With Everton and Reading struggling, what happened to Total Football?

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Netherlands not qualifying for the World Cup, Everton and Reading struggling under Dutch coaches – whatever happened to Total Football?

France’s Kylian Mbappe (R) celebrates after scoring a goal with Layvin Kurzawa (C) during the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying football match vs Netherlands.

For the second major tournament running Netherlands have failed to qualify after a miserable qualification campaign for the 2018 World Cup in Russia ended with France and Sweden ahead of them in their group.

The drab displays from the Dutch are some way from the Total Football played in the 1970s with Johan Cruyff as the star – a slick, attacking style that as a coach he would later implement at Ajax and Barcelona and would foreshadow tiki-taka.

People stand on a balcony as a giant picture of former Dutch professional football player and coach Johan Cruyff (1947-2016) made by Brazilian artist Paulo Consentino is displayed.

Yet disciples of Cruyff now managing in England appear to be having the same problems that the national team is currently experiencing.

At Everton, manager Ronald Koeman – who played for Barca in the 1980s and 90s during their style shift – is currently the 1/3 favourite with Skybet to be the next Premier League boss sacked after a dismal start to the new season.

The Toffees are currently 16th in the table having lost four of their opening seven fixtures, with their poor attack and unadventurous play signalled by having scored just four goals. Only Crystal Palace and Swansea City have netter fewer.

Ronald Koeman, manager of Everton, reacts during the UEFA Europa League group E match against Apollon Limassol.

In the Championship Jaap Stam is experiencing similar issues at Reading. Having guided them to the playoff final in his first year at the club in 2016/17, the Royals are now one point outside the relegation zone after ten games and their own lack of adventure is one of the main gripes with the fans.

The Dutch were once considered to produce some of most exciting football on show, but in England and on the international stage at least, it is now some of the most uninspiring.