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Oranje turned into Swiss Cheese

August 22nd, 2007 | By: Jan | 11 Comments »

The Dutch football team lost 2-1 against Switzerland.

SWITZERLAND!!! Ok, I said it wouldn’t be a walk over, but you don’t have to lose against the Swiss!! (Although their coach did say that the Swiss will go for the EC Title in 2008, so….).

Marco van Basten and his team doesn’t seem to be ready for the big qualifying matches next month against Bulgaria and Albania. And that is something to worry about. Oranje consists of great players, but is no where near forming a solid and well-oiled team. All the ingredients are present, now where is the Chef…

After searching, trying, puzzling, experimenting it seemed Marco came close to the big picture in the last months. With players like van Persie, van der Vaart, Sneijder, Babel an Kuyt all breaking through at top level and with big names like Gio, Sar, Seedorf and the returned Van Nistelrooy, expectations grew. When Marco started he promised a new, young and attractively playing Dutch team. He has the players, now he needs to mould them into a footballing machine, like his own coaches Johan Cruyff, Sacchi and Fabio Capello successfully did. And there is not a lot of time left.

Before the game, van Basten re-emphasized his belief in the 4-3-3 system, but in the match it seemed van Basten stretched his flexibility. Van der Vaart played right winger on paper but was free to roam. Van Persie started on the left wing but was told to move centrally, to support Van Nistelrooy as shadow striker after 25 minutes. Which probably is the best position for Holland’s best player. In the ax of the field, Van Persie has the most opportunities to lead the team and to add value. And, with Robin close, Ruud van Nistelrooy won’t feel as if he plays on a deserted island, like the matches on the WC 2006. Van Gol, as they call him in Madrid, was obviously happy to play with so much skilled players around him but he couldn’t celebrate his return in the team with a goal. After 45 minutes, Van Basten took the Madrid star of the pitch, as was agreed upon with the coaches of Real Madrid and Hamburger SV. Sneijder and Van der Vaart were rested as well.

These changes, and the many changes the Swiss made, turned the match pretty quickly into this boring, training match. The real worry, still, is at the back, where Jaliens, Emanuelson, Bouma and Heitinga demonstrated how vulnerable we are.

But only 8 minutes in the game, Oranje was 1-0 behind. Stekelenburg, goalie instead of the injured van der Sar, fouled Vonlanthen and Barnetta converted the spot kick. Oranje dominated the rest of the first half, but still it was again Barnetta - in the 54th minute - who scored the 2-0. Dirk Kuyt and Ryan Babel, who just came on the pitch, took care of the consolation goal for Oranje; assist Babel, goal Kuyt. Oranje went for the equalizer but even the by times incredible Van Persie dribbles couldn’t force a goal.

The only consolation for Van Basten remained the fact that next month Arjen Robben, Andre Ooijer and Ibrahim Affelay will be fit to join the group.

Tags: Arjen Robben, marco van basten, Robin van Persie, The Netherlands

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Comments

By richard | August 22nd, 2007 at 7:45 pm

I think the Dutch have talent and potential if Van Basten can settle–finally–on his starters, establish where they are most effective on the pitch,and play them as much as possible so that they develop CHEMISTRY, which is CRUCIAL in team sports. There is certainly a lot of good young players in the front, on offense–but again, they need to play more together.

By stephen | August 23rd, 2007 at 12:25 am

That is exactely the problem…no consistency at all, except for consistently playing the players out of position.

Very nervous with only two weeks away from the games that count. This is it. It may be time for Foppe de Haan to take the realm who will have no problem putting guys where they are best.

Posted from United States

By goose | August 23rd, 2007 at 7:48 am

well my frineds, yes another deception..i can live with a loss in a friendly but i cant live with the way the play(ed)..it was terrible..AGAIN!!

true, we have some great names in attack but what is the purpose if you dont reach them??

