The Dutch morning newspapers saw the Dutch book a minimal victory on Sunday evening without convincing. The Dutch national team dealt with Belgium (1-0) in the Johan Cruijff ArenA and thereby assured itself of participating in the Final Four of the Nations League, which will take place in June next year and will be held in the Netherlands. According to the morning papers, Kenneth Taylor was one of the few bright spots on the the Dutch side as a substitute.
“the Dutch stumbles to Final Four”, headline The Telegraph. Mike Verweij saw on behalf of the morning newspaper that the Dutch national team was unable to impress against a few strong holders The Red Devils. “However, in the Johan Cruijff ArenA it became clear that a tired and battered Dutch team without Frenkie de Jong and Memphis Depay has little to look for in the global final tournament.” Kenneth Taylor came in as a substitute for Vincent Janssen after the break and made a good impression on Verweij. “Just like his national coach, Taylor will have had a good feeling about the international match. The young Ajax player once again came in uninhibited and strong and seems to have played in the World Cup selection.”
It General Newspaper the Dutch saw a ‘decent’ win over Belgium, but also came to the conclusion that Van Gaal lacked the creativity of De Jong and Depay. Despite the fact that the Netherlands won its group in the Nations League undefeated, according to Sjoerd Mossou there is not only reason for optimism. “The game system of national coach Louis van Gaal, which has always led to dynamic football in the last international matches, now looked a bit slow and predictable.” The absence of De Jong was especially felt, Mossou concludes. “Substitute Kenneth Taylor added some depth and a little more surprise to the midfield, but it was Belgium that took the game more and more emphatically after the break.”
“The Derby of the Low Countries was mainly a matter of a low level literally,” writes Willem Vissers on behalf of De Volkskrant. The journalist concludes that this the Dutch simply cannot do without De Jong and Depay. “As a midfielder, De Jong brings lightness to football, for his fellow players and also for the spectators. When he dribbles and floats, the laugh breaks through. Depay brings tricks and goals.”
“All in all, it was a bit too often football of ultimate clumsiness against Belgium, in almost every way,” continues Vissers. Whether it was a shot from Vincent Janssen, who tapped the ball away with the right foot before he wanted to strike with the left, or from Dumfries, who wanted to play back with the chest but overlooked Kevin de Bruyne, to the astonishment of Van Dijk.”