Alert: Next decades Netherlands will be the new Hungary of Europe. Once great, but slipped into mediocrity.

Yes and Wilshire is kind of a player also combining football with venom. The more I see him, the more I like him. Before his injury I did not really focus on him, but definitely a player combining both worlds.

 

Not really, but i found this after a quick search:

• Link 1
• Link 2
• Link 3
• Link 4
• Link 5

Maybe it contains some general information you find interesting.

 

Have people noticed that van Ginkel's first touch has regressed? Last season I have seen countless smooth ones, now I see even plain bad ones at times. I remember Jan van Halst not that long ago zoom in on a bad one and in one of the more recent games van Ginkel even kicked a ball over the back line from initiating a run only a bit over the halfway line.

I think I was right in calling out the fitness program he started following at Vitesse. Does not have to be a bad thing, but I get the feeling that it has taken off the focus from the technical development.

 

I also think that the Italy game is not analysed enough in this thread. If there are indicators that point towards another direction it must be discussed as well. Netherlands outplayed Italy and Clasie had a 100% passing accuracy rate. Balotelli was so frustrated from not even being able to touch the ball that he rammed the ball hard against the boarding to show his discontent. It was quite an impressive display and a game I enjoyed to watch.

 

Report on German set up.

 

I like Ayoub though.

 

I like Jorrit Hendrix as well. However he will need time as he is physically less developed than Rekik. Still more of a boy.

I think that goes for quite some non immigrants. They mature physically at a higher age and will then come to surface more also.

 

I think Jorrit is pretty gifted in the technical area. RvP is part Indonesian and vd Vaart is part Spanish by the way.

A white Maher is not really there if that is what you mean. However Clasie is together with Maher and Vilhena part of the pass master triangle of this upcoming generation IMO.

I am also not prepared to write off van Ginkel as not technical. I have seen games of Maher and van Ginkel together in the Dutch U21 NT where I thought van Ginkel's touch was more silky than that of Maher. Maybe it has developed towards a more functional technique together with a main focus on the physical quality's. Edgar Davids is also a player where physical aspects have given him a greater reputation than his technique, being the pitbull cleaning up in midfield next to a Zidane. Later he got back to his roots and started to do these street football shows, as he simply is a very technical player. Van Ginkel is totally different from Edgar, but I use the example to point out that by different roles and responsibilities players can come across differently than what they have in the tank. There is more technique in van Ginkel than people give him credit for. You can't run 80 meters with a ball close to your feet, never letting the ball jump away too far from you and with defenders chasing you down, if you are not a boss over the ball.

Sleegers from Feyenoord is also repped as somebody with a good technique, but again, has a weak physique. It will take at least 3 more years to see what he is up to, especially since Koeman prefers a tool as Immers on 10 for his battling power (looking forward having him as NT coach after van Gaal )

I agree with you and Puck though that there is percentage wise a misrepresentation going on. However migrants or non migrants, the ability displayed by Sneijder, vdV, RvP and Robben is something I do not see at all, whatever the heritage is. 18 year old Sneijder carried us to Euro 2004 after a 6-0 against Scotland. Davids the experienced player played in full service already for Sneijder. I saw a top 50 list of talents in the world and no Dutch players were named in it: Sport.es. Has there ever been a time where not even 1 Dutch talent could make a top 50 list?

 

What is also a problem by the way, is that the most talented players in the netherlands are of Moroccan descent and it starts to appear that they fade once heading to the top. Name me 1 (French/Belgium/Dutch/Moroccan) Moroccan player at an elite club in Europe?

I mean wtf happened to Assaidi at Liverpool? I saw him in that one cup game and he did well, so what happened?

 

I was a bit impressed by Rekik though:



With all those headers won and that intervention at 3:38 it looks like we finally might have a defender-defender inbound if you know what I mean.