Comments on: Van Hanegem hopes Marco will toughen Oranje up!

By: Robert

Robert — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 13:29:48 +0000

Jan, I think there is some thruth in that.
Last WC we were on here complaining midfield was our weak area.
The change in the system VB has decided on finally has fixed most of that.
De Zeeuw in particular coming on has also helped.
As an aside to english fans applauding for a ball in the stands it should also be noted that England will also be in the stands
I tend to think that when it comes to tough footbal their problems are exactly opposite to ours…

By: Jan

Jan — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 07:42:41 +0000

The problem with De Cler is, is that he’s developed at Ajax. The Ajax youth is so strong that backs tend to be half wingers. They can pass, have good runs and crosses and can play “along”. They are not as tough defending wise. Like Stam, who came through a number of provincial teams before he made it at PSV. De Cler wants to solve defensive situation “playing football”. Finding the right football solution. Sometimes, you need to be willing and able to kick the ball into the stands, and oops…by accident take the opponent with you as well.

Kromkamp also has his moments where he “falls asleep”. Ready to pick a ball up and make a run, but not alert enough for a situation where the opponent does something to outwit him.

In history, Oranje’s best defenders were the ones who had a tough route to the top, like Reiziger, Stam, Bogarde. The fancy pants defenders miss that extra razor-edge sharpness. In England they applaude you for a ball in the stands, in Holland they boo you.

By: Miguel Rosado

Miguel Rosado — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 06:59:31 +0000

@ferenc: I like that defense a lot. I don’t know if De Cler defends as well as Bouma, in my opinion Bouma should be the left-back but I don’t know that much about De Cler. Kromkamp has to he our right-back and Bouma is real good and has scored important goals for Holland.

By: Jan

Jan — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 01:53:14 +0000

Bear in mind though, and don’t get me wrong: I like this line up, that De Cler and Kromkamp’s strengths are attacking along the sidelines and not defending. This leaves a lot of responsibilities with Gio, De Zeeuw, Mathijsen and Heitinga. It make prove too much. I reckon that a good coach can gel these players into a football machine (Sacchi, Van Gaal, Adriaanse, Rijkaard/Ten Cate) but I don’t know if Van Basten can….

By: ferenc

ferenc — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 01:36:41 +0000

optimal oranje would be

vds
kromkamp,heitinga,matthijsen,de cler
de zeeuw,gio
seedorf,van persie,vdv
rvn

By: Miguel Rosado

Miguel Rosado — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 20:20:21 +0000

@goose: I agree with you, Van Basten has to stick to a regular so they can gel in time for the EC. Of course there’ll be changes due to all the injuries we’ve had but he must play the players he thinks are the ones that will start against Italy. No more experiments.

We have a very good team capable of winning the title if they play as a group.

Our defense is not the best in Holland’s history and we lack a Frank de Boer but we have some good defenders who can actually do a good job. Melchiot, Heitinga and Mathijsen have been playing the last games and the only doubt is our left-back. I think Bouma should play on that position but De Cler has been doing fine.

Our midfield is gifted in attack but we need to have a very strong holding midfielder. De Zeeuw is good but there’s no other, Gio still doesn’t convince me. We have players like Maduro, Davids or Landzaat who can fill better that position. I’d say Van Bommel but we all know he won’t make it.

No more experiments, it’s time to play the players that will probably start the EC so they can understand each other pretty well.

By: goose

goose — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 19:17:43 +0000

think all the coming friendlies are importent…people forget that we just have 4 of these games before it all starts!

i heard vBasten say on a press conference that hell start with almost the same team as he played v Croatia… i really like that; with only 4 games left vBasten needs to built the team, no more time for trying fancy stuff

im still worried about all these injuries; Ruud with his operation, vPersie who plays like a junior, Robben who gets injured just asking him for directions, Affelay who is always injured, vdSar whos age is beginging to show (imagine him not playing at the Euros!!)

think we all should pray!!!

@tjiu; how come you got infected with the Oranje virus?

By: tiju

tiju — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 14:42:57 +0000

sorry in india

By: tiju

tiju — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 14:42:19 +0000

To everybody
guys do u know knowbody knows heitinga etc,etc except some peoples know nestel rooy.
but i have that much feelings for dutch football even though i born in a small village in india.our country is poluted with a stupid game cricket i hate this game like anything

By: tiju

tiju — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 14:37:39 +0000

@jan plz dont remmeber the game agaisnt portugal 2006wc,Vs brazilwc98 and Vs italy 2000 ec,
tears are still in my cheeks.
thats why i hate
zedorf
Znijder
dirk kuyt
and players with out mental strength
in my veiw never we shoulnt go with above mentioned players(only znijder have slight chance depend on form i like his unpredictable lucky goals like lampard scored for england)
i would like to see
castelen,bakal,afaleey,engalaar instead of the above mentioned
remmember during wc 2006 qualification most of the matches we played without znijder and ze dorf and we won convincingly.
mostly the crusual matches with maduro and castelen,davids etc
ie VS czec rep,romania,finland
especially home match agaisnt finland we came back from 1-0.
and in defence
vanbronk and urby are not belivable
@jan as u mentioned earlier maduro can get a place in diffence thats a good idea