2021 The Netherlands thread

Mark Parsons confirmed by the KNVB as the new head coach. He is a good guy.

 

Our pathways are going to cross...

 

Wow: Just saw the first half of the Italy friendly, and the Dutch were dire--terrible. It was a completely makeshift lineup--No Martens, Miedema, Roord or D. Janssen--so don't want to make too much of this first-half performance, but still one expects a bit more. The team was really slow and sloppy and created little. Italy sat back, mostly, and it's hard to score when you win the ball in midfield and then back-pass to start build-up. That gives the opponent time to get numbers back, of course. The Dutch don't have much of a transition game because the team wants to possess and build up--and so Spitse back-passes constantly after The Netherland wins the ball in midfield. Annoying!

R. Jansen and Van Dongen were useless on the left side--did nothing--but then neither did anybody else. I continue to think of Van Dongen as a weak link. She was solid-enough, defensively, in the World Cup--but she offers next to nothing going forward except the very occasional cross and her crosses aren't even that good. She's not physical, not fast--and she has no right foot, so she can't beat a defender and drive inside, from the left, and put the opponent under pressure. She creates nothing. Folksmertsa started on the other side and was equally ineffective in what I think was her first NT start. Nouen and Van der Gragt were OK at CB. Nouen likes to find midfielders with the ball, which is good--but she's got to find them and not opposing players, which was the case with her a lot today--errant passes. Van de Donk was busy, as usual, but she is losing the ball too much these days, IMO. Time to check out the 2nd half!

 

Dutch were much better in 2nd half but failed to score and lost to a defensive-minded Italy, 1-0. The second-half substitutions of Roord and, especially, D. Janssen made a difference as The Netherlands bossed the half but still struggled to create quality scoring chances against an opponent who was hunkered down in numbers.

I have no idea why Wiegman played R. Jansen at left wing for the full '95'--as she struggled to make an impact--but she did make a lovely headed pass across the box to set up Van de Sanden for what should have been the equalizer, but Van de Sanden completely futzed the chance, as is her habit. Instead of just hammering a bouncing ball past the keeper who was 5-feet away, she seemed to try to flick the ball back to the left--why, I have no idea.

Outside back continues to be the major problem for the Dutch. Van Dongen can be a decent veteran defender--but she has no pace, is not physical and has no right foot, and so offers little to nothing in attack. She and R. Jansen were simply not good on the left. Lynn Wilms came in for Folkertsma in the second half: She got forward nicely to help in attack but also was caught badly out of position three times on the counter by Italy--and at least one if not two led to Italy half-chances/chances. Maybe it's just me, but I can't see The Netherlands doing all that well given their fullback situation. If I were Wiegman, I'd think seriously of getting out of the 4-3-3 and trying a different formation--but that's not going to happen.

 

Yeah, things would be typically much worse offensively for any team without their two best attackers. Jansen was indeed largely ineffective, but that's fine since she won't play anywhere near significant minutes at the Olympics. I rate van Dongen more than you do, but yeah, she wasn't good today. Folkertsma misplaced quite a few passes, but I honestly thought she was fairly good. Notably, she had a great clearing header in the first half, and that cross for van de Donk's sliding finish attempt was very good.

I don't even think van de Donk was that busy, or at least, not particularly effective with her energy. Groenen also lost the ball too easily in the opening quarter of an hour or so (maybe rust since she didn't play at all in the last FA Cup round), but she settled down and was a defensive machine after the water break. That one pass van de Donk made right to an Italian player deep in her own half was just ridiculous. Got bailed out by Groenen, who got up really well after a full stretch control to clear the ball. I'm really hoping (and I think it's the case) that Groenen and Roord both only getting one half of action was preplanned. Barring injury, if those two don't play full 90s or close to full 90s vs Norway, I'd be a bit disappointed.

 

I personally do like the idea of a Nouwen-Janssen CB pairing, but it seems like Wiegman will start the Olympics with Nouwen-van der Gragt at this point. (I don't really like Janssen at fullback.)

Van de Sanden also missed a sitter to equalize late vs Spain. She has to finish these chances if she's going to be an effective super sub.

"Maybe it's just me, but I can't see The Netherlands doing all that well given their fullback situation. If I were Wiegman, I'd think seriously of getting out of the 4-3-3 and trying a different formation--but that's not going to happen." What formation doesn't have fullbacks/wingbacks though?

 

It wasn't a good performance, but I do want to make a comment on the officiating. How legitimate was the PK for Italy? I think it was very debatable especially when we later saw the ref wave off a clear cut foul at midfield accompanied by a very audible yell from Groenen. There was also a Snoeijs shot blocked by an arm/hand. Fair enough that it wasn't a penalty on its own, but when you consider what was called for Italy, I found the no call a bit frustrating.

 

Agree completely: The PK call looked completely wrong. Jansen and the Italian player both tried to kick the ball, and the Italian player fell down--she wasn't kicked by Jansen, from what I saw. Seemed a rather amateurish call.

By my reckoning, these players are certain to make the Olympic roster for the Netherlands:

Forwards: ( 4) Martens, Miedema, Beerensteyn, Van de Sanden
Mids4) Roord, Van de Donk, Groenen, Spitse
Defenders: (5) Van Dongen, Wilms, Nouen, Van der Gragt, Janssen
Keepers: (2): Van Veenendaal, Geurts

That's 15. So the last 3 roster spots will have to come from among:

Forwards: R. Jansen, Snoeijs, Smits, Van Domselaar

Mids: Kaagman, Pelova

Defenders: Van Es, Dekker, Folkertsma


If it were me, my last three would be 1) Pelova (mid); 2) Snoejis (forward/mid) and 3) Dekker (CB).

