Is this opening up for them? Mexico in the last 16 and either Costa Rica/Greece in the QF? I would be disappointed if they do not reach the SF now.
OranjeCafe: The Netherlands at the World Cup
- Thread starter KiD MoYeS
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Mexico and Costa Rica are no pushovers but yes, Holland should comfortably beat them.
Draw looks good for them. Knowing the Dutch though they'll probably go and lose to Mexico.
Although the dutch often peak during early games at international tournaments to fail later I dont think Van Gaal is a coach who will let his players loose their heads. It's very simple the players need to realise 1 goal > 1 dream > make history together and approach every game with a good mentality. If they can do that than maybe this WC will be the one were all waiting for so long. I have no doubt Van Gaal will do everything in his power to prepare the players mentally, physically and tactically. #BELIEVE
Back to reality, in football anything can happen and sometimes a match can turn with just a simple foul, penalty or red card.
That said I am already proud of the achievements so far and will not criticise them too much even if they will get knocked out.
For a team that was already ruled out to make it through the group phase nationwide they have done incredibly well and as long as they play with all passion and try their hardest we should be proud.
Back to reality, in football anything can happen and sometimes a match can turn with just a simple foul, penalty or red card.
That said I am already proud of the achievements so far and will not criticise them too much even if they will get knocked out.
For a team that was already ruled out to make it through the group phase nationwide they have done incredibly well and as long as they play with all passion and try their hardest we should be proud.
Mexico is playing much better than Costa Rica though (IMO Costa Rica's style of play will suffer against Greece since they know how to go defensive too).
who would have thought about this tie. Costa Rica v Greece in the round of 16.
The Mirror
Any Dutch fans on here? Is this true? It seems crazy to me, Holland have been great so far.
Yes, there is a lot of criticism about our play which I find utterly bizarre. They call it defensive, but well, I think a 10 - 3 goal differential after 3 games says a lot (and I think like 29 attempts on target or something, not sure). I just don't see how you can call that catenaccio. I guess we don't try to dominate games like we usually try to, but attempting that now would probably have lead to absolutely nothing. Van Gaal is just playing to the team's strength, and I find it spectacular. Even the game against Chile, I mean, they created 0 chances and we seemed in full control of the match to me, despite letting them make the play, and it showed in goal scoring attempts and chances, simply very well executed.
The Dutch are just very critical and cynical though, doubt in many other countries there would be such talk after the group phase we just had.
It's crazy on so many levels. Didn't the Dutch have low exceptions going into the World Cup? I remember a few people saying they would be happy if they finish third and now they're one of the favourites to win it, if I was Dutch I would be over the moon.
Plus, I don't think you guys have the players to play Total Football even if LVG wanted to. Honestly though, I'm liking the football Netherlands are playing, I mean the Spain match was just awesome, how can anyone complain after that?
Yes. Well, before the tournament I thought expectations were ridiculously low and I would've been really disappointed not to make it out of the group. Considering the draw though, a second round match (and most probably knockout) against Brazil seemed a very likely scenario. I personally am over the moon and hope very much it doesn't all end in anti-climax (so at least semi's(though I'll still be disappointed with anything less winning the WC I'm afraid)).
However, recently I've read some articles written by Dutch newspapers and football magazines from the early 70's, and when Ajax won their first European Cup, they all complained that the match wasn't good. Same in '74 in the World Cup, it was fairly negative, and this was at a time when we only just started to play a real part in international football. It's just a bizarre approach.
Then again, maybe that approach led to us having a style of play that's quite famous and in the case of the early 70's quite inventive. Still, bizarre.
They got the result, but the style is same as in 2010. Not my favorite, but they get the job done.
I don't know, they look a damn sight better than 2010 now. But I could be biased by Van Gaal.
Its not total football, but along with a couple of the South American sides they are playing the most attractive football at this world cup
How modest.
Yes, it's easier on the eye. It's counter-attacking football and I'm not convinced they'll necessarily have the tools to break down another team that plays them at their own game. But compared to 2010, there's more attacking verve with Robben and Van Persie.
Crazy to think that they beat Spain 5-1 and scored another in the other 2 group games, including a very good Chile side, and they're getting criticized at home!!!
the Dutch are very much of the Wesley Snipes in White Men Cant Jump school: look good first, win second. Its how the country reconciled the loss of the 1974 and 78 WC Finals, especially the former. They had to console themselves with the moral victory of playing the best, and being the best, even if they didnt win, to the point many succeeded in convincing themselves it is actually more important.
