Netherlands were far from convincing but a second half double from Memphis Depay ensured a 3-1 victory in Luxembourg.
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Much of the build-up to the game was focused on the return of captain Arjen Robben to the national team, and the Bayern Munich winger showed Oranje fans what they had been missing with the opening goal on 36 minutes. Robben raced onto a Davy Klaassen flick before sliding the ball calmly into the net.
Robben was behind any of Netherland good play in the first half and he had already gone close before his goal with a strike that was well saved by Ralph Schon, while the Luxembourg keeper also denied both Georginio Wijnaldum and Klaassen.
Luxembourg had looked dangerous on the counter-attack at times and just before half time they were awarded a penalty with Joshua Brenet penalised for a clumsy challenge on Daniel Da Mota. Maxime Chanot slotted the penalty past Maarten Stekelenburg to put the pressure on Netherlands at half time. To make matters worse Robben didn’t appear after the break with the winger suffering an injury in the first half, while Danny Blind also subbed the ineffective Wesley Sneijder.
Memphis Depay was one of the substitutes brought on at the break and the Manchester United winger proved to be Oranje’s savior in the second half. Firstly the attacker powered a header into the net from Daley Blind’s cross before Memphis sealed the win late on with a curling free-kick into the bottom corner.
The victory may not have been pretty but it lifts Netherlands up to 2nd in the group and three points behind France. Next up for Netherlands is a trip to Bulgaria in March.
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I think we play bad game but memphis save us with 2 goals..danny blind is not the right man for the coach of national team..his tactics and selection of players iis wrong and bad…he must go..
Just a little reminder of what Memphis is capable of. Hope that loan move to Everton goes through to get him some more regular playing time and consistency.
Many elements of this match reminded me of matches the last couple years…..Dutch look lost when they concede possession and are often times out of position and vulnerable. They got away with it tonight but won’t against better sides.
They have no depth at all on the right side. Replacing Karsdorp and Robben with Brenet and Burghuis is massive drop-off in quality. The latter 2 were both poor tonight, especially Berghuis. Sneijder looks past he best….gave the ball away several times in the first half and was rightly hauled off at HT.
Hopefully they get some players healthy by the time the next qualifiers come around.
I think El Ghazi is gold on that right side and needs more playing time, but he is a good future on the right! Tete as well at the right back position. Depay did look like the guy we knew he was and whether it’s Everton or the transfer to AC Milan with Bazoer and El Ghazi will really give Oranje a brighter future!
Jonny, EG has huge potential but he is not the finished article. He has much to prove before if he is to be given the starting position.. bc when he does there’ll be no looking back. Robben has that now when he’s fit and EG will have to be world class before he knocks him off. Robben’s goal said it all. He is above everyone else. The Oranje is used to having more.
Bob, Depay is not a walk in to the Everton side, he’ll have to prove himself. When he’s starting, playing full games and scoring goals, sure, then we can start talking about him in these terms.
Depay, El ghazi and the like have a while to go before they can think about challenging for the world or european cup.
The Oranje need a period of transition where they are not looking around thinking I’m not get getting the service, I dont’ have the players around me; they need to think what can I do to make the difference..to the scoresheet.
Blind is not the coach for this. The opening salve, the intent by Belgiu and Holland said much. The Oranje were back on they’re haunches from the start, only dead end passing, as Belgium easily set up a defence. The wide ball is just not going to cut it through a major tournament, at least not with Veltman providing the potential overlap.
What saddens me is seeing the KNVB reduced to relying on Robben and Sneijder to play us through when they should be the pivots/leverage/foil for other players to take it to the opposition. Its a joke!
Wow so many changes to the team but it’s obvious it’s time to bring in Frank De Boer. He is much more assertive and seeing him get fired form Inter was a no brainer. Like I said before Italian football and Dutch coaching especially a poor offensive team is doomed for failure. Except for the AC Milan glory days no Dutch coach or player has done anything in Italy. They play the game differently. Bring in De Boer if not I see dropped points against Bulgaria and perhaps Sweden. France is going to win the group. Talent wise the Dutch has enough but they are no where near good enough playing as a team. Glad to see Depay get some confidence back now get out of that hole Manchester.
Sorry Moe, have to disagree. FDB may be a better option than Blind but it would simply be reverting back to the same old problem. Up until about a year ago I would have said yes. But this style which is ingrained in Dutch football has to change and DeBoer is part of the embodiment of this style. Things have to change.
The ‘project’ of total football has to continue, but not in its current format. We need to find people who are going to look at things differently. Look at things creatively and be allowed to go off on a tangent and let it play out. De Boer is the establishment, we need a revolution or two. There’s no use to clinging to something that isn’t working.
Almost forgot about de Boer since it seems Koeman is butting his nose into the team.
Koeman is highlighting one of blind mistakes because he loved oranje and want blind to improve if knvb still is blind as him.
(1)playing with sneidjer and blind at the left totally disabled the left flank
(2)when we lost position any team could score aginst us because of the bad positioning of midfield players we need players like de jong and van bommel back we need midfielders that can cover the deffence well when we lost position at the final third of the opponents
I agree with u on this. I think that’s why schaars was brought into the squad. Players like De Guzman or maybe fer is i think able to cover infront of the back 2 when we lost possession
Defensively set up 5-3-2, but when you go back into the attack switch it to a 3-4-3. This would still give the idea of total football, give your fullbacks room to move forward, because let’s face it, our fullbacks aren’t the best defensively, but they are great going forward! This would also allow us to use our best position to its full extent! De Vrij, van Dijk and Indi, Blind or maybe even Hoedt who has been doing great at the LCB! A lot of options, they just have to be explored!
Despite the end result, blind must GO. We are still relying on Robben and that is not good for forever. I hope De boer will replaced blind before march 17.