Hedwiges Maduro: better than ever…

—-vermeer

v.d.wiel-marcellis-maduro-braafheid

-drenthe-de guzman-emanuelson

–afellay-babel-elia

what do you guys think our young/unstablished team would be????

make that

—————vermeer

-v.d.wiel-marcellis-maduro-braafheid

——–drenthe-emanuelson

-wijnaldum—-afellay———elia

—————babel

Well I think it´s very positive that Maduro has found a spot as central defender in such a strong team like Valencia because Netherlands national team has a weakness in central defense. That´s the weakest point of Oranje and Maduro can be a valuable player there because Ooijer is useless now. He is not even a starter in Blackburn Rovers and Heitinga, Boulahrouz and Maduro have to fight for one spot there because Mathijsen has proved his value in Hamburg and in the National team.

About Madrid players…I think the only one who should star is Robben, Huntelaar perhaps but in Madrid nobody benches Raúl and if Madrid is going to but Zlatan or another forward Huntelaar will be warming the bench the whole tournament. He should in my opinion…Real is a team who needs many changes and the Dutchies should leave a team that is in transition.

I’m not surprised that Maduro’s best position is at central defence (although i’m not going to lie, I am surprised by his recent resurgence into top football) because i remember a champions league tie between Ajax and Inter (those were the days…) in which Maduro played CB and did quite well.

Posted from  Canada

You are right Igor, he played against Inter as CB and he did very good. Besides Maduro is not very creative as a midfielder although he has great technique and having him in the back four can help to build the play from the bottom. I think van Marwijk will call him up and he will get his chance because he has been playing great for Valencia.

de jong should also convert to a cb

Posted from  United States

Hey Guys, I’ve been away for awhile, but happy to be back.

Yes maduro has been looking good for awhile. Valencia, as a team, was a joy to watch against Real. But back to Maduro, and M-O’s comment re: DeJong…Just a thought here, but why not 3-4-3:

De Jong—Mathiejsen—Maduro

Kuyt—Van Bommel—Schaars—Sneijder

Van Pers—Hunter/RVN—Robben

With Sneijder though nominally left having freedom to go anywhere, dropping in behind the front three (no unlike the way Ronald De Boer played in ‘98)…I thin Van Bommel and Schaars could provide cover for the back, and with Kuyt on the right, Van Pers could play with a lot of freedom…my only concern is whether Kuyt needs to play closer to the front…

Posted from  United States

Andrew, Kuyt has proven that he is great when he has to defend. I think your line up would be excellent because you are lining up all the best Dutch players available at the moment but I wonder if van Marwijk has the guts to try to play with 3 defenders…but that formation looks very impressive. Hopefully Ruud will return at top level because he has said that if he does so he would like to play for Oranje again.

Andrew I like it Once we qualify lets hope Bert Listens to you.
By the way I utterly loathed Maduro at the Olympics….a real whimp that couldnt keep up te pace of a midfielder who was suppose to build up from the back. If he has made a successful change then GREAT as he has good football pedigree and qualities.

Posted from  Singapore

Andrew – but I would put Mathijsen on the left back position and tell Schaars to watch that side too when Sneider starts roaming. Both are left footed players which are needed on that side. Even think Wes could be in the hole and just stretch Schaars,vB and Kuyt across the centre in attack.

Posted from  Singapore

Actually the only people I loathe from the Olymics are Sno and Drenthe. Pompus little snots.

@soneveld your team will beat the current national team Because its lots of energy than the seniors.and all re talented.
There are four vaccencies for holding mids so Emmanuelson should get a call as holding mid coz this guy is too skilled and has better lungs than Vanbommel.
Vanmarwijk should give the captain band to schaars and our holding four should be
Schaars
De jong
Emmanuelson
Vanbommel
our back should be
RB-Van derweil-Mendes dasilva/Zuiverloon i prefer mendes
CB-Heitinga-Marcelis-Mathijenson-Maduro
LB-Brapheid-Bouma

At any coast emmeulson should get the call and Maduro too

Posted from  India

So i would go for as per 14231

———-Steks——–

Vanderweil—Maduro–Mathjenson—-Braphied
———Dejong——–Znijder——–
—-Kuyt—–Vanpersie——Elia—
——— —-Hunter————–
Subs
Schaars
Roban

IF it is 1433
Then would go for

————–Stekes———–

Vanderweil—-Maduro—Mathjenson—Brapheid
—Schaars—–Znijeder—Emmaulson
Kuyt——–Vanpersie—–Babel
subs
Roban
Hunter

Posted from  India

When de Jong first started playing in Oranje he began at right back. That wasn’t very successful. He’s much better as holding midfielder. I think we should play with four at the back in any case, if that goes really well then we can try 3. But you need world class defenders for that, especially when you play against Brazil’s 4-4-2.

Posted from  Netherlands

Brasil in posession plays with 2-6-2. Their wingbacks are more wingers than real defenders.

But i agree, no talk about 3 defenders until they actually prove they can win with 3 defenders. As for Maduro, if he continues to develop like this there’s no stopping him to become our first world class defender worthy of the title new Stam.
BTW before the wc De Jong played a game one RB under V.basten and didn’t do too bad. though i like him better as defensive midfielder. Davids 2.0 in the making

Posted from  Netherlands

i meant EC 08 with that last bit

Posted from  Netherlands

Great to see Maduro doing so good. He totally deserves a 2nd chance in the national team.

Nobody at City showed up to play, including De Jong.

I was disappointed with City in the City match vs. Man United!

About this 3-4-3 formation, personally I don’t think it would work very well. The whole basis of 3 attackers is to have 2 wingers put in crosses to someone who will finish them. We certainly have the finisher (Hunter/RVN), but he never gets any service. The “wingers” (Robben + RVP – not a winger by the way) always cut in and try to shoot themselves, and the center forward gets no service at all. We’ve seen it before under Van Basten, and I’m not keen to see it again.
I also believe Maduro would get butchered out on the wing if he faced a quick and tricky opponent. A good center back does not necessarily make a good wing back, and I don’t think Maduro would…

Posted from  Canada

@Caleb, yes, as soon as you said it, I could see your point about Maduro or Mathi being exposed if they got isolated wide…, and I will be the first to admit that these days RVP’s talents are better suited to a more inside position. (Not always the case, when he was with Feyenoord, he did alot of damage as a winger—anyone remember the 2002 UEFA Cup final, he was terrific out wide until he went off early with an injury.) I was just trying to think of a way to get the best players on the field. Good discussion from everyone.

Posted from  United States

@alex, any offensively minded team plays 2-6-2 in possession (given they play 4-4-2). Wingbacks are supposed to come up with the attack . Back in Gio’s younger days (and even now to some extent) and the days of Reiziger this was done as well. That’s why v.d. Wiel is the best candidate for the right back position, he adds speed to the right flank on offense. On the left it is not as necessary since we have Robben, but Braafheid would do well there I think.

Posted from  Netherlands

———–stek———–

vdWiel–maduro–mathi–gio(for now)

kuyt—-vBomm–schaars–sneijder(robben pisses me off too much)

———RvP——————-

—————Hunter———-

Posted from  United States