OranjeCafe: The Netherlands at the World Cup

[KiD MoYeS]

Goalkeepers: Krul, Cillessen, Vorm, Zoet

Defenders: Verhaegh, van Aanholt, Rekik, de Vrij, Martins Indi, Kongolo, Blind, Veltman, Vlaar, Janmaat

Midfielders: Sneijder, Fer, Nigel de Jong, Clasie, de Guzman, van der Vaart, Vilhena, Wijnaldum

Attackers: Depay, Boetius, Lens, van Persie, Kuyt, Huntelaar, Promes, Robben

Thirty man preliminary squad.

Spoiler

13 JUNE 2014 - 20:00
Spain vs. Netherlands

18 JUNE 2014 - 17:00
Australia vs. Netherlands

23 JUNE 2014 - 17:00
Netherlands vs. Chile

Anyway, this will likely be the nation we all follow closely this summer. How do we think they'll do?

 

[HabeasC]

It is an ok team. I cannot really see them getting too far though.

 

[KiD MoYeS]

Yeah, the squad isn't great, although there are two or three very talented player's.

 

[SambaBoy]

Is Strootman injured?

 

[Nickosaur]

Is Strootman injured?

Yep, until September/October.

 

[Samid]

Why on earth would anyone name their kid "Blind"?

 

[Nickosaur]

It's not a great squad at all. A lot of players hitting the twilight of their careers, and quite a few with a lot of potential but who aren't quite ready to step up yet.

 

[KiD MoYeS]

Why on earth would anyone name their kid "Blind"?

It's a surname, is it not?

 

[JPRouve]

Why on earth would anyone name their kid "Blind"?

I you are the son of Danny Blind , there is a fair chance that you will have his name, in that case Daley Blind.

 

[KiD MoYeS]

They may not qualify from their group actually, Chile will prove a stern test in South America and Australia are no pushovers.

 

[DWelbz19]

It's not a great squad at all. A lot of players hitting the twilight of their careers, and quite a few with a lot of potential but who aren't quite ready to step up yet.

And their top players tend to shy away. Robben and van Persie haven't replicated their domestic form for their national team. Sneijder was the only one who would normally turn up, but his best days are gone.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Doesn't look a great squad on paper.

 

[Kill 'em all]

It will be interesting to see the likes of Clasie and Depay if they do get a chance at starting a match. Very interesting selection although looks like a shadow of former dutch sides.

 

[DWelbz19]

I heard from a Dutch friend that Louis may even consider playing a 5-3-2, with Robben and van Persie upfront.

 

[Kag]

Not a very exciting group of players, it has to be said.

 

[HabeasC]

They may not qualify from their group actually, Chile will prove a stern test in South America and Australia are no pushovers.

I really think that they won't. I have a strong feeling that it will be Spain and Chile.

In some ways, it may not be a bad thing, as LVG might have more time to adjust and sort things out at United instead.

 

[The Mitcher]

Vilhena is a FM legend!

 

[iBoss]

Well, you don't need 11 world class players to have a world class team. Still, it looks like a very unfamiliar squad to those of us who don't watch the Dutch league.
Might be a good thing to have a fresher squad.

 

[bosnian_red]

Yep, until September/October.

Shouldn't he be back in August? Heard that last time I read about him at least. He'll be a big miss for them though.

 

[bosnian_red]

Think they'll get to the quarters or semi's, don't think they'll win it. Squad isn't anything special but on their day they can beat anyone, and they have a top class manager in charge unlike Germany and others.

 

[Bob Loblaw]

I don't think they'll get out of their group, Spain and Chile to qualify I reckon.

 

[Cutch]

Think they'll get to the quarters or semi's, don't think they'll win it. Squad isn't anything special but on their day they can beat anyone, and they have a top class manager in charge unlike Germany and others.

In a group with Spain and Chile i don't even fancy them to get out of the groups never mind come through a likely last 16 against Brazil.

 

[Nickosaur]

Shouldn't he be back in August? Heard that last time I read about him at least. He'll be a big miss for them though.

