2021 The Netherlands thread

After todays loss by Ajax, despite FC Twente being one player down, Feyenoord still is on top.
Soon to be followed by the Feyenoord men team

 

La semaine dernière, lors d'une séance d'entraînement, la joueuse du @FCGBWomen et du @oranjevrouwen, Sisca Folkerstma, s'est blessée au genou. Elle sera opérée aux Pays-Bas. Tout le monde au club lui souhaite un prompt rétablissement. pic.twitter.com/Hqh6bz2N0a

— FCGB Féminines (@FCGBWomen) November 15, 2021

Injury and knee operation for Sisca Folkerstma. She is out for some time.

 

Damaris Egurrola for the Netherlands or for the US? It looks like Spain are out of the picture right now. In terms of playing time and a closer personal connection (Dutch mom and seems pretty close to her mom's side of the family), playing for the Dutch would make more sense; in terms of wanting a better chance at winning a World Cup and/or Olympics, playing for the USWNT would be the better choice. Damaris vs Spitse (any promising young Dutch CDMs coming up?) compared to Damaris vs Ertz/Sullivan; I think it's clear the Dutch have the bigger need for her.

 

Why not Spain?

 

It's reported that she's in the process of switching her sporting nationality.

Check out this thread.

INFO: Over the past 2 years, @damarisegu has not been called up or pre-called with #Spain national team. Damaris has been called up twice in 2021 with Spain U23. 1st (Mar) call-up was declined because of COVID, 2nd (Nov) was declined because of a change in sporting nationality.

— A&V Sports (@teamavsports) November 16, 2021

 

I read the Groenen is hurt and not in the selection for the next two international friendlies. Anyone know what the injury is? Nothing serious, I hope.

 

I’m reading hamstring injury.

 

Yikes: The Dutch will be playing the Czech Republic and Japan without 4 starters who are out with injury--Martens (hand), Groenen (hamstring), Folksmerta (knee) and and Nouwen (don't know). Not good--not good at all--for a team with limited depth. Who is going to play right back? I suppose Dekker will take Nouwen's spot in the back. Will be interesting to see how the Dutch play without these four.

 

This will honestly be a good test for the new coach. Groenen's absence is the most difficult to make adjustments for honestly but the rest have decent replacements. I'm not that worried about Czech Republic but Japan might give them a hard battle.

 

Maybe Janssen at right back and van Dongen at left back. Beerensteyn and van de Sanden on the flanks and Spitse, van de Donk, and Roord in midfield. (I'm a bit undecided on whether I want van de Donk or Roord to play Groenen's role.)

 

Wow: Just saw that Van der Gragt scored at 90 + 3' to save the Dutch--it ends 2-2.

 

Just all around bad today from the defense to the frontline.

 

Google says the Czech Republic took 10 shots with 6 on target; that's quite ridiculous. Both teams had 6 corners.

Van de Donk had a poor header clearance prior to the Czech Republic's goal last match, and her clearance before the Czech Republic's second goal today wasn't much better.

 

Wow, that breakaway in the 24th minute. Šlajsová probably should have just played the ball straight forward a good distance (obviously not too much though) for Svitková while they were both still in their own half. Once she didn't do that, Svitková needed to slow down and get behind the ball so that she could be a passing option. Great recovery tackle from Casparij to make up for being dispossessed.

 

According to the posted lineup, Parsons started Pelova in Martens' spot. Has she ever played wing before? Seems like an odd move as she is all center-mid, no? Haven't seen Casparij play--what's the word on her? Wondering how Wilms is doing--supposed to be back in training for Wolfsburg. Can't understand why Snoeijs is out of favor---she's shown for club and country that she can put the ball in the net.

 

It's obvious the difference Svitková made in this match for the Czech Republic, but the Dutch helped facilitate her influence with the errors they were making. Roord's loose touch for Svitková's goal, van de Donk's clearance to Svitková for Necidová's goal, and Svitková's corner for the header off the bar came after van Veenandaal had to save a point blank chance following a mix up between van de Donk and Casparij. I know a lot of fans have been and are being very critical of van Veenandaal, the defense, and the midfield, which is definitely fair, but I wouldn't let the frontline off the hook. Apart from Cyprus, I don't think Martens or Miedema have been particularly good this World Cup qualifying campaign so far.

 

I don't ever remember Pelova playing up front for the NT and Wiegman--did I miss it? I remember her coming in late in a more than a few games, but in the midfield. In any case, she was not influential in attack in this match--at least through 70 minutes--and neither was her partner on the left side, Van Dongen, but then Van Dongen just isn't capable of doing much except an occasional cross if she's got time and space.

No one up front was very good. There were several good crosses into the box in the first half--some from Casparij, whom I thought was pretty decent overall (except for the one blunder that might have cost a goal except for her good recovery speed)--but no one could do anything with them. Van de Donk had a good opportunity off one of them--but her volley was straight at the Czech keeper. Miedema had a couple of decent chances--but didn't get enough on a header and took a shot from inside the box that didn't have enough pace or location. (She did have an excellent header in the 2nd half that would have been a goal but for a nice reaching deflection by the Czech keeper.) I rather agree that Miedema hasn't seemed quite as sharp or ruthless in recent weeks. Maybe she's just a bit tired--mentally, physically, or both. Arsenal's coach has made a point of resting her this month. Beerensteyn was also completely ineffective. She got a couple of good crosses herself early in the first half but could not bring down the first one and had a volley opportunity on the 2nd one but could only pop the ball up in the air harmlessly. They might have been only half-chances--but you need people to make plays, and she didn't. I seldom see her make plays for the NT, if I'm candid. A couple of plays by Van de Sanden also bugged me: She twice got the ball deep and wide in the Czech defensive third--with no defender very close--and twice sent crosses in the box. Fine, yes? But on both plays she could have--and should have--driven the ball to the Czech goal to draw some defenders who were in the box toward her--filled the available space--which might have freed up a Dutch attacker for a centering pass/cross. Didn't happen.

My take is that the team has been playing at about 75 percent of its normal intensity in some of these recent matches--and beyond that I think the physicality of the Czechs has bothered the Dutch in the last two matches between the two squads. At least we got a point, thanks to Van der Gragt, whom I'm really come to appreciate for her intensity and determined play out of the back.