After Argentina

He is a Mexican hero. A composed defender, battling midfielder and inspiring captain, Rafael Marquez seems to be everywhere on the pitch. Off the field, his handsome face adorns magazines, features in all the ads back home and decorates shirts worn by thousands of El Tri fans descending on Germany for the FIFA World Cup™.
Yet emerging from Wednesday’s 2-1 loss to Portugal, which secured a Round of 16 meeting with Argentina, the Barcelona player was not altogether a happy man. “I’m sad because we lost and because I didn’t play well,” the 27-year-old told FIFAworldcup.com. “We had our chances and maybe deserved more but at least we qualified.”

Marquez, starting in midfield rather than the central defensive position where he has excelled for Barcelona, gave the ball away for Portugal’s first goal, and then inexplicably handled a corner, presenting the Europeans with a second.

Go to the Mexico team page

“It was a very bad day,” he admitted. “I committed a lot of mistakes at the start of the match. Then I tried to improve but I lost my concentration. It was just not my game. I have to be calm now. In football things like that happen. Nobody is perfect. The most important thing is that the team qualified for the next round.”

Sorry but some of you guys make horrible points. I wonder if you have been watching this team play?

(1) Jan V of Hesselink will not play a second in this world cup. MVB should have brount Huntelaar but that is a mood point as of now.
(2) De Cler played well and helps in the attack but he will also not see any playing time
(3) Kromkamp is not going to play ever! MVB said it was a mistake to even bring him along.
(4) Our starting defense should be: Van Bronkhorst, Ooijer, Boulahrouz, Mathijsen. They offer the strongest back line.
(5) The Midfield is a major concern! I feel the best team in the middle would be Cocu, Van Der Vaart, Sneijder. Mark van Bommel has done very little to help in the attack. Landzaat is a purely defensive midfielder and should only be used to sure up a lead in substitute. Cocu, someone asked why he has been so attacking?! This is a joke, Cocu has been anything but attacking, we need him to push forward and get involved more.
(6) Our front line does not boad well for Ruud. Ruud has always been a player who needs balls played into him and our wingers are not that type of player. Arjen and Robin like to attack from the wings into the middle. This does not give Ruud a chance to get the ball in space. On the other hand I also think that he looks too “static” in the center. He does not look energetic and in away much like Ronaldo (before yesterday). I think play Ruud in the first half, if he is stagnate….bring in Kuyt to play in the middle.

Posted from  United States

Guys .. i think skillfully we should admit that portugal is in this wc better than us.
However, we have 100 times the Will and Heart they have to beat them.. Jan Again and again you read my mind, the way australia has been playing provides us with the perfect exmaple. They’re not the most skillfull bunch but could definitely create upsets.. Oranje is also in my opinion much more passionate than the latter and we have significant and sufficient skills to rise to the occasion.

Again to all those who still doubt dutch passion in this very WC, if we compare the dutch and italian defense. We look at cannavaro and nesta who individually are in the opinion of many experts to be part of today’s dream team. And i think all in all we all already know about the reputation Italy’s defense holds. Their performance so far against second best teams was not at all convincing. Poor czechs were playing with a decapitated offense but managed nevertheless to threaten Italy’s defense on several occasions..

Oranje. Who do we have?? who is our star ?? boulahrouz?? if u compare him to the experience and skill of cannavaro he is by all means much weaker individually.. However, he has been performing much better, as a player part of the whole of the team. And he only has been doing so because he is compensating like all the others in the team with extreme heart, will, determination and passion to funnily enough just keep that damn ball out of the net.
On paper, it would look like it would be the easiest thing to outplay our defense and score over and over again.. But we have so far managed to stay away from defeat, due mainly to all the reasons mentioned above. From the 3 matches Ive seen, I can only hail and applaud their attitude towards the game. To be able to do so much defensively with so little they have.
I can only hope their attitude towards the game will persist.

Furthermore, if we dont score or play beautifully like many of u hope they would, it absolutely has nothing to do with our passion towards the game. There is no lack of Will on behalf of nistelrooy for example to blast the ball past the keeper trust me… Unfortunately, skillfully and tactically We havent been good enough so far.. thats it. Simply.
You just watch how robben or van persie or even van nis looked when they scored their goals. Shows how bad they want it, its incredible. To die for.

Please, i dont think this is an issue of debate even, no one should comment on the dutch passion,heart,will or anything related to that on the field anymore. By far, we rank first among all teams in this department !!

