It was a long session with a spectacular ending, Wales – Netherlands, a match that makes you wonder: why? Why that way? Why now? Eleven other footballers trotted out in windy Wales on Wednesday, compared to last Friday in Brussels against Belgium (1-4). The conclusion is clear: one team is not the other.
The stoppage time was especially exciting. First by the header of Norrington-Davies (1-1), who won in the air against Hans Hateboer. Then the fantastic dribble of substitute Frenkie de Jong, the flower on the barren plain, his pass to Tyrell Malacia, the cross from the Feyenoord order and the header of the otherwise invisible Wout Weghorst for 1-2.
But the match was not exactly easy. The perfect technique, sometimes quite basic, cannot be taken for granted with professionals such as Jordan Teze and Hans Hateboer. Even the acclaimed Cody Gakpo, who may be facing a multi-million dollar transfer, struggled to control the ball at crucial moments.
Creativity and initiative are also not logical qualities for a football player at the top, especially in a country where passing has been elevated to an art form and dribbling or unexpected action is increasingly rare. Hence the importance of players such as Memphis Depay, Frenkie de Jong and Steven Bergwijn.
Testing players for the World Cup
Was it a kind of deception, this action by national coach Louis van Gaal to replace the entire team? Well no, not that either. The Nations League is a glorified practice tournament and Van Gaal wants to assess many players for the World Cup in Qatar and must guard against overload.
This setup was just the opposite, in Cardiff, where Wales supporters reminisced about qualifying for the World Cup. It was like being served a stew from a plastic container in a Michelin-starred restaurant. Not that there is anything wrong with a stew, on the contrary, but after Friday’s main course, expectations were higher than serving a plate of food in which only a well for the gravy provides some fantasy.
Thus arose a match without soul, without anything to excite, which entices supporters to watch a match and to indulge in arts they wished to master themselves. Eleven players were eager to meet the strict standards of the national coach. Only: it didn’t work, or at least little, apart from the result.
Wales also did not invite to play football, because national coach Rob Page lowered his team far back to keep the spaces small. Then it comes down to a precise game, and that was not possible with the Orange. By the way, Wales was also a different team, with seven other footballers in the base than on Sunday.
Teze and Schouten debuted
There were two debutants in the Orange squad, of whom defender Jordan Teze received the yellow card after three minutes. He flirted with red and seemed overcome with tension. With captain Stefan de Vrij and Matthijs de Ligt, he formed the three central defenders. Not that De Ligt played very badly as the left of the three central defenders, but turning to the right leg every time stops. Goalkeeper Mark Fleks looked uncertain, with high balls and once with a kick.
Depth and creativity were lacking in midfield, although the other debutant, Jerdy Schouten, was quite solid in the passing and scored a nice, blocked shot just before half-time. Shortly after the break, Schouten passed on Koopmeiners, who struck out diagonally with the right for his first goal as an international. Van Gaal had mentioned him on Tuesday as an example of someone who performs excellently at his club and who remains below par with the Orange.
Noa Lang, the swagger with swagger, asked for many a ball, which in any case created expectation, although he did not prepare much. Wout Weghorst played the tall striker who seemed lost in the national team, except for his final chord. Cody Gakpo was unhappy in his assumptions, although he almost scored a goal shortly before half-time.
After the 0-1 Wales insisted and Van Gaal intervened by bringing in Frenkie de Jong and Steven Bergwijn from the A-team for Schouten and Gakpo. At Wales hero Gareth Bale still came in, to the enthusiasm of the public. All in all it was not much, although Van Gaal will learn lessons. In addition, the Orange also won its second away game and has a firm hold on first place in the group for the time being, with home games against Poland (Saturday) and Wales (Tuesday) on the program.