Feyenoord’s Challenge Ahead of Match against Go Ahead Eagles

After the defeat against VfB Stuttgart in the Europa League on Thursday, Robin van Persie will need to reassess his strategies. His team’s performance against the Germans was commendable, even with an improvised starting XI due to numerous absentees, leaving the Rotterdam coach with a dilemma. What lineup will Van Persie present on Sunday against Go Ahead Eagles?

Feyenoord‘s loss in Germany was particularly disheartening. Competing against VfB Stuttgart, currently ranked fourth in the Bundesliga, the Rotterdammers showcased a strong effort with a makeshift team. However, late goals led to a 2-0 defeat. Despite this setback, there were several positives to take away. Stuttgart’s technical director, Fabian Wohlgemuth, remarked, “Feyenoord was the best team we have faced in our stadium since Bayern Munich in the Supercup.” With ongoing personnel issues, can Van Persie build upon this foundation against Go Ahead Eagles?

The midfield situation is notably grim due to the absence of Sem Steijn, Oussama Targhalline, In-beom Hwang, and Jakub Moder. In the match against Stuttgart, Van Persie opted for a midfield consisting of Quinten Timber and Luciano Valente, with Cyle Larin stepping in as an emergency midfielder in place of Steijn. Remarkably, this arrangement functioned quite smoothly, as Larin served as a traditional target man, albeit not in the striker position.

Ayase Ueda was unable to find the net on Thursday, despite coming close with a well-placed header that narrowly missed the goal. Had that ball found the back of the net, Feyenoord would undoubtedly have had a different match. Nevertheless, Ueda will have another opportunity to score against Go Ahead Eagles, where he is expected to play in a central role.

Probable lineup for Feyenoord against Go Ahead Eagles:
Wellenreuther; Read, Ahmedhodzic, Watanabe, Smal; Timber, Valente, Larin; Hadj Moussa, Ueda, Sauer.