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Smother Memphis Depay and show Virgil van Dijk left: Five ways England can exploit Netherlands
Fast-paced attacks and striker playing in a more central position have been key in the Dutch’s tactics and could cause England issues
![Memphis Depay – Smother Memphis Depay and show Virgil van Dijk left: Five ways England can exploit the Netherlands](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/football/2024/07/09/TELEMMGLPICT000381288554_17205392752020_trans_NvBQzQNjv4Bqsgbvwynl4tOMmtC0n-07ZVw7KSWNEe1g0Zgm-O0WjtA.jpeg?imwidth=680)
England face Netherlands in a major tournament for the first time since 1996 and their Euro 2024 semi-final appears eminently winnable.
The Dutch’s collection of attacking talent is certainly a step up in class from the forwards England have faced so far this summer, but Ronald Koeman’s team have also shown vulnerability.
Through a combination of their own performances and opponent’s tactical approaches, matches involving England have been among the dullest at the tournament but the game should be different.
Only Germany and Spain have scored more goals than Netherlands, whose matches have produced an average of 1.8 goals per game, the third-highest in the tournament. Netherlands rank sixth for possession at 55.09 per cent, and press more aggressively than England or France, allowing opponents 13.2 passes per defensive action.
They want to play, and an open contest could prove more to England’s liking. These are five areas England can target.
Counter-attack down the left
While Netherlands’ formation is written down as a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1, the asymmetry of their two full-backs mean they morph into a back three in possession. Denzel Dumfries, who plays as a wing-back for his club Inter Milan, runs free to join Netherlands’ forward line from right-back, while left-back Nathan Ake tucks in to play like a third centre-back.
This means the Dutch are more stretched defensively down their right, with Stefan de Vrij asked to cover Dumfries’ raids forward and defend the right-hand channel. With Virgil van Dijk, Ake and, later in the game, Micky van de Ven patrolling the left side of Netherlands’ defence, opportunity knocks on the other side. Austria’s three goals against the Dutch were all created with moves down their left flank.
The problem for England is that their left side has been an attacking void in this tournament. The return of Luke Shaw to the starting XI could enliven it. On a horses-for-courses basis, there is a strong case for putting a runner such as Ollie Watkins or Anthony Gordon in this space. It appears unlikely Southgate will do so.
Maximise set-pieces
For a squad featuring De Vrij, Van Dijk, Ake, Van de Ven and Matthijs de Ligt, Netherlands have looked strangely shaky defending crosses into their penalty area. Goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen was called into action on a couple of occasions when Turkey piled on the pressure in search of an equaliser in their quarter-final.
The Dutch rank 17th of 24 teams at Euro 2024 for expected goals conceded from set-pieces, giving up 0.39xG per 90 minutes from dead-ball situations. France, Spain and England have conceded just 0.08, 0.09 and 0.12xG from set-pieces per 90 minutes, the sort of return you would expect from potential tournament winners.
Netherlands have also been far from dominant in the opposition’s penalty area, ranking 16th for expected goals created from set-pieces with a meagre 0.19 per 90 minutes. England must improve their delivery and set-piece efficiency, though. They rank 15th for expected goals created from set-pieces, a far cry from the 2018 World Cup when their love train and bus stop routines befuddled teams.
Use system change to smother Depay
When Memphis Depay joined Manchester United in 2015 for an ill-fated spell at Old Trafford, he was classed as a direct and skillful wide player.
Now 30, Depay occupies more central positions. His role as the national team’s false nine prompts much debate in the Netherlands but, while Depay can frustrate, he can also produce some exquisite touches, flicks and first-time lay-offs.
Some of his combination play calls to mind Roberto Firmino at Liverpool, playing in the space between the opposition’s midfield and backline and drawing defenders out of position. Depay’s touchmap from the quarter-final against Turkey shows how frequently he receives the ball in these dangerous pockets of space.
When playing against a false nine, there is the dilemma of whether they should be tracked by a defender or passed on to a central midfielder. Given Declan Rice and Kobbie Mainoo are likely to come up against three Dutch midfielders, they could be otherwise engaged.
Southgate switched to a back five against Switzerland, and one virtue of this system is it emboldens defenders to step in and be aggressive, knowing they have cover. John Stones can get tight to Depay, with Kyle Walker and Marc Guehi covering around the Man City defender.
Show Van Dijk to his left foot
As England fans will be well aware, Van Dijk’s long-range distribution from the back is an attacking weapon. In a Liverpool shirt, he looks to shift the ball to his right foot and open up his body to send raking diagonals out to Mohamed Salah or Trent Alexander-Arnold. He will look to find Dumfries with similar passes.
England’s pressing strategy should be aimed at limiting Van Dijk’s influence. This could be done by shaping England’s pressure from right-to-left, leaving De Vrij as the spare player and encouraging the Dutch to play down that side. Or if Netherlands do play down their left to Van Dijk, by pressing him from his right to encourage either a lateral pass to Ake or a riskier ball forward with his weaker foot. Van Dijk’s pass map against Turkey shows he is more vulnerable to misplaced passes when playing short and to the left.
Harry Kane has looked laboured when defending from the front, but shepherding Van Dijk away from his right foot could be one of his key details on Wednesday.
Carry the ball through midfield
In Mainoo, Rice and Jude Bellingham, England have three players who are capable of breaking lines by dribbling through central zones. Once they push the ball out of their feet and get into stride, all three are very difficult to stop.
Should Koeman stick with the system he used against Turkey, Netherlands will operate with two specialist central midfielders and Xavi Simons in front of them in a No 10 position. That puts a lot of strain on Jerdy Schouten and Tijjani Reijnders, who are tidy technicians but not the strongest of defenders, especially in transition.
According to football data website FBRef, Schouten and Reijnders rank in the 56th and 17th percentile for players tackled per 90 minutes among central midfielders in Europe’s big five leagues. There is potentially a soft centre that England’s running power can exploit.