"Nobody looks good after Sarina" - Scotland boss on Netherlands test and return of key Arsenal star

Scotland head coach Pedro Martinez Losa is backing his team to continue their recent good run of form ahead of their Nations League double header against Netherlands next week.

Netherlands star striker Vivianne Miedema could make her long awaited return against Scotland next week. (Photo by Alex Burstow/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Scotland head coach Pedro Martinez Losa has called on his team to ‘hurt’ Netherlands ahead of their back to back UEFA Women’s Nations League clash with them this month.

The Tartan Army boss has led his team on an excellent run of form that has saw Scotland lose just once in their last eight games and, while the Netherlands will be favourites for the upcoming games, he believes they can continue their encouraging form and cause the Dutch problems.

“They are a very good team, probably one of the most similar teams to Spain in style of play. But we also think that we can compete and hurt them with some scenarios in the game - that's all we have to do in the next days as we prepare the team" said the Scotland boss.

Vivianne Miedema with then Arsenal boss Pedro Martinez Losa, who brought her to the UK in 2017. He will face Miedema for the first time as Scotland boss next week. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Martinez Losa’s side could be up against one of the world’s most feared forwards after Netherlands’ all time record goal-scorer Vivianne Miedema was named in the Dutch squad for for the first time since the Arsenal star ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament at the end of 2022.

Return of Vivianne Miedema

Miedema, 27, has yet to play for the Gunners since suffering the injury but could make her long awaited return against Scotland when they meet in the Nations League on October 27. While former Arsenal boss Martinez Losa noted the return of Miedema is a great to see, he jokingly admits he hopes she isn't firing on all cylinders just yet.

"I cannot plan by wishing bad things to others. I'm happy that she's well as well as all the players I've coached - I named Beth (Mead) in the press conference - I hope she's good but not too good to score goals" laughed the Spanish boss.

"Maybe she can take a few more weeks to recover totally. But really that is part of the game, she has been injured and has probably been putting in a lot of hard work for that and I'm happy for her to be in the squad" added Martinez Losa.

Scotland are currently bottom of the Nations League group with just one point from their opening two games, while Jonker's Dutch side have a run of inconsistent results that saw them lose to Belgium but defeat World Cup finalists England.

Ahead of the game in Nijmegen next Friday, Martinez Losa admitted he has kept a close eyes on the Netherlands during the World Cup and discussed the challenges his former Arsenal colleague Jonker is facing.

"Obviously they (Netherlands) had a change of management with Andries, who I know well also as he was the Academy manager during my time at Arsenal" said the 50-year-old head coach.

"No one looks good after Sarina”

"I think he (Jonker) has been trying to find the team and the players to transition from winning the Euros (in 2017) and the expectations from Sarina (Wiegman) - I think after Sarina nobody looks good in one way, especially when you win the Euros.

"There's a transition also in players and he is trying to find that balance. You could see that one in the World Cup. The World Cup in Australia is also difficult in terms of performances with travelling and jetlag- all those scenarios.

"They competed well in the last match against England. We competed against them (Netherlands) last year but it was the first game of Andries reign” said the Scotland head honcho.