Rafael van der Vaart wants to see Donyell Malen to step up for Borussia Dortmund and thinks he should start in attack for the Netherlands.
- Follow Football-Oranje on Twitter
Van der Vaart was an analyst of Ziggo Sport and spoke before Borussia Dortmund’s clash with FC Copenhagen. Malen started for Dortmund.
Van der Vaart called Malen, “A very good player,” and added he should start for Netherlands, “But it is also time for him to be decisive on a regular basis. We know what he can do. We have many similar players in the Dutch national team: Memphis, Danjuma, Bergwijn, Lang..
“If you’re going to play with two strikers, he’s ideal to have on hand in such a system. If he’s in shape, I might as well line him up next to Memphis. Bergwijn has done very well with the Dutch national team. He will play and he has earned it. But if Malen is really in shape, he’s got something the others don’t.”
Malen has four goals in nineteen international appearances so far. This season he has struggled with injury and only made 27 matches, scoring twice and adding four assists.
Follow
Follow @Footballoranje_ on Twitter
Have he seen any Dortmund game with him? I always suppoerted Malen as he was one of best players 1-2 years ago but now he is just a shadow of a player he was. Yesterdays game vs. Kobenhavn just proved that – he was by far worst player. Shame because we don’t have talent in front, no real striker. Hope we will play 5-1-2-2 because we have much more talent on defence. But if Blind plays I don’t care anymore – we will lose anyway with that garbadge.