Mart van Mourik13 Oct 2024, 19:28
Last updated: Oct 13, 2024, 7:59 PM
The Dutch national team is training extra for set pieces, Cody Gakpo said during the press conference the day before the meeting with Germany. The Dutch team has some difficulty getting results from dead moments and that can be improved, the staff also sees.
At the moment, for example, the corners are taken by Xavi Simons and Gakpo. The Dutch national team did not score once from the last 27 corner kicks. There is room for improvements, Gakpo also believes.
“We have set-piece meetings and practice on them,” emphasizes the attacker, who also suspects himself to be the new penalty taker for the Dutch team.
“Am I the man for the penalties? Well, I think so, yes,” Gakpo responds when asked. “Then I have to look at the trainer, but I think so, yes.”
Journalist Valentijn Driessen then asks Koeman whether that is actually the case. “He is one of the penalty takers,” says the national coach. “But on Monday we will announce who the taker is.”
The Dutch team will play against Germany in the fourth round of the Nations League on Monday evening, which has so far achieved seven points from three games. Koeman’s team is in second place with five points.
In the match against the Germans, Koeman will have to make do without Virgil van Dijk, who is suspended due to his two yellow cards against Hungary. His replacement appears to be Micky van de Ven.
