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No worries about Van der Vaart

February 14th, 2009 | By: Jan | 16 Comments »

Bert van Marwijk allowed the three to start the second half: Babel, Huntelaar and Rafael van der Vaart. Not a coincidence… These are the lads Bert is worried about. He feels the three aren’t making enough minutes.

In case of Babel and Huntelaar, the worries are justified. Ryan Babel has received a lot of opportunities at Liverpool. Last season, he appeared to be close to a starting position, with some winning late entries and important goals. Last summer, he annoyed Benitez with his Olympic stint right after a huge injury and Babel was put on the backburner. Whenever he starts at The Reds these days, he’s subbed again. He doesn’t create a lot, doesn’t score (missed a sitter last weekend) and seems at a loss when engaged in ‘Pool’s passing game. Babel might be on his way out this summer…

Babel only confirmed Benitez’ doubts in his 45 minutes against Tunisia.

And Huntelaar… Sure, every player who’s offered a deal at Real Madrid is tempted. And Klaas Jan, with his pedigree, felt secure to move to the club, coached by a fan of Dutch football, one Bernd Schuster. But the German was sacked and new coach Ramos realized scoring was one issue, but not giving goals away was a much bigger one. No Hunter in the CL, in other words, and for now, it seems Raul is the new center striker. Real collects points again, and Hunter is benched.

Insiders in Madrid claim that Huntelaar’s status and his skills are regarded to limited to actually claim what he wants.

It was nive to see how KJH can score when offered a chance, as he did yesterday, but it might not be enough for him to step up from the supporting role he plays with the Merengues.

Leaves us Van der Vaart. His entourage questioned Van Marwijk’s doubts. The midfielder has a different position and status at Madrid. He plays regularly, has played an important part already and seems to be a crucial pawn in the future, when Guti leaves the club (next summer?). According to insiders, Van der Vaart has a dominant role in the dressing room and on the trainings pitch in Madrid.

And that was easy to see against Tunisia. Van der Vaart’s game was probably the most positive learning point for Van Marwijk. No one has to worry about him!

The biggest worry for Van Marwijk however, is his goalie. With Babel and maybe Huntelaar side-tracked, there will be lots of alternatives available. Think Afellay, Biseswar, Wijnaldum…

In terms of goalies, we’ve got out-of-form potential world class goalie Stekelenburg, over-the-hill Timmer and young wannabe’s like Vorm and Velthuizen… At the same time, world class Van der Sar is breaking record after record in England… It won’t be long, until the nation will call upon him again…

Tags: Babel, Group C, Huntelaar, Kuyt, Oranje, Rafael van der Vaart, van der Sar, Van Marwijk

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Comments

By Miguel Rosado | February 14th, 2009 at 12:43 pm

Huntelaar is a goal scoring machine, it might take him some time but I’m sure he’ll be a success in Madrid. When he scores his 1st goal he’ll gain confidence and will show everyone he’s a better player than Higuain.
Actually I’m more worried about Van der Vaart. Babel is a big match player and I’m sure he’ll play a great game against Madrid and he’ll take the starting position.

By Hup | February 14th, 2009 at 2:45 pm

Babel seems like he can be a selfish player. Big ego with limited performance. Reminds me a bit of Drenthe. Huntelaar got greedy with his move but its hard to blame him. Hopefully he is moved in the summer to a team that can let him blossom. Maybe Man City or Aston Villa.

Posted from Canada

By sonneveld | February 14th, 2009 at 4:29 pm

babel has already scored against man united, chelsea and arsenal

By sonneveld | February 14th, 2009 at 4:32 pm

barcelona tie giving real a chance to make up ground

By Van Basten | February 14th, 2009 at 5:10 pm

How comes Sneijder is not a worry?The way he is performing(regardless of what is going on in his personal life)…it is not only disappointing but worrisome. Did Bert learn anything from the current performances of Sneijder is a noteworthy puzzling question.

By Van Basten | February 14th, 2009 at 5:11 pm

So Yes, I am surprised that Sneijder was not included in this article as well.

By Ruud | February 14th, 2009 at 7:05 pm

real madrid is destroying the dutch players !! they should leave this club

Posted from Canada

By Jason | February 14th, 2009 at 9:37 pm

Van der Vaart and Huntelaar should go to Juventus. I’m just throwing that out there… or a team like Roma where they will get time to play.

Denthe should go back to Feyenoord – he was nowhere near good enough just yet for the step up. He’s stagnating at RM.

Sneijder still has it but at the moment everyone on the starting eleven in madrid are concerned with the wrong things for him to shine. Raul needs his record, Higuain needs to keep Huntelaar off the pitch, and Robben is … well Robben. The fact they are unbeaten in some time is a mystery because they are all fighting their individual battles and not playing as a team. The only thing that bothers me about Sneijder is where on earth his freekick went to.

