Reasons England can overcome a resilient Netherlands team in the U21 Euros

On Wednesday night, the semi-finals of the UEFA U21 European Championship will unfold, featuring the defending champions England squaring off against the Netherlands, alongside Germany hosting France.

The staggered kick-off times will ensure that the teams in the latter match will know their potential opponents in the final before even stepping onto the pitch.

England U21s aim for improved performance against the Netherlands

Despite a rocky start to the tournament, Lee Carsley’s Young Lions turned heads with their standout performance against Spain in the quarter-finals.

Facing a robust La Rojita team that had better statistics overall—more shots (14 to 12), greater possession (57.4% to 42.6%), more passes (528 to 395), higher pass accuracy (89.2% to 84.1%), and additional dribbles (22 to 14)—England showcased a resilient and typically British style of play.

England recorded more tackles and interceptions than their opponents throughout the 90 minutes, demonstrating a solid defensive display.

Carsley seems to have instructed his young squad to slow the tempo whenever possible, effectively disrupting the Spanish players’ ability to control possession, especially in midfield.

Leveraging EPL experience is crucial

Players like Tino Livramento, Jarell Quansah, James McAtee, among others, have drawn on their Premier League experience to navigate each obstacle in the tournament thus far.

However, it’s worth noting that the squad faced challenges in earlier matches against Slovenia and particularly against Germany, who notably made 11 changes for that fixture after already qualifying.

Ultimately, all that Carsley’s squad managed to show for their efforts in that game was Alex Scott’s goal in the 76th minute. If it weren’t for Slovenia’s defeat to the Czech Republic, there’s a fair chance the Young Lions would be heading home already.

However, in tournament football, momentum is everything, and England’s U21s finally proved their worth by overcoming the pre-tournament favourites, Spain.

Defensive errors must be addressed

One persistent issue that has plagued Carsley’s team has been their tendency to concede goals. With 14 scored in their last six matches, they could have enjoyed a series of victories; however, the 11 goals conceded in the same period tells a different story.

In comparison, the Netherlands have scored 11 goals in their last six games while only conceding three.

This indicates a potential for both excitement and goals, but Michael Reiziger may adopt a more cautious strategy, particularly with key players such as Ruben van Bommel, Devyne Rensch, and Kenneth Taylor absent, aiming to frustrate the Young Lions instead.

They successfully executed this strategy against highly-rated Portugal, allowing only three shots on goal despite being a man down for over 70 minutes after Van Bommel was dismissed for two quick yellow cards.

Confidence in the squad

“I don’t believe it changes the game too much, they have a quality squad,” Carsley stated during his pre-match media briefing. “I’m very confident with the players we’ve got.”

The Netherlands demonstrated defensive resilience with a remarkable display that involved 18 interceptions and winning 10 of their 12 tackles, showing they can withstand pressure.

As the semi-final unfolds, England may have the luxury of a deeper bench to leverage if substitutions are needed, and expectations will be high for Carsley to exploit this depth during the critical moments of the match.

Tyler Morton will be unavailable after collecting his second yellow card of the tournament just 34 minutes into the game against Spain. Meanwhile, Jay Stansfield, who delivered an impressive attacking performance in that fixture, could be given the nod to start against the Netherlands.

England enter as favourites, but the Dutch hope for a repeat

While England will undoubtedly be viewed as favourites at kick-off, both teams possess the ability to achieve the necessary result to reach the final. Should the match go to penalties, it would mirror the epic 2007 semi-final, in which the Dutch triumphed in an astounding shoot-out 13-12.

It’s also important to note that the Young Lions have only lost three of their last 25 international encounters, and if they seize the initiative on Wednesday night, it may only be their complacency that allows the Dutch to re-enter the contest.

Having perhaps succumbed to that against Germany in the group stage, Carsley will undoubtedly be keen to prevent history from repeating itself.