Tag Archives: Arjen Robben

Is your team looking for some creativity? Here’s the boys they need this January.

January 5, 2019 Will Burns Leave a comment

With the January transfer window in full force, Steve Davies is on hand to guide you through some of the notable Dutch-based players and Dutchmen abroad who may soon be on the move.

The potential transfer receiving the most column inches ahead of the January transfer window involves Ajax’s Frenkie de Jong and while the club are well stocked in terms of replacements should either the 21-year-old Dutch international or Ajax’s Moroccan midfield maestro, Hakim Ziyech opt to make their move, with the club going strong on all fronts this term, Erik ten Hag will hope the major pieces of his Ajax puzzle remain in place until the summer.

However, one Ajax midfielder who does appear set for a temporary change of scenery is highly regarded 20-year-old, Danny de Wit with the Dutch U21 international in line for a loan move to another Eredivisie outfit to gain some much-needed top-flight experience ahead of playing a more prominent role in ten Hag’s plans next term.

In Eindhoven, having fallen out of favour with coach, Mark van Bommel, and with just seven appearances in all competitions to his name this term, the forgotten Bart Ramselaar could do with a switch, be it temporary or permanent.

Meanwhile, any hopes the reigning Eredivisie champions may have harboured of recapturing the influential Marco van Ginkel on loan once more have been dashed by the news the Chelsea midfielder will remain sidelined with a knee problem until next season.

However, there has been some encouraging news on the recruitment front for the Eredivisie pacesetters who, along with Groningen, are widely reported to have veteran Dutch international Arjen Robben in their sights. The 34-year-old’s current deal at Bayern Munich is set to expire in the summer and will not be renewed.

Over at Feyenoord, despite having a deal that runs until mid-2020, with just six appearances in all competitions this season, Peruvian international Renato Tapia appears to be the odd man out in Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s midfield equation and may look for pastures new in January.

Elsewhere, with fifteen goals and five assists in all competition already this term, the form of ADO Den Haag’s Abdenasser El Khayati is turning heads and despite his current deal in The Hague running until mid-2020, the 29-year-old may well find himself in demand in January.

Image result for arber zeneli — Cash-strapped Heerenveen will cash in on Zeneli this month

Another midfielder to have caught the eye over the course of the first half of the season in the Dutch top flight has been Heerenveen’s Kosovar international, Arbër Zeneli. With four goals and ten assists in just eighteen appearances in all competitions and a contract that is set to expire in the summer, expect the 23-year-old’s signature to be much sought after during this transfer window.

Finally, another player with a rapidly expiring contract that is worth keeping tabs on during the coming transfer window is Heracles’ 24-year-old Swedish international Kristoffer Peterson. With ten goals and two assists to his name in his nineteen appearances in all competitions this term, the Swede could well be on the move in January.

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TotalDutchFootball.com

DUTCHMEN ABROAD

Dutchmen in the Bundesliga

July 17, 2014 Will Burns Leave a comment

While they may be big rivals on the international stage, there is a history of Dutch players plying their trade in the German top division. There have been successful spells like Roy Makaay winning the double twice in a row with Bayern, and there have been less successful spells like Luuk de Jong’s 2 year spell with Mönchengladbach.

Last season there were eight Dutch players in the Bundesliga and as of the 17^th July 2014 there are now only seven with Ola John returning to Benfica. This is a review of the main Dutch players in the 2013/14 season. Some had a good season while some had a not so good season by Ryan O’Grady. Enjoy…

ARJEN ROBBEN (FC Bayern Munich)

What can you say about this ‘Flying Dutchman’? He came third in the Bundesliga Player’s Player of the Year Award. He notched 11 goals and five assists en-route to helping Bayern to win a second successive title in record time. The former Real Madrid winger also helped his side clinch the DFB Pokal by opening the scoring in extra time. He was unfortunate to miss out on the FIFA Club World Championship triumph with a deep cut on his right knee.

KLASS JAN HUNTELAAR (FC Schalke 04)

It was a mixed season for the ‘Hunter’ he missed five and a half months with yet another injury, but still managed to score 12 goals in only 18 games thanks to a much better second half of the season. If he can stay fit for most of next season he should be in with a shout of winning the top scorer award in what is now a team with some young stars and a bright future ahead of them.

RAFAEL VAN DER VAART (Hamburger SV)

A terrible season for van der Vaart. His team only narrowly avoided relegation after winning their relegation playoff. When his team needed their star man to deliver he failed to, being completely outshone by youngster Hakan Calhanoglu. He is lucky to be still be at the club and almost certainly would have have been forced out had the team been relegated.

PAUL VERHAEGH (FC Augsburg)

A brilliant season for the Dutch defender. He helped his team to a magnificent eighth place after narrowly avoiding relegation the season before. As a near permanent member of the defence he helped them to the fifth best defence in the league, better than some teams who finished above them, including Wolfsburg.

BAS DOST (VfL Wolfsburg)

A poor season for the big Dutchmen. A meager return of 4 goals from 13 games looks to have convinced the club hierarchy that it’s time for Dost to go. They’re have been recent reports linking him to Feyenoord where he can hopefully gain back some of the form that saw him score 32 goals in 34 games for Heerenveen.