1. Stekelenburg: his first action was a terrible misreading..i even think he was too pumpd up and tought he needed to prove himself…wrong idea… had no real saves and doenst look ready for the ‘big boys’
2. Emanuelson: played terrible, lot of mistakes (including what led to the penalty), no use in building up from the back
3. Kew Jaliens: we all know this already. just not good enough for Oranje (or international football i should say)
4.Heitinga: didnt play awful but as with the rest, no use in the built up, long ball not good enough, defending was ok
5. Bouma: havent real seen him all game (actually forgot he was playing, haha), well suppose he wasnt that bad cause i would have noticed!
6. Gio: nice guy, friendly, years beyond his prime, played on midfield but it didnt work
7. deZeeuw: surprised he played, not very good but not very bad either…dont know
8. Sneijder; was eager but maybe too eager..at least he showed some heart during the game but didnt play great.. one shot on goal..
9. vdVaart; didnt work, he has problems adapting to the Oranje tactics, he not as free as he is with HSV, started on midfield but moved to the left during the game
10. vanPersie; showed some amasing skills now and then but wasnt able to make the difference, started on the left but moved behind vanNistelrooy during the first half
11. vanNistelrooy; one shot on goal in 45 min. says it all..no decent balls given to him..WC flash back…..but still, glad hes back
12. Seedorf; played ok, had a nice change right at the end but missed by about 6 miles..couldnt make the difference (again), i really hoped he would step up
13. Babel; started very strong, looked very dangerous (think at the moment hes better then Robben), had a perfect assist on Kuyt with our goal
14. Kuyt: well, guess what; he worked his ass off, made a goal but that was all, nothing more to say

well; im really getting a bit worried now…still think we will qualify but we have no change of glorie at the EC08

the team is no team..its just a bunch of nice names

everyone on this blog could have picked the players..its all so obvious..but vanBasten is getting paid to make it a team and he has failed..im willing to forget the past if progress was shown…there is no progress…

dont know; it sucks big time!!

grtz

Posted from Netherlands

By Mario | August 23rd, 2007 at 12:01 pm

Goose I agree with you on all you say except that I am not so sure we will qualify to Euro 08, with this coach, no matter who is playing, the team play is not there, no tactical game, no spirit at all, no connection between lines, man, I fear a lot we can be eliminated, Bulgaria and Romania are not easy games and if we lost like that to Switzerland anything can happen. I don´t care if it´s a friendly, van Basten has no clue of what to do with his team. I´d like Foppe de Haan to take over right now!

By Jan | August 23rd, 2007 at 4:13 pm

Hey there. I didn’t get a chance to watch the game in Geneva but I didn’t miss on Swiss tv. My review of the game will be published tomorrow or saturday on the Switzerland blog.

I truly didn’t know who to support but Switzerland was truly exciting and it looks promising for Euro 2008. Pity for the Netherlands they were very disappointing.

Posted from Italy

By goose | August 23rd, 2007 at 4:32 pm

the swiss looked ok, nothing special (altough im not familiar with their level) but you can see that its a real team..it looked like a mediocre team but with a vision and a target (the EC08), playing at home gives you a boost…but in all fairness ; i dont see them plaing the semis at the EC…and us neither btw!!!

Posted from Netherlands

By Jan | August 23rd, 2007 at 6:45 pm

Looking forward to that Jan, great! Meet you at the flip side :-).

Posted from Australia

By Mario | August 24th, 2007 at 7:17 pm

Jan, who had doubs about supporting Netherlands or Switzerland?. Man, I thought you were only oranje fan.

By Jan | August 25th, 2007 at 6:50 am

YO Mario :-), the Jan that mentioned that dual loyalty thing is not me. That’s the other Jan. Jan the Swiss blog moderator. It’s a pretty common name, Jan. And most Jan’s are great football experts too… Like Mario in latin countries

Posted from Australia

By tjeerd | August 25th, 2007 at 10:44 pm

Jan and Goose, thanks for the analysis. I never got to see even a tape delay. Satanta in Canada
http://130.94.23.190/SSCDN_live_schedule.htm
showed about 4 or five other friendlies(ie Germany England) wed. and thursday. But not the swiss dutch game.

By goose | August 26th, 2007 at 3:12 am

@tjeerd; yw..can you see qualifyers??

btw; love it that these germans have won the last official international at the old ebley and now win the first one in the new Wemley…im sure the english dont like that at all

btw1: this was the first match Oranje lost in August since 1920 (true!)

@mario; well, i never doubted it but to be honest im less sure then before..but still think we will/should qualify..just dont think theres any need cause why go to a tournament when you know you cant win… i would love to see vanBasten leave now and be replaced but i think we both know this is niot gonna happen..he either doenst qualify and stops or he qualifies and stops after we lost in the knock-out stages of EC08…theres no other way…

grtz

Posted from Netherlands

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