Euro 2024 Fantasy team previews: Netherlands

The Netherlands are up next as our Euro 2024 Fantasy team previews continue.

The Dutch have a rich history at the European Championship, having won in 1988. Three more semi-final appearances followed in the next four tournaments.

There’s not much recent success for Oranje to enjoy, however. They’ve not reached the quarter-finals since Euro 2008, failing to even qualify for France ’16.

In two spells under manager Ronald Koeman, however, there have been some green shoots of recovery. The Netherlands have reached the last four in two of the last three UEFA Nations League Finals, while they didn’t actually taste defeat once at the 2022 World Cup, only bowing out to winners Argentina on penalties.

In these country-by-country guides, we’ll be looking at the best players from each nation, taking a stab at predicted line-ups, reviewing the road to Germany and more.

To do this, we’ll be calling on the help of correspondents from each country.

Here, we enlist the services of Fantasy Football Scout user Jack Sousdi (aka FPL_Gray on X).

And new to these team previews is a Premium Members section detailing the official Opta data from Euro ’24 qualification. This data has just arrived in our Members Area in the last 24 hours, so sign up today to gain access to the all-important stats you need for this summer’s Euro Fantasy game.

All prices given are from the official Fantasy Euro 2024 game.

THE ROAD TO QUALIFICATION

Qualifying can be summed up in one line: not good enough to beat France, too good for the rest.

Six of the seven goals the Netherlands conceded, and their only two defeats, came against Les Bleus.

The first of those losses was in the opening group game, a chastening 4−0 reverse in Saint−Denis. The expected goal data might have suggested it was a tight game (1.54-1.53) but a big chunk of the Netherlands’ xG figure was Memphis Depay‘s (€7.5m) late penalty miss and saved rebound, long after the contest was over.

The Dutch were 3−0 down after 21 minutes, indeed, being sliced open with far too much ease. Remember that France await in the group stage of this summer’s tournament in Matchday 2.

Greece and Gibraltar were beaten to nil in both matches, while the only other goal that Koeman’s side conceded in qualifying was an Adam Idah penalty in the narrow win over Republic of Ireland.

Penalties were a big part of the qualification story, indeed. Only England (five) were awarded more spot-kicks than the Dutch (four).

Two of them were spurned by Depay, who otherwise barely featured in qualifying due to injury, and Wout Weghorst (€6.5m).

Depay’s misses and absences opened up a void from 12 yards, with Cody Gakpo (€7.5m) and then Virgil van Dijk (€6.0m) scoring from the spot. Van Dijk’s penalty gave his nation a late, late win over Greece, with Koeman suggesting a month later that the defender was his first choice.

“Even now that Cody is part of the group again, Virgil is number one as a penalty taker.” – Ronald Koeman, speaking in November

Tactically, Koeman veered from a 4-3-3 to a wing-back system. We can likely expect to see the latter in the ‘tougher’ matches this summer, such as against France.

QUALIFICATION IN NUMBERS

• Most starts: Virgil van Dijk (8), Xavi Simons (7), Wout Weghorst, Denzel Dumfries, Nathan Ake (6)
• Most goals: Cody Gakpo, Calvin Stengs, Wout Weghorst (3), Nathan Ake (2)
• Most assists: Denzel Dumfries (8), Joey Veerman (2)
• Clean sheets: 5 from 8

UNDERLYING STATS

RECORD SINCE QUALIFYING

The March friendlies were basically the qualifying campaign in microcosm: a comfortable win over a lower-ranked nation but edged out when the competition got tougher.

Koeman went with the more attacking 4-3-3 against Scotland, switching to a wing-back system against Germany.

Depay returned from injury to start twice, although there was tinkering elsewhere with only three other players starting both games.

MOST RECENT INTERNATIONAL LINE-UPS

22/03/2024 – Scotland (h)

(4-3-3): Flekken; Frimpong (Dumfries 62), Geertruida, Van Dijk, Ake; Wieffer (Veerman 62), Wijnaldum (Koopmeiners 82), Reijnders; Simons (Malen 77), Depay (Weghorst 77), Gakpo (Blind 82). 

26/03/2024 – Germany (a)

(3-4-1-2): Verbuggen; de Ligt, van Dijk, Aké; Dumfries, Schouten (de Roon 75), Veerman (Wieffer 89), Blind (Simons 89); Reijnders (Q Timber 66); Malen (Gakpo 75), Depay (Weghorst 75).

UPCOMING FIXTURES

GROUP FIXTURES

• 16 June: Poland
• 21 June: France
• 25 June: Austria

HOW FAR WILL THEY GET?

“I expect the Netherlands to finish in the quarter-finals. As much as I hope they’ll win the whole thing, I think the Netherlands struggle to beat the larger and better European teams. I reckon that, come the quarter-final stage, the opposition teams will have too much quality.” – Jack Sousdi

STRENGTHS

“Transition play, both offensively and defensively, is definitely the strong point, no matter whether the formation is 5-3-2 or 4-3-3. 

“If a back five is played, the three centre-halves are very strong and difficult to get passed. Although some stats may say that the opposition has had a good amount of shots, these mostly come from long distance.

“When the best midfielders are available, especially Frenkie De Jong, possession play and control off the ball is one of the strong points of the team. Virgil van Dijk and Nathan Ake are also very strong ball-playing defenders, so the Netherlands can be in control of the game for the majority of matches and play out of pressure.

“Offensive corners are a key part of the Netherlands’ game, as there is a lot of aerial threat.” – Jack Sousdi

WEAKNESSES

“One weakness is definitely the mentality. This is not directly related to the game on the pitch but there can be quite a fair bit of pessimism from the players; a recent interview by the captain, Virgil van Dijk, didn’t sound very optimistic. Seeing out the game is something the team also struggles with.

“Set-pieces, both offensively and defensively, is something the team has to work on. I am saying this because the Netherlands have a lot of height in their team, a lot of threat and heading power in the air, and more goals should be scored. Corners offensively Netherlands are quite strong at but defensively this is not the case. Free-kicks, whether it’s close or long range – a lot of work needs to put in.

“Getting up and running in a game is something the team also struggles with. It seems like there is always a lack of focus at the start of matches, especially in bigger games and tournaments. Normally, the goals belatedly come in the second half.

“In the last 12 fixtures, there have been 26 goals scored and 16 goals conceded. A lot of the goals were conceded against France (six in two matches), while a big chunk of the goals scored came against Gibraltar (nine in two). What I am trying to say is that this team is unpredictable and on its day it can compete and smash opponents but like against France in the opening Euro 2024 qualifier, as soon as there’s a 1-0 deficit, the goals and chances can come flying. The mentality and the tactics from Koeman are sometimes to be questioned.” – Jack Sousdi

BEST EURO 2024 FANTASY PLAYERS: THE NETHERLANDS

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