Frank de Boer has confirmed that he will not make wholesale changes when Netherlands face North Macedonia on Monday.
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Netherlands have already qualified for the last 16 and in top spot, but De Boer wants to keep momentum and confirmed only two changes will be made for Monday evening’s clash against North Macedonia.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference, De Boer said, “We have enough room until the next game (June 27) to enter the last 16 at full strength. Otherwise the rest period will be very long. I think we can still improve things. The system remains the same, because we’ve had good moments, but we can still improve things.
“Everything can be better, just as it can be done better in defence, so can it in attack. We could have done better in possession against Austria. In the front, the tuning can also be better, make depth, and get into the ball. Those kind of things.”
Marten de Roon is a yellow card away from suspension but De Boer wouldn’t confirm whether he would start or not, “We’ll see tomorrow. I do have an idea who I would like to start. Of course the players have an idea and I talk to them, but I have not deviated from my idea. Sometimes you bend a little. I’m not on the field, they have to run. Sometimes you go along with a good idea. But I have my philosophy and normally there won’t be much deviation from it.
“It’s about getting the Netherlands into the last 16 as best we can. We think this is the best way.”
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Spot on with his remarks and he gives respect to Macedonia to consider them a worthy opponent that deserves to be put to the test by a strong Dutch squad.