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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 06/10/2026

One player I really think could become key for Xavi's Oranje once he's fit is Jerdy Schouten. Xavi clearly wants to use Veerman against weaker sides, but it's obvious we need a more safe and stable number 6 for matches against top sides, and Schouten is perfect for that role.

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 05/10/2026

Koopmeiners added something with his set-pieces last night, but he really shouldn't be starting. Like Veerman, he lacks mobility & defensive awareness, but he's much less creative on the ball. Could've done better for the goal, & gave the ball away in a dangerous area late on.

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 04/10/2026

I'd say Xavi's first matches were about 50% good & 50% bad. Bad Plan As, but good repairs. Some good attacking, but bad defending. We had so many injuries & still sit top of the group undefeated, so it's a positive start to the era really, if Xavi can learn from it.

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 04/10/2026

We end the break with a win, but a disappointing one if we're being totally honest. Even before we went down to 10 men, we dropped back to protect our lead and let Serbia dominate the ball. Exactly the kind of football I really didn't want to see and didn't expect under Xavi.

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 04/10/2026

Serbia totally dominating and only a great Verbruggen save keeps us level. Honestly, we don't really deserve a win tonight.

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 04/10/2026

Van de Ven goes off injured, leaving us with 10 men for the last five minutes...

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 04/10/2026

We're looking so, so much better with three proper defenders and Dumfries getting forward from RB. Perhaps a case of overthinking from Xavi tonight, but a good lesson to learn.

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 04/10/2026

Zirzkee!! A really nice move ends with Dumfries sending the ball to the back post, Van Bommel getting it back across and the Man Utd man tapping in!

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 04/10/2026

Veerman plays a beautiful ball for Reijnders, who then fires wide. The Dortmund man is then taken off for Zechiel, with Van Bommel and Hato replacing Lang and Gravenberch.

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 04/10/2026

Serbia looking much more likely to take the lead than we are right now.

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 04/10/2026

Serbia miss a huge chance after breaking through our defence with ease. So poor.

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 04/10/2026

Zirzkee on for Meerdink, who seemed to have a minor hamstring issue or something of that sort.

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 04/10/2026

That was a really poor half. Lots of possession, but we didn't create many chances, and gave away quite a few. I understand we have a new coach and are trying a completely new system tonight, but things should still be much better than this.

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 04/10/2026

In all four of the matches under Xavi so far, the first half simply hasn't been good enough. His tweaks and changes have been great, but he hasn't delivered a single good Plan A yet.

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 04/10/2026

The problem is our setup tonight is that we have two defenders who simply aren't good at defending, and that was very much evident for that goal.

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 04/10/2026

1-1 out of nowhere. The long, long wait for a clean sheet goes on... As was the case against Greece, the goal comes from Dumfries side after he failed to track his man.

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 04/10/2026

1-0! Van Dijk celebrates a goal on his 100th appearance, but I'm sure he got a touch on Koopmeiners' free-kick 😂

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 04/10/2026

Our starting formation tonight, and how it changes when we have possession.

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 04/10/2026

So far, Koopmeiners is playing as the LCB out of possession, and then moving very high into midfield when we have the ball.

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 04/10/2026

How we line up tonight! Koopmeiners the standout choice. He may play as a CB next to Van Dijk, but I think given the LB becomes a LCB in possession and he's played that position for Juventus, that's more likely. Another possibility is Xavi playing a 343 diamond from the start.

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 02/10/2026

Really interesting analysis of the change Xavi made from a box midfield to a diamond midfield to turn things around against Greece, for those with VI PRO. vi.nl/pro/tactisch...

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 01/10/2026

Xavi: "I have to be honest, I think it was my mistake how I organised the team in the first half... "It's my mistake. I take the responsibility. It's clear that it was not the system we had to play."

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 01/10/2026

📸 The shape that we played in the last 15 minutes of the match Just three defenders, with one being an extremely attacking player, and a 3-4-3 diamond that Cruyff was renowned for. Say what you will about Xavi, but he's living up to his promise of bringing back the Dutch way 😅

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 01/10/2026

Zirkzee and Zechiel had some nice touches, but Lang was absolutely excellent when he came on today. His cross especially was lethal, creating so many chances and a goal.

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 01/10/2026

The way he quickly & bravely correct his errors was excellent, but Xavi clearly got his starting plan wrong today. He wanted to try something new & it didn't work at all. At this stage of the project, that's acceptable & even useful, as long as he learns from the mistakes.

