Dutch Team Report Card After Friendly Against Norway: Ronald Koeman's Experiment Fails Completely

In the first half of the Netherlands-Norway match, the Dutch national team's performance was underwhelming. Norway's goal was poorly defended by Teun Koopmeiners and Denzel Dumfries, allowing Schjelderup to shoot with surprising ease. This was largely attributable to the slow pace of the game, which, as is often the case in exhibition matches, was very low. However, that should never be an excuse. If the Dutch team aims to achieve anything at the World Cup, they should be able to comfortably defeat a team like Norway. 

Kees Smit made his debut in this sluggish first half and delivered a solid performance in Frenkie de Jong's position. He didn't do anything spectacular but lacked a bit in physical duels. All in all, he had a decent debut, earning a respectable rating. Dumfries, who made a blunder leading to Norway's goal in the first half, recovered well in the second half, creating several dangerous opportunities with his crosses. 

However, the standout player of the day was Tijjani Reijnders. The Manchester City midfielder took control of the Dutch team in the second half, scoring a goal in the 51st minute. But that wasn't all: he was the catalyst for the increased tempo and, with some simple combinations, created dangerous situations in front of the Norwegian goal.

It was the Dutch team's own fault that they couldn't maintain their tempo, allowing the Norwegians to push them back. Reijnders was substituted in the 70th minute, and with his departure, the quick combinations also ceased. The pairing of Reijnders and Gravenberch is a strong duo. 

In this friendly, the players can be criticized for not playing at full intensity, which prevented it from becoming a true test. However, Koeman can be held accountable for his experiment with Teun Koopmeiners on the right flank. The Juventus midfielder was instrumental with a well-placed corner onto Van Dijk's head but achieved nothing on the right wing. It's understandable that Koeman experiments on the right wing, where options are thin. But Koopmeiners' deployment there was a complete failure.

Koopmeiners wasn't a true winger but was given a 'free role.' This didn't work out well for him. He looked lost and was rarely put in a position to utilize his strengths. His passing and striking ability were seldom showcased in that wide position. That project was a colossal failure; Koeman should not repeat it. 

Bart Verbruggen - 6
Denzel Dumfries - 6
Jan Paul van Hecke - 6
Virgil van Dijk - 7
Micky van de Ven - 6.5
Kees Smit - 6
Tijjani Reijnders - 7.5
Ryan Gravenberch - 6
Teun Koopmeiners - 5.5
Donyell Malen - 6.5
Cody Gakpo - 7
Xavi Simons - (not enough minutes played)
Quinten Timber - (not enough minutes played)
Brian Brobbey - (not enough minutes played)
Wout Weghorst - (not enough minutes played)
Jerdy Schouten - (not enough minutes played)
Stefan de Vrij - (not enough minutes played)

Ronald Koeman - 5