The Netherlands promise to be England’s toughest test so far in Germany, but this current team is a far cry from the glory days of Total Football.
Ronald Koeman has guided them to the semi-finals by transforming them into a functional side who like to hit teams on the counter.
Less than two weeks ago, there were calls for his head after a 3-2 defeat by Austria saw the Netherlands sneak through to the last 16 as one of the four best third-placed teams.
But the loss proved to be a turning point, galvanised the team and led Koeman to accept that he must be more conservative in how he sets up.
“Koeman is a very shrewd operator and will realise our best chance of beating England will most likely be on the counter-attack, using the strength of Cody Gakpo and Denzel Dumfries,” says Geert Langendorff, from Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad.
“You wouldn’t expect it in normal circumstances, but this Dutch team isn’t out of the mould of the teams of old.
“They lack the quality to create stuff with swagger, they just don’t seem to have that ability, so expect a fairly defensive team.”
The Netherlands may have a defensive set-up, but they still carry a threat going forward. Only Germany and Spain have scored more goals than the Dutch at Euro 2024, and in Gakpo they have the tournament’s joint top-scorer.
Gakpo looks a different player to the one who has struggled at Liverpool. Much of that is down to positioning — for the Netherlands he plays out left, instead of down the middle — but Koeman has also restored his confidence.
“Coming from the left side, being allowed to dribble, to come inside, that’s where Gakpo feels at ease,” adds Langendorff. “He has been given the freedom from Koeman to keep on dribbling. Even when it goes wrong, just go again.”
On the other flank, right-back Dumfries carries a big threat. The Dutch line up with a four-man defence, but that becomes a three when they are in possession.
Left-back Nathan Ake tucks in alongside Stefan de Vrij and Virgil van Dijk, which gives Dumfries licence to get forward. “He [Dumfries] is a warrior,” says Langendorff. “He never gives up, is very strong and full throttle. He is a key player.”
There is a belief in the Netherlands that they can win on Wednesday after seeing how England have performed in Germany.
England are viewed as a side that “plays with the handbrake on”, and there is optimism that deploying a low block could frustrate them again.
Midfield is the Netherlands’ biggest area of concern, and injuries are a key reason for that. Frenkie de Jong was forced out with an injury on the eve of the tournament and has left a gaping hole in the middle of the park.
To make matters worse, Koeman is also without his two best replacements for De Jong, because Marten De Roon and Teun Koopmeiners are injured.
They lack the quality to create stuff with swagger, they just don’t seem to have that ability, so expect a fairly defensive team
A solution has been found by playing Jerdy Schouten and Tijjani Reijnders behind Xavi Simons, but it is very much a case of needs must. “Going toe-to-toe with England in midfield would arguably be suicide,” says Langendorff.
“If you compare them to Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham and Kobbie Mainoo, it should be an easy ride for the English in that area.”
Koeman has named an unchanged team for the past two games, but there are calls for Wout Weghorst to start after excelling off the bench so far.
“Most journalists, pundits and the Dutch fanbase — because they absolutely love Weghorst — would now argue for him to start,” says Langendorff. “The question is, will Koeman dare to?”
