Two faces in Thessaloniki: Xavi must intervene immediately

The Dutch national team faced a dramatic contrast on Thursday evening in Greece: a dreadful first half with poor football, followed by a much better second half. Xavi saw his side in Thessaloniki with a 2‑2 draw, but a direct intervention was inevitable.

Bad first half

The first half started with a 1‑0 that was initially disallowed for offside. Shortly after, the Greek scored, after which Fotis Ioannidis doubled the lead midway through the half. In stoppage time of the first half the host even got a second goal, thanks to a simple cross from Ruben van Bommel, after which Giorgos Masouras made it 2‑0.

The Dutch national team needed more than three quarters of an hour to wake up. The slow start was characterised by few chances and a lack of cohesion. Only after the break did the improvement that Xavi was looking for arrive.

Substitutions and second half

Xavi introduced three fresh players: Ryan Gravenberch, Noa Lang and Tijjani Reijnders. Guus Til, Quinten Timber and Ruben van Bommel remained in the dressing room. The fresh blood gave Orange the opportunity to restructure the game.

Virgil van Dijk brought the score to 2‑1. Orange kept pressing and, despite several disallowed equalisers, found the 2‑2 in the final phase. Tijjani Reijnders received the ball and did not hesitate, a relief for the Al‑Qadsiah player who had not known his best months in Orange.

In a column for Analyse, Wim Kieft analysed the first half. He stated: “Suddenly during the first half the shortcomings of Orange resurfaced”. Kieft criticised, among others, Mexx Meerdink and Ruben van Bommel, who could not distinguish themselves in attack.

Kieft then turned his focus to the midfield. He said: “Xavi thought he could get the job done in Greece without Ryan Gravenberch and Tijjani Reijnders in midfield. Not so”. Regarding Quinten Timber he noted: “Timber has been more of a tough, willful player throughout his career than a game‑changer. He plays too undisciplined to be able to dictate the game.” About Guus Til he concluded that he is “good to have on the bench when something needs to be forced or when there is a lot of space so that he can make his runs.”

Kieft’s final assessment was painful for Til: “He falls short of a starting place. It is only a limited number that can already fit into Xavi’s ideas.” This evaluation underlines the need for a direct intervention that Xavi still has to make.