NETHERLANDS VS ENGLAND PREVIEW & PREDICTION
For the Dutch national team this week is the start of a new era. The Oranje Leeuwen are in a downward spiral and hope to emerge as soon as possible. The task of getting this done to the new coach.
In early February, the KNVB appointed Ronald Koeman as a new national coach. At an earlier stage, Koeman was already named for this position, although the union decided to appoint Guus Hiddink at the time. A deal further, the deal has been settled. The trainer who has been discharged at Everton has at least allowed a fresh wind to blow through the organization. In all areas.
Thus the press has less freedom than ever. There are more private trainings and the arrival of the players may no longer be filmed. Koeman has also chosen another base. Where the selection is normally reported in Huis ter Duin in Noordwijk, the players now do this at the KNVB Campus in Zeist. In addition to the organizational changes, the coach also seems to want to take a new direction in the tactical field.
The selection of, among others, Hans Hateboer and Patrick van Aanholt seems to indicate that the trainer is going for a different tactic. Koeman indicated for a moment that the existing 433 probably can go to the trash. The selector at Feyenoord played a disguised 532 and players like Hateboer and Van Aanholt seem to render the best in this system.
England:
Where the Netherlands did not qualify for the final tournament in Russia, the English did. Under the guidance of national coach Gareth Southgate, a ticket for the World Cup was achieved very cleverly. In 26 games, 26 points were taken, partly due to a tight defense. During the entire qualification, the English only gave up three goals.
The more striking that the problem is mainly in defensive terms. In England they do not know who the goalkeeper should be for the upcoming World Cup. The English press found it remarkable that closing point Joe Hart was called again, while he was still playing a moderate season at his club (West Ham United). Another candidate for the position as a closing point is Nick Pope. The Burnley goalkeeper is present for the first time in the selection of The Three Lions.
In addition to Pope, James Tarkowski (Burnley), Alfie Mawson (Swansea City) and Lewis Cook (Bournemouth) also make their debut in Southgate’s selection. For the enthusiast this may not be the biggest names. In the English club football mainly foreign players dominate. Actually, only the absolute star player of Tottenham Hotspur is an Englishman and leaves him just missing in this game.
PREDICTION: Both teams to score / YES @ 1.88
