The Dutch national team made a big impression against Turkey on Tuesday evening. The World Cup qualifier was won 6-1 and especially in the first half, the team of national coach Louis van Gaal impressed. Arie Haan shared as rapporteur on behalf of The Telegraph numbers and even has a 9.5 for Davy Klaassen and Memphis Depay.
“I gave all of the Dutch a nine before half-time,” said Haan, who played two World Cup finals with the Dutch national team. “You should just give them that grade for the way they played football at that stage.” The the Dutch went to rest with a 3-0 lead and ran out to 6-1 after the break. Daley Blind, Denzel Dumfries and substitute Teun Koopmeiners get the lowest score of all the Dutch internationals for their performance with a seven. Van Gaal gets an eight from the former international.
Haan hands out an eight to Virgil van Dijk, Stefan de Vrij, Frenkie de Jong, Georginio Wijnaldum, Steven Berghuis and Steven Bergwijn. Justin Bijlow also receives an eight. “He was really on a nine, but that last ball on Virgil van Dijk costs Van Dijk an injury,” said Haan, referring to a too soft pass on Van Dijk, which resulted in the Liverpool defender being hit by Halil Dervisoglu, after which Cengiz Under could score. “That’s why I have to deduct a point. Yet his overall performance is excellent. Justin is the complete keeper. His positioning is very good and he reminds me of the legendary Gordon Banks. As a coach, I often had excellent linekeepers, but I also asked them if they knew what action the opposing right winger was making and how they anticipated it. Justin does.”
The only dissonance at the Dutch was against Turkey in midfield
Voetbalzone handed out report numbers to the the Dutch players.
Klaassen opened the score, prepared Depay’s 2-0 and earned a penalty. Haan gives him a 9.5 for his performance against Turkey. “What he and Memphis Depay showed against Turkey was simply world class. I can never give a ten, but a 9.5 he really deserves. In this form, there is no better combination than Davy with Memphis,” said Haan, who hands out the same figure to Depay. “He is a striker who only comes into the box to score. He is elusive to defenders. They all have doubts. Should I follow or not? You see him in the striker, but then he chooses position and roams to the left or right, or he drops out of the striker. Actually, as an opponent you have to put a defensive midfielder on him, but then you have two men left in the center.”
the Dutch report according to Arie Haan: Bijlow 8; Dumfries 7, De Vrij 8, Van Dijk 8, Blind 7; Klaassen 9.5, De Jong 8, Wijnaldum 8; Berghuis 8, Depay 9.5, Bergwijn 8, Koopmeiners 7.