Netherlands defender Van de Ven expecting intense battle against ‘defensive’ England

Netherlands defender Micky van de Ven is expecting a reliable conflict against an England squad he says “play defensively” successful Wednesday’s Euro 2024 semi-final.

Van de Ven had an outstanding first twelvemonth astatine Tottenham pursuing his move from Wolfsburg – becoming a cardinal portion of Ange Postecoglou’s first-choice XI and forming a beardown cardinal protect business pinch Cristian Romero.

That has not earned him a starting spot pinch nan Netherlands, though, pinch Van de Ven having to settee for a regular spot among nan substitutes.

The 23-year-old will astir apt beryllium connected nan chair again for nan crippled pinch England successful Dortmund arsenic nan Dutch return connected a squad that has drawn wide disapproval for their performances successful Germany.

Van de Ven told a news convention this morning: “If you spot nan value of nan players from some teams, I deliberation you tin expect that nan level and nan hit of nan crippled will beryllium really high.

“Hopefully, it’s america that will person much of nan shot than England truthful that it is England who do nan running, but I expect a precocious strength game.

“We understand they person taken a batch of flak from nan English media but they are successful nan semi-finals. That says each it needs to astir nan English team. I deliberation they play defensively but we will spell and analyse them decently tonight, but what I tin opportunity is they person a batch of quality.”

Celebrating captain’s day connected #EURO2024! 🧡🎉#NothingLikeOranje | @VirgilvDijk pic.twitter.com/a5cmuKh4Hq

— OnsOranje (@OnsOranje) July 8, 2024

Gakpo thriving successful a wide-left role

Van de Ven was joined successful beforehand of nan media by Cody Gakpo, nan Liverpool guardant who has scored a associated tournament-best 3 goals truthful far.

Gakpo played mostly down nan mediate for Liverpool past play but, nether Ronald Koeman, has been operating connected nan near broadside of a beforehand 3 and thrived.

He said: “I was a near helping earlier [moving to Liverpool] and that’s ever been my penchant but complete nan past 1 and a half years, nan coach needed maine to play location other and I tried to do my champion astatine it.

“I learnt a batch from nan head [Jurgen Klopp] and that progressed maine a batch arsenic a personification and arsenic a player. I’m very happy pinch nan move I made.”