Two teams were dominating in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie and were looking to be promoted at the end of the 19/20 season. One of them was second placed De Graafschap, who played number five Go Ahead Eagles.
De Graafschap came to Go Ahead Eagles for one thing and that was winning with attacking football. Their attacking 4-2-3-1 worked brilliantly in the first half with a goal from experienced Ralf Seuntjens and Branco van den Boomen early in the second half. Defensively they were solid with a disciplined double pivot until the last few minutes. They lacked concentration and conceded a goal, but the win was never in danger.
Ratings
- A1 – Very good, could play higher
- A2 – Strong potential to play higher
- B1 – Good, strong player at level
- B2 – Potential to be strong player at level
- C – Average for the level, rewatch
- D – Below average in this match
Roland Baas
Player profile:
- Nationality: Dutch
- Age: 24
- Date of birth: 02/03/1996
- Current Club: De Graafschap
- Career: FC Groningen (Y), Heracles Almelo, Go Aead Eagles
- Position: Left Back
- Preferred foot: Left
Roland Baas played as the left-back in the four-man midfield De Graafschap employed. The left-footed defender is not very tall with his 1,78 meters but compensates that with strength in the duels, in which he does very well. Also in the 1v1’s he is strong and focuses on the ball rather than solely on the opponent and doesn’t dive into tackles, but makes sure the attacking player of the opponent is forced to pass the ball to someone else.
He is very confident on the ball and his decision making is key in his attacking contribution. He is a good passer of the ball which makes him an asset going forward, but also in the build-up from the back. Although his passing abilities are decent, his technique isn’t. His first touch is weak and he is lacking in concentration in the defensive phase of the play, which leads to errors at the back.
Rating: B1
Baas is a very decent defender and his attacking contribution is above average, but his defensive qualities are basic. His lack of concentration makes me believe he is not (yet) ready for a step higher like the Eredivisie or the Belgian Jupiler Pro League.
Jasper van Heertum
Player profile:
- Nationality: Dutch
- Age: 22
- Date of birth: 10/11/1997
- Current Club: De Graafschap
- Career: PSV Eindhoven (Y), Lommel SK, Telstar SC
- Position: Centre Back
- Preferred foot: Right
Jasper van Heertum is a central defender in the 4-2-3-1 system of De Graafschap and a few things could be seen immediately. He is strong in both the 1v1 as in the aerial duels. He is a force to be reckoned with set pieces at both ends of the pitch. In attacking set pieces he doesn’t deliver as he could, but he always poses a threat for the opponent.
His defensive positioning is good, as he knows where to intercept the ball and where to go for a tackle. He is calm with the ball and makes the right decision by passing the ball to his full-backs instead of playing the ball long with the risk of losing possession. The latter is not his strongest point, just like his crossing.
The mental side of his game is not one of his best qualities, as he gets easily disappointed with himself and his teammates. He’s not determined after this disappointment and does become sloppy in both his defensive and attacking duties. Although his vision is decent, when the organisation in his side is gone, he slightly panics on his decision making.
Rating: B1
Van Heertum has shown that he plays well at this level, but it seems like this is also his full potential. He struggles against another top-5 side at times and for me he will not be able to reach the Eredivisie.
Leeroy Owusu
Player profile:
- Nationality: Dutch/Ghanian
- Age: 23
- Date of birth: 13/08/1996
- Current Club: Willem II
- Career: Ajax (Y), Jong Ajax, Almere City (L), Jong Ajax, De Graafschap
- Position: Right Back
- Secondary position: Left Back
- Preferred foot: Right
Leeroy Owusu played for De Graafschap in the 2019/2020 season, but has now been signed by Eredivisie club Willem II. Owusu is a very modern, versatile and attacking-minded right full back in the four-man defence De Graafschap employed. He is technically gifted and has a lot of pace. These qualities are often used when he makes runs forward down the line, or cuts inside and tries to find attacking midfielders.
He is an agile defender who is very good in the 1v1, but also knows how to position himself to cut off passing lines of the opponent. Another quality of Owusu is his aggressive way of defending and pressing, he is very eager to regain possession of the ball and construct an attack from the place he recaptures the ball.
He is lacking in his strength and compensates that with defensive awareness. His percentage of won aerial duels is low and in the air he is often beaten by his opponent, which could be a problem against better opponents. His vision on the game is very good, but he lacks the ability to lead his defence and that offers communication problems in transition phases from attack to defence.
Rating: A2
You can see that his potential is higher than the Keuken Kampioen Divisie and that’s why Willem II has signed him. But he needs to work on his defensive communication and aerial duels. If he does that, he could become a decent Eredivisie defender.