Disappointed by the opening draw? Sure. After all, the but still missed out on the win they had hoped for to start their .
A bad mood in the camp? Not a chance. "The atmosphere is good and we'll keep playing with courage," coach Ronald Koeman stressed speaking to FIFA.
Commitment and desire, at least, are not something you could accuse his side of lacking. And on the whole, he was satisfied with the opening display, too. "I did feel we had the upper hand […] and that we did well for most of the game," he added.
It was still a tricky World Cup start for Oranje against an awkward opponent. Japan defended compactly, he said, and made life very difficult for his team in the final third. "In situations like that, you always have to make the right decisions and attack as a unit." That, he admitted, is something the team still needs to work on.
None of which rattles the Dutch boss. For the Elftal, everything in the group is still up for grabs. "The further you go in the tournament, the more important the wins become. That's what we have to work towards, that's how we have to play, and we have full confidence in that."
His focus has long since shifted forward anyway. The next demanding opponent already awaits in the shape of Sweden. The fact that the Scandinavians picked up plenty of confidence with a in their opener is unlikely to make the task any easier.
Koeman expects a similar picture to the Japan game: plenty of possession, opponents sitting deep and tight spaces in attack. "It'll be hard to create chances and space," said the 63-year-old. The key, he explained, is making the right decisions and having enough players in the opposition box at the right moments. Only then can you "create chances and put them away."
At the same time, he warned about the Scandinavians' strength in transition. "I think their biggest strength is the moment they win the ball in a defensive position and then break quickly." Sweden have fast forwards and dynamic full-backs who can pick up speed the instant they win possession, he noted. For the Netherlands, that means plenty of possession and control going forward, but also a clear focus on solid protection at the back.
One key man for the Dutch could once again be captain Virgil van Dijk and his incredible danger at set-pieces. The world-class centre-back is also something of an extension of Koeman on the pitch. "He's a player with a lot of experience and personality. In moments when something needs to be said or important decisions have to be made, he takes responsibility," the coach said of what his defensive leader means to the side.
Whatever the outcome against Sweden, the Oranje can rely on the support back home and they feel it on the other side of the Atlantic too: "Even though we're a small country, we're still a big footballing nation. And we're all proud of that."
"Everyone really gets invested during big tournaments. The support we get then is always enormous," said Koeman, who clearly values his country's fan culture. It was therefore understandable some Oranje faithful had hoped for a more efficient start to the group stage.
"Some changes were not positive and I’m responsible for that, so I accept the critics," he said. "We know that in the Netherlands there is always pressure. I have many years in football, when I played it was the same. We are 'small', but we want to win the World Cup, we have a strong team. After the draw against Japan, we need the three points tomorrow."
Sources: FIFA Official
