there are not more club managers involved with their own or other National sides to be honest with you.

 

Zero goals for Weghorst. Oof. Of course, he hasn't appeared in WCQ games in a while. He's also in a goal-scoring drought with Wolfsburg. Hope he finds his form at some point between now and Qatar. I still like him on the squad as a stylistic alternative to Memphis.

Thanks for tabulating this information.

 

What do you not agree about their opinion? Those are based on the top ranked teams in the world minus Portugal, Mexico and maybe USA. I don't think Mexico and USA can win the WC. So down to 11 teams (10 listed + Portugal). The truth is that it is very difficult for a new team to break through (Netherlands, Portugal, Belgium and Denmark) compare to the old champions (Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, England and Argentine) so the probability for 1 of the champs to win again is high. Winning 7 games in a row (or advance and win 4 in a row) requires depth, fitness/less injury, playing smart (no suspension/don't go all out in the groups stage), peak at the right time, strong mentality, clinical and luck (sometimes the draw and path to final, which you can count on how many save Sepp Maier had in 74 final, the Rensenbrink hitting the post, the 98 and 14 penalties, the Robben miss). I really hope Netherlands can win next year, beautifully or ugly I don't really care, just win.

 

It's not that unreasonable of a projection I think? I think they overrate Brasil a bit and underrate Italy but that's about it.

 

Or not. They've deep pockets to bribe refs, especially ones from outside Europe.

 

I several times wrote I rate van Hanegem as one of the best players the Netherlands had, top 5.
I however also wrote that I donot value him much as a human being.
When he was an active footballer he sabotaged anything that smelled German, like the incorporation of Willy Lippens in the Orange team.
He took moral measurements where these were out of order.
He now has given another example of his hypocrisy with his comment on the Qatar situation.
He's a vile, disgusting shithead. Keen on apologetive pieces in the paper about the thugs that under the banner of Feyenoord's name commit acts of violence and now this.
This man is a disgrace and the sooner he shuts the fvck up, the better.
https://www.ad.nl/nederlands-voetba...-de-voorste-zijn-met-onze-protesten~a6fbef0b/
Column Van Hanegem | Altijd maar dat gezever over Qatar: wij moeten steeds maar haantje de voorste zijn met onze protesten

Columnist Willem van Hanegem is een beetje klaar met de discussie over het WK in Qatar. ‘Als je op vrijdagavond door het centrum van Rotterdam liep, had je vast ook niet het idee dat je in een normaal land was toch?’

Willem van Hanegem 21-11-21, 20:43 Laatste update: 21-11-21, 21:56

 

I don't agree with him but I think you should take his words in the most literal sense:

"The World Cup will start in Qatar in exactly one year and we will be there. That is fine. The annoying thing is that from now on all those people don't waste a moment to start talking about the situation in Qatar. National coach Louis van Gaal really doesn't do everything right, but I completely agree with him when he says it's not up to him or the players to continuously say something about it.

Yes, I hear then: there must finally be a player who says 'I'm not going'. Well, then there's just another one that goes, quite important huh ['lekker belangrijk' is a typically sarcastic expression]. And always that whining: 'If a player or trainer shouts something, then it really has an impact'. I get so tired of that expression.

Van Gaal was absolutely right in saying that things are happening all over the world that cannot bear the light of day. We always have to be the first to wave our finger and protest, but when you walked through the center of Rotterdam on Friday evening, you probably didn't have the idea that you were in a normal country, did you? Van Gaal does not always have to name the situation in Qatar for that group of people who ask again and again about this, and who will soon be the first on the plane to stay there for four weeks in the sun."

If you take his words in a literal way (I think you should), it is not so bad, although I still disagree here I think.

Unfortunately, often there are no easy solutions to problems.

Where did he do this? I've only seen this:
https://www.ad.nl/nederlands-voetba...onair-opeens-de-pen-al-in-zijn-hand~ae1ccb21/
https://www.voetbalprimeur.nl/nieuw...s-bij-feyenoord-onthulling-erg-toevallig.html
(the second link in case you can't get past the paywall?)

Is that really soft about the thugs? Are that the usual (non-committal) cliches about 'this are not supporters'?

Van Hanegem didn't pass the sixth grade of elementary school and he started working at his 13th. He had no secondary education or whatsoever.

Consider here also what happened to his family. They almost all got murdered by the Germans (and by accident British bombers). Later in life his stance became famously softer.

Also have a watch at the West German teams when the national anthem is played: invariably they stand stiff into line like the military (and they all were obliged to wear Adidas boots, in a time of personal sponsorships). All in the same silhouette. In strong contrast to the ('modern') loose posture of several opposing teams.

The German State (the Interior Ministry, by legal and illegal means and FIFA contacts) had strong links to the enterprise and there were also dubious figures at high places in the organization (the DFB president infamously visited Nazis and SS criminals that had fled to Argentina during the 1978 WC - this episode hugely upset Van Hanegem).

Small things and senses like that confirmed his natural inclination and emotions. Especially when he had barely any education and was still quite young at the time.

Later his stance changed and became more nuanced (especially after contacts with Wolfgang Overath, who is after all from close to the border and not the former heartland or strongholds of nazism).

 

Bruno is more a complete midfielder and he showed coming of the bench replacing VDbeek whose strength is more passing only. The game changed instantly when Bruno came. This is what NT needs also.