After the difficult 2-1 win over Uzbekistan, Frenkie de Jong was the first to admit that things need to improve at the Dutch team. The midfielder is nevertheless convinced that things will turn out well. “The quality is really there. It has to be better, certainly, but my confidence has not diminished after these matches.”
From the US
In his own characteristic, calm way, Frenkie de Jong looked back on the practice match against Uzbekistan in New York on Monday. The Dutch team did win against the mediocre World Cup participant from Asia, 2-1, but it certainly made a dull impression after the break.
Thanks to two penalties from Cody Gakpo, they eventually won with difficulty.
“I don’t immediately draw any major conclusions, but it is clear that we have to adjust some things,” said De Jong. “The quality is definitely there, but we also know that these two practice matches were not good enough. Against Algeria the match looks very different if you score a few goals, but we must – with all due respect – win anyway against a country like Uzbekistan.”
However, according to the FC Barcelona midfielder, the focus is mainly on details in the game. “If we adjust small things in our positioning and choices on the ball when we have the ball, and we have our remaining defense in better order, then things will immediately look very different,” said De Jong. “We are always dangerous from the counter anyway, and we showed that a few times today.”
Unfortunate positioning
Nevertheless, the positioning in the Oranje’s midfield was often unfortunate, with two ball-savvy controllers – De Jong and Ryan Gravenberch – who tend to collect the ball regularly. The forward play was therefore often slow against Uzbekistan, especially in the second half.
“That is mainly up to the national coach, of course, but if one stands a little deeper, you might get a little more pace forward. That also depends entirely on how the opponent is positioned. But we could certainly have done that a little better.”
Defensively, De Jong often fell far back in New York. A conscious tactical choice by the Dutch team, also in view of the first World Cup match against Japan, which plays in a similar 3-4-2-1 system.
„In principle my position is not that different, but defensively I am indeed a bit lower. Because we played against a five-man defense, I often acted as a kind of third central defender.”
These practice matches have been very good for me to really work towards match fitness
After a period in which he played little at Barcelona due to an injury, De Jong feels completely ready for the World Cup. “These practice matches have been very good for me to really work towards match fitness, so that I can fully perform for ninety minutes again. We now have less than a week until the tournament, but I feel really good now.”
De Jong understands that the public in the Netherlands is not yet very enthusiastic about the game of the Dutch team. “Of course we blame ourselves for not playing well. You want nothing more than to give everyone, and ourselves, a lot of confidence. I understand that the fans expected more in terms of the outcome. But as I said: it is clear that we have to adjust things, and my own confidence has not diminished after these two games.”
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