NOS Football•
Donyell Malen may be in the point of the attack in the World Cup qualifying match of the Dutch national team against Malta. In September against Lithuania (2-3) he started as right winger.
In addition to the choice of his position, around 26-year-old times also plays another issue: basis or substitute? In Orange he can consult better goal figures as a substitute than as a basic player.
In 27 raids (723 minutes), times scored 10 times for Orange. This makes him the best substitute in the history of the Dutch national team numerically.
‘Stay mentally strong’
“It’s something to be proud of,” says Malen. “Sometimes you are disappointed to sit on the couch, but if you can stay strong mentally and put good grades, you can be proud.”
Only Pierre van Hooijdonk also scored 10 goals goals as a substitute, but he needed 41 raids for that. As a basic player, Malen was less productive: 1 goal in 18 international matches (1245 minutes).
National coach Ronald Koeman can use the versatility of Malen. “It is not for nothing that he is a permanent part of the group,” said Koeman yesterday.
In a discussion about the Memphis Depay (Passport issue) and Wout Weghorst (Net Fit) center strikers, Koeman himself brought the name of Malen yesterday: “He can also play there.”
Left, central and especially right
Koeman had Malen debut in the Nations League in the away match against Germany in September 2019. Thanks in part to a goal from the substitute, the Orange booked a nice 4-2 win.
Malen was then still the center striker of PSV. Later at Borussia Dortmund he came to play more and more often at the right winger position and he was used varying at the Orange: left, central and especially right.
At Aston Villa, Malen formed a striker couple with Ollie Watkins on Sunday against Burnley (2-1). That went very well, with two goals for the Dutchman, his first hits of the season.
“It is the choice of trainers,” says Malen about his position changes. “To be honest, on the right I found the hardest on the right, but I did it for a long time at Dortmund and at some point you get used to it. Then you get the hang of it.”
Look below for the two goals from Malen as a substitute against Malta in June (8-0):
