Netherlands - Serbia: Paunovic Announces Lineup Changes
Coach Veljko Paunovic promises new faces in the lineup and a better performance, while Filip Kostic says the national team can expect a full stadium in Eindhoven.
On his first day at PSV, Filip Kostic was asked about Mateja Kezman and Danko Lazovic, two Serbs who left their mark on the Eindhoven club. Kostic told that story a day before the match, and today he returns to the pitch in the same city, at Philips Stadium, with Serbia against the Netherlands.
Netherlands - Serbia kicks off tonight at 8:45 PM, in the fourth round of Nations League Group A2.
- Kickoff: Sunday, October 4, 8:45 PM
- Venue: Philips Stadium, Eindhoven
- Broadcast: Arena Premium 1 and RTS 2
Serbia go into this match without a single point. They lost to Greece and to the Netherlands at Red Star’s stadium in Belgrade, and to Germany in Munich, where, as we reported, they did not have a single shot on goal. This is also the national team’s last match of the current camp.
What has Paunovic announced for the lineup?
Coach Veljko Paunovic said at the pre-match press conference that there will be changes in the lineup and that new players will get a chance. He also spoke about it while explaining how he sees tonight’s match:
“Given the format of the Nations League, we are looking at this match as a new opportunity, a chance to change the impression so far, results included of course. We have come refreshed, and this will be a chance for new guys too, an extra motivation for them.”
Paunovic admitted the results are not coming, but said the way out lies in the team’s reaction:
“So far we have not achieved what we wanted in terms of results. But the way to make everything better is to wake up a reaction in yourself, to believe in yourself, in your teammates, your captain, your goalkeeper. At the last training session we talked about internal matters, had a bit of a laugh, but we worked well and prepared for the match. So far we have not been offensive enough, we have not been ‘cheerful’ enough, because that is what football demands from you if you want a result.”
For attacking play, the coach also pointed to a concrete example from Munich: “Against Germany we were not dangerous, and not ‘cheerful’ either, football has to be played with joy.” From the Dutch he expects an attempt to score from set pieces: “I expect them to try with set pieces, which do not demand a lot of energy.”
What does Paunovic say about the numbers from the first match?
Paunovic does not remember the first meeting with the Netherlands in Belgrade as a bad one. In his view the numbers are taken out of context, and the example he gave concerns shots: “Statistically, everything is taken out of context. Against the Netherlands 8 shots were blocked, and most of the others ended up far from the goal.”
The coach uses those numbers to defend the performance against the Netherlands, but not everything. He assesses the attack in Munich openly: “The offensive output against Germany was dramatically bad, the Netherlands gave a different picture.” He then gives an example of how much numbers can hide the outcome: “Just so you know: the Greeks beat the Germans, even though the ratio was 20-80.”
Kostic also spoke at the press conference alongside the coach. He has lived in Eindhoven since the start of this season and plays for PSV.
How does Kostic see Eindhoven?
Kostic feels at home in Eindhoven, and he has already passed that on to his teammates. He expects a good atmosphere from tonight’s match:
“The atmosphere here is always nice, I told my national team teammates that, we can expect a good atmosphere, the stadium will surely be full.”
He also described how he was welcomed at the club, when he was asked about the two former internationals: “On the first day I came to PSV they asked me about Mateja Kezman and Danko Lazovic. It was nice to hear so much praise for them, they opened the door for all of us. It is up to me to make an effort and keep up the good name.”
He had advice for young players from Serbia: “The Netherlands is the best school and an excellent springboard for all young players.”
After three defeats and zero points, Serbia have one chance left tonight in this Nations League window to change the impression of themselves, and Paunovic said that after everything he has a “much clearer idea of what I can expect and what we can see in the future”. The first answer arrives at 8:45 PM, when the referee signals the start.
