‘Reiziger Lauds England’s Midfield as They Fall Short in Semi-Final’

Michael Reiziger, the manager of the Netherlands, acknowledged that England’s midfield posed considerable challenges for his team during the Under-21 European Championships semi-final held in Bratislava.

England progressed to the final by defeating the Netherlands with a scoreline of 2-1, with standout performances from Harvey Elliott, who netted both goals.

However, Reiziger was quick to commend the overall mobility of England’s midfield rather than singling out the Liverpool prodigy, expressing his admiration for the play in the centre of the park.

“We lost this match primarily because we couldn’t establish our rhythm. Their midfielders frequently changed positions, which obstructed our ability to press and win back possession,” Reiziger stated to the media in Bratislava.

“We struggled significantly during the first half, although we managed to improve in the second half. We had more of the ball and began to dictate play, yet it wasn’t sufficient.”

He further attributed this struggle to the Dutch forwards’ inability to exert pressure on the English defence. “We weren’t caught off guard by their midfield; our forwards couldn’t press effectively in the final third, enabling the midfield to interchange positions freely. We aimed to rectify this in the second half, yet it remained a challenge.

“England boasts exceptional players; you need to apply pressure to disrupt them, but it becomes increasingly difficult when they’re allowed to dominate possession.”

Challenges at Right-Back

Reiziger, a former Champions League winner with Ajax, was forced to make three substitutions in his squad due to the suspensions of captain Devyne Rensch, Kenneth Taylor, and Ruben van Bommel. Neraysho Kasanwirjo from Rangers took up the right-back position but struggled to contain Omari Hutchinson, who exploited Kasanwirjo’s weaknesses throughout the first half.

This led Reiziger to bring off Kasanwirjo at the break and introduce Wouter Goes, a central defender, for his debut minutes of the tournament at right-back. “I felt we weren’t solid enough in that area,” Reiziger noted.

“We faced difficulties in the opening 15 minutes, so I opted for someone like Wouter (Goes), who may not be a natural right-back, but understands how to handle a left winger.”

Both of England’s goals stemmed from errors by the Dutch side, with Antoni Milambo losing a crucial duel leading to the opening goal and the Dutch midfield and defence failing to apply pressure on Harvey Elliott prior to England’s second goal in the 86th minute.

“Our inability to win duels in those critical moments has been telling. If you can’t win your duel, you must prevent them from advancing. We made the same mistake leading up to the second goal. It’s these small details that cost us the match. It all starts with the duel, followed by poor decisions that allowed him (Elliott) to strike.”

‘We Didn’t Fail; We Fought’

Before the tournament, Reiziger stated that the target was to secure victory for the Netherlands, aiming for their first European Championship win since 2007. Despite the semi-final exit, he did not view it as an utter failure.

“Regarding failure, we ultimately did not achieve our objective of winning the tournament,” Reiziger reflected. “However, we didn’t fail; we fought, and we can hold our heads high. In that sense, we did not fall short.”

He noted that the players were understandably disheartened after the defeat yet reminded them of the significant journey they undertook, beginning in 2023 with a perfect qualifying campaign. “We entered the competition with lofty expectations, had a rocky start, but rebounded well. Our efforts led to an impressive tournament run; they should take pride in that. We fought hard for what we earned, but sadly, it has come to an end after two years.”

Reiziger hopes the legacy of this team will be remembered for their collective spirit: “I want people to remember this group for the unity we demonstrated and the commitment we showed for each other.”

“Players from various clubs came together to form a tight-knit collective. I hope that is what people remember about this team.”