Feyenoord’s Challenges Ahead of Go Ahead Eagles Match

After the Europa League defeat to VfB Stuttgart on Thursday, Robin van Persie faces a difficult task: rebuilding confidence and refining his strategy before Sunday’s Eredivisie clash with Go Ahead Eagles.

Despite a well-organized performance in Germany — and with several key players unavailable — Feyenoord’s 2–0 loss exposed both the team’s resilience and its limitations. The Rotterdammers defended well for much of the match but conceded two late goals, leaving Van Persie with crucial decisions to make.

Van Persie’s Tactical Dilemma

Feyenoord’s absences remain a major concern. Sem Steijn, Oussama Targhalline, In-beom Hwang, and Jakub Moder are all unavailable, leaving Van Persie short of options in midfield. Against Stuttgart, he deployed Quinten Timber and Luciano Valente in the center, while Cyle Larin was used as an unconventional midfielder.

Remarkably, the setup worked. Larin dropped deep to hold up play and link attacks, performing as a target man in midfield rather than his usual role up front. Stuttgart’s technical director Fabian Wohlgemuth even praised Feyenoord’s performance:

“Feyenoord was the best team we’ve faced in our stadium since Bayern Munich in the Supercup,” Wohlgemuth said.

Van Persie will hope to build on that foundation despite the continuing injury crisis.

Ueda to Lead the Line Again

Ayase Ueda, the Eredivisie’s leading scorer, will once again spearhead Feyenoord’s attack. He came close to scoring in Stuttgart, with a header that missed by only a couple of meters. Van Persie remains confident the Japanese striker can rediscover his clinical touch at De Kuip.

“If Ueda had scored, the match would have looked completely different,” one analyst remarked after the game.

Possible Lineup vs. Go Ahead Eagles

Feyenoord are expected to line up as follows:
Wellenreuther; Read, Ahmedhodzic, Watanabe, Smal; Timber, Valente, Larin; Hadj Moussa, Ueda, Sauer.

Van Persie’s ability to adapt his tactics under pressure will again be tested on Sunday. With injuries still limiting his choices, maintaining intensity and creativity will be key if Feyenoord are to stay in the Eredivisie title race.