Tag Archives: The Netherlands

South Africa Match Observations: Round Of 16, Part III

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Some random observations after the First Knockout Round:

Netherlands 2-1 Slovakia: Positive beginning from Slovakia, who play the flanks but use a more controlled build-up down the wings as opposed to getting it quickly forward like most teams utilize the wings, using more of a midfield 4-4-2 approach that morphed into a 4-2-4. It worked early on as Slovakia got better shots on goal. Arjen Robben was back for the first time this tournament to work the football version of the triangle attack with Wesley Sneijder and Robin van Persie. Dirk Kuyt put in some surprisingly good service into van Persie from the left flank. Solid passing by both sides but no real urgency early until Robben took a long pass from the back from Sniejder through the middle, broke down three defenders and sent a lazar shot from 20 yards to pop his cherry in this World Cup (van Persie was very instrumental on this goal; his run just to Robben’s right gave the Slovakian defense enough of a pause to cause a space for Robben to shoot). The Dutch defense was very comfortable as long as Robert Vittek was the only threat up top that was getting behind them. After the goal the Dutch became much more confident, getting much more sustained attacks in the final third. Slovakia’s approach was very two dimensional, playing the ball on their feet and not getting very aerial. The Dutch still aren’t making very effective use of the center of the field, looking to use the flanks and switch play extensively. Robben was certainly making up for lost time, taking fantastic chances on goal. On the few occasions that Slovakia built up an attack through the center they got off some good shots on the goal, where Martin Stekelenberg came up huge to save Holland’s bacon. When Eljiro Elia came on the Slovakian backline was finally stretched thin, as Dirk Kuyt took a free kick behind the Slovakian defense, kept his cool, with a deft touch sent a pass into the box for Sneijder to get on the end of and finish. Slovakia played very composed all game long, never playing with any urgency even after getting down 2 goals. Stekelenberg made of stupid foul in the box for a Slovakian penalty, which was converted by Vittek in injury time, but it was only cosmetic. Clinical win by the Dutch. Madd Props to Slovakia for playing a well-disciplined tournament for World Cup minnows.

Brazil 3-0 Chile: You knew that two attractive attacking sides were going to fly around the pitch in this fixture – neither side disappointed. Chile was going to try to use the flanks a little more than their counterparts with a more direct attack. It took until just after four minutes for Brazil to finally get out of their own half – so solid was Chile firmly in control on the attacking end early. Great ball movement by both teams as both moved the ball all over the field on the attacking ends, but you just got the sense that Brazil was slightly better at an attacking buildup than Chile. A Slightly quicker counterattack by Chile, although it lacked a certain quality and inventiveness. Chile was actually able to find space to get into going forward but Brazil did a great job of anticipation and reading of the game to get in front of Chilean passes going into space. Way too many corners allowed by Chile, which is dangerous against a team as good at them as Brazil. It finally mattered, when Juan got on the end of a great cross by Maicon and headed it home. Upon scoring, Brazil began to counter with speed. A counterattacking triumvirate of Robinho to Kaka’ to Luis Fabiano resulted in their second goal moments later. Chile lost all semblance of discipline and shape after that. It became academic after that. We all talk about the otherworldly skill of Brazil, but head coach Dunga has put together probably the biggest, tallest and most physically aggressive team the side has ever had. Chile didn’t give up, having a real go at the Brazilian end, but you knew Brazil was going to take advantage of the gaps created by Chile sending numbers forward (a score by Robinho proved that). For all Chile’s offensive flair they only scored 3 goals in four games, so clearly they are more bark than bite. Brazil is hitting on all cylinders right now – this is clearly the time of the tournament they live fore – but so is the Netherlands, so the quarterfinal between the two at the very least should be entertaining.

— daveydoug

South Africa 2010 Match Observations: Group E

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Some random observations after the first group fixtures:

Netherlands 2-0 Denmark: Glad to see Rafael van der Vaart got the start; he’s much more creative than anybody Holland has. Neither one of these attacking sides was going to futz about spending lots of time in the midfield. Both teams were going to get their shots off and both penalties areas were going to be busy. Despite their passing and ball movement Denmark gave up the possession to Holland. While Holland was a bit more free flowing and proficient at combination play, Denmark did a better job of opening things up by switching play from side-to-side, making diagonal runs and finding open space. The Netherlands got their midfield involved a lot more this World Cup than last. Credit Sebastian Paulsen for an extremely well organized Danish midfield. Neither side was very good at set pieces. As much offense as we saw from both teams it is a little surprising that the first goal should happen on an own-goal. Much better attacking explosiveness from the Netherlands in the second half, grabbing the initiative from the start. Denmark seemed to have lost steam after halftime (this could have been a function of Holland closing down better), and they began to lose their cohesion defensively. Dutchman John Heitinga had a good game closing down the penalty area. Dirk Kuyt put the game beyond doubt in the 85th minute, poaching an Elia rebound. Deserving win by the Dutch.

