When Krul came on, I felt van Gaal is going to get this.
He is brave...and I quite enjoyed the mind games by Krul too.
He is brave...and I quite enjoyed the mind games by Krul too.
Day 21: Netherlands vs. Costa Rica
- Thread starter gooDevil
- Start date
Really happy with this win. Before the tournament I wouldn't have dreamed in a million years that Netherlands would be in the semi-final. Furthermore, No particular team has impressed above other so I can see them actually winning this world cup, as could the other 3 teams still in it.
I think Netherlands deserved victory today. Unlike versus Mexico or Australia (where I was very disappointed) we showed initiative today and took the game to Costa Rica. Only a heroic performance from Navas and luck allowed Costa Rica to keep a clean sheet. Robben was once again the most dangerous player on the field and Sneijder played far and away his best game of the world cup. He had numerous fantastic passes which were not utilized unfortunately, hit the post/crossbar twice and had another fantastic free kick saved. I dreaded the penalty shootout since Netherlands always lose in them but somehow the players kept their nerve superbly and Tim Krul did magnificently to make two saves.
I've been critical of LvG tactics this world cup and I am again, because he started with a 5-man defense which has not worked well for Netherlands thus far, but his substitutions are absolutely spot on every single game. Depay, Huntelaar, now Krul, they have all been logical and they have all worked. Furthermore, he has fostered a fantastic team spirit that has the team fighting for each other rather then with each other. In the past I could have seen RvP pouting at being taken out in the game versus Mexico, Cilesson pouting in this game and them folding in a penalty shootout, but they were ice cold today. Well done to the team today and well done to LvG. Who knows what can happen at this stage in the tournament!
I think Netherlands deserved victory today. Unlike versus Mexico or Australia (where I was very disappointed) we showed initiative today and took the game to Costa Rica. Only a heroic performance from Navas and luck allowed Costa Rica to keep a clean sheet. Robben was once again the most dangerous player on the field and Sneijder played far and away his best game of the world cup. He had numerous fantastic passes which were not utilized unfortunately, hit the post/crossbar twice and had another fantastic free kick saved. I dreaded the penalty shootout since Netherlands always lose in them but somehow the players kept their nerve superbly and Tim Krul did magnificently to make two saves.
I've been critical of LvG tactics this world cup and I am again, because he started with a 5-man defense which has not worked well for Netherlands thus far, but his substitutions are absolutely spot on every single game. Depay, Huntelaar, now Krul, they have all been logical and they have all worked. Furthermore, he has fostered a fantastic team spirit that has the team fighting for each other rather then with each other. In the past I could have seen RvP pouting at being taken out in the game versus Mexico, Cilesson pouting in this game and them folding in a penalty shootout, but they were ice cold today. Well done to the team today and well done to LvG. Who knows what can happen at this stage in the tournament!
As you are a mod I will just be quiet.
The match thing is great btw, just that it's KLAAS Jan Huntelaar (Klaas, 2 a's 1 s). 
RvP was utter wank today. Should have been the scapegoat if dutch didn't advance.
He had one of those games, couldn't get the ball in the net.
Absolutely right. I counted atleast 6 instances where he caused offside for what could have been great scoring chances. Sadly RvP has never been that great for The Netherlands.
Their all time top scorer?
I don't blame RvP for the offsides so much, Costa Rica had a masterclass in their offside trap that everything and everyone has fallen into. He did however miss an absolute sitter toward the end and missed 2-3 other great opportunities along the way. He wasn't at his best today unfortunately but thats football.
Robben has been amazing the entire tournament and Sneijder has sparked into life the last two games (especially this game) and RvP is always capable of something special. Could be a nice end for Holland.
Robben has been amazing the entire tournament and Sneijder has sparked into life the last two games (especially this game) and RvP is always capable of something special. Could be a nice end for Holland.
Added links for the Gfys and penalty shootout record thing to the OP. Thanks @Razvan
https://www.redcafe.net/threads/day-21-netherlands-vs-costa-rica.392988/
https://www.redcafe.net/threads/day-21-netherlands-vs-costa-rica.392988/
Glad that Costa Rica is out. Diving, play-acting and time-wasting all game long. All they want is penalties and opposing red cards. Greece part deux.
People here in latin america hailing Costa Rica as heroic and unlucky to go out.
Dear Lord, Costa Rica by this stage were playing some of the most boring football of the entire tournament. I'd be pretty upset with Mexico if they played the way Costa Rica played today, no intent whatsoever to score or even attack.
Dear Lord, Costa Rica by this stage were playing some of the most boring football of the entire tournament. I'd be pretty upset with Mexico if they played the way Costa Rica played today, no intent whatsoever to score or even attack.
You were not speaking as a football fan alone there. You were speaking as a loyal husband and father of a half Costa Rican son. Everybody knows supporting football is a very biased pastime and you showed it there!
You are spot on. If they (or their fans for that matter) thought they were unlucky, well then they don't deserve to be playing in the World Cup after all. They know bloody well they deserved to go out by the Dutch. All 120 mins plus stoppage, they had only one corner!
