The Netherlands look to win their group in the FIFA World Cup 2022 when they face hosts Qatar in their final group game on Tuesday. Last Word on Football predicts the Dutch side’s predicted lineup for the Group A game against Qatar.
Netherlands Predicted Lineup vs Qatar
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How Netherlands Have Lined-up Recently
Louis van Gaal has reverted the Netherlands back to playing a three-man backline since he returned from retirement to take over the team last year. The Dutch side have been operating in a narrow 3-4-1-2 formation that includes two players up-front and a lot of rotational work between the players.
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Cody Gakpo – who has scored two out of his side’s three goals so far in the World Cup – is all but guaranteed to retain his place in the line-up and is likely to play in a front-two with Steven Bergwijn due to a lack of a natural number nine in the side. Frenkie de Jong and Davy Klaassen are both trusted midfielders, while Van Gaal is also not expected to make changes to his backline or wing-backs for the game against Qatar. In goal, Andries Noppart has been impressive and kept Ajax number one Remko Pasveer on the bench.
Netherlands Recent Form and Tactics
The Netherlands are yet to lose a game in 2022, having maintained a respectable record heading into the World Cup. They won six out of their eight games before the competition and have had topsy-turvy results in Group A of the World Cup so far.
They needed two late goals to just about get a win in the opening game against Senegal and were held to a frustrating draw by Ecuador after failing to get the job done. Under Van Gaal’s style, the Netherlands look to dominate the possession and ensure the ball is with them as much as possible.
Read More: Ecuador Denied Win Over Netherlands by Three Inches and a Crossbar
Their solid three-man backline of Virgil van Dijk, Nathan Ake and Jurien Timber helps maintain a stubborn, tight defensive line that is not the easiest to bypass. Frenkie de Jong is tasked with taking the ball forward and trying to send his forwards through on goal with his defence-splitting passes.
Wing-backs Denzel Dumfries and Daley Blind add width to the side, being tasked to stretch the opposition’s backline. The Netherlands side focuses on patient attacking moves, with the players tasked to find the unpredictable off-the-ball runs of their forward players to create goal-scoring chances.
They’re likely to put more focus on attacking by pouring many players forward against Qatar, knowing that the hosts will be quite defensive. Van Gaal will hope his side can rediscover their ruthless streak in front of goal and not waste chances as they did against Ecuador.
Netherlands Injuries to Consider
Memphis Depay remains the only Dutch player who isn’t fully fit for the game. Van Gaal is insisting that he will not take risks with the Barcelona forward, which likely means that he will not be ready to start against Qatar either. Apart from that, the Netherlands have a fit squad with a lot of competition in almost every position.
Netherlands Predicted Lineup
Andries Noppart, Denzel Dumfries, Jurien Timber, Virgil van Dijk, Nathan Ake, Daley Blind, Steven Berghuis, Frenkie de Jong, Davy Klaassen, Cody Gakpo, Steven Bergwijn.
