World

Europe

Netherlands

Three from Four

May 10th, 2006 | By: Mike | 17 Comments »

Marco van Basten has said that he will take three centre-forwards from the four in the squad. That means that one from Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Dirk Kuyt and Klaas Jan Huntelaar will not make it.

Here is a very very loose translation of the important text (originally in Dutch):

Concretely means it that Ruud van Nistelrooij, Dirk Kuyt, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar or Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink off will must fall. „I go once calm look who there must slim. To names, I do not look. I look who it a good impression makes. About that the me go. I know that Kuyt also on right can play. Yet think I not that they all four with go”, according to the choice gentleman.

So instead of two forwards for each position van Basten looks to have extra cover in the centre. To me it seems that Kuyt will go no matter what given van Basten’s comment on his ability to play on the right as well as centre.

Incidentally if anyone knows of a really good translator website, let me know. Knvb.nl has some good stuff but its hard to get the complete sense of what it’s saying.

Tags: Dirk Kuyt, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, marco van basten, Netherlands, Ruud Van Nistelrooy

Netherlands World Cup RSS Feed

Comments

By morgan | May 10th, 2006 at 8:57 am

Surely if he leaves one out of those it will be Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink - he has promised RVN a place in the team, Huntelaar is in amazing form and in that article Van Basten praises Kuyt’s ability to play in more than one position.

So I think it will be unlucky JVoH

Posted from United Kingdom

By Pedro P | May 10th, 2006 at 9:19 am

I haven’t seen Huntelaar playing yet. But I have JVoH as well as Kuyt - none of them as made any type of (positive) impression on me. Ruud or Makaay are light years away better, for me…

van Basten’s comment also makes us believe NED will have an “all-weather” 4-3-3 in mind…

Posted from Netherlands

By Daniel | May 10th, 2006 at 9:58 am

Van Basten has talked about the strategic role of JVoH for a while. He calls him a ‘breekijzer’ (translates into crowbar..) To break open very defensively oriented back lines late on in the game.

My guess is that Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink will go.

Posted from United States

By Rik | May 10th, 2006 at 10:25 am

I’ve picked up that Nederland are likely to play 4-3-3. The tradition of Total Football means that Dutch footballers don’t always fit nicely into pigeon holes. Nevertheless, based on the 28-man squad-so-far, I’ve tried to break things down a bit more. There are several players with whom I’m not familiar, but with this knowledgable community, I’m sure we can sort out the mistakes (e.g. the other DL). This is version one:

GK Edwin van der Sar, Maarten Stekelenburg, Henk Timmer

DR Jan Kromkamp, Johnny Heitinga
DC Khalid Boulahrouz (?), Tim de Cler (?), Kew Jaliens (?), Joris Mathijsen (?), Andre Ooijer (?), Barry Opdam (?)
DL Giovanni van Bronckhorst

DM George Boateng, Mark van Bommel, Phillip Cocu
AM Nigel de Jong, Denny Landzaat (?), Hedwiges Maduro (?), Wesley Sneijder, Rafael van der Vaart

FR Ryan Babel, Romeo Castelen (?)
SC Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Dirk Kuyt, Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, Ruud van Nistelrooij
FL Robin van Persie, Arjen Robben

If anyone can confirm/contradict the positions of the question-marked players (or others), please do.

Posted from United Kingdom

By Rik | May 10th, 2006 at 11:03 am

The breekijzer thing is interesting: sounds like JVoH may be earmarked for the impact role that Pierre van Hooijdonk played at the last Euro Champ. That, with Huntelaar’s form and Kuyt’s versatility make it a tricky choice.

Posted from United Kingdom

By Daniel | May 10th, 2006 at 11:18 am

Hey, Rik. Good idea on the breakdown. Yeah, I think Castelen plays on the right wing.

Robben can play both on the left and right wing and switches sides a bit with Kuyt during games (when Dirk was deployed on the right.)