Our failure or defeat, when it should come, if it should , should be because of other reasons definitely. Lack of Skill, lack of experience maybe, not so great team selection maybe… Make your opinions about those as u wish..

Go Holland.

To a person who knows the inside and outside of a football game, you really are making me proud to be Dutch..

Posted from  Russian Federation

why is it i feel pedro that it could be conceivable for you to lose against us??

I’m not even gonna be able to look at felipe the dog the whole game so much the grudge is still there from 2004, let alone look at him if his side score a goal. god forbid… hehe

well i wish u all the luck man and a good game for portugal..
But I hope you lose disgracefully to what hopefully would look like a supreme and proud Dutch side.

Posted from  Russian Federation

Micha…if you are swedish, you should be worried with tomorrow..is your last day.
If you are Dutch, dont worry you will have one more day…

Just for your info…Portugal played with the 2 team with Mexico…two years ago Holland went home earier…you remember who sent you back??? yes…you do… and third I dont even consider Holland is in the same league as Portugal…we will win…for one, by two, for three…we have to keep the tradition… )))

Posted from  Sweden

It should be a great game. Portugal was the team that kicked Holland out of WC2002 and the then throw Holland our of the EC2004. Holland will pay it back with win.

This Dutch team is different than the other team we got used to watch. This team is more PRACTICAL.

Van Basten lads will squees a win after win till they reach the final again.

Posted from  United States

Interesting assesment, I will give you my predictions and we will see who is more accurate soon enough. Germany, going deep, won’t lose untill finals; Sweden going down to Germany.
Argentina to win, Mexico to lose. Here is where our predictions start to differ, Holland to crush Portugal, the breakout game Netherlands is waiting for.
Italy, game over huge Australian upset, go roos!
Switerland Vs. Ukraine, take your pick, niether side deserves to go on, Ukraine wins on penalty kicks, and paves the way for Australia into the semis.
Euador will surprise England and beat them, I’m not sure about this prediction but it’s my feeling.
Brazil has easy draw with Ghana, good but not that good.
Spain should beat a comletely dis-organized and divided French team. Don’t agree with your assesment of Ribery, niether does Arsen Venga, Arsonal and United reportedly offered over 15 million pounds and were turned away. From where I’m sitting Ribery is the best player in a French uniform this World Cup; he and Henry are the future of the equipe national, once they get rid of their idiot coach. Hup Holland!

Micha,

You appear to know nothing about soccer and I believe you must suffer from some form of amnesia and blindness perhaps! What games have u been wathin’ I fell asleep during all of Holland’s games more specifically the last…at least 3x I was caught taking a snooze. Read the stats buddy! Figo is old….just like a good wine…the older the better!

Posted from  United States

@ryan, i agree with u on one point u did not wtch the same mtch as i did.

i said cocu was attacking.

cocu played in fact an attacking position, the statistics proove it.

1st half

cocu
defense
5.3%
midfield
47.4%
attack
47.4%

compared to van der vaart
defense
13%
midfield
82.6%%
attack
4.3%

http://www.eurosport.com/football/worldcup/2006/statsmatch_mtc131167.shtml

then click on density(2nd button) and 1st half.

hehe micha .. your predictions are mainly of wishful thinking.

Although there is a lot of room for upsets, as chance and fortune play a good part in football, especially in times like these in the second round, I believe you should nevertheless state the obvious candidates.

Germany although strong and have home advantage are gonna be battling argentina in the quarters. If they manage to beat them then well i’ll go for germany to win the wc. But i dont think this will happen really.. The semis will look like the following:

Arg – Italy

Brazil – England/Holland

If holland manages to beat portugal, then i think we can go far. If not, portugal’s jouney would end when they meet england, and the latter would have to meet brazil..

Remember my predictions… And we’ll start comparing in one week time lol..

Posted from  Russian Federation

Rami:

Arg – Italy
Brazil – England/Holland
—-

Italy is so lucky, if they can beat the Aussies, they are guaranteed a spot in the semi (either can beat either Swiss/Ukraine, me think). My picks on the top half are the same with yours but the bottom half I actually predicted Spain to beat Brazil this year to face the Oranje. Ultimately, we’ll beat Argentina 3:1 to take back what we deserved in 1978.

