Netherlands boss Frank de Boer is not concerned by the performances against Mexico and Bosnia & Herzegovina and is expecting a win against Italy on Wednesday.
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The pressure is already on De Boer after a poor start to his reign as Oranje boss.
Asked by the press on Tuesday if he was sleeping well after the 0-0 draw against Bosnia & Herzegovina, De Boer said, “I sleep well. The job as a national coach always has pressure. We always think that the Netherlands just beats every country, but that is no longer the case. There are fewer and fewer small countries, Bosnia has proven that. Against us, but also against Italy (1-1 draw). “
De Boer thinks the group is still in Netherlands hands and is expecting to beat Italy on Wednesday, “Italy has five points, we have four and Poland has four. The group is therefore still completely open. If we beat Italy, and we assume that, the world will look very different again. But of course there is always pressure on it. It is not an ideal start.”
De Boer lamented the missed late chances against Bosnia, “The previous national coach sometimes scored a goal in the last minutes. Luck? You also enforce happiness. I can still remember the piece of paper (Against Germany), In which those Germans also did not understand how they could have drawn. So yes, if Frenkie (De Jong) or Ryan (Babel) shoots that ball in, we are very different here.”
De Boer would not reveal whether Steven Berghuis would start, “We will see that tomorrow.”
On paper Italy should be the hardest team. So he will have to really rally the team & get the attack back firing like it was under Koeman. Just look so deflated now & talking some great players & more behind them.
Italy have a brilliant midfield & solid defence but struggle in attack tho Immobile tears it up for Lazio doesn’t for Italy & Belotti missed some chances.
That said if can play like dif last year could beay Italy but if play like last two games then Italy are favourites
Prove the talk on the field and get the result
I love the winning attitude and faith in the team, but it is nothing more than posturing if they don’t come away with 3 points
FDB also expected a win against Bosnia…
I am cautiously hopeful…
I’m not a big fan of F de Boer, but we must admit that Holland’s attack is the worst of at least last 30 years, Memphis is a good player, but being used to van basten, bergkamp, van nilsteroy (with makaay being a substitute) robben and van persie, they are of another universe and if you play against Italy with babel promes berghuis there are little chances holland can score.
There isnt much to choose, but i would go for stengs and weghorst, and malen for promes.
Once i wrote that de vrij should start instead of de ligt,and many criticised me, now i am more than convinced that van dijk-de vrij is the best central couple in the world, while de ligt is a great defender but lacks de vrij’s experience thats crucial in some games.
After Nederland gets crushed by Italy, De Boer should be fired! He is a terrible coach and this will be his last coaching job above Tier 4.