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 01/10/2026

A game of two halves if ever there's been one. We lost a terrible first half 2-0, and won a great second half 2-0. All in all, a really good recovery and a hard-fought point.

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 01/10/2026

REIJNDERS!!! No VAR this time! 2-2!!

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 01/10/2026

We're really pushing now. Zechiel has come on for his debut and we're playing with just three defenders, with Veerman occasionally dropping back. Definitely deserve a point for this half.

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 01/10/2026

God I'm so tired of seeing us have goals disallowed this break 😂😭

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 01/10/2026

Equaliser disallowed for an offside I don't fully understand given the opponent touched the ball first... Still, keep playing like this and we'll get another.

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 01/10/2026

DUMFRIESSSS!!! What a second half!!

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 01/10/2026

VIRGILLLL!! Our captain heads in a corner from Veerman to give us a reward for our improved second half! Much better!

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 01/10/2026

This second half has been better. We're winning the ball back much quicker and keeping it in Greece's half. However, we really need to find a goal quickly if we want to avoid defeat here.

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 01/10/2026

Lang, Reijnders and Gravenberch come on for Van Bommel, Q. Timber and Til. Thank god Timber and Til are off. Fair to say that was an experiment that didn't work. Glad that Xavi has been that and acted immediately.

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 01/10/2026

Well, that was a really bad half. We just didn't know how to handle Greece's intense pressure, especially the back four. Dumfries, the Timbers and Til have had especially bad days.

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 01/10/2026

2-0 after an absolutely incredible through ball from Van Bommel. At the wrong end of the pitch. Genuinely an amazing assist 😂

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 01/10/2026

Obviously it's understandable that he's not at his best, but wow, you can really tell that Jurrien Timber has barely played over the last few months.

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 01/10/2026

Greece take a deserved lead after a really bad start from us. The goal came from our right, as did one they had disallowed for offside. Dumfries and Timber have looked really bad on that side.

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 01/10/2026

The big worry tonight is that, if Greece sit deep, Veerman and Summerville are the only players with the creativity to unlock a low block. Til and Q. Timber definitely don't have the passion and vision to do so, and Van Bommel is much better when he has pace to run into.

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 01/10/2026

I'm happy to see Til start tonight - we've missed a proper number 10 in our first matches under Xavi. I would have preferred Reijnders to stay in as a number 8 though, rather than drop out of the XI altogether. He can offer so much more there than as the most attacking midfielder.

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 01/10/2026

How we line up tonight! Really exciting lineup. A very young front three, and a new-look midfield, which I'm glad to see given that Gravenberch and Reijnders haven't been great.

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Reposted by Clockwork Oranje

Finley Crebolder @fincrebolder.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Was fun going on BBC 5 Live last night to chat Xavi and the Netherlands with @guillem-balague.bsky.social and @jameshorncastle.bsky.social 🍊🎙️ You can listen to our discussion at 31:30 here 👇👇 bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0…

bbc.co.uk

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 30/09/2026

Van Hecke has now also pulled out of the Oranje squad with an injury. That means that Jurrien Timber is very likely to start tomorrow.

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 28/09/2026

Gakpo has withdrawn from the Oranje squad due to his injury. Joining De Jong, Xavi Simons, Brobbey and Malen, he's the fifth key player Xavi is without for his first international break. To still come out of it with four strong results would be a really impressive start.

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 27/09/2026

Asides from two strong results, 5.93 xG from our first two matches under Xavi is so so good, especially considering we faced one top nation and one very defensive team away from home. There's work to be done defensively, but in attack, the early signs are incredibly positive.

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 27/09/2026

Great result! Flashscore's data-based player ratings - fair?

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 27/09/2026

Unable to watch the match today, how's it been? Standout players?

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 27/09/2026

How we line up tonight! Two changes from Xavi's first starting XI, with Veerman replacing Q. Timber and Meerdink coming in for the injured Brobbey.

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 26/09/2026

Been rewatching the Germany game, & that 2nd was some of the best football I've seen from us in a long time. So much braver & more aggressive than what we've gotten used to seeing. The numbers back it up: it was our highest xG vs a top nation since the 5-1 over Spain in 2014.

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Clockwork Oranje @clockworkoranje.com · 25/09/2026

Joshua Zirzkee has been called up to replace Brian Brobbey for the rest of the international break. A bit of a surprise given he's not doing well at Man Utd, but prefer seeing him to Weghorst and Memphis.

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