Relegated to the hierarchy with PSG, Mitchel Bakker, meanwhile, benefited from a long playing time with the Netherlands Espoirs team. And if the Parisian knew how to make three complete games, he did not shine especially with his selection.
From the Netherlands looking for himself
Big loser of the replacement of Thomas Tuchel by Mauricio Pochettino, the Parisian left-back Mitchel Bakker, however, continues to have the same status with the Dutch team, that of the undisputed starter on the left flank of the defense. Therefore, it is not surprising that he played all three matches in the first round of the Euro Espoirs that took place during this truce with the Netherlands, and all three as a starter. Therefore, the 20-year-old Parisian team is a large part of the team that qualified for the quarterfinals of the competition to be played on May 31, like the rest of the competition.
If they finished first in their group, the Netherlands did not really shine during this first phase: two painful draws against Romania (1-1) and Germany (1-1) and then a victory against weak Hungary (6-1) that allows Young orange to finish first in this group on goal difference. And Mitchel Bakker was like his teammates, so he wasn’t very convincing in the first two games and then better in the third. The Netherlands played their attacking and possession football in the first and final matches, and dropped it to Germany in the second game to play more defensively.
An average Bakker that ends well
For Bakker, therefore, it is necessary to read their collective performances from this angle. The Netherlands’ first game was generally quite mediocre and the full-back did not really shine against the Romanians. Some climbs, three centers in the area pushed back, a correct defensive work but not excellent so far and a very bland impression when it comes to taking stock. For the Parisian, however, it was a restart game after several weeks without playing.
Against Germany, Bakker was content with a very defensive role as his coach wanted, although it was the basis of the greatest opportunity in the first act of an aerial recovery chained by a pass to before. The left-back of PSG is going to stand out a quarter of an hour from the end when he picks up speed against a Berisha who turned to equalize. Problem, he’s involved in the tie stride where Burkardt makes the entire left side of the defense dance, so then Botman. In the end, a very neutral match, and a player who also seems physically short as evidenced by his limited number of runs.
Fortunately, and like their team, the Parisian team will end their international truce in a big way by crushing Hungary. More offensively present in a team that repeats its football, it is even at the base of the first chance of the game of a perfect center. He also intervenes on another occasion by leading the way to goal with a nice body feint before delivering an exploitable ball that drifts away. Defensively, he had also made sure but was out at half-time, replaced by a much better Malacia than him in the same match.
At the time of the evaluation, Bakker found for so much time and rhythm of play in the national team, which he needed urgently as evidenced by his first two games, but he did not sign a good performance during this Euro Hopes. While PSG could attract him very soon given the physical doubts surrounding Kurzawa, Diallo and Bernat, Bakker will at least be physically ready.
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