Even though Utrecht retained the 6th place achieved the previous year, the 2020-21 season can be considered largely disappointing. Given the ambitious summer purchasing campaign, a quantum leap was expected, while they paid for a very poor start to the season and coach Van den Brom's decision to leave the team early. His replacement Renè Hake did well, but he doesn't seem like a coach to take them up a level.
The transfer campaign this summer was of a completely different nature, they moved with the aim of consolidating with a smaller number of players and getting rid of too many surpluses. They have included some players from their own youth teams on the main roster and bought two interesting youngsters such as Quinten Timber from Ajax and Arthur Zagre on loan from Monaco.
The outcome of the season will greatly depend on the performance of top-level players who disappointed last year, such as attacking midfielder Simon Gustafson, right winger Gyrano Kerk (perhaps the fastest player in the whole Eredivisie) and above all the Spanish forward Adrián Dalmau who in the last two years has spent more time in the infirmary than on the pitch. It could also be the year of young striker Remco Balk, one of the best prospects in Dutch football.
Target
An ambitious team like Utrecht always has the goal of reaching the top three, and they also have the means but everything must work perfectly.
Season Review
2020/2021
№6:
FC Utrecht
Utrecht maintained the position conquered last season, at the time of the suspension of the championship due to the pandemic in fact they were in 6th place, the position in which they finished this year. However, it can be considered a disappointing season, as, given the summer purchasing campaign, a quantum leap was expected. Thanks to the 6th place they played the playoffs for access to the Conference League, in the semifinals they eliminated Groningen, but in the final were clearly defeated by Feyenoord.
Even worse went in KNVB Beker, if last season they had surprisingly defeated Ajax and reached the final, which was not played due to Covid, this year they were eliminated already in the second round by Ten Hag's team.
The final outcome was undoubtedly conditioned by a very negative first half of the season, before the winter-break they had collected just 17 points from 13 games. Then things started to go better, they gained several positions in the table, but didn't manage to have the necessary continuity.
Utrecht started the season with John van den Brom on the bench, but the Amersfoort coach left everyone stunned by leaving the team in early November. Renè Hake took over and needed a lot of time to fix the team.
At the players level, the forwards disappointed the most, in particular Dalmau and Mahi, who scored only 11 goals in two, also due to the continuous physical problems of the Spaniard. From the realization point of view the best was Sander Van de Streek (11 goals). Much more was also expected from two talented players like Gustafson and Elia, who have been inconsistent throughout the season. Good news came from the defense where St. Jago and Hoogma, two youngsters with excellent prospects, emerged alongside experienced Janssen.