You could be right, I'd heard it could be as late as September/start of October but that was a while ago, so it may well be sooner than that.

edit/ and you're absolutely right about him being a big miss. Was really looking forward to seeing him in Brazil, and was a bit gutted when he got injured. He seems the type of player who will bounce back and get back to his best fairly quickly.

 

[mic.m]

Kuyt is still good enough to play for Holland? What happened to Afellay, Babbel and Drenthe? Wasn't the Fulham goalie their first choice? No Heitinga? No Huntelaar?

 

[Scarecrow]

Kuyt

 

[bosnian_red]

In a group with Spain and Chile i don't even fancy them to get out of the groups never mind come through a likely last 16 against Brazil.

I get a feeling Spain won't start Thiago/Koke or their younger players, and start all the people that were there for all of the last 3 tournaments and could get knocked out. Or just Chile get knocked out. Think Netherlands will top the group though, especially with Van Gaal in charge. Spain have a really strong squad obviously but they really struggle at breaking teams down these days, and don't score many at all.

 

[adexkola]

Kuyt is still good enough to play for Holland? What happened to Afellay, Babbel and Drenthe? Wasn't the Fulham goalie their first choice? No Heitinga? No Huntelaar?

Huntelaar is there. And Kuyt is a legend.

 

[Cutch]

I get a feeling Spain won't start Thiago/Koke or their younger players, and start all the people that were there for all of the last 3 tournaments and could get knocked out. Or just Chile get knocked out. Think Netherlands will top the group though, especially with Van Gaal in charge. Spain have a really strong squad obviously but they really struggle at breaking teams down these days, and don't score many at all.

Don't agree at all. Think Holland will find it very hard to get through that group. A lot of their better players on the wrong side of 30. Spain have the pedigree and class to get through the group fairly comfortably while i think Chile could be the dark horses of the tournament if they can avoid Brazil.

 

[Henrik Larsson]

Kuyt is still good enough to play for Holland? What happened to Afellay, Babbel and Drenthe? Wasn't the Fulham goalie their first choice? No Heitinga? No Huntelaar?

Er, Afellay hasn't played a full match in 18 months or so. Babel plays for a mid table team in Turkey. Drenthe plays at Reading in the Championsship.

Stekelenburg was first choice at the World Cup four years ago, but had a poor season and relegated. Same goes for Heitinga. And Huntelaar is included.

Kuyt on the other hand won his first league title ever this year, with Fenerbahce. Scored some goals and will be nothing more than a back-up player.

Most surprising is letting Van der Wiel out of the squad while he played a lot for Paris Saint Germain. He chose a right back with 1 cap playing at Augsburg over him.

Darryl Janmaat is first choice right back and might be a Manchester United player next season, Van Gaal seems to like him a lot.

 

[saivet]

That's an incredible average looking squad. On paper we've got a better squad than them

 

[The Mitcher]

Er, Afellay hasn't played a full match in 18 months or so. Babel plays for a mid table team in Turkey. Drenthe plays at Reading in the Championsship.

Stekelenburg was first choice at the World Cup four years ago, but had a poor season and relegated. Same goes for Heitinga. And Huntelaar is included.

Kuyt on the other hand won his first league title ever this year, with Fenerbahce. Scored some goals and will be nothing more than a back-up player.

Most surprising is letting Van der Wiel out of the squad while he played a lot for Paris Saint Germain. He chose a right back with 1 cap playing at Augsburg over him.

Darryl Janmaat is first choice right back and might be a Manchester United player next season, Van Gaal seems to like him a lot.

Kuyt 1 - Gerard 0

 

[Ashwin]

I just hope the Dutch media doesn't blame LvG for his 'United distraction' if they don't qualify from their group

 

[Henrik Larsson]

That's an incredible average looking squad. On paper we've got a better squad than them

Don't know who's 'we', but it is mediocre to say the least. England has got a far better squad. But it looks like we're going to play a 5-3-2/3-5-2 formation, so we might finish second in our group behind Spain. And then we draw Brazil in the knock-out stages

 

[mazhar13]

Their defence looks pretty weak. They have tons of good ball-playing defenders, but very few of them seem to be solid.

