Valentijn Driessen launched a scathing critique of the Netherlands national team following a dismal first half against Greece that left the squad facing an uphill 2-0 deficit at the interval.
The first 45 minutes in Greece laid bare deep structural flaws in the Dutch lineup, according to the analysis from the discussion. Both Timber and Til were handed rare starts but struggled immensely to establish any control, dragging teammate Joey Veerman down with them as he found himself isolated in the center of the pitch.
According to additional coverage from VoetbalZone, the tactical reshuffle at the break immediately steadied the side, allowing Veerman to operate far more effectively in the second period.
Tactical Missteps and Midfield Chaos
Driessen did not hold back when evaluating the deployment of the starting midfield trio, categorizing the strategy as a complete failure during the opening half.
“Yeah, nice substitutes. But not for the starting lineup, not even against Greece,” Driessen stated on the podcast regarding Timber and Til. He argued that their movement directly undermined the tactical balance of the team.
“Xavi says: ‘Attack the spaces’. So wherever there is space, Til goes there. So he is gone. And Timber walks around that midfield a bit like a headless chicken. Yeah, he just walks everywhere. Whether it’s good or not. Then you leave the rest of your midfield in the lurch,” Driessen said, adding that Veerman suffered as a consequence because he was essentially left to man the central area by himself. “It really doesn’t work at all, those three in midfield.”
Second-Half Resurgence Through Substitutes
The tone of the match shifted dramatically after the interval following the introduction of Ryan Gravenberch and Tijjani Reijnders. Driessen highlighted their entrance as the catalyst for the team’s visible improvement on the pitch.
“Gravenberch is simply one of the best midfielders we have and Reijnders has actually always done well,” Driessen noted, questioning why players of their caliber were omitted initially over a couple of quieter matches. “Now you see how good Gravenberch and Reijnders are, if you contrast it with those who played in the first half,” added Mike Verweij during the podcast discussion, noting that Noa Lang also made a notably strong impact off the bench.
Tactical Adjustments and Future Outlook
The stark contrast between the disjointed first half and the fluid second period underscored a broader problem regarding squad depth and positional discipline. While the starting experiment failed to yield results, the subsequent substitutions salvaged control and demonstrated the value of established starters in high-stakes international competition.
The Dutch squad now faces crucial preparations as attention shifts toward upcoming fixtures in the ongoing international calendar.