I’ll try to dig thru the qualifying footage a bit more this afternoon to clear up some of the others…

Posted from United States

By Mike | May 10th, 2006 at 11:29 am

The video stuff on Knvb.nl is pretty cool.

I hadn’t heard that bit about what van Basten said regarding Vennegoor of Hesselink. Anyone have a link?

Rik, about those player postitions. Jaliens and de Cler are both full backs with de Cler being on the right I think so is Jaliens although I have some memory from the Ecuador game that tells me otherwise. You’re spot on with everyone else except for Landzaat who is much more defensive. I would almost swap him for where van Bommel given Mark’s perfomances with Barcelona; he has been attacking well although not in the same role as van der Vaart.

Posted from United States

By Daniel | May 10th, 2006 at 1:14 pm

Hey Mike, I looked around a bit on Van Basten’s role for JvoH but found none in english.

But, there are plenty in dutch. Here’s one where Van Basten is talking about the qualifying match against Andorra. (A team that is notorious for putting their entire lineup in their own box to clog things up.)

http://www.nieuws.nl/archief/2005-9 6/2038/Van_Basten_wil_revanche_tegen_Andorra

Also, the wiki pedia entry on vennegoor (also in dutch) http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Vennegoor_of_Hesselink has a Van Basten quote talking about his ‘Breekijzer.’

Translated it means roughly: If we can’t beat them playing football then we need a crowbar. That’s where Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink is the ideal man.

Posted from United States

By Mike | May 10th, 2006 at 1:27 pm

Wow, thanks. This is terrible. I have finals I need to be studying for.

So who would get the chop in favour of Vennegoor of Hesselink? Kuyt, Huntelaar or van Nistelrooy. I have a funny feeling that it might end up being Kuyt.

Maybe the Dutch should switch to a 3-2-5 and just throw everyone on. It would be entertaining…

Posted from United States

By Daniel | May 10th, 2006 at 1:31 pm

I bet your right. He’ll change his mind and take them all.

Posted from United States

By Mike | May 10th, 2006 at 1:39 pm

Is van Persie safe? I’m not too sure about him. I really can’t decide who I would take. Each forward has his own strength.

Posted from United States

By Daniel | May 10th, 2006 at 1:54 pm

There aren’t too many options on the left wing. So, he should probably be in. Also he’s made some really nice goals and he’s super quick.

But, I worry about his self-destructive nature. Tons of red cards. Although, he seems to have been doing better after arriving at Arsenal.

Posted from United States

By Mike | May 10th, 2006 at 1:59 pm

That’s true; there is that mess about his supposed racial comments. Against Finland the second time around near the end they really showed what counterattacking is all about and he was a big part of that.

Posted from United States

By Daniel | May 10th, 2006 at 2:05 pm

Yeah, I heard about the racial comments.

But, I’m not sure if I buy it.

It may be that opposition teams know that he’s a bit of a loose cannon. Accusing him of something like that might provoke him and get him sent off.

Posted from United States

By Mike | May 10th, 2006 at 2:08 pm

That’s a really good point. I watched the game and saw the incident. He said something but Sommeil didn’t react like someone who had just been abused. I’m not sure.

If it comes out that he really did I don’t think there is any chance van Basten will take him.

Posted from United States

By sphinx | May 10th, 2006 at 7:07 pm

Lend us your ears Basten!
Just take all 4 to Germany

Posted from Myanmar

By Rik | May 10th, 2006 at 7:11 pm

Version two. I left MvB in DM because I think he can be relied upon to put in a tackle when, say, RvdR may not. Wingers and full backs have been lumped together irrespective of side.

GK: EvdS MS HK
FB: JK GvB TdC JH KJ
CB: KB JM AO BO
DM: MvB PC DL GB
AM: HM WS RvdV NdJ
WF: RC RvP AR RB
SC: KJH DK RvN JVoH

Thanks for the feedback, it’s given me a much clearer idea of the issues left in slimming down the squad: basically one from each section except GK and CB.

Posted from United Kingdom

Comments are closed