Sunday’s victory followed a home draw with Germany, an away win in Serbia and a 2-2 comeback draw in Greece. Four matches, no defeats, and a strong chance of reaching the quarter-finals in March. Xavi still wants more.
“We fought like a family. We really had to suffer,” he said. “We had to defend, but we actually wanted to play possession football. But we couldn’t do that, and we couldn’t get a grip on the game because of Serbia, who did that really well. But when we switched to a different formation, things got better.”
He has already used different shapes in his first four games. “We now know how to dominate games in different ways. But we also know how to defend at times in a low block or a mid-block. In terms of our core values, I’m very satisfied. The players are wonderful people. But in footballing terms, we need to improve in all sorts of areas.”
The Netherlands conceded for a 12th consecutive match. “The most important thing is that we score one more than the opponent, but we want a clean sheet. That takes time.” He said the window had been intense and that he would rest before watching the squad again. “I’ll continue to keep an eye on everyone. We are creating a family.”
The next Nations League fixtures are at home to Greece on 13 November and in Berlin against Germany three days later. Xavi, a World Cup winner with Spain in 2010, has the points. He does not yet have the control he wants.