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PSV will win the title next season as well!

April 20th, 2008 | By: Jan | 9 Comments »

Aissati and Afellay

PSV won the title for the seventh time in ten years. And for the seventh time they conceded less than 25 goals.

These seem dry statistics and they are, but it tells you something about what it takes to win a competition. To be a stabile top club the first thing you need to have in place is a robust defense.

Most fans of attacking football don’t like these statements, but it is true. Just look how Ajax, Feyenoord and AZ conceded goals this season and you know why they didn’t get to show the scale to their fans.

And although Ajax came close, no one can deny that PSV deserved this title. Again. And next year they’ll win it again. The other three will need to become more ruthless, tougher. See what NAC was able to do when they decided to emphasize their defensive strength more.

And, effective defending isn’t ugly. Did you see Salcido and Marcellis this season? That was highly enjoyable.

You can start playing attractive and offensive when you know your defense is strong and in place. When you’ve got a guy like Gomes in goal your strikers will be feel more comfortable to try to create something.

It was good to see how Afellay started to play more and more confident and creative football. It would be a shock if Marco van Basten wouldn’t take him along to the EC. Maybe we can even expect to see some actual football from the youngster.

PSV has declassified Ajax and Feyenoord and has stepped out of the shadow from these classic behemoths. Eindhoven knows what winning is.
And with Huub Stevens at the helm next season, even the coffee madam will not want to lose anymore.

And so it’s time Afellay, Bakkal and Aissati will take the reigns on the pitch: Morrocan Dutchies, the guardians of Dutch attractive football. Attractive and dominant. Able to shine thanks to the concrete wall before their own goal.

Tags: Afellay, Aissati, Dutch Eredivisie, Group C, Oranje, PSV, Stevens, The Netherlands

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Comments

By Matt | April 21st, 2008 at 11:42 am

You know, I would love to argue with you. But with Huntelaar’s foot out the door and Heitinga’s stuff packed in boxes, some serious transfer business needs to occur in Amsterdam. They have the money, have they done the scouting?

Posted from United States

By Miguel Rosado | April 21st, 2008 at 3:19 pm

Afellay has to go to the EC, he’s a very good player and if he gets a chance he’ll demonstrate he’s an important player for the national team. In my opinion he’s better than Sneijder and faster, although I also like Sneijder very much.

By Matt | April 21st, 2008 at 7:11 pm

OK, OK, so I decided I will argue with you. PSV only scored 65 goals this season. (Ajax 95 and Heerenveen 88) So, if PSV was playing attractive football, it was of the Arsenal variety: thrills and fun with few goals. They won this title on defense alone, as you pointed out. These Morrocans can move the ball around, but somebody needs to finish.

Posted from United States

By bobotoh | April 21st, 2008 at 10:10 pm

I think Holland will start with Sneijder. Afellay should come on the second half, because he is faster than Sneijder, maybe in the last 15 minutes of a match. I don’t know about Aisatti. Is he an attacking midfielder or a holding midfielder?

Posted from Indonesia

By goose | April 22nd, 2008 at 1:47 am

@bobotoh; Aisatti is a attacking midfielder but he is nowhere near Oranje at the moment…too small, too many injuries, doenst play at all at Psv

Posted from Netherlands

By Jan | April 22nd, 2008 at 6:52 am

Aissati is a bit of a handful. Clashed with Foppe de Haan many times. Was the big star in the youth development but has trouble convincing the big coaches. He is very very talented though but if he doesn’t play next season under Stevens, he will probably leave. As Goose said, he is a creative player. Reminds me of Van Persie a bit.

Matt, you’re right. PSV does play defensive and the limited number of goals conceded is thanks to Gomes. And he will leave PSV. He just stated that “general manager Reker leaves or I will leave”. Well, you know enough then.

PSV doesn’t play attractive “Dutch” football like Ajax did and AZ did last season. If Stevens dares to play Aissati, Afellay, Bakkal and Lazovic, they could play spaced-out football but this year Koeman/Wouters/Vergoossen lacked the cojones.

Van Basten is busy at Ajax, they are in the process of signing an exciting Argetinian/Croatian striker of Banfield (???). Forgot his name but saw a YouTube clip of him. Scores easily, with the head, great velvetty chips a la Bergkamp and smart in the box. Ajax is talking to several players and I also think Van Basten will use youngsters like Siem de Jong more than Koster did.

Posted from Australia

By Jan | April 22nd, 2008 at 6:55 am

Cvitanich is his name. No idea where Banfield plays… England? Argentina?

Posted from Australia

By Matt | April 22nd, 2008 at 8:22 am

He is in Argentina. Check out my page on theoffside for info by clicking my name. (Sorry for the advertisement

Posted from United States

By Jan | April 22nd, 2008 at 1:44 pm

No No, no advertising… Please…. Any news source is great! Thanks a lot… I’ll check out your site big time!

As you can read as a comment elsewhere, the research staff here at the Netherlands blog is not that good. I honestly think they give most of their time to the Germany and Italy blogs… I can tell all of you stories about the politics here, but won’t….

Posted from Australia

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