At the World Cup in Qatar, the Netherlands had a serious problem finding a companion for Frenkie de Jong. But it was because, at that time, Tijjani Reijnders (Zwolle, Netherlands; 1998) had not yet made it to the national team. As soon as he debuted, he took the position. He has started seven of the ten games in which he has been available. An undisputed player to whom Koeman awarded a special role in the first day against Poland (1-2).
Koeman set up a special approach to debut in this Euro Cup with a hybrid system that changed depending on whether the team was defending or attacking. When they waited, they placed themselves in a 4-2-3-1 with Rejinders in the midfielderto. But when they were looking for the goal, Dumfries went on the wing, Xavi Simons went inside as a third midfielder and Reijnders shared the lead with Memphis. A 3-3-4 in which things were demanded of the Milan midfielder that he is not used to (or, at least, not to doing so continuously).
In this context, Reijnders took turns with Memphis. Sometimes it was the Milan player who went down a few meters to receive with his back turned, turn and look for the deep pass to the Atlético de Madrid player; and other times the roles were exchanged. The number 14 seemed more comfortable without being the one who had to define. In fact, he had one occasion where, with time and space for a left-footed shot or cutback, he decided to try the death pass and lost possession. A mission on the front very well reciprocated.
In the second half, the team changed. Or rather, from the 63rd minute, when Koeman removed Veerman and Xavi Simons from the field so that Wijnaldum and Malen could enter. This way, Reijnders retreated his position to the double pivot with Schouten and Wijnaldum appeared (or was the idea, because he barely intervened) as a playmaker. And there he did his job again, with some very valuable long passes.
Two very different positions and resolved in the same way: solidly, without frills or unnecessary risks. He gave 26 passes in the final third, a record number in the entire game. His success percentage in that very conflictive area was 88.5%, and rises to 91.1% if we refer to the entire field. A great game from a player who, without media noise, is a regular starter for both Milan and the Dutch national team. One of the covered ones of this Euro Cup.
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