The Netherlands Squad - Best FPL Tips, Advice, Team News, Picks, and Statistics from Fantasy Football Scout

Louis van Gaal has announced his pre-selection squad of 30 for the World Cup. Much of the focus in the media over recent days has surrounded Van Gaal’s decision to change the formation from the traditional 4-3-3 to a 5-3-2 system, presumably with raiding full-backs. This will represent a big change, and it is perhaps also worth noting, in light of his move to Manchester United, that Van Gaal is not afraid to make big changes to both personnel and tactics.

There are a couple of noteable omisions – Gregory van der Weil (who has been injured so would have been a risk), and Urby Emanuelson. There is also no place for Stekelenberg, Heitinga, Buttner, van Rhijn and Vermeer.

Potential surprises to some will be the call ups for Kongolo from Feyenoord, Van Aanholt (on loan from Chelsea) and Promes of FC Twente. Dirk Kuyt has also found a spot again somehow.

Something else important to note about the new system surrounds Daley Blind. After another excellent season for Ajax, in which Blind has been moved to a defensive midfield position, van Gaal has stated that Blind has been picked as a midfielder. This should help to strengthen the spine, with Strootman of course injured. This is important to note if the Fantasy games are behind the curve on this and list him as a defender still.

A potential starting team for the world cup could be: Cilleson/Krul; Janmaat, Kongolo/van Aanholt, Martins Indi, de Vrij, Vlaar/Veltman; de Jong, Blind, Sneijder/Van de Vaart; Van Persie, Robben.

We might know a little more when the squad is whittled down to the final 23, although with the Netherlands in a group with champions Spain and perennial people’s champions Chile, the prospects do not look great, and public opinion here reflects that.

Provisional 30 man squad:

Jasper Cillessen (Ajax), Tim Krul (Newcastle United), Michel Vorm (Swansea City), Jeroen Zoet (PSV)

Bruno Martins Indi (Feyenoord), Daryl Janmaat (Feyenoord), Terence Kongolo (Feyenoord),, Stefan de Vrij (Feyenoord), Joël Veltman (Ajax). Ron Vlaar (Aston Villa), Paul Verhaegh (FC Augsburg), Patrick van Aanholt (Vitesse), Karim Rekik (PSV).

Daley Blind (Ajax), Wesley Sneijder (Galatasaray), Rafael van der Vaart (Hamburger SV), Nigel de Jong (AC Milan), Jordy Clasie (Feyenoord), Leroy Fer (Norwich City), Jonathan de Guzman (Swansea City), Georginio Wijnaldum (PSV), Quincy Promes (FC Twente), Tonny Trindade de Vilhena (Feyenoord).

Robin van Persie (Manchester United), Arjen Robben (Bayern München), Jeremain Lens (Dinamo Kiev), Dirk Kuyt (Fenerbahce), Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Schalke 04), Jean-Paul Boëtius (Feyenoord), Memphis Depay (PSV).

J0E

9 years, 11 months ago

Cheers Pompey fan...Netherlands gives us a nice reminder as well at how van Gaal likes his teams to play.

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pompeyfan
9 years, 11 months ago
a pleasure!
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Piggs Boson

Cheers Pompey.

I wonder if LvG will treat Rooney and Van Persie similarly to Huntelaar and Van Persie...

CRUSHER

It's sad to see how compared to previous World and Euro Cups it's no longer a matter of how we're going to fit in all our world class players, it is now all about changing our system because we lack the quality for this level in key positions.

Dino
9 years, 11 months ago
Interesting observation Crusher. I was watching the Euro U17 semi final between Scotland and Netherlands the other day and I was thinking to myself what happened to all the great young talent that the Dutch system used to produce? Is there a reason the conveyor belt stopped?
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1. CRUSHER
  9 years, 11 months ago
  I think we beat Scotland 5-0, so that's not a bad result. The guy in charge of that team appears to be a bit of an idiot though, playing lots of people out of position, almost like he's never seen them play.
  
  We still have talented players and the national youth teams have been doing well in all their tournaments. The main issue with the national team is we had somewhat of a gap between the RVP/Robben/Sneijder generation and the guys who are coming through now. We're a small country, so this can happen from time to time. What didn't help was that Van Marwijk categorically refused to fit in younger players and persisted with the likes of Heitinga and Mathijsen, which in turn meant that Van Gaal had to completely start from scratch. I believe a lot of the players we have in our WC squad now will get to the european top, though some might need a couple years before that will happen.
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  1. pompeyfan
    9 years, 11 months ago
    Exactly. Those are good players in that squad, also with a lot of potential. More players will keep coming through due to the structure in place as well.
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pompeyfan
9 years, 11 months ago
Indeed. Although maybe the very low expectations will work in our favour this time
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Bøwstring The Carp

Nice one man

Blind as a potential OOP option on fantasy WC?

pompeyfan
9 years, 11 months ago
yep, if he looks like starting after all the friendlies.
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MJ6987

