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Preview: Holland vs Scotland

March 28th, 2009 | By: Jan | 8 Comments »

With only 18 minutes to go before Earth Hour, here’s our preview…

We’ve said a lot about the game, Oranje and the line-up already here, but let’s take a long last look.

Oranje can put the Scots at 8 points when we win this. We’ve played three already, won three: 9 points.

When Bert & Co win the two games (Scotland, Macedonia) these days, qualification is virtually in the bag.

With Heitinga the only player out, it seems Bert can pick his best team. I can’t read Bert’s mind, but I have the feeling he’ll play with these lads:

========Stekelenburg==========
Van der Wiel==Ooijer==Mathijsen==Gio
====De Jong===Van Bommel=======
Kuyt======Van Persie=====Robben
==========Huntelaar===========

Although he might play Sneijder instead of Robben. We all know how hard it is for Robben against Brits (remember Liverpool??).

The Scots have heaps of issues. Injuries, internal rows and all that so they won’t be likely to take the game to us. Expect destructive, physical counter football vs cautious, patient build up play by Holland. I wonder if the pace (or the lack thereof ) will be our biggest enemy in this game.

It could go any which way. Scotland might win (yeah, right), we might get a bloodless draw or a difficult 1-0 (Huntelaar) win. But, if Oranje scores quick in the game (Van Persie), we might break them apart and that 5-0 I predicted earlier could be reality.

I hope for the latter of course.

Anyway, I’m not sure who will ref this game. I do know it’s played in the Amsterdam ArenA. And that I get to watch it late Sunday arvo (so, don’t expect me back here till way after the game). Oh, the ref is Frenchman Laurent Duhamel. He may want to take revenge on the Scots .

Tags: Group C, Van Marwijk

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Comments

By finnster01 | March 28th, 2009 at 7:50 am

Laurent Duhamel is banned from reffing French top league games by the French FA. He got suspended after making some very strange decisions and can only do second division games in France plus internationals…

Having him in charge of such an important match is a big mistake by FIFA.

By sonneveld | March 28th, 2009 at 7:55 am

I think we payed tunisia in a friendly to toughen us up. Everything Ive read from scotland is that they got to turn this into a rugby match to have a hope.

By Ilham | March 28th, 2009 at 7:57 am

Holland will win, just 1 goal. Yeah, 1-0 for oranje.

Posted from United States

By alaa | March 28th, 2009 at 8:31 am

even though I am super busy with pharmacy school and have many assignments to do, but you know what i wanna watch this game soooooooooooooo bad:), I am ready for some orange action.

By dirk v.d.Berg | March 28th, 2009 at 9:53 am

Huntelaar will get 2, and Sneijder 1. That’s the least I think will happen. McGregor’s good, not as good as Craig Gordon, but he does have big game experience (UEFA cup final last year). I call 4-0, 2 Huntelaar, 1 Sneijder, 1 Defender.

Posted from Canada

By Alex | March 28th, 2009 at 12:03 pm

If this is it, im surprised V.Bronckhorst still regularly receives a spot on leftback, doesn’t play there for Feyenoord, he does join up in attack so you have a numeral advantage in midfield/upfront, but defensivaly getting more and more vulnerable. I might have chosen more defensive stability against Scotland, like sturdy Braafheid, who does have join upfront regularly as well, but not as much given Gio is naturally a midfielder. Ooijer and Mathijsen are the physically “strongest” centerbacks, V.Marwijk obviously takes that in his consideration as we are talking about a physically very strong Scotland. I predict they’ll receive a lot of credit for that if we beat the scots with a clean sheet.

As for rightback, V.d.Wiel is the most natural, attacking right-back in this squad, so it wouldn’t surprise me if he plays.

Posted from Netherlands

By Alex | March 28th, 2009 at 12:05 pm

I do think Kuyt is going to become victim to the return of form of Sneijder, regular V.Persie, and in form Huntelaar, Robben.

Posted from Netherlands

By Mario | March 28th, 2009 at 12:25 pm

Alex, I think that Kuyt will be in the bench too and the front line will be a Madrid´s one with Robben , Hunter and Sneijder. Van Persie the only creative midfielder that doesn´t play for Madrid.

About Gio, Bert knows Gio is not going to be the left back in the WC but he is using him now as a regular starter because experiencie is very important in these kind of games. Then we consolidate our qualification then van Marwijk will use other players in the left back position such as Braafheid, Bouma, De Cler.

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