European heavyweights Germany and Netherlands will lock horns in a high-profile friendly as both sets of managers are eager to build momentum.
Germany put France to the sword as Julian Nagelsmann could finally flex his muscles, with the next challenge coming against the Netherlands. Not only did his players have a clinical performance in the attack and being tight at the back, but the manager appeared to have begun the game with his most trusted players.
The partnership between Jonathan Tah and Antonio Rudiger seemed particularly interesting, with the pair likely to begin the Euros for Germany. Florian Wirtz scored under the first ten seconds against France, while Kai Havertz netted the second in the next half. Nagelsmann’s men held their own and defended waves of French attacks with comfort.
The former Bayern Munich manager would want to keep the momentum going and build towards UEFA Euro 2024. He may have only about three games to evaluate his squad further. From the players that started against France, most of them will likely feature in the starting lineup at the Euros.
Ronald Koeman, too, needs more time to figure out his primary group to start games at the Euros, and the fantastic win over Scotland will have instilled confidence. Some of his trusted players performed against the Scots, with Tijjani Reijnders, Georginio Wijnaldum, Wout Weghorst, and Donyell Malen getting on the scoresheet.
The Netherlands may have yet to name their most potent lineup, but Koeman can see the progress in the side. He will rely on the leadership of stars like Wijnaldum, as the Oranje will want to view themselves as one of the top contenders at the Euros.
Team News & Tactics
Germany
Julian Nagelsmann will primarily look to build relations within his leading group with another high-profile clash. He could name an unchanged eleven against the Netherlands, as some of the ideas look interesting and bring something different, especially the concept of Joshua Kimmich at right-back.
The partnership between Antonio Rudiger and Jonathan Tah may be what Nagelsmann thinks of as his strongest, while Maximilian Mittlestadt looks settled in at left-back. One position the manager may want to experiment with is the centre-forward slot, with Kai Havertz impressing in the win over France with an accomplished No.9 performance.
Nagelsmann should rest Niclas Fullkrug in the leading role, as a game like the next one will provide testing conditions for the Borussia Dortmund forward. Robert Andrich also seems like an exciting option in central midfield that gives Germany experience and stability, while Ilkay Gundogan and Toni Kroos slot well in the middle of the park.
Nagelsmann wants to continue the pairing of Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala, with the duo making their case as the leading German attackers.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): ter Stegen; Kimmich, Tah, Rudiger, Mittlestadt; Andrich, Kroos; Musiala, Gundogan, Wirtz; Fullkrug
The Netherlands
Ronald Koeman will want key stars build relationships during these round of fixtures, as he will need more time to experiment in the following games before the Euros. He will want to give minutes to a few of his stars in a few positions.
Koeman may have made decisions on large parts of his most potent lineup, with defensive duo Virgil van Dijk and Lutsharel Geertruida his preferred pairing in central defence. Denzel Dumfries started at right-back against France, but Koeman could bring in the in-form Jeremie Frimpong for a big chance to stake his claim.
The manager might keep faith in most other players and slightly alter his setup. Mats Wieffer endured a challenging game against Scotland, which could allow Joey Veerman a chance to shine. Koeman will want to see more of the Cody Gakpo and Xavi Simons combination, with Memphis Depay likely to remain in the centre-forward role.
Probable Lineup(4-3-3): Flekken; Dumfries, Geertruida, Van Dijk, Ake; Veerman, Wijnaldum, Reijnders; Simons, Gakpo, Depay
Key Stats
- Germany’s clean sheet against France was their first in nearly a year.
- Germany have three wins in their last six games in all competition
- Netherlands are on a winning run of four games.
- The Oranje have kept four clean sheets in those games.
- Netherlands are unbeaten in their last two games in Germany.
Player to Watch
Niclas Fullkrug
The win over France showed Germany now have a stable attacking setup with Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala, with Kai Havertz leading the line. While the Arsenal man may seem like Julian Nagelsmann’s best No.9 option, Niclas Fullkrug might want to give him a selection dilemma.
Fullkrug might start ahead of Havertz in the centre-forward role and can impress Nagelsmann with a solid performance. The test provided by Virgil van Dijk and Lutsharel Geertruida will show the manager how equipped Fullkrug is against the best centre-backs, which makes this the striker’s all-important game.
Prediction
Germany 2-1 Netherlands
The Germans may have a home advantage, but they are nowhere close to being very strong here. They have allowed teams like Turkey, Colombia, Japan and Belgium to have all a gala time against them, which will entice Koeman’s men.
While Ronald Koeman’s stars are coming into their best form, Germany showed they can work as a unit and put in a masterclass against Euro favourite France. Although the game promises plenty of quality, Nagelsmann will want another stellar win.
