Maduro flags gaps in Van de Ven’s defensive work

Dutch assistant coach Hedwiges Maduro identified defensive lapses by defender Micky van de Ven during the Netherlands’ comprehensive victory over Sweden. Speaking on Studio Oranje, the official podcast of VoetbalPrimeur, Maduro praised Van de Ven’s overall performance but highlighted areas for improvement.

Maduro stated: “I don’t think Van de Ven plays badly, but he’s not playing exceptionally well either.” He specifically pointed to moments when Van de Ven failed to cover adequately, particularly during defensive transitions.

The Dutch side secured a wide margin of victory in the World Cup encounter, yet Maduro stressed that defensive errors had created unnecessary risks. He cited the match against Japan, where Van de Ven was deployed as a wing-back under pressure but did not provide sufficient defensive cover.

“He left gaps, especially in his covering runs,” Maduro explained. “That put us in difficult situations.” The assistant coach’s remarks suggest the Dutch defence remains a work in progress ahead of deeper tournament stages.

Van de Ven’s positioning and recovery runs were singled out as key concerns, with Maduro implying that greater discipline in defensive phases could prevent future vulnerabilities.

Maduro’s analysis comes after the Netherlands’ convincing win, which followed a tougher encounter against Japan where defensive organisation was tested.