Occupying: Space, Bodies and Minds Part 2 – Understanding Donyell Malen
Image Credits: Eric Verhoeven By: Kees van Hemmen On Sunday I wrote about Wout Weghorst , and why he shouldn’t be replaced by Donyell Malen in the Dutch national team's first XI. Yesterday the Dutch beat North Macedonia, and Malen played quite well in Weghorst’s place. For completeness, I’ve decided to do some quick-ish hits on how Malen played, and what, if anything, it changes. Disclaimer: I’m only looking at clips up until Oranje switched to a 4-3-3. Here's Malen’s first major involvement: At the beginning: And in the middle (which is actually the end) To start this move, Donyell is high and makes a run wide of the two centrebacks to get in behind. This is where he’s most comfortable – many of his best moments in Eredivisie play were in transition. Notice he’s outside of the two defenders, not between them. This is a departure from Weghorst's positional tendencies. Donyell doesn't like to occupy defenders, he prefers to elude them. On to the next example: Where th