Comments on: Everybody loves Louis

By: Caleb

Caleb — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 18:04:38 +0000

@Jan – Very close – I believe “Dime a dozen” is the expression you’re looking for, as in you can get a dozen of them for a dime and therefore they aren’t rare/special at all.

As for Mathijsen, he gets a lot of good press playing for HSV, but doesn’t impress in Oranje. Strange.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:35:16 +0000

@Alex, Okay Alex, I’ll hold off on the crack for awhile I see both players regularly as well. I was happy to read your analysis (in another thread) that Heitinga had a good game and was starting to turn things around. Most defenders don’t really develop fully until they get to their late 20’s and are able to marry experience with technique, and if Heitinga is on the uptick to a new level of play, nothing would make me happier. That said, he still scares me, especially in the one on ones…I’m not saying Mathijesen is brilliant, but right now he looks the safer defender (he had a good performance against Toni last week); and he has been better in the national team performances over the last few years.

Just my opinion. I appreciate your reports. How has Van Der Weil been looking? He’s a guy I’ve been trying to follow for awhile.

By: Jan

Jan — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 09:54:18 +0000

Yeah, Mathijsen…Heitinga…Bouma… I don’t care really. Can’t get enthusiastic about those lads. Marcellis, Zuiverloon, Braafheid, Emanuelson…yeah…but those old hags… Dime in a dozen, is the expression right?

By: Alex

Alex — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 08:46:08 +0000

@Andrew
Hold on for a minute. If you’re saying Mathijsen is a better defender then Heitinga you must be on crack or something. I see Mathijsen with HSV and Heitinga with Atletico pretty regularly. btw Bundesliga is a lesser competition then Primera division. But Heitinga might be out of form he’s not the only one at Atletico. Ujfalusi ‘didn’t do as well as they expected and the strikers aren’t funtioning 100 % too. Heitinga in form is 3 times better then Mathijsen. And I think it wouldn’t hurt people if they would be more critical of themselves, a few months ago Heitinga was praised for his play, he was to be our next class defender and most people couldn’t stop talking about his move to Atletico. But the always “objective fans” dissapoint me again. Although I agree right now Mathijsen is in better form then Heitinga. In potential Heitinga will always win.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 06:26:23 +0000

@Jan,Bobotoh: Absolutely Van Persie. He’d go looking for the ball much deeper in the midfield and out on the wings; there would be much more interchange with him and the three coming in from behind…I’d still prefer Kuyt ot Affellay, or maybe even VDV—lot of time between now and summer 2010 to get himself sorted out, and when VDV is in form he can be a dangerous finisher. As far as the defense goes, Jan, why not include Mathijesen? Not much on the offensive side, but right now, and for the last couple of years, a better, safer stopper than Heitinga.

By: Jan

Jan — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 04:45:31 +0000

As far as I’m concerned, yes!

I’d be happy with Robin up front. With Sneijder as the architect and young Afellay on the right, Robben on the left (or vice versa) there’s a lot of football in the team. Babel and Kuyt on the bench, for extra services. Vaart as Sneijder’s understudy. Vennegoor as pinchhitter.

De Jong and Schaars holding mids and Mark van Bommel as Beckenbauer.

Then, we’ll only need three butchers with a cutthroat mentality to mark the dangermen of the opponent: Heijtinga, Marcellis and…Zuiverloon? Boula? Bouma? Loovens? Take your pick.

I’m happy with Stekelenburg in goal but would love to see Sar return!

By: bobotoh

bobotoh — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 03:30:28 +0000

RVN is now retired. Huntelaar still has to find his form at RM. So, who will be the main striker of Holland? Van Persie?

By: Felipe

Felipe — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 23:25:07 +0000

Jan, I’m happy my opinion is the same from you. Timmer is not so bad this season. The defenders from Stadionclub are too much shaky.

BTW, Michel Vorm made an impressive match against Twente, huh?

By: Jan

Jan — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 22:46:08 +0000

Felipe, I don’t think so. In the game vs NEC (last weekend) he saved Feyenoord a couple of times in the first half. I think most goalies are affected with the quality of their defense. The better they are (positioned, etc ) the more a goalie can concentrate on his own work. Hence Sar saying that the new record for him is a team effort. It is.

Last weekend Feyenoord lost Gio, Bahia and Lucius, three major players at the back, while De Cler has been injured for a while. Vlemmings needed to play two 19 year olds in defense. No wonder Timmer isn’t that secure, he needs to do lots of organizing and coaching.

NEC’s goal came in the last seconds of the game. The cross was very hard and spinning away from the goalie. One of those 50-50 balls, do you come – as a goalie – or stay on the line. Timmer’s qualities are his reflexes on the line, so I guess he made a good decision, but still NEC scored.

Look at Gomes at the Spurs. In Holland he was God, at Spurs he’s Dracula. Not coincidentally, Tottenham didn’t play well at all when Gomes was blundering. This has a cause-and-effect kind of relationship.

I’m with Timmer all the way

By: Felipe

Felipe — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 22:35:16 +0000

@Jan: is Timmer really being so bad this season? Please, answer.