Reparation. That was what the Orange was mainly about in the last group match against Qatar. That was only partly successful. After a victory (2-0) in the Al Bayt Stadium of Al Khor, the Dutch national team qualified as group winner for the eighth finals of the World Cup, but with that almost everything has been said. The game of the Orange was below par for the third time. Although national coach Louis van Gaal took a positive view. “We gave away few chances, especially in possession it was better than in the match against Ecuador,” he said afterwards. “We just did what we had to do. The goal is reached. We got through it unscathed.”
The Dutch national team cherished the hope that the weak performance against Ecuador (1-1) was just an incident. Beforehand it was clear to everyone that Qatar had to be fought with a different attitude. With more aggression. With more passion. With more conviction. It all came out very little or not at all. The Orange approached Qatar with too slow a pace. It was enough to beat the weakest country of the 32 participants. The number fifty in the FIFA ranking. Comparable to countries such as Burkina Faso and Venezuela.
Bravo
Three times a very mediocre performance and still through to the knockout phase. In that respect, it is perhaps most comparable to the 1990 World Cup in Italy. At the time, as the European champion of 1988, the Orange saw itself as a contender for the world title, but the good feeling had disappeared after draws against Egypt (1-1), England (0-0) and Ireland (1-1). West Germany released the Netherlands from its misery 32 years ago. It’s not that far yet. The Orange will have a chance to join the last eight on Saturday.
The Orange did not lack bravura this time either. In the run-up to the World Cup, national coach Van Gaal and director of professional football Marianne van Leeuwen shouted in unison that the Orange in Qatar is aiming for the very highest. They saw that as expressing a healthy ambition. It seems more like self-overestimation. Based on the game shown, the Orange has so far not claimed to be among the title candidates.
A few months later, little remains of the team that managed to distinguish itself under Van Gaal in the Nations League against Belgium and Poland with dominant and offensive football. The lack of creativity is particularly poignant. The Orange is an unimaginative team that even approaches countries such as Senegal, Ecuador and Qatar with a conservative approach to the game. Although Van Gaal himself sees it differently. The national coach thinks his 1-5-3-2 formation is ‘offensive’ and is still convinced that he can be in the World Cup final with the Orange on December 18.
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For Van Gaal, two key concepts are decisive: ‘form’ and ‘delivery’. In other words: the national coach prefers football players who feel good about themselves and who carry out what he expects of them. Only a handful of players – Andries Noppert, Nathan Aké, Virgil van Dijk, Frenkie de Jong, Davy Klaassen and Cody Gakpo – meet the two criteria this World Cup. Other internationals are out of shape or, like Memphis Depay, are not physically fit enough to perform for ninety minutes.
Van Gaal sticks to his playing style time and time again, but has started three times with a different starting team. The national coach changed players in all lines. Against Qatar, he again changed the Orange in two places compared to the match against Ecuador. This time Marten de Roon and Memphis Depay were given a basic place instead of Teun Koopmeiners and Steven Bergwijn. It indicates that Van Gaal is still looking for his ideal team.
The Dutch played a ‘chess match’ against Qatar and struggled to find openings. It was efficient. The Netherlands needed two moments to take the win. Only in that respect did the Orange take sporting revenge after the off-day against Ecuador, which was eliminated after a defeat against Senegal (2-1).
Louis van Gaal sticks to his playing style time and time again, but has started three times with a different starting team
“You don’t just win 5-0”
Davy Klaassen was twice at the basis of a goal with a nice pass and was voted man of the match. In the 27th minute, the attacking midfielder brought in Gakpo, who scored with conviction. His third goal already at this World Cup. Four minutes after the break, Klaassen gave a long cross to Depay whose shot was deflected by goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham, but was walked in by Frenkie de Jong.
In the 68th minute, the Dutch national team thought it would be 3-0 via a ticker from substitute Steven Berghuis, but the video referee had found hands at Gakpo. The goal was canceled to the cheers of the Qataris. Furthermore, the supporters of the host country had nothing to celebrate during the last World Cup appearance. And despite the victory, the few hundred fans of the Orange had little reason to celebrate in Doha.
Klaassen was relieved afterwards that the Netherlands will continue as group winner in Qatar. He parried the criticism of the implementation and stated that hardly any country at the World Cup is easy to beat. “The time when you just beat an opponent 5-0 is over.” Van Gaal also rejected critical questions from the media. “I doubt that people don’t like our game. I think they are proud of our achievements.”