Good write up. How do you know so much about Holland?

pompeyfan
9 years, 11 months ago
Been living here for several years
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pompeyfan
9 years, 11 months ago
and thanks 🙂
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Also, given your knowledge, and Van Gaal's history of signing Dutch players...which Dutch players (if any) do you expect LVG to sign for United? I understand that this is not a great generation of Dutch players on the whole?

theloveburglar
9 years, 11 months ago
young lad jordy clasie looks a real talent deep lying midfielder in the mould of xavi.... aside from that i wouldnt touch anyone else in the dutch team
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pompeyfan
9 years, 11 months ago
I wouldn't say he will definitely sign Dutch players, but I guess that's where the value and the talent lies anyway! 😉

He's a big fan of Strootman and also Robben.
I read that Veltman has already been watched by the big clubs in England.

Depay, Vilhena, Wijnaldum, Lens, Klaasen, Boetius, Kishna, Legionm Promes - they are all good young players.
Clasie, he's good but I'm always surprised to read from people in England bigging him up so much. There must've been some Clasie/Xavi comparison agenda at some point.

He may of course buy foreign players from the Eredvisie - the hottest property right now is Tadic, although not sure you need another player like him to complicate the attacking options.
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Baines on Toast...

Good stuff. As a United fan, it's hard to know what would be best for Holland to do. Come home nice and early to give LVG time to bed in with the squad (and RVP time to rest), or have a great campaign and arrive with his reputation (and RVPs confidence) in full force?

NABIL - FPL otai

Great read Pompeyfan! As usual, I'm going to fully support the Dutch team this WC, although the prospect of facing local boy Brazil in the round of 16 (if we finish 2nd in Group B) really terrifies me. But hey, the team managed to go against all odds in back in 2010, remember? 😉

Just a few questions for you since you should know better than most here:-

1. Why no spot for Luciano Narsingh? I still think he's one of the most exciting Dutch prospect. He's got pace, dribbling skill and decent finishing. Also Ola John, I think he should get some sort of exposure at this WC, and should be decent coming off the bench if needed.

2. Is Afellay a finished/kaput product? Sad that he was such a potential not so long ago.

3. From that list of "good young players" that you replied to MJ, are you not considering Martins Indi and De Vrij as good talent? Speaking of Martins Indi, it's ben a while since we had a great CB of Jaap Stam stature, and I really think BMI has the potential. Plus he just had a great U21 outing last year.

Go Oranje!

pompeyfan
9 years, 11 months ago
Thanks, good to hear.
Brazil would be tough but getting out of the group is the main priority and if that happens you never know we could top the group with a draw against Spain for example.

1. On Narsingh he has just come back from a bad injury this season so it took him some time, and then he was kept out of the PSV team by Bryan Ruiz who did very well.

2. I read that Affelay is now back from injury, but likely to be released from Barca. It's a shame but he could come back if he gets another club and stays fit (a big if).

3. I have never been super excited by de Vrij or BMI, maybe my anti-Feyenoord bias coming through. I always thought BMI was a bit clumsy. de Vrij is good though definitely. They are certainly better than van der Hoorn. I think Veltman is a better prospect, and I also think Denswil could become a very good defender too. It was a shame for me that Douglas didn't stay in the squad after getting his Dutch passport but I think that ship has sailed now.
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1. NABIL - FPL otai
  9 years, 11 months ago
  Yeah, really need that kind of optimism.
  
  Wow, hard luck on Narsingh and Afellay. Afellay should never went to Barca. Not that he's not good enough, but not until the old guards show some kind of slowing down and he really should've developed himself somewhere else.
  
  Yeah, BMI still need to work on his composure, but he can be solid at times and I like his presence and aerial threat as well. Veltman is definitly the one to look at, and forgive my ignorance, but who is Denswil? haha.
  
  It's frustrating that WC2014 could be too soon for Adam Maher. The dutch Iniesta is already looking like a true No. 10 to me 😀
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  1. pompeyfan
    9 years, 11 months ago
    I think Affelay would've been rotated in a fair bit if he hadn't been injured so much. He has been unlucky really.
    
    Haha, Denswil is an Ajax CB, from the youth team. Played a fair few games this season. Started off really well but had a couple of dodgy games and was back on the bench when the others were fit. Has a good shot on him and is a threat from corners. Seen him take a couple of direct FKs too.
    
    Maher seems to be improving but he didn't start very well at PSV. He'll be in the team before too long since this could be almost the end for Sneijder and VDV
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    1. NABIL - FPL otai
      9 years, 11 months ago
      Haha, now I remember. That goal against Milan in UCL ( I watched the highlights only :P) If he can nail that spot at Ajax CB, he should be a better defender. Good for your Ajax!
      
      Wow, and end of an era. Back then it was the end for Bergkamp, Overmars, Kluivert, De Boers, Cocu.. and now it's going to be Sneijder, VDV, Kuyt and possibly RvP's turn.. the young guns better step up.
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