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Since Frank de Boer and Jaap Stam retired from international duty in 2004, the Netherlands’ back line has been shaky at best and shambolic at worst – and that probably won’t change at Euro 2012. Gregory van der Wiel is a strong right back. Beside him, Johnny Heitinga is adequate. But the left side of the defence is a major liability. Joris Mathijsen has never been entirely up to scratch and is coming off a season of questionable form with Malaga. And with left back Erik Pieters out, the spot will be occupied by either Stijn Schaars, who is really a central midfielder, or Jetro Willems, who at 18-years-old will be the competition’s youngest player and didn’t make his national team debut until the May 22 friendly against Bayern Munich.
If anything is going to undo the Netherlands, it will be their defence, likely to be preyed upon by the high-octane attacks of Portugal and Germany in the group stage. Just imagine Willems and his six Europa League appearances and two caps having to hold off Cristiano Ronaldo for an afternoon.
More at .... http://espnfc.com/uk/en/news/1086719...-defence-.html
If anything is going to undo the Netherlands, it will be their defence, likely to be preyed upon by the high-octane attacks of Portugal and Germany in the group stage. Just imagine Willems and his six Europa League appearances and two caps having to hold off Cristiano Ronaldo for an afternoon.
More at .... http://espnfc.com/uk/en/news/1086719...-defence-.html