TFT Issue 533!
FreeHowdy guys and girls!
Featured game
Netherlands U21 vs Slovakia U21 – home win with -1.5 handicap at evens.
Today’s featured game is the UEFA European U21 Championship Qualifier between Netherlands and Slovakia.
I have had my doubts over the Dutch side this time around because frankly, it’s not a very good side, especially not by their high standards. Many associate the Dutch academies with a constant string of talented players but their current crop just isn’t as good as before, hence me opposing Netherlands U21 more often than I’ve sided with them this year. I mean, how can you side with a team that has Zeefuik as its best striker? It just doesn’t make sense.
Maybe the Dutch FA knew it, too – I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Wijndalum and Luuk de Jong have both been brought into the current squad precisely when they need them the most! Let’s face it; Wijndalum’s playmaking is far beyond this level now that PSV have moulded him into a cracking player and de Jong is maturing all the time, already bagging a number of goals at Borussia Moenchengladbach. Now, Netherlands U21 weren’t short of quality midfielders before whilst Clasie, Maher, and van Ginkel are in there but to add Wijndalum to pull the strings and a forward that can actually put the ball in the net has made them into a much stronger side, at least for the present. You could see that in the first leg of this play-off where Netherlands won 0-2 against a side that has done very well defensively in the current campaign. I personally didn’t think that they’d win that game but the impact of the afore-mentioned helped them stroll to victory and I expect more of the same today with the proviso that they’re clinical with their chances.
Generally speaking, Slovakia U21 are not a side to handicap because they’ll park the bus and wait for counter-attacks, which is precisely what their senior team does. Credit where it’s due – they both do it very well, too. However, Slovakia U21 are 0-2 down from the first leg so they’ve no option to attack the Dutch today, whether it’s from the very start or whether it’s after a period of sitting back and seeing what the Dutch have to offer. I won’t underestimate the Slovak side because they’re deceptively good at this level when it comes to frustrating sides due to their experienced back four. However, their tactics on the road rarely manage to succeed when taking on a superior side, hence 2-0 losses at France U21 and Romania U21 respectively in the group stage. Players like Gregus, captain Kiss, Lalkovic, Mak, and newcomer Orsula are all decent players but the Slovak side are terribly short of a natural finisher, primarily because the senior team steps in as soon as someone looks good enough to do the job. The continued absences of Vavrik and Simonek aren’t ideal with the above in mind and I can’t help but feel that this brave Slovakia U21 side are up for a beating tonight. The Dutch defence is far from strong but the Slovak attack is very predictable and they lose their defensive solidarity when they push on and attack, hence their predicament. For me, Galad’s side is out of their depth today against a superior Netherlands U21 side and I don’t that they have enough of a “Plan B” to handle what their opponents will throw at them today.
For me, this one should be one-way traffic as long as the Dutch don’t do anything stupid like dropping de Jong and Wijndalum. If the hosts are at full-strength then I fully expect them to clear the -1.5 handicap at evens.
Verdict: Netherlands U21 to beat the -1.5 handicap at evens.