I can certainly see how it would look that way. I don't care who is in the penalty shootout, the keeper shouldn't be allowed to talk to the player taking the kick (or vice versa). The ref should have put a stop to it after the first pen, but once again showed that the officiating teams aren't strong enough for such a high-profile competition.You were not speaking as a football fan alone there. You were speaking as a loyal husband and father of a half Costa Rican son. Everybody knows supporting football is a very biased pastime and you showed it there!
FWIW I thought the Netherlands deserved to go through and would have done so easily with a bit more luck and a striker who wasn't firing blanks.
Lets not. feck off @marcosdeto...
shut it girishAm I the only one who had faith in LVG and Krul. Although bringing on a keeper for a penalty shootout is a rare occurrence it does happen, and is quite often successful! Still took some balls though....
Not hard racking up goals against Andorra and whoever the Dutch usually get in their groups. They get easier qualifying groups than United do in the Champions League.
RVP has serious issues when the going gets tough in knock out competition it must be said, just doesn't score much at all.
I actually agree with a lot of this, Holland were the better side but I don't think Costa Rica played anti-football. You cant get so many offsides going your way if you're sitting that deep. Costa Rica set up to counter and almost pulled it off a couple of times, but their final ball let them down pretty much every time barring that Bolanos chance in extra time. Yet despite this Costa Rica can argue they should've had a penalty and had they scored that...
To me it was a much more exciting game than Argentina vs Belgium, and much more than France vs Germany. The Dutch were good. All those people saying they were boring or ran out of ideas need to remember the goal line clearance, the chance Van Persie scuffed, the endless Robben runs, Sneijder hitting the post etc. Holland came up against a good, solid, organised team. Just because its Costa Rica doesn't mean they're bad: Look at the team not the reputation.
Not bothered by Krul's antics though. If the referee is going to let you get away with it, why not? Its like players appealing for throws and corners when they know its not their ball. You do what you gotta do to win games. Its up to the officials to enforce the rules of the game and, if you know your opponent will try and get one on you, you may as well stretch those rules until the ref says you've broken them.
Thanks, fixed.The match thing is great btw, just that it's KLAAS Jan Huntelaar (Klaas, 2 a's 1 s).
A bit late to the party (without internet over the weekend) and haven't read through the thread, so apologies in advance if I'm just echoing here. Anyway:
Danish commentators, pundits, experts, you name it, were very disappointed by the way Netherlands set out against Costa Rica. They all felt that Netherlands was a superior team and should've gotten it all over with during normal time by playing more attacking. First of all, even while being in total control Netherlands did create enough chance to win it by a good margin on any other night. If Netherlands had won it 2-0 (which would've been an entirely reasonable result considering the chances) they'll all once again be at LvG's feet saying what a brilliant job he's done. Furthermore, I think the last half of extra time showed exactly why LvG did set up the team the way he did, with the three central defenders. Costa Rica had a few decent chances, including a very big one to win it, after he took off a central defender.
Basically, I think the Dutch team is a bit overrated - at least in the Danish media. They have Robben and RvP who are great players, but apart from that it's a fairly average team. Sneijder is clearly not the player he used to be and their entire central defence still plays in the Eresdivision, if I'm not mistaken. LvG most likely knew that Costa Rica would get chances if he didn't play three at the back, and figured they'd still create enough chances to win it by doing so. It was the right tactic (even if you don't like the negativity), but the players didn't execute it properly and kept wasting chances.
Also, one of the twats in the studio (Niclas Jensen, who played a few seasons in Fulham) suggested Cillessen should tell LvG he doesn't need to call him up again after being subbed like that. They all talked about how humiliating it must be for him etc. Schmeichel was at it as well, but he's always talking shit.
Danish commentators, pundits, experts, you name it, were very disappointed by the way Netherlands set out against Costa Rica. They all felt that Netherlands was a superior team and should've gotten it all over with during normal time by playing more attacking. First of all, even while being in total control Netherlands did create enough chance to win it by a good margin on any other night. If Netherlands had won it 2-0 (which would've been an entirely reasonable result considering the chances) they'll all once again be at LvG's feet saying what a brilliant job he's done. Furthermore, I think the last half of extra time showed exactly why LvG did set up the team the way he did, with the three central defenders. Costa Rica had a few decent chances, including a very big one to win it, after he took off a central defender.
Basically, I think the Dutch team is a bit overrated - at least in the Danish media. They have Robben and RvP who are great players, but apart from that it's a fairly average team. Sneijder is clearly not the player he used to be and their entire central defence still plays in the Eresdivision, if I'm not mistaken. LvG most likely knew that Costa Rica would get chances if he didn't play three at the back, and figured they'd still create enough chances to win it by doing so. It was the right tactic (even if you don't like the negativity), but the players didn't execute it properly and kept wasting chances.
Also, one of the twats in the studio (Niclas Jensen, who played a few seasons in Fulham) suggested Cillessen should tell LvG he doesn't need to call him up again after being subbed like that. They all talked about how humiliating it must be for him etc. Schmeichel was at it as well, but he's always talking shit.