Posted from Canada

By Jason | February 14th, 2009 at 10:23 pm

Can anyone tell me if foreigners can purchase eredivisielive.nl live matches for viewing over the internet

Posted from Canada

By Alex | February 15th, 2009 at 7:05 am

Never read an article as subjective as this. Benitez is a piece of shit coach to me. Buys half of his selection from Spain, Argentina and Brazil and then makes weekly fantasy line-ups like he’s a crack junky.
Babel doesn’t really fit with Liverpool right now. He needs to be on the receiving end not creating, he isn’t that selfish, only he is motsly focussed on goal by nature, so pretty weird to always put him on the wing, but in his defence he can put in a decent cross. I’m convinced he can be outstanding as a free striker in 4-4-2. However, he isn’t getting nearly enough playing time at a high level to develop properly and learn, should be loaned to a lower club in PL or something.
Huntelaar has had a lot of criticism since he started scoring at Heerenveen. They said he would fail at Ajax. That didn’t exactly happen. The problem is that a lot of people like him but there are people who just don’t put their trust in him. Same with a player like Inzaghi, in his own way a world-class striker, as is V.Nistelrooij, who would dare to say he’s crap, but in his first seasons at Man utd. did nothing but wait and score, only one or two season ago that i really saw him changing a bit as a player. But Huntelaar just isn’t getting the time to prove himself in Madrid. BTW, not really a lot of assist come his way, Robben usually puts in a cross back to the edge of the box, Higuain hardly a real team player. Raul, is still good, but I hardly see him contribute a good assist. Sneijder in a dip. Not much to depend on.
There are just to many dutch players there, to avoid some to be put on the bench. And, i’m really confused at the reactions about Drenthe. Cause in the last games he played he did fine. In some games he was even one of the better players. Only Real fans and the easily influenced internet user seem to think otherwise. May just be because he’s black that he was whistled at(Spain is still a pretty racist country) .

V.d.Vaart, Sneijder, Robben basically have enough pure footballskills to manage themselves in the future, especially with Faubert and Guti as their primary competitors, But Huntelaar could better search for another club, at least to leave on loan, i’d say Juventus or something, cause when V.Nistelrooij comes back, upfront will be really crowded and Ramos favors established players like V.Nistelrooij and Raul. As they are both at the end of their career, He could earn himself a place upfront when either of them end their career. But that could take one or two seasons.
Drenthe seemed to have somehow lost support so i would leave if i were him. And it’s bullcrap to say he should return to Feyenoord, they wouldn’t be able to afford him. He can play on a decent level.

Posted from Netherlands

By Alex | February 15th, 2009 at 7:19 am

About Biseswar, abroad it may sound as if he’s all that, but nowhere near oranje material. In i can’t see him developing that much. Wijnaldum is still learning. But you all seem to forget the most prominent wingers/attackers of Oranje B: Eljero Elia, Roy Beerens and Nordin Amrabat.

In terms of talent we needn’t worry. Babel has more potential then some would like him to. And besides the players that were in the oranje squad, we have a lot of talented players like Bakkal, S.De Jong, Elia, V.Wolfswinkel, Nijland, Amrabat, Beerens, Wijnaldum, Fer, Barazite, Sarpong, Emnes. And lesser known Mitchell Donald, Vurnon Anita. all still young as well.
About goalies, i think Stekelenburg can still develop, it took V.d.sar quite some time to establish himself internationally at Man. united.
But Vorm, Vermeer and Velthuizen good prospects for the future. Despite Edwin having made it very clear he will not be going, I could imagine v.d.Sar not being able to resist if V.Marwijk would call him in 2010.
V.d.Sar, Stekelenburg, Vorm would be a pretty decent set of keepers to take with you, at least if Stekelenburg can recover from his current break down.

Posted from Netherlands

By Miguel Rosado | February 15th, 2009 at 1:39 pm

Huntelaar scored a goal today and played a good game. Have a little patience my friends!!!. Huntelaar will be the next Ruud in Madrid, mark my words!!!.
I agree that Sneijder has been playing very bad lately but he has already demonstrated what he’s capable in Madrid but Drenthe and Van der Vaart have shown nothing so they really have to be worried.

By bobotoh | February 15th, 2009 at 8:54 pm

Great news that Huntelaar has scored for Madrid. Like I said before, give him time. He will score! But, of course that I am still worried because, sooner or later, Ruud will be back. Huntelaar will be on the bench again. I don’t know about the starting line up for Madrid, did VdV play yesterday?

Posted from Indonesia

By bobotoh | February 15th, 2009 at 9:22 pm

And… Robben is injured again. Why is he injured so often? He is an excellent player. He is not just good, but more than that. If he is injured so often, he cannot contribute to the team. I hope that he will get well soon.

Posted from Indonesia

By Carlos | February 15th, 2009 at 11:13 pm

Robben is just being saved for more important matches buddy.
Only Huntelaar in RM side…Higuan played in Sneiders position and did VERY well.

Posted from Singapore

By ferenc | February 16th, 2009 at 4:07 am

miguel: i like huntelaar but he will never be a new rvn. he hasn’t got enough talent for that. and this is my worry about oranje – our best striker is huntelaar. we have no other option. in manu, barca,juve,inter he even wouldn’t be on the bench. and this teams are definitely better than real madrid. Jan, Goose: is any young talent who could become one day a new patrick kluivert,new rvn?

Posted from Singapore

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