Arnaut Danjuma is feeling fit and expects to play in the Netherlands clash with Montenegro on Saturday.
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The attacker had to come off early during Villarreal’s clash with Getafe last weekend after suffering a knee issue and trained separately on Tuesday.
However, speaking to ESPN, Danjuma said, “I was attacked during the game, it felt like I was immediately taken out of the game against Getafe and had an MRI scan. It was very positive, after which I reported here.
“The doctors have looked at it and I trained separately yesterday. But I feel good. Do I still have pain? No, not really at all. I do expect that I can play. Physically there is no impediment.”
Louis van Gaal stated on Tuesday that he expected Danjuma to be fit for the crucial clash with Montenegro on Saturday.
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De Oranje will face important matches against Montenegro & Norway to qualify for the World Cup. Steven Berghuis, Jurrien Timber & Joel Drommel missed and were replaced by Steven Bergwijn, Devyne Rensch & Jasper Cillesen.
Montenegro in the away party and facing group runners up Norway at home.
For the goalkeeper position, the ability is almost the same, this season Justin Bijlow appears fitter in 5 games with Oranje. Meanwhile, Mark Flekken has performed brilliantly and consistently in the German Bundesliga by being the team with the fewest goals conceded. For Jasper Cillesen has just rejoined the Oranje and cannot demand more for the position of first goalkeeper.
At the defence there is no need for much change, the quartet of Dumfries, De Vrij, Van Dijk & Blind are still quite compact and reliable. De Ligt & Malacia can be prepared as substitutes, especially Malacia’s pace to help attack from the left.
In midfield is a line that needs change. The last 2 matches against weak teams Latvia & Gibraltar, the midfield looks less creative. Feyenoord’s Guus Til, who started against Latvia, is not yet worthy of appearing in the starting XI. Van Gaal has always liked a midfield filled with 1 controller and 2 attacking midfielders. It’s just that seeing the important game and also a stronger opponent, Van Gaal should play 2 controlling midfielders and 1 attacking midfielder in 10th position. And the best formation is to put Teun Koopmeiners in a duet with Frenkie De Jong as a controlling midfielder and senior player Giorginio Wijnaldum to 10 more attacking positions behind the strikers. Koopmeiners did well in the Champions League and Serie A, he has leadership and vision of the game. Koopmeiners can provide a through ball forward and also a measured long pass which is rare for the Oranje midfielders. His left foot can also be relied on for free kicks and corner kicks. Davy Klaassen was excellent to emerge as a super sub, with his energy and passion expected to help add goals in the second half.
For the front line, the Oranje team really lost Steven Berghuis on the right wing. Wingers in the squad: Noa Lang, Danjuma & Bergwijn usually operate on the left wing. There is nothing wrong with Van Gaal placing the rising player in La Liga Arnaut Danjuma to play on the right wing. The vacant position left by Danjuma on the left wing was filled by Memphis Depay, and the striker position for Wout Weghorst. Weghorst’s presence in the striker position is so that attacks from the wings can have a target man when providing a cross as well as when there is a corner kick, Weghorst’s high posture will give the Oranje an advantage in aerial duels. Noa Lang has not scored in the last 10 matches, especially Steven Bergwijn, who has not played well for a long time. The presence of Weghorst makes the Oranje front line even more dangerous because it consists of 3 players who can score goals: Depay, Weghorst & Danjuma. Compare that to Lang & Bergwijn who haven’t scored in a long time. Donyell Malen is very good to be a super sub and can score in the second half.
First XI: Bijlow, Dumfries, De Vrij, Van Dijk, Blind, Koopmeiners, F.De Jong, Wijnaldum, Danjuma, Weghorst, Depay