Perhaps a sentimental pick but I feel the atmosphere in the Spanish squad this year is different than before, similar feeling with the Oranje squad. Technically, both teams have always been gifted, non-technical factor may be the change this year. I surely hope so.

GO ORANJE!

Posted from  United States

Thanks for the backup Kervin! I guess the stats don’t lie. I dont really mind Cocu coming up in attack as long as he doesn’t clog the middle. He can be a guy who provides service to the men upfront. I would like to see him makes some crosses into the box with that left foot. It is a major concern that with this team we have nobody who is dangerous in the air!

Posted from  United States

Both Kuyt and Van Persie are decent headers. Kuyt is not big but times well and jumps high.

Posted from  Australia

i starting to think as u too, cocu attacking can do some pressing very high and sneijder deep can send long balls for the attack…

but if sneijder or van der vaart were attacking and cocu more defensive then there would be more support for ruud or now kuyt. but after all it’s marco who is surely right…

4 all you Holland fans.. very nice video of the dutch master himself

JOHAN CRIJFF

http://www.flabber.nl/archief/016732.php

greetz

Posted from  Netherlands

oops CRUIJFF that is!!! sorry Johan

Posted from  Netherlands

I sense a lot of tension and pent up anxiety ahead of the match…

Posted from  Canada

You are an American who dosen’t know anything about football, by your own admission you fell asleep while watching the world cup? Go tend to your backward, banckrupt country, don’t fall asleep when they are electing the next Bush. As for my Swedish fans, sorry I just call em, as i see em, yorge elske swerge, but Hup Holland!

@Micha…
That’s quite a nice post for our American friends, mate . The best saying in football we have, by far exceeding the Football is War by Michels or anything Cruyff ever said, is the following… (most used when pondering a game to come):

THE BALL IS ROUND

Posted from  Australia

You are right Jan, I am sorry. Its just my sense of humour. To me this is funny. I don’t mean to offend, just make fun of.

Well, it was funny ! I laughed about it… What struck me by the way, is that on all the other blogs I look every now and then, there’s a lot of negativity and outright bickering and insulting and stuff and we have little of that on the Dutch blog. I wonder why… Because the Dutch are known to be whingers… Cruyff once said about his coaching days at Ajax, that when he opened his mouth to take in a breath before speaking, players would immediately go: yes, but…

Posted from  Australia

H — well youre right about Italy being lucky. They are. Very. Brazil as well, so far. They have easy tickets to advanced stages of the wc.

Italy – Australia will be something similar to Arg – mexico, i think. The socceroos will hold a good fight but will eventually lose one way or another whther through lack lof luck or lack of experience… or whatever. I just cant feel the Italians creeping their way through..

As far as spain is concerned, well there is no doubt they have a great team. Team spirit is excellent and everything; but i doubt they’ll have things their way against france and then against brazil.. Somehow i just dont see them in the semis. Although i’d love to see them there. They deserve it. In all cases we’ll see.

The more important thing right now is Holland.. Wish yourselves luck guys and let’s win this matchup and get it over with..

Go Gung Ho Holland !!

Posted from  Russian Federation

Rami:

Obviously the whining boys in blue is the favorite against the Socceroos BUT don’t forget the man at the Roos’ bench: our own Hiddink. Korea/Japan 2002 anyone? when nobody thought Korea had a chance against the whining boys in blue?

Well, I’m just hoping that Hiddink can again work his magic this year.

Here is to a positive football!

GO ORANJE!
HUP HOLLAND!

Posted from  United States

Micha,

I hate to say I told you so…

But I told you so

Posted from  Portugal

Micha, did you enjoy being beated for the 6th time by the portuguese? In 10 plays, Portugal won 6, 3 draws and Holland won 1…

Did you had anything for your stomach ache? ahahah

The only really good player you have is Van Persie! All the rest is a bunch of unskilled players… Where was Robben yesterday??

Learn how to play with fair play, train a bit more next time and be humble!

Micha do you still have the same opinion that portuguese team “is older and slower than they were 2 years ago in the euros. Holland is faster, younger, and better than 2 years ago. You won’t get anymore goals from penalty kicks, strike that, you won’t get anymore goals period! Portugal has played nobody, Holland has come through the group of death undefeated. For a realistic look at your chances check out the betting lines for the game, nobody favors Portugal”???

If you want, join us watching the quarter finals game next saturday @ Fisherman´s Wharf in Macau.

Cheers!

Posted from  Macao