Japan 1-0 Cameroon: Samuel Eto’o surely is one of the top 20 players in the world. The most effective attacking thrusts forward by Cameroon happened when Eto’o made things happen with his creativity and inventiveness, which would explain why he isn’t an out-and-out striker in front of goal for the Indomitable Lions. Lots of players behind the ball for Japan, and they did not wilt on 50-50 balls. Japan’s fullbacks were able to get forward at times on the flanks, but getting the ball in the center of the field and especially in the box presented problems. Lack of a midfield general made getting the ball to the front three players for Cameroon problematic. Both teams doing a lot of passing but not really going anywhere. Not much for either side’s forwards to do in the first half. Cameroon’s defense seemed to lack cohesion, and Japan picked up on that, so the Blue Samurai played cautiously in attack, hoping to get Cameroon’s backline to make a fatal mistake. It happened in the 39th minute, when Matsui sent a long cross behind a sleeping Cameroon backline that Honda got on the end of and one-timed into goal. Having gotten on top, in the second half Japan was less adventuresome going forward, preferring to stay disciplined in the midfield and the back, but when they did get the ball they were very methodical going forward. Cameroon finally got forward through the center – although not with any attacking consistency – but Eto’o started to get into the center also, instead of waiting for service on the right flank. Referee was barely noticeable; very clean play by both teams. As Cameroon sent more players forward to try to get that goal back, they left their rearguard deeply vulnerable, resulting in quick Japanese counterattacks. Surprise yet very tactically methodical 3 points for Japan.

– daveydoug

South Africa 2010: The Sleeper

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Before we make our sleeper pick, we should first define what we mean here. No, we are not making a definitive choice as to who will win the World Cup. That is not what we mean by sleeper. We did that in the previous section, and if you missed it, click the section titled What We Think Will Happen. What we are doing here is outlining a team that is not one of the favorites who could surprise everybody and make its way to the final game. We don’t actually believe it will happen, but if things break right, it could. The most important consideration, though, are the betting odd. If the odds are short then there is a lot of betting on a national side and the betting public thinks that side has a chance of winning. But if the odds are long then very few people think a team is going to go all the way. We don’t go with a team that is a long shot (North Korea at 2000-1) because that team has no legitimate shot at winning this. The team we pick has to be a football mainstay on the international scene that the betting public just doesn’t think will win this time.

Let’s start by eliminating the obvious favorites. Brazil is a five-time winner of this event and always goes into any World Cup as pre-tournament favorites. They expect to win, and if the betting odds of 4-1 are any indication then the betting public thinks so, too. It is way too easy to pick Brazil as a favorite; they won’t sneak up on anyone so nobody is actually “sleeping” on them.

Any other year I would have picked Spain, but the one-time football enigma has finally won a major international tournament and there is a certain expectation for the first time that they will win this (I don’t think so, but that’s not the point here). For once Spain has no excuses or bad luck to fall back on. They’ve only lost once in four years, are the most talented team in this tournament and are expected to win – and at 4-1 odds are co-favorites with Brazil. No surprises here.

Argentina have the best player in the world in Leo Messi, are as talented as anyone at this year’s tournament and expect to roll over everybody in their path to the promised land. But because they have the most hypnotically magical player on the planet there is a certain expectation that he will raise his game to an otherworldly level not seen since his coach Maradona put this side on his shoulders 24 years ago and won a world championship. At 13-2 odds they are just behind Spain and Brazil as betting favorites. So they don’t qualify as a sleeper.

How about England? They always show up for international tournaments with a pedigree and a high expectation of winning – at least by their countrymen – and yet they somehow manage to beat themselves out of a shot at the crown. I would have no problem picking them in most other years as the sleeper, but I can’t this year. England have a tough defense – what you clearly need to win a World Cup in recent years – and a pretty clear path to the semifinals with the very real possibility that they won’t even be challenged until then. From there they have the horses to beat anybody on the planet two games in a row. The odds makers think so too, making England a 13-2 favorite. So for once I have to pass on the Three Lions.

Of late Italy gets no respect when they get to a World Cup, yet show the determination and mistake-free quality to go all the way. They are the defending world champions but the public seems to forget about that. It would be folly to excuse their chances just because their coach is using the same players from four years ago and virtually all of them are past their prime. But even players who have lost a step or two can find their form for a short series (just as the 2006 French team). Why not take Italy as the sleeper? Because defending World Cup champions just don’t repeat. More importantly, at 14-1 odds somebody is still betting on them.

For me it comes down to two teams; Germany and the Netherlands. Germany has a knack for going deep in the World Cup, and their record of getting to the final game is second to none. Even in years when they have a perceived lack of talent and quality they manage to make everybody with designs on winning this tournament have to go through them (see Germany, Korea/Japan 2002). So nobody takes the Germans for granted, least of all any of their opponents and certainly not the betting public.

But this time around the Netherlands is my best sleeper choice. If the Dutch get away from what has doomed them for years, get their midfield involved in their attack instead of circumventing it to get the ball into the forward men quickly, and get master creator Rafael van der Vaart involved like they should, then all of the attacking principals from the side that looked like it couldn’t lose during the group stage of Euro 2008 would be back in their collective prime – and then some. Holland is as creative and dynamic an offense as Spain, Argentina and Brazil. They should sail through Group E and then could possibly meat a manageable opponent – Paraguay or Slovakia – in the next round. That would leave them just three more games to get to a summit they’ve never reached but should have at least once – and the Dutch have the horses to beat anyone in the world over a three-game span. At 9-1 a $100 bet gets you $1000, so they are priced to go.

So if you have an extra C-note lying around, are going to Las Vegas or Monte Carlo sometime in the next week or so, and are looking for a investment with a reasonable rate of return, you could do worse than putting down a bet on The Netherlands.

– daveydoug