Former international hopes for a chance to compete in Malen: “A perfect opportunity”

For the Netherlands national team, Friday night there is everything to play for against Tunisia, who have already been eliminated. At 1 a.m. Dutch time, the Netherlands kick off in Kansas City against the North African country, and with a victory the chance is very much there that Oranje will win Group F.

The big question for the Tunisians will be which striker head coach Ronald Koeman will select. In the match against Sweden, Brian Brobbey scored two goals, while Donyell Malen against both Japan (2-2) and Sweden (5-1) failed to find the net.

Against Sweden, Malen played as a right winger and the former PSV striker was replaced during halftime by Crysencio Summerville, whose substitute appearance was rewarded with a goal. This means it seems there is a good chance that Summerville will be preferred over Malen against Tunisia.

Former Oranje international and current analyst Ronald de Boer still hopes that Koeman will continue to place his trust in the former PSV player. ''The Netherlands are already through, so in that respect the biggest pressure is off. Then I think: how can we get Malen scoring? With him I have the feeling that when that one ball goes in, more will follow. The match against Tunisia is an ideal opportunity for him to gain that confidence. For him it really is a confidence matter, because he can score. Put him up front against Tunisia and give Brobbey rest, because Brobbey is quite fragile. From the knockout phase I would, however, start with Brobbey,'' De Boer tells Voetbal International.

Winston Bogarde and Theo Janssen hope that Koeman will continue to keep Brobbey in the striker position. '''With Brobbey in the striker position, you create many more chances, because the other forwards and also the midfielders can join in. Donyell Malen is also dangerous; with his mobility he creates space for himself and for others. But in the end it comes down to scoring goals. Malen didn’t do that and Brobbey did. For Malen, it’s an annoying situation. Brobbey has taken his opportunity as a striker, and on the right Crysencio Summerville has proved himself. I mean, what does Summerville still have to do to be in the starting lineup again soon?'', said Bogarde.

''He has proven against Sweden that at this moment he is the best striker. He scored two goals, played strongly, and physically he is in good shape. Then you can see what kind of machine he is. A striker who is almost unstoppable. Moreover, with Brobbey up front the team can really keep pushing forward. The Premier League has really done something for him. There he has become fitter and stronger. At Ajax, at times we’ve seen how much energy and power he can bring. But those were often just moments'', concludes Janssen.