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Looking Ahead

June 17th, 2006 | By: Mike | 12 Comments »

Does the match between Argentina and the Netherlands really have no substantial meaning? I hear everywhere that now that the Dutch are qualified for the next round they can relax for the next match and maybe rest some of big stars. This is madness to me.

Who will finish top of Group D? Portugal more than likely. And second? Mexico, most likely. Who would we rather face in the quarterfinals? Portugal or Mexico? I would love to have a chance for revenge against the Portuguese after being dumped out of Euro 2004 by them but let’s be realistic. The Dutch aren’t playing top football yet. If they manage to turn it on against Argentina then great, bring on Figo & Co. but Mexico, to me, seems the much more desirable opponent in the next round. van Basten doesn’t seem like the kind of coach to field a weakened side in favour of protecting a few players.

I am not over-awed by the Argentinians. What happens in a match can change a team. They didn’t go into the match flying high. The manner of the first two goals set them on their way. It could just as easily gone the other way. A great team is composed of skill and fabricated luck. The Abliceleste had those two things and as a result clicked well together. I was wrong about the Serbian reaction to their Dutch loss. They weren’t out for revenge but instead, much like the blogger Lyle, were despondent and bemoaned their ill luck. A team in sync with each other against a down-trodden team will always yield one-sided result.

Their display was masterful but they are still a team made up of fallible players just like every other team in the tournament. Every team is beatable and any team can win. The most action a team will see is seven games and only four countries even get that. We can’t afford to insulate ourselves and say, “This match doesn’t matter”. Look at our team. It’s a good team capable of taking on any other team on their day.

You might say this is my rallying cry but I’ll just say that this is a one-off tournament and we have every right to hope and cheer for success. We are doing ourselves and our team a disservice by letting them off the hook and encouraging them to go in and give it a half-assed try. I won’t accept that and neither should you.

Tags: Argentina, Netherlands

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Comments

By jonathan | June 18th, 2006 at 2:40 am

well it is a clash between two powerhouses.key players are going to be rested.tip argentina to win.

Posted from Nigeria

By Jan | June 18th, 2006 at 2:52 am

Interesting thread… Some ideas..

1. Resting players has value. For one, players can rest :-). And MvB gets a chance to test other players (Maduro? Landzaat?), but…

2. Some coaches do not want to take the pressure of their team, they need them to be in pressure cooker positions… You can’t have a “relaxing” match, coz it’ll ruin the rhythm of the team etc etc… But…

3. MvB may just want to test a variant on the 4-3-3 he wants to play… For instance, a 4-4-2. Have Ruud and Robin play upfront (Ruud can again drift to the left as he likes to) and Arjen can - Chelsea-style - play left midfield. Rafael and Wesley play center, and Landzaat/Bommel play right.

4. Cocu… A tough call for MvB to make. Has his season with PSV (champion, CL-season) been too much? Or can he play center back? Maybe move Ooijer to the right back position?

5. Yes, Argentina can be had. That is, if we really want to. Coz finishing 2nd may not be so bad. Portugal is NOT what they were. In 2002 we were better (0-2 ahead in Portugal until van Gaal started his ego-trip) and the 2004 game was in the Dick Advocaat era, so that doesn’t count :-).
I’d say, let’s assess who we would meet beyond Mexico/Portugal, coz both Mexico and Portugal can be taken on…

Posted from Australia

By Jan | June 18th, 2006 at 3:07 am

Oh, I shouldn’t forget to mention this:

Sometimes it’s good to take on a team that just won big and was overwhelmed with praise. They may be a bit too relaxed, too much satuarated. Let everyone tell the Gauchos they will win the cup! As for Holland, we are still not happy, on our toes to up our game, etc etc and that could be the clincher between the two teams.

AND…in the past, the best playing team in the group-phase never won the cup. Holland in ‘74, Brazil in 82, etc etc. In 82 the struggling Italians exploded beyond the group phase, and I’m sure there’s more great examples like that, like the Dutch in 1988.

This may be a very nice scenario for us.

Posted from Australia

By Frank | June 18th, 2006 at 3:49 am

I think some key players should be rested. As important as it is to win this match, it is more important that everyone is fit and ready for the 2nd round. Whoever we come up against, it’s going to be tough. Not much difference between the top teams and Group E just shows that:
1. there are no easy teams
2. no one’s unbeatable

By gwynn | June 18th, 2006 at 5:37 am

Also, it might be keen to remember. Serbia seem a team that gives up when suffering a goal onslaught. Remember our demolition of Yugoslavia in 2000, 6-1. That hardly made our team unbeatable, in fact we lost to hapless italian team the very next game. Argentina can be beaten this next game…and to be honest if we play our best players and some get a second yellow card, our B-team has already shown they can beat Mexico.

Posted from Canada

By serge | June 18th, 2006 at 5:42 am

the question for holland is whether they wish to continue their embarassing diving..i could not believe it..a team i always support… the dive by the guy in the midfield which earned the ivory coast player a yellow was beyond shameful… and van persie also looked to me like he was exagerating to great effect to earn that yellow.. not to mention robben’s pathetic attempt..

honestly, surprised.. maybe holland just isn’t that good and they have to resort to this but its unbecoming for a side with such great history…the way i see it if holland becomes a “win at any costs” side its no different from most others and no longer the holland i love

Posted from United States

By serge | June 18th, 2006 at 5:43 am

that should read “to earn that freekick”

i think teams should always play to win…the way i see its seven finals..if suddenly holland loses to argentina the confidence level goes down..

and i do think the bottom half of the draw will be much harder…

Posted from United States

By ayl18 | June 18th, 2006 at 8:34 am

The guy in the middle was Van Bommell…. i feel sorry for the Ivory player who copped a yellow for it (i think that it can be overturned by the 4th official?!?!?!)…

That dive (and diving in general) is a disgrace…. i HATE it with a passion, but i suppose it’s here to stay so we’d better get used to it.

Posted from Australia

By goose | June 18th, 2006 at 8:59 am

@all,

think vanBasten will rest some players (person. I think hell change Robben 4 Kuyt and move vanPersie to the left, just a guess)

there’s a discussion going on about Cocu playing as a kind of libero in front of defence… to get more balance between defence and midfield….

@serge, agree with your comment on vanBommel, disgrace, dont agree with you on Robben, just think that because of his reputation referees think he always dives, remember when you are on full speed you have to protect yourself aswell…

but just accept that this team is not as good as say 1998/2000 maybe even 2004, its the same now as it was with qualifying, we play prety bad but the results are good, ….

greetz

Posted from Netherlands

By derabbito | June 18th, 2006 at 10:07 am

I don’t think Portugal would be super tough anyways, if they could only score 1 against Angola, 2 against Iran, then the (yet crappy) Dutch defense can still hold em off, but screw conceding as long as you score more, it doesnt matter.

Posted from Japan

By Mike | June 18th, 2006 at 2:12 pm

@serge lol, “the guy in the middle”. Are you sure you support them? It sounds doubtful to me.

Diving is a problem for every team. EVERY team. Some players seem to get picked on for a few indiscretions in the past. Robben has indeed had problems with it. However, the ‘dive’ he got a yellow for was “iffy” at best. van Bommel’s dive was without question. He is not a player who I have seen go to ground easily.

Posted from Canada

By goose | June 19th, 2006 at 7:28 pm

This is the reason we beat those arg. last time around…. DENNIS

one of the most beautiful goals of all time..

http://www.yourfilehost.com/media.php?cat=video&file=Dennis98.mpg

greetz

WIJ HOUDEN VAN HOLLAND

Posted from Netherlands

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