Then my four reserves would be: Kaagman, Van Es., R. Jansen and Folkertsma

I think if Wilms were to get hurt, Beerensteyn could play right fullback and do just as well, if not better. Folkertsma started at right fullback today but she has played very little for the NT, didn't really impress today, and so I don't think she'll be selected for a roster spot. Snoeijs could then be your reserve forward--and she has experience playing midfield for Bordeaux as well, so she's versatile.

Wiegman may pick R. Jansen instead of Snoeijs, because she's been on the NT a long time and plays well in the (fairly weak) Eredivisie, but I think Snoeijs would be the smarter pick.

I'd choose Dekker because she's a very experienced CB who can give you a solid performance if you need her. If not Dekker,than maybe Wiegman will choose veteran outside back Van Es.

Kaagman is a good and underrated midfielder, who can score. but I think Pelova will get the nod instead.

We'lll soon find out.

 

I think Wiegman might indeed go with van Es over Dekker. I’d go with Snoeijs as well, and I agree that Pelova looks more likely to be in the squad than Kaagman at this point. (Recently, all the midfielders bar Spitse have scored at a decent rate.)

What’s the situation with Kop? Is she recovering from an injury?

 

I only watched the first half and can be in agreement with the comments above.
What in my eyes was the big hurdle that prevented the Lionesses creating danger was the terrible passing on the Italian half. With that I point to the passing that matter, not the possession oriented passing around.

 

The famous 3-3-3-1 system does it, but I rarely see it used any more, it is a thing of the past. A very compact defensive block though, but not sure it works attacking wise.

 

I'm surprised that Wiegman doesn't seem to recognize the fullback problem and try a 3-5-2, 4-4-2 or something. She's got very little quality and zero depth at outside back right now--and much more depth in the midfield. (Snoeijs played some attacking midfield for Bordeaux and was quite good in the one match I saw.) Wilms has promise, to be sure, but she's very young and inexperienced. I can't say about Folkertsma: she seems to have nice size and athleticism but yesterday was the first time she's gotten quality minutes with the NT, I believe, and she struggled. I'm surprised she wasn't brought up to the squad a year or so ago, if she's got potential.

 

Interesting that Folkertsma started again today at right back and not Wilms, who came in at 74". It has seemed that Wilms was in line for the spot, but that may now not be the case. Hard to say.

The other notable move was having Janssen at left back, with Nouen and Van der Gragt the centerback pairing. This is what Wiegman has to do as Janssen gives the squad a legit fullback, even if she's played a lot more centerback the last couple of years, and you rely on Nouen and Van der Graft to hold the fort in the back.

Who would have predicted a 7-0 thrashing of an always solid/good Norway? Crazy.

 

Assuming Van de Sanden and Beerensteyn make the Olympic squad as reserve forwards (a good bet)....
...and assuming Pelova makes the squad as a reserve midfielder (and she should)...
...and assuming that four fullbacks make squad--Janssen and Van Dongen, Folksmertsa (who has come out of nowhere to start the last two matches at right back despite barely touching the playing field previously) and Wilms (who seems to have fallen out of favor a bit--she is still very young and inexperienced)....
...and assuming two keepers make the squad (safe bet)....

then by my calculation you have 1 spot left on the 18-player Olympic squad, and one of R. Jansen, Snoeijs, Van Es, Kaagman and maybe Dekker in contention for that final pick.

I don't think Dekker is going to get the nod: She's past her prime and hasn't played much lately at all, and Janssen can move into the centerback position if needed.

I can't see R. Jansen getting the nod, either, even though she's been on the NT for many years and is still apparently playing well in the Eredivisie. But she's never really showed much with the NT and there are two good reserve forwards in front of her.

I doubt Kaagman will be picked. She's a good midfielder, and without her Pelova is the only backup midfielder, but she's not played at all in the last two friendlies, and that's never a good sign. Also, Roord of course can slide into the midfield, where she has a ton of experience, if need be.

That leaves either Snoejis or Van Es. Snoeijs is mostly a reserve forward but she can play midfield. Has played well for Bordeaux in France. Van Es was a steady starter for the NT at left back for a two or more years--but lost her spot at the WC and hasn't been able to win it back. Most recently, she's been starting at centerback for Twente, which won the Eredivisie, so she's now got experience at two defensive positions--and I'm going to say that that newly found versatility will push Van Es past the post, and she's going to be the final pick. I'm probably wrong and will get Wiegman's selection tomorrow.

It's worth noting that several NT's--or their federations--have appealed for a larger squad size for the Olympics. We'll see if the petition is granted. I doubt it.

 

I feel badly for Snoeijs, who didn't even make the 4 reserves because Wiegman opted to take a 3rd keeper in Geurts. I suspect loyalty to some veterans was a factor--it usually is with coaches--even though they have no international future. Snoeijs not only played at higher club level than R. Jansen but played in tandem with Bunny Shaw this past season--and the two of them were a big reason why Bordeaux is now in the Champions League (though Shaw is leaving the club). Snoeijs also scored a lot of goals for the Dutch in Euro qualifying, though admittedly against weak opponents. I'm not suggesting that she's great and that this was some huge mistake--but she's six years younger than Jansen, more versatile and has more upside.

I'm still hoping Van Lunteren will come back to help the Dutch defend their Euro title! She's still young--what, 28?--still playing for her Dutch club--and the NT needs her, frankly. But she's got a family now and so I doubt it will happen.

 

They are forced to have a keeper in the 4 reserves.

 

Snoeijs may not be a priority, but neither is Jansen. She's 30 and never been much at the international level. And if you're that age and still deep on the NT bench, it's probably time to get a younger player in there with potential, whoever that might be.