World Cup 2022: Draw and Van Gaal experience raise Dutch hopes

The Orange Corps trained with migrant workers in Doha. Photo: ANP/Koel van Weel

Somber preparations for the World Cup reflect the widely held belief that FIFA failed in awarding Qatar the tournament.Rights record.

But for the Dutch team, the tournament is the first chance for many of the current generation of players to shine on the World Cup stage after failing to qualify for Russia four years ago.

After two qualifying failures and an early exit from Euro 2020 by the Czech Republic, hopes have been dampened by injuries to key players and a sense that the team is still developing.

Meanwhile, the Netherlands played Senegal, Ecuador and hosts Qatar in the group stage and ended in a favorable draw. Hopes were further boosted this week by the news that Bayern’s Munich Senegalese striker Sadio Mane is unfit for Monday night’s opener.

Assuming they win Group A, Orange will face a team from England’s group that includes Wales, USA and Iran. But going beyond the round of 16 can be tough, with Brazil, Argentina and Spain all potentially in the same half draw.

Bureau of Statistics grace note calculates that the Netherlands have a 7% chance of lifting the World Cup trophy for the first time in history. Only Brazil (20%) and Argentina (16%) have better prospects, but Gracenote notes that it predicts the Netherlands will face Argentina in the quarterfinals.

strong outsider

UK bookmaker Rank the Netherlands among the stronger outsiders – A group that also includes Germany, Portugal and Belgium – With odds of 10/1 to 14/1, Brazil is the 7/2 favourite.

It all depends on whether veteran coach Louis van Gaal can marshal his resources as effectively as he did eight years ago when a makeshift team exceeded expectations and reached the semi-finals. I’m here.

Even van Gaal dampened his usual confidence when asked about his team’s prospects in Qatar. I believe we can come a long way, but we also need luck.

In 2014, Van Gaal got off to a blistering start to the tournament by beating Oranje in the 2010 final, winning 5-1 in the opening game and dominating Spain, the team that beat Australia and very fancy Chile. turned it off.

The devastating counter-attacks of Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder and Robin van Persie were key to the team’s success, but their challenges faltered in the later stages. They had neither scored nor conceded in four hours of football before an exhausted Orange lost to Argentina on penalties in the semi-finals.

fitness concerns

The key to Holland’s success in 2014 was the team’s high level of fitness. So the number of players who arrive in Qatar with injuries or lack of match practice should be a concern.

Memphis Depay, Orange’s leading goalscorer in recent seasons, has not played since suffering a hamstring injury in September’s 2-0 Nations League victory over Poland.

nevertheless Depay completed a full training session this weekVan Gaal says he is not in good enough shape to face Senegal, and while Royal Antwerp’s Vincent Janssen will line up at centre-forward, Depay is likely to appear at some stage.

Depay’s Barcelona teammate Frenkie de Jong had his season interrupted by injuries and a period of uncertainty when the club considered selling him to Manchester United for lower wages.

Good news for van Gaal is that de Jong has returned to the Camp Nou starting eleven and has contributed to the team’s recent run to the top of the La Liga.

There are also concerns about Orange’s two Italian-based players, Atalanta midfielder Maarten De Loan and Internazionale midfielder Denzel Dumfries. Dumfries appears to have recovered from his recent knee injury, which should be a boost for Van Gaal.

unexploded ajax

Another concern is the poor performance of Ajax, who supply seven of the 26-man squad. The league champions have only won once in their last five games and he scored 16 goals in a dismal Champions League campaign. A 6-1 thump at Napoli’s home.

Goalkeeper Remko Pasbia and defender Daly Blind were seen as particularly at fault during the Napoli debacle, with Steven Bergis only showing flashes of form that he showed at Feyenoord and reserve midfielder Kenneth.・Taylor is also worried about injury.

One of the biggest topics of tournament preparation is goalkeeper positionThe elimination of experienced Jesper Cillessen, now at NEC Nijmegen, surprised many commentators, but not so much as the decision to call up Heerenveen shot-stopper Andries Noppert.

Van Gaal said Noppelt is the only Dutch goalkeeper, but he has not been tested at international level and Pasberg and Feyenoord’s Justin Bijureau have not been convincing this season.

Van Dyke’s key

The Netherlands are hoping the return of captain Virgil van Dijk, who was forced out of last summer’s 2-0 defeat to the Czech Republic, will give them strength. Van Dijk will play in the back three with his two defenders in Ajax’s Julian Timber and Manchester City’s Nathan Ake.

De Jong and Bergis form the midfield’s creative hub, with the Blinds moving from the center defense to the left and Dumfries to the right. Koopminers and Davy Klaasen are alternative options, especially if Van Gaal chooses to pack the midfield.

Up front, Janssen will play alongside PSV’s Cody Gakpo and Ajax’s Steven Bergwijn as a orthodox centre-forward until the more mobile Depay is ready to make an appearance. He could make a cameo in the trusty Luke de Jong or Noah Lange, who have been in action since joining Club Brugge from Ajax a year ago, or Xabi Simmons, 19, from PSV’s Quiksilver. .

Reaching the quarter-finals is considered a success for van Gaal, but nothing beats the 71-year-old coach capping his illustrious career with a final victory.

group match

November 21: Senegal v Netherlands (17.00)

November 25: Netherlands v Ecuador (17.00)

November 29th: Netherlands v Qatar (16.00)

full squad (*** May start; ** To be functional; * May be out of stock)

Goalkeeper: Remko Pasbia (Ajax) ***; Justin Bijlow (Feyenoord) **; Andries Noppert (Heerenveen) *

Defender: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) ***; Nathan Ake (Manchester City) ***; Daly Blind (Ajax) ***; Stephan de Vrij (Inter) **; Denzel Dumfries (Inter) ***; Tyrell Malasia (Manchester United) *; Julian Timber (Ajax) ***; Jeremy Frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen) *; Matthijs De Ligt (Bayern Munich) **

Midfielder: Steven Bergis (Ajax) ***; Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona) ***; Davy Klaassen (Ajax) **; Marten De Loan (Atalanta) **; Teun Koopmeiners (Atalanta) **; Taylor (Ajax) *; Xabi Simmons (PSV) *

forward: Luuk de Jong (PSV) **; Noah Lang (Club Brugge) *; Steven Bergwijn (Ajax) ***; Memphis Depay (Barcelona) **; Wout Weghorst (Besiktas) *; Cody Gakpo (PSV) * *; Vincent Jansen (Royal Antwerp) **