The behaviour was unusual (and you don't really know what he said to the takers) but that does not mean it's an offence (the Ref should be in a good position to tell if it is not acceptable). Thing is, where will it end if players can't talk to players of the opposing team? Unless it is a provocation or malicious, it is unlikely it would be objectionable. So it always depends on what actually were said and circumstances
RvP has, compared to others, a much lower average on end tournaments (EC and WC). Kluivert and Van Nistelrooij have almost double figures. RvP has scored his most goals in the qualifications. It`s not then that we need him so much, we really need him now. Sneijder 8 goals out of 24 caps, RvP 8 out of 22..
Stats in more detail
The goalie told the players he knew where they were gonna shoot. He and Hoek(GK coach) discussed to wait with diving after the shot. He said he did not say anything offensive and wouldn`t even have been able to as the ref was standing close.
I understand some dont like it, but this certainly isn`t the first time this happens and also wont be the last.
I do feel there is a tendency to get upset about the smallest thing Dutch players do, that are not according to the rules. Be it a tackle, a dive or now this. If it`s Italy or Argentina (etc), I have the idea people accept it, cause thats how they play and it certainly doesn`t make headlines. Eventhough we used to be the perfect boy in the class, we are not anymore.
We have been in 3 finals and never won one, which is a fabulous record to have of course.
Well said. People who want Holland to play more offensive football don't know what they're talking about. They are just saying things based on our reputation and our attacking players. We have the best player in the world right now and 3 other very good players (Van Persie, Sneijder, De Jong) and besides that a very very average team. Playing our usual attacking style would be suicide with this team, but some people fail to understand that. Even over here in Holland. If we had played more offensive this tournament we would have gone home after three matches. Louis van Gaal gets the most out of this team. The goalkeeper-sub was another brilliant move by him.
Even RvN was pretty poor for Holland in my opinion. Kluivert has by far been the best striker for Dutch NT. Kluivert is very underrated because of his questionable mentality and because his peak was relatively short. During his peak though Kluivert was absolutely top class, better than RvN or Van Persie have ever been. Especially in the NT where RvN and Van Persie never reached their best level. Kluivert 98-00 was an absolute beast, especially for Holland.
7 goals in 11 games at Euros and World Cup are quite impressive.
Well the poster who does not like it has a wife who's Costa Rican and son half CR hence he's found it objectionable. It's really making a mountain out of mole hill.
Regarding dive, it really is just about Robben (rather than the Dutch team) who in his days in England had been quite notorious, hence giving the media the ammunition. I think on the whole the Dutch team is quite well liked by the neutral. Now that their manager (and RvP no less!) is our manager, the support of the Dutch team should have increased 10 fold cos of United following world wide.
For balance, it was reported that Navas was at it as well. That's equally objectionable in my view. I just think there should be a blanket "no chatting to the opponent" rule in a penalty shootout, even if it's wishing the opponent good luck! It's high-pressure enough as it is, and there can be no claims of gamesmanship, poor sporting behaviour, etc. if it simply isn't allowed.
Agreed with both!
LvG by his own admission the current team is not a great team but 23 good players working as a team (team spirits and right attitude etc). The fact that they have not lost one game during this campaign and that they are relying heavily on a few experienced players means the strategy, tactics and deployment are more important than ever.
If he's being criticised about the goalie sub, then they don't know what they are talking about. Cillessen is not exactly VDS and has a big ego to protect. He should have breathed a sigh of relief being subbed. Let's face it, who in their right mind prefer to be under that kind of pressure unless they are such a big name and couldn't face being subbed by a lesser figure. Cillessen is also shorter than Krul
There are many many different attitudes of players (be they helping an opposite player to get up their feet just to show they have not done any fouls, or just telling them off in certain circumstances) Entering more rules in the book do not make sense. It's common sense and the referees should be allowed to make decisions and use his discretion.
Personally, I think when it is just between penalty takers and goalies, it's always a mind game anyway. Why should the takers be influenced negatively in anyway if they are professionally and mentally strong enough?
That's just statistics. Same as Van Persie being top goalscorer all time of Holland is just a statistic. RvN's scoring record wasn't bad, even at EC's and WC's as you point out, but he played terrible most of the time. For me he only played well in Euro2008 for Holland and he only scored two goals there.
@Niall do match threads have "go to first unread" function? or is that just temporarily turned off?
Yes it should work just like any other thread. The 'Go to First Unread' link is in the pagination links as usual. I just clicked on it and it worked.
Are you not seeing it?
Not in this thread no. does it go away if there's no unread posts?
Yes.
i feel silly now. sorry
No worries. If it isn't showing for you when it should, or doesn't behave as expected, let me know. There could be bugs hiding anywhere in the match day section
That's true. Btw sent PM to yaNo worries. If it isn't showing for you when it should, or doesn't behave as expected, let me know. There could be bugs hiding anywhere in the match day section