Louis van Gaal believes Netherlands have to ditch their 4-3-3 formation going forward if they are to have success and he sees a starring role for Spartak Moscow winger Quincy Promes.

  • By Michael Bell
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The 66-year-old led Netherlands to the 2014 World Cup semi-finals playing in a 5-3-2 formation, but since then the national team has reverted back to 4-3-3 under both Danny Blind and Dick Advocaat.

With Netherlands set to miss out on their second straight major tournament, Van Gaal has insisted that the 5-3-2 formation should be used going forward.

He told AD, “You see it: more and more trainers and teams are looking at it (5-3-2). In England, and Germany.

“In the Netherlands among others Erik ten Hag. The spaces on the field are all well-occupied if you play this way, and you are also extremely flexible. 3-4-1-2 can be 5-3-2. But also 3-4-3. How we played at the World Cup in 2014, which is depicted by many people as a defensive system, but it’s just how you do it. ”

Van Gaal also singled out Quincy Promes as a player who could flourish in a 5-3-2 formation, “Now at Orange, Quincy Promes could well play the role of a central attacker in that World Cup system. He is also such a multifunctional player in my eyes.

“The classic 4-3-3 problem is that you are required to have skilled wingers. And in current football, there is less and less space for specialists, whoever they are. “




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