I dont know whether this attitude is dying out, they have been more pragmatic in the last couple of WCs so maybe the younger generation will see things differently.
I dont know whether this attitude is dying out, they have been more pragmatic in the last couple of WCs so maybe the younger generation will see things differently.
Have you read David Winner's Brilliant Orange? It reconciles the Dutch psyche with their way of playing football, an excellent read. My favourite football book, by quite a mile.
Van Gaal does get some neg rep from Johnny Repp in it though.
On another note, has it been announced who will take the reigns of the national once van Gaal is ours?
Guus Hiddink.
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Imagine what Van Gal could do with England.
Didnt we say that about Capello? Didnt we learn from that experience that English footballers cant do tactics?
True, although i feel like Van Gal has more charisma, players just didnt really respond to Capello.
Imagine what he can do with United
Definitely happier imagining this.True, although i feel like Van Gal has more charisma, players just didnt really respond to Capello.
Imagine what he can do with United
Mou plays with same philosophy as Holland. I don't see Mou getting so much credit like what Holland is suddenly getting now.
Mourinho? Not getting credit? Seriously?
Mourinho, not getting credit?
And besides, it's no coincidence that Mourinho plays similar football to a man he learned a lot from during his Barca days.
The team isn't great individually. They have to have a good dose of pragmatism in their football and so far it's working excllently.
Need to get through it again, hopefully before the Netherlands reach the final.
And inevitably end up losing
An international coach fits the system to the players available, a team coach buys the players to fit a system, bit of a difference
http://www.espnfc.us/blog/the-toe-poke/65/post/1917372/world-cup-win-will-send-dutch-to-space
I thought this was a cool little article and it would be quite an award if it were to happen.
I thought this was a cool little article and it would be quite an award if it were to happen.
They have to offer to take Dennis Bergkamp along as well, he'd love it.
The style is totally, completely different than 2010. In 2010, every match we completely dominated and our opponents dug themselves in, leading to very boring matches, but not due to any Dutch defensive tactics. They were just completely in control then (bar the first half against Brazil and the final against Spain) but it wasn't spectacular. This time we play the counter attack. It's evidenced in possession stats, where in 2010 we were 3rd only behind Spain and Germany. This time I believe we're like 20th(ish) in possession. Just completely different styles.
Good point. Its interesting seeing the shift in Dutch and German football. The Dutch are playing more like Germans and the Germans are playing more like the Dutch. Mind you it was Van Gaals influence at Bayern Munich that caused this shift in German football.
With all due respect you are rewriting history. Holland never dominated a single game in the world cup. They usually took an early lead and then defended deep the whole game. The attack was very disjointed and lacked cohesion. Robben was an individual, Kuyt was a defensive winger and RvP was left on an Island all by himself with zero support. Holland also played two defensive midfielders who barely ventured outside their half.
I would also like to see those posession stats, i really doubt Holland had the 3rd highest possession in the tournement.
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Holland never dominated a single game? They played in the group against Denmark, Japan and Cameroon, in that order. None of them did any more than try to hold on for a draw. Then Slovakia in round of 16, same story. Then Brazil, for which I excluded the first half. Then Uruguay, which was a fairly open match I guess, but definitely Dutch dominated, then the final against Spain. Which I also excluded as being dominated by Netherlands. The possession stat I'll try to google, but I got it from a physical magazine, Voetbal International, which is a highly reputable source. Not rewriting history at all. Name me one of those matches which Netherlands didn't dominate.Early lead then defending deep also simply isn't true at all. Think you're just going by conjecture here.
I always loved watching the Netherlands playing football. And it was good and fun versus Spain.
But now it reminds me on Mourinho-Chelsea football. Which is least football I like to watch. It might win the title, but I hate to watch it.
But now it reminds me on Mourinho-Chelsea football. Which is least football I like to watch. It might win the title, but I hate to watch it.
Well, unfortunately google does not help me in finding total possession stats for 2010 world cup, so I shouldn't have put that in my previous post. Still, in none of those the Dutch defended deep. Yes, the Dutch had two deep lying central midfielders, however, they barely ventured out of their own half? nonsense. The first four matches, none of the teams attacked the Dutch, at all. Then things were different against Brazil, maybe Uruguay, and then Spain.
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