It'll be interesting to see if Blind will play as a defensive midfielder or as a full back. It seems as if various articles are listing him as a defender, but he's done fine as a defensive midfielder for Ajax, so we'll have to see whether van Gaal will use him as a midfielder or full back.

de Jong and Clasie, along with Blind, seem to be the only midfielders who are defensively solid. I'm really looking forward to watching Clasie. He's had a great season for Feyenoord and is showing himself to be a great talent.

Fer seems to be the most likely player to play the Strootman role given his high energy levels. However, I feel that Clasie may play above him because Fer's season with Norwich hasn't been that great. Clasie's a tenacious yet intelligent midfielder who does have the energy levels to play a box-to-box role.

Ultimately, this is a relatively young Netherlands squad, and I don't think van Gaal will really play many inexperienced players in key roles such as defensive midfield, the box-to-box role, central defence, and striker. Still, I'm looking forward to seeing some of their great young players play, particularly Clasie, de Guzman (not young, but I like to watch him play), Vilhena, Indi, and de Vrij.

 

[Henrik Larsson]

I just hope the Dutch media doesn't blame LvG for his 'United distraction' if they don't qualify from their group

They probably won't. And he already announced a half year ago that he was leaving so it's not really a surprise. By the way, who gives a sh1t what (dutch) media think or say anyway?

 

[Henrik Larsson]

Kuyt 1 - Gerard 0

 

[bosnian_red]

Don't agree at all. Think Holland will find it very hard to get through that group. A lot of their better players on the wrong side of 30. Spain have the pedigree and class to get through the group fairly comfortably while i think Chile could be the dark horses of the tournament if they can avoid Brazil.

Yeah it's more just a gut feeling rather then anything logical. Obviously Spain have a much stronger squad then Netherlands, but I think Netherlands will be more up for it and play like more of a team. Every time I've watched Spain the last 2 years pretty much, they just look incredibly complacent and don't seem very pumped up for games. This could change if they give Koke, Thiago, Carvajal and the other younger/newer players key roles, but I'm not sure if they will. Netherlands on the other hand will be very up for it I think, especially after disappointing in the last Euro's and getting knocked out of the group. Can't see that happening again.

They didn't really have a great squad of players in 2010 either, an even worse defence potentially, and a lesser manager, but almost won the whole thing. You just never know with them.

 

[saivet]

Don't know who's 'we', but it is mediocre to say the least. England has got a far better squad. But it looks like we're going to play a 5-3-2/3-5-2 formation, so we might finish second in our group behind Spain. And then we draw Brazil in the knock-out stages

Yeah I mean England. I hope you lot win the group though so that it rules out the possibility of us facing Spain in the QFs

 

[Henrik Larsson]

Their defence looks pretty weak. They have tons of good ball-playing defenders, but very few of them seem to be solid.

It'll be interesting to see if Blind will play as a defensive midfielder or as a full back. It seems as if various articles are listing him as a defender, but he's done fine as a defensive midfielder for Ajax, so we'll have to see whether van Gaal will use him as a midfielder or full back.

de Jong and Clasie, along with Blind, seem to be the only midfielders who are defensively solid. I'm really looking forward to watching Clasie. He's had a great season for Feyenoord and is showing himself to be a great talent.

Fer seems to be the most likely player to play the Strootman role given his high energy levels. However, I feel that Clasie may play above him because Fer's season with Norwich hasn't been that great. Clasie's a tenacious yet intelligent midfielder who does have the energy levels to play a box-to-box role.

Ultimately, this is a relatively young Netherlands squad, and I don't think van Gaal will really play many inexperienced players in key roles such as defensive midfield, the box-to-box role, central defence, and striker. Still, I'm looking forward to seeing some of their great young players play, particularly Clasie, de Guzman (not young, but I like to watch him play), Vilhena, Indi, and de Vrij.

Being a season ticket holder at Feyenoord, it makes me curious why you like Clasie so much. He's alright for the Dutch league, great player for my hometown club, but he's an Vernon Anita (newcastle sub) player at maximum potential, bit more passing skills but nothing special.

 

[Ramshock]

Yeah its not a good sign if the Kuyt makes the squad