Netherlands national team manager Frank de Boer will be feeling a huge amount of pressure ahead of his side’s opening game of Euro 2020 against Ukraine on Sunday.
De Boer’s side go into this summer’s competition as one of the most under-performing big guns in Europe and will have to seriously improve their performances if they’re going to get back to any kind of consistent form.
However, before they can do that De Boer will have to work his way around a number of high-profile absentees from his squad.
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The Holland manager will undoubtedly turn to Maarten Stekelenburg to take up his usual spot between the sticks but the former Ajax head coach will have to get creative to fill the Virigl Van Dijk hole in the middle of his defence.
De Boer is likely to attempt that by going with a back three of Daley Blind, Stefan de Vrij and Jurrien Timber, with Owen Wijndal and Denzel Dumfries taking up their roles as left and right wing-back respectively.
The Netherlands were dealt another injury blow prior to the competition with an injury to Donny van de Beek, which means De Boer will likely use a midfield trio of Marten de Roon, Gini Wijnaldum and Frenkie de Jong.
In attack there’s no doubt that De Boer’s side have plenty of firepower and the Holland coach will likely look to Wout Weghorst and Memphis Depay to form an effective strike partnership that can pin teams like Ukraine back and keep them occupied in their own half.
Netherlands starting XI versus Ukraine
