The Netherlands are debating who Frenkie should be ‘with’ at the Euro Cup

Frenkie de Jong is on the mend of the injury that occurred playing in the last Real Madrid-Barça and that will probably stay with him apart from the Barça team lineups for the rest of the season. With a severe grade two sprain in his right ankle, the credible horizon is that the culé midfielder is now ready to play for the Dutch team in the Euro Cup under the command of Ronald Koeman, who was also with him at Barça until the season begins. 2021-22. In his last public appearance, silencing rumors of a possible trade for the 27-year-old midfielder, Barça coach Xavi Hernández was very clear in emphasizing De Jong’s importance for the Barça of the future, called he is the “main player”, although his season has been frustrating between his own injuries, others and an increasingly stretched role. At the same time, in the Dutch media, the current debate is who should be the “controlling medium” to join De Jong in the ‘Orange’ team at the Euro Cup. ‘Looking for a great footballer alongside De Jong’, he headlined his Voetbal tactical analysisa specialist media reference in Holland.

Considering the ownership of Frenkie de Jong, a contest which has already been accepted by the Dutch federation doctor, Edwin Goedhart, a few hours after the Classic where the footballer left on a stretcher, Voetbal proposed three candidates where Koeman can count on him to escort De Jong. He even proposed a survey of Internet users with the aim of evaluating who would be the ideal midfielder to do that anchoring job that would allow the Barça player to break free.

‘Of these three, who would you rather have as a ‘controller’ with Frenkie de Jong at Orange?’ they asked. The winner of the consultation is Jerry Schouten27 year old midfielder from PSV Eindhovenwith a 62% of votes. In second place in preferences is Mats Wiefferaverage 24 years old Feyenoordtaking a 25% of supports. In the third position is Martin de Roon33 years old and midfielder of Atalantawith only a 13% backup.

As detailed by Voetbal, the ‘controlling midfielder’ has been the main character of “national discussions for years”, but it has been warned that “in no time, Koeman always ends up with Marten de Roon”. “The position of a midfield with Frenkie de Jong has been a topic of discussion in the Dutch team for years.. It has been a hot topic in Koeman’s first spell. De Roon is qualified for that role because of his tactical discipline and defensive virtues, but there is one glaring shortcoming. Atalanta’s ball catcher is not a good passer. The rivals responded by covering De Jong and letting De Roon go.” In his review, Voetbal recalled that “in 2019, Koeman replaced De Roon early in the seven international matches he started. Things often started to improve afterwards. Against England, a 1-0 deficit turned into a 3-1 victory after De Roon was replaced. Against Germany, a 1-0 deficit turned into a 4-2 victory. Against Northern Ireland, the score became 3-1 from 0-0. “In situations where the Dutch team needs to force something, De Roon is the first to be substituted.”

De Roon’s low popularity may have something to do with this stagnation of results, but at the same time highlighted that the Atalanta midfielder, whose contract expires this June, “the national selectors want to start to him.” “Koeman did it in his first phase, he was accompanied by Frank de Boer and Louis van Gaal also selected him in the knockout phase of the World Cup,” it emphasized. And what do coaches love most about De Roon? “These coaches bet on De Roon because he is reliable. Van Gaal said, for example, that he speaks the coach’s language and that he is his tactical extension on the field.” Dwight Lodeweges, Koeman’s right-hand man, once made a whiteboard dissertation: “If De Jong starts to fall and, for example, deviates to one side, Marten always stays in the middle of the axis. That was very important when he lost ball. De Roon can be the first to press or wait and buy time for the others to retreat.

The next challenge and the reason why the debate is intensifying a few weeks before the Euro Cup is that Koeman, in his second term as national coach, wants to find the tactically disciplined ‘controlling’ midfielder who at the same time has more characteristics of football than those that characterize De Roon. However, in general, neither in Holland nor in Barcelona is Frenkie de Jong’s lineup discussed, what is discussed is, due to his characteristics, how he fits into a drawing. Commonly similar debates for a midfielder who, as a midfielder, tends to rule more than balance, and as an interior player whose potential arrival is almost meaningless; 2 in 30 games this season with Barça and 2 with the Dutch team in 54.