ELJERO ELIA (Werder Bremen)

In a word disappointing. For a player that was voted Dutch Talent of the Year in 2009 and is now at the age of 27, it does not look like he will ever live up to the hype. Although this past season’s return of 4 goals was better than last season’s return of 0, it’s still a disappointing return for a very attacking winger.

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FEATURE, NEWS

Arjen Robben artwork from the genius @ChaoticColor

June 29, 2014 Will Burns Leave a comment

Take a look at this exclusive artwork from the great Mau Toscano from Chaotic Color. Get yourself along to his website and follow him on twitter for more of his amazing art.

Total Dutch Football would like to thank Mau for drawing this excellent portrait of Bayern Munich and Oranje star Arjen Robben.

FRIENDLY, KNVB, NETHERLANDS, ORANJE

In a 33 man squad, RVP & Huntelaar return for France clash

February 20, 2014 Will Burns Leave a comment

Oranje coach Louis van Gaal has named a huge 33-man provisional squad for the Netherlands’ friendly match with France on March 5th in Paris. The friendly with France is the first of four warm-up games for the Dutch ahead of this summer’s World Cup in Brazil.

Dutch captain Robin van Persie returns after having missed his country’s last two friendlies through injury.

Also recalled is Schalke striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who has only recently made his comeback after a knee injury. The 30-year-old striker had spent five months on the sidelines but has scored two goals in four league appearances for the Bundesliga side since returning to action after the winter break.

Van Gaal has also announced six players to his squad who could win their first cap including dangerous winger Jean-Paul Boëtius, who has been in great form over the past few months for Feyenoord and could receive his first cap in Paris. Other possible debutants in the squad include PSV pair Karim Rekik and goalkeeper Jeroen Zoet, FC Twente’s Quincy Promes, Vitesse’s Davy Pröpper and Ajax’s Davy Klaassen.

SQUAD

GOALKEEPERS: Jasper CILLESSEN (Ajax), Tim KRUL (Newcastle United), Maarten STEKELENBURG (Fulham), Kenneth VERMEER (Ajax), Michel VORM (Swansea City), Jeroen ZOET (PSV).

DEFENDERS: Daley BLIND (Ajax), Jeffrey BRUMA (PSV), Stefan DE VRIJ (Feyenoord), Bruno MARTINS INDI (Feyenoord), Daryl JANMAAT (Feyenoord), Karim REKIK (PSV), Gregory VAN DER WIEL (Paris Saint-Germain), Joel VELTMAN (Ajax), Paul VERHAEGH (FC Augsburg), Ron VLAAR (Aston Villa).

MIDFIELDERS: Jordy CLASIE (Feyenoord), Nigel DE JONG (AC Milan), Siem DE JONG (Ajax), Leroy FER (Norwich City), Davy KLAASSEN (Ajax), Davy PROPPER (Vitesse), Stijn SCHAARS (PSV), Wesley SNEIJDER (Galatasaray), Kevin STROOTMAN (AS Roma).

FORWARDS: Jean-Paul BOETIUS (Feyenoord), Memphis DEPAY (PSV), Klaas-Jan HUNTELAAR (Schalke), Dirk KUYT (Fenerbahçe), Luciano NARSINGH (PSV), Quincy PROMES (FC Twente), Arjen ROBBEN (Bayern Munich), Robin VAN PERSIE (Manchester United).

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FRIENDLY, NETHERLANDS, ORANJE

FRIENDLY: Dutch struggle to defeat Indonesia

June 7, 2013 Will Burns Leave a comment

INDONESIA 0

NETHERLANDS 3 (de Jong 57, 67, Robben 90)

The Oranje began their tour of Asia with a 3-0 win over Indonesia in a packed stadium in Jakarta.

It was a lethargic start for Louis van Gaal’s side whom picked their game up in the second half to earn a 3-0 victory with Siem de Jong bagging two of the goals.

The Dutch almost got off to a perfect start in their first attack but Wesley Sneijder was deemed offside after finding the net.

Having survived that initial scare, the hard-working Indonesia settled in nicely. They kept the dangerous Dutch attack out from creating opportunities. The hosts’ goalkeeper Kurnia Meiga, kept Holland at bay with every first-half chance that was generated got handled with relative ease.

Jeremain Lens suffered an early injury and was replaced

The Dutch were hampered with the injury of PSV’s Jeremain Lens. The wide striker picked up a knock and was replaced by Arjen Robben after just 14 minutes. He is a doubt for the next friendly against China.

Van Gaal modified the team at half-time which included the exit of Van Persie, which seemed to spark the favourites and in turn, his team finally grabbed the lead just before the hour.

In the 57th minute a De Jong header from the goal after some excellent work from Feyenoord’s Ruben Schaken. The winger did well to track down a loose ball and delivered a pinpoint cross, which de Jong directed back across goal and Meiga was unable to stop it. This was the Ajax man’s first international goal for Oranje.

De Jong grabbed his second goal ten minutes later finishing a lovely move by the Dutch. The impressive Robben sent it a curling cross and Schaken flicked onto De Jong to head home again.

Robben added a third in the final minute before injury time to make the scoreline look a lot like the display that was except from the Netherlands. That being said, apart from the Lens injury, the Oranje will be happy to take their victory onto China for the next leg of the Asian tour.

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