Lazio defender Stefan de Vrij spoke to NOS in the run up to the upcoming internationals again Belarus and France and stated that he is pleased to join up with the national team again after a long period out with a knee injury.
- By James Rowe
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The centre-back injured his knee back in September last year in the Euro qualifying defeat to Iceland but finally returned to action in July for Lazio after ten months out. Now De Vrij is fully fit and ready to feature for his country again in the upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
On his return, a delighted De Vrij said, ”I am happy to be involved again with the national team again and joining up with the squad and being with my teammates. It’s always special to play for the national team, I am back in contention again after a year out through injury. I remained postive during my injury as these things can happen in football. I feel physically fit and strong after recovering from my injury where I received good guidance and I just want to perform well.
”I am fit to start for the national team but it is up to the manager if I am named in the starting eleven. So far this season I am the only Lazio player to have played every game.
”Both upcoming international games are important and we must collect 3 points. We will focus first on Belarus because that is the first game that we play and it is a game that we have to win. In international football there are no easy games .”
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Fantastic defender who has been sorely missed. Was truly outstanding at the World Cup 2 years ago and if he can regain that form it will be a huge asset for the Oranje.
This may be a good opportunity to go back to the 5 at the back that worked so well for van Gaal. Slight change maybe, because of lack of depth at striker use a 5-1-3-1?
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I too am a proponent of the back 5. The current squad simply doesn’t have enough quality to keep playing a 4-3-3. But I think 5-3-2 is fine. Dost is doing quite well at the moment and IMO deserves a chance to start, at least in the Belarus match. Swap Depay out for him, kid has no business being in the national team right now.
How would the 5-3-2 work? Promes is doing so well right now and we have seen him as a secondary striker with the national team. I don’t see him as an AM, and his best position is on the wing. Dost works better when set up with crosses from the wing. Now Sneijder would maybe work in the 5-1-3-1 on the left instead of Depay. But I don’t think that the two strikers is going to be as effective for Blind.
I think Promes would be fine as an AM.
Even though it was a while ago, when he played as an AM against Wales he actually had a hand in setting up the first 2 goals. At any rate, despite his production at forward for Spartak, he hasn’t done anything for the Dutch at that position yet.
As far as service from the wings, in a 5-3-2 Blind and (hopefully) Karsdorp can provide that.
Glad to have him back. A natural CB & leader
I would take Sneijder over Depay in that set up Dost is Ok but better when he has people feeding him from the wings. Also, anyway we can convince Ziyech to come back to Oranje?