[turkeydinner]

Ronald Koeman has named his provisional 30-man Netherlands squad for the upcoming friendlies with Slovakia and Italy.

Koeman has brought Terence Kongolo (Huddersfield) and Eljero Elia (Istanbul Basaksehir) back to the squad, while there are no places for Jeffrey Bruma (VfL Wolfsburg), Karim Rekik (Hertha BSC), Timothy Fosu-Mensah (Crystal Palace), Marco van Ginkel (PSV) and Kenny Tete (Olympique Lyon) for the moment and Bas Dost(Sporting CP) has "retired "as they had a fall out

The final squad will be named next week.

Goalkeepers: Sergio Padt (Groningen), Marco Bizot (AZ), Jeroen Zoet (PSV), Jasper Cillessen (Barcelona)

Defenders: Matthijs de Ligt (Ajax), Daley Blind (Manchester United), Nathan Ake (Bournemouth), Hans Hateboer (Atalanta), Terence Kongolo (Huddersfield), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Patrick van Aanholt (Crystal Palace), Daryl Janmaat (Watford), Steven De Vrij (Lazio)

Midfielders: Donny van de Beek (Ajax), Tonny Vilhena (Feyenoord), Marten de Roon (Atalanta), Kevin Strootman (Roma), Georginio Wijnaldum (Liverpool), Davy Propper (Brighton), Guus Til (AZ), Ruud Vormer (Club Brugge)

Attackers: Ryan Babel (Besiktas), Memphis Depay (Lyon), Eljero Elia (Istanbul Basaksehir), Wout Weghorst (AZ), Luuk de Jong (PSV), Steven Bergwijn (PSV), Quincy Promes (Spartak Moscow), Justin Kluivert (Ajax), Steven Berghuis (Feyenoord)

Not bad although I think there are better alternatives than Van Aanholt and Janmaat, I`m sure the word Ryan Babel makes a few EPL followers shudder-the guy always had talent how he has managed to pull his career from the gutter so many times has to be lauded!

Desperately short of the Van Basten/Van Persie/P.Kluivert figure up front, Janssen is injured and hasn't as yet made the most of his great potential, for me it`s give Weghorst a try as LDJ has failed in his many times to impress or play Depay centrally who is simply on fire at Lyon and will be at Barca/Madrid within two years

[0762]

It is a fairly strong player squad that Koeman has chosen and agreed the one area that they are 'light on' is in the striking dept. That weakness has been evident in recent times for The Netherlands and it is unusual because they have been 'perennial qualifiers' in international footie tournaments down the decades. Still no 'special striker' suddenly appearing 'on the scene'. All Koeman can do is establish a solid team unit that will be difficult to beat.

[turkeydinner]

Due to lack of performers in certain positions they can no longer really play 4-3-3 either its more a 3-4-2-1 with wing backs ala Van Gaal Netherlands
No real no 10 of the Bergkamp, Sneijder or Gullit variety with possibly only the untried Til or the unreliable Wijnaldum able to play there

dosent feel right without Italy and the Netherlands at the WC

[0762]

Aye! These countries have the proper coaching and player development structure in place and it has been long established and successful but it just proves that a blight in player quality in certain positions can be so restrictive when it comes to qualifying for major footie tournaments. IMO there are poorer teams than Italy competing in the upcoming world cup finals.