‘He really can’t do it anymore’

Siep Engelen

12:45
27.03.2024

Latest update:

13:11
27.03.2024

Valentijn Driessen is anything but satisfied with the performance of the Dutch team against Germany last Tuesday (2-1 defeat). The head footballer of The Telegraph believes that we can expect much more from the Dutch national team. “In the end you suffer a deserved defeat.”

While the Dutch team were proud of their sloppiness with the ball against Scotland, according to many, things looked a lot better on Tuesday in Frankfurt. However, Driessen still saw a lot go wrong. “I thought they were extremely vulnerable without the ball, especially when the Germans accelerated. Then they walked right through it with that combination football. Then you simply suffer a deserved defeat.”

Driessen also hopes that national coach Ronald Koeman is well on his way to putting his puzzle together. “There are too many players and systems that simply do not help him to solve that puzzle. Now Schouten and Veerman got a chance and that’s going well, but it’s not PSV level.”

Driessen saw a number of players really fall through the ice against Germany. “Daley Blind is really no longer allowed in that position in this system. There he has to attack and defend, but he can no longer do that. Then put Aké on the left side and Blind in the center of the back,” says Driessen. “I also didn’t think Matthijs de Ligt was very good again. Reijnders suffered a lot of ball loss. Where he excelled against Scotland on Friday, he did not give up now.”

Driessen was very positive about one player. “I thought Bart Verbruggen’s goalkeeping was excellent. He stopped a lot of balls and that’s the first thing he has to do. From a football point of view, I don’t think he is much better than Flokken, but he was fairly calm on the ball. I assume that Verbruggen will be the first goalkeeper at the European Championship, otherwise Fleken would have been under the bar against Germany.”

At the press conference, Koeman explicitly hinted at fitness, which will be important in determining his European Championship selection. Driessen draws another conclusion from this. “I think he’s hinting at Justin Bijlow. If he is fit by then, I think he will be Koeman’s first goalkeeper.”

Driessen is very concerned about the shape of the Dutch team heading into the European Championship. “We are not yet in European Championship shape at all, far from it. At the moment it is only hope for the Dutch national team. If you just look at the Germans; they simply have much more quality. The Netherlands is not yet ready for the European Championship. I think the quarter-final is the finish line for the Dutch team.”

The Netherlands has known the opponent in the opening match at the European Championship since Tuesday evening. On Sunday, June 16, the kick-off will be against Poland at 3 p.m., which managed to defeat Wales after penalties. After that, group matches against France and Austria await.