Tactically, the Netherlands drew 2-2 with Greece after being 2-0 down at the break. A deserved deficit, says NOS. I read that over my mug of coffee, and I recognised a dressing room.
At half-time, Xavi Hernández made three changes in one go: Ryan Gravenberch, Noa Lang and Tijjani Reijnders came on straight after the break. Three. Me, I keep two of my changes for going to pick up the kids, but the idea is there.
And above all, he apologised. “In the first half we were so, so bad. And I think that’s my fault as a coach,” he told NOS. He adds that he said exactly the same to the players in the dressing room: sorry, it’s my fault, forget the first half, we restructure everything in the second.
That, I do. Well, I tried it once, in the prefab, with my phone buzzing. I said “it’s my fault”. The club delegate wrote it down in his folder. Since then he brings it up at every committee meeting.
Then there’s the diamond. Xavi explains that in the second half the team played with a diamond in midfield, that it created more chances, that the pitch opened up and that there was more speed with the ball. I respect that. The 4-4-2 remains the only honest system, but a diamond is a 4-4-2 that’s put on a tie. A flat pitch away, mind you.
And Reijnders equalises shortly before the end. A half-time substitute who scores is every gaffer’s dream. With us, the one who comes on at half-time is usually the one who turned up late.
Two-nil down, coming back to 2-2, that’s historic. I’m weighing my words. Well, against Greece. Not bad.
Xavi says there’s a home game on Sunday, and it has to be won. I’ve got a game on Sunday too, at three. I’m already preparing my apologies, just in case.
It’s true, we checked: NOS.
