With the Netherlands hoping to advance far in the World Cup, taking lessons from such a demanding tournament is paramount to achieving any kind of success. Flashscore helps manager Ronald Koeman on his way with these five lessons from the 2-2 draw against Japan in Arlington, TX.
1: Manage your subs
Ronald Koeman's substitutions killed the momentum the Netherlands had just built up. Taking off Crysencio Summerville and Donyell Malen, your only fast players up front, for Memphis Depay and Teun Koopmeiners killed any potential for clinically hitting Japan on the counter.
Even worse: Koeman went all-out on defending the lead by building a wall - taking off Ryan Gravenberch for Nathan Aké was a statement of intent, but also effectively a kill switch that led to Oranje losing the lead in the 89th minute - Japan only had 30% possession before the first Dutch substitutes in the 70th minute. That number skyrocketed to 68% after the changes.
Koeman completely took out the offensive threats and sacrificed them for a static style of play that merely invited Japan to overwhelm the Netherlands in the final stages.
2: Exploit strong and weak sides
Not of Japan, but on the pitch. Japan had Cody Gakpo locked down by double-marking him for most of the game, making the left side an easy one to exploit with an added threat of Tijjani Reijnders going deep in the half space and working in tandem with Micky van de Ven, who could easily overlap Gakpo with his blistering pace.
Instead, the Netherlands' standout star from the 2022 World Cup was deprived of using the weapon that makes him so dangerous up front for Oranje, where he often shines by cutting inside and using his right peg to create some magic.
3: Donyell Malen works; give him time
Malen was unlucky not to score in the Netherlands' friendlies against Algeria and Uzbekistan, but he was a cause for concern for Japan's defenders. Malen was limited to just two goal attempts by a staunch Japanese defence, but the two chances he got got every Dutch fan out of their seat.
It's a matter of time before he scores, and once he does, it'll relieve him of the pressure he has on his shoulders. One goal will free him of his shackles, and he'll get that goal.
4: Frenkie de Jong is and remains key
Frenkie de Jong has been a target of criticism for some in the Netherlands. He hadn't even passed the ball, or someone at the watch party called him "Frenkie the mailman". But no matter how many names he gets called, Frenkie de Jong is absolutely key to his Oranje side.
Frenkie de Jong is not one of the, but the link between the defence and midfield. De Jong recorded 85 touches and completed 69/73 passes, both numbers ranking third behind Virgil van Dijk and Jan Paul van Hecke. He also won two tackles, had two interceptions, was fouled twice, and won possession five times - Frenkie led the team in all of these stats.
5: The midfield needs some work
Ryan Gravenberch and Tijjani Reijnders disappointed massively in the first half. Gravenberch through invisibility, and Reijnders through poor decision-making. Reijnders needed to take up a much bigger role in the first half, being lined up behind Gakpo, but failing to put much pressure on Japan's defence.
Gravenberch recovered somewhat in the second half, especially with his fine assist for Virgil van Dijk's opening goal. Still, his performance left a lot to be desired. Reijnders and Gravenberch were static and offered little to no support, while a player like Justin Kluivert could've played around Gakpo and with Malen nicely instead of Reijnders.
Hopefully, we'll see more from them against Sweden, who also play a dreaded five-man defence. The midfield needs to offer more, and once they do, the Netherlands' chances of breaking down a defence like that rise drastically.
Paul Winters is Flashscore's Netherlands country manager, having previously worked for Flashscore's Netherlands desk. Paul is an expert on the Eredivisie and also specialises in the NFL, as well as a plethora of other sports. Residing in 'sunny' Katwijk, you can follow all of the news from the Netherlands here.
You can find Paul on X and LinkedIn.
