Koeman criticized the squad after the defeat against Algeria

Ronald Koeman was unhappy after the friendly loss to Algeria. The coach of the Dutch team criticized the players who came on as substitutes and commented on the battle for the striker position. Koeman suffered his first defeat since October 14, 2024 (lost 0-1 to Germany in the Nations League).
"This is really a wake-up call. Of course there were good things, but as the game progressed, things got worse. I don't want to blame the substitutes, but we played more loosely and created fewer chances than in the first half," Koeman told NOS.
"You can't decide the match in the first 20 minutes. We could have easily scored two goals. When you don't, you start fighting with yourself. Algeria showed that there are no easy friendlies. Teams like this play with heart, which is great. I hope we can use this in a positive way, because we have an obligation to win matches like this, especially at home."
Coach Koeman felt his players lacked strength in the second half. "I hate losing. If you have four or five big chances, you have to score at least one or two goals. When that doesn't happen, it shouldn't be a problem. In the second half, we played harder and sometimes lacked decisiveness. In my opinion, we were a little too meek."
Is Koeman surprised at the difference between the first team and the reserve players? "There could be a difference. But besides that, Memphis Depay and Justin Kluivert need games like this to return to good form and be fully fit. We have also been out of position. Jorrel Hato has moved forward, while our left-back needs to play lower. You also need to use your brain."
Malen had a chance to show off his ability as a center forward but missed a number of opportunities. "He definitely has to score and normally he does. He always has a high performance in the Dutch team. But at the club he is the only one in attack, so he has more chances to score. Normally, today he would score at least one goal."
Although there is a national debate raging about who should be the main striker between Malen and Memphis, Koeman is not too concerned. "It's reasonable and I think it's normal. We have ten or eleven days to see who is best suited to face Japan. Memphis is at a bit of a disadvantage right now. He hasn't played much recently."
If Malen is chosen, the Summerville rookie can benefit from playing in the right wing midfielder position. "He was dangerous, but also a bit awkward at times. But for his debut, he played quite well. He showed why he is here. It can only get better," Koeman said cautiously.