ROTTERDAM • Memphis Depay might be battling for both game time and goals at club level, but his headline performance for his country at the start of the Euro 2022 qualifiers on Thursday has won him the full backing of Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman.
"A wonderful player. You saw what he is capable of, even if he is playing less at his club," the Dutch coach said, after the Lyon striker scored twice and made the other two goals in a comfortable 4-0 Group C win over Belarus.
"Memphis is very important pillar for us and he showed that," added Koeman, making clear the 25-year-old would be a starter when the Dutch host Germany in their next qualifier tomorrow.
"The ideal is to have a settled starting line-up to be able to work with. You see that with (world champions) France, how infrequently they change their team."
For Depay, the night could have gone a little better even after setting up Liverpool duo Georginio Wijnaldum and Virgil van Dijk for the other two goals.
"If you score twice, you always want a third," he said of missing out on a hat-trick in Rotterdam.
12
Goals the Netherlands have scored in their last five games.
"But I'll save that for later," he added, with a wink to Dutch television station NOS.
Depay scored in the first minute as the visitors made an early defensive error to get the Dutch campaign off to a perfect start.
The Netherlands had missed out on the last European Championship in France and also last year's World Cup in Russia and are rebuilding under Koeman.
"It was a great start and, if you begin like that, it makes the rest of the evening easier," Depay added.
"We said that to each other before we went out that we wanted to push hard for a goal in the opening 10 minutes.
"But you've also got to have a little luck."
Depay has scored six Ligue 1 goals this season in comparison to 19 in the last campaign as his form has dipped in the French league.
He has also not played in the last two league matches.
"I don't think I need to say anything about that now," he said, when asked about his situation at his club.
"Here I am enjoying being home with my teammates and getting the confidence of the coach. We have a good squad and a good coaching staff.
"We've got to ensure we stick together as a team and that everyone buys into our ambitions."
Koeman's exciting young side are now top of Group C and level on three points with Northern Ireland, ahead of tomorrow's clash with Germany - whom they knocked out of the Nations League the last time they met in November.
The Dutch have been a revelation since Koeman took charge in the wake of their failure to qualify for the World Cup.
They beat both Germany and world champions France to win their Nations League group and set up a semi-final clash with England in June.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS
Football: Ikhsan Fandi the match-winner as Singapore Under-22s beat Thais 1-0 to capture Merlion Cup The Singapore U-22 team celebrating after they won the Merlion Cup, on June 9, 2019. ST PHOTO
Football: Ikhsan Fandi the match-winner as Singapore Under
Harry Kane was injured in the final moments of the defeat by Manchester United. Tottenham striker Harry Kane will be out until March after injuring ankle ligaments in Sunday's 1-0 Premier League
Spurs star Kane out until March with ankle injury
Match Of The Week: Home United's interim coach Noh Rahman is
Newcastle plunge 10-man Huddersfield closer to the drop
Model Marisa Papen Courts Controversy Again With Nude Photo Shoot In Turkey. At this point, we again knew, that this was a very real situation and if we would get caught, we would be very much
Ram Gopal Varma courts controversy again, says he will
'He's great to watch, but he's not God' - Pope sets fans straight on Messi FILE PHOTO: Pope Francis receives a Barcelona soccer jersey of player Lionel Messi during the weekly audience in Saint
He's great to watch, but he's not God: Pope sets fans
The Premier League has released a statement in which they state unanimous opposition to proposed changes to the structure of both the Champions League and Europa League. UEFA officials are said to
Premier League Clubs 'Strongly Opposed' to Proposed UEFA
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang shot to the top of the Premier League scoring charts with two goals. (Source: Reuters) Arsenal forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang shot to the top of the Premier League scoring charts with two goals in Saturday's 3-1 home win over struggling Burnley, returning his side to winning ways after two straight defeats.
Aubameyang brace gives Arsenal win over Burnley | The World Game
It's been said that, on average, 30% of a language is idiom and expressions. Dutch is actually 98.7%. Well maybe not that high, but be prepared for utter confusion when cows, monkeys, windmills and weather barge into your everyday casual conversations. Funny Dutch expressions. 1. (Nu komt de aap uit de mouw)
10 Dutch Words You Seriously Need to Know For Living in the
Crystal Palace piled further pressure on Leicester City manager Claude Puel on Saturday with a comprehensive 4-1 Premier League win over his team, who have now gone seven games without a victory.
Palace rout Leicester to step up pressure on Puel - Football
Football: Singapore national team caretaker coach Nazri Nasir proud despite loss Zulfahmi Arifin earned praise from caretaker coach Nazri Nasir for sending his free kick into the top corner for
Latest SINGAPORE FOOTBALL | The Straits Times
Premier League: Jorginho fires Chelsea as recalled Kepa Arrizabalaga shines Description: Eden Hazard was the catalyst with an incisive run into the Fulham area, the Belgian laying the ball back to the Jorginho, who guided a superb strike into the top corner from 18 yards.
Premier League: Jorginho fires Chelsea as recalled Kepa
0 comments:
Post a Comment