It was a rather amusing sight as Ronald Koeman and Ryan Gravenberch arrived at the press center next to Arrowhead Stadium. The national coach and the midfielder were chauffeured right up to the press room in a golf cart. Once they had taken their seats on the podium, the press conference began, and Koeman was immediately pressed on the potential lineup and plans for the match against Tunisia.
The plan and objective are clear: win. That's all that matters to Koeman, though he's wary of underestimation. Tunisia has had a dismal World Cup so far. After a 5-1 defeat to Sweden, their national coach was sacked, and under his successor, they also faltered against Japan, losing 4-0. Nevertheless, Koeman remains cautious. "With the results and the staff changes, you can expect a reaction from the players," the national coach stated. "So, we need to be prepared for that."
Growing into the Tournament
The national coach is clear about his approach. Regarding the corresponding lineup, he offered a hint without naming names. When asked if he was considering changes, Koeman seemed to immediately temper that idea. "As a team, you want to work on consistency and grow into the tournament. It doesn't make much sense to constantly shake things up." With that, the national coach hinted at a starting lineup that would largely be the same as against Sweden.
Brobbey as Main Striker
This would mean Brian Brobbey could once again expect a starting spot. Koeman surprisingly opted for the Sunderland striker against Sweden, and that choice paid off handsomely. With two goals in just over fifteen minutes, Brobbey gave the Oranje a dream start. "Of course, you look at what suits each opponent. But I also don't believe in constantly changing things. If you have a striker who is in form, you can just keep him in," the national coach said.
The biggest question mark appears to be the right flank. While Donyell Malen started against Sweden, Crysencio Summerville made a strong impression again after coming on as a substitute. The winger scored, was involved in multiple goals, and created a lot of danger. It later emerged that he didn't start against Sweden due to minor complaints. Now that those have been resolved, Summerville seems to have the best chance of starting against Tunisia.
Probable Oranje Lineup
Verbruggen; Dumfries, Van Hecke, Van Dijk, Van de Ven; De Jong, Gravenberch, Reijnders; Summerville, Brobbey, Gakpo
Tunisia - Netherlands
The Netherlands will conclude the World Cup group stage on Thursday at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City with a match against Tunisia. Kick-off is at 6:00 PM local time, which translates to 1:00 AM Dutch time in the night from Thursday to Friday. If the Oranje finish as group winners, a trip to Mexico awaits in the Round of 32. In Monterrey, the Netherlands would then play in the night from Monday to Tuesday at 3:00 AM Dutch time.
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