The Dutch have 10 points from four games and lead on goal difference ahead of Poland, who have played a game more. But their performances in a 1-1 draw with the Poles on Thursday and a 3-2 win over Lithuania on Sunday came in for heavy criticism.
"We were sloppy in possession, failed to win the duels and didn’t take the second ball either," said captain Virgil van Dijk after the narrow win in Kaunas.
“Three points is the most important, but if you want to progress, this sort of thing cannot happen.”
The Dutch were comfortable at 2-0 up but allowed 143rd-ranked Lithuania to score two quick goals before halftime. Memphis Depay's second goal of the game in the 64th minute was enough to give the Netherlands the three points.
"It was only a good evening for Memphis," Van Dijk said of the forward, who has now scored a record 52 goals for the national team.
"But if you are 2-0 ahead and then you give away two easy goals, you make things incredibly difficult for yourself.”
"Not what you want to do"
Ronald Koeman rang the changes after the disappointing draw with Poland in Rotterdam, seeking more penetration through the midfield and getting more bodies in the opposing half.
“We played with fire. Fortunately, it didn't cost us any points, but it could have been disastrous," he said.
"We shouldn't be in such trouble here, even at the end of the match. I had to add a fifth defender for extra height and power. That's not what you want to do, but I do want to win.
“I don't have a real explanation why we did show what we can do here in Lithuania,” Koeman added.
The Dutch travel to Malta and host Finland for their next two qualifiers in October, with a crunch group fixture set to come in Poland in mid-November.
View all the match statistics of Lithuania-the Netherlands on Flashscore.