Engelaar best passer in Oranje

Rob! how is the final score?

Posted from  Australia

Finished 2-0. Sneijder bagged a nice free kick. Melchiot and De Cler at full back gave the team much more width, as did Kuyt playing there instead of Sneijder (who always plays too centrally on the wings). Affelay looked dangerous when he came on again.

Posted from  Japan

This is Robben’s tournament!!!. I’d sub De Zeeuw and use Gio instead of him with De Cler as left back.

How did Mathijsen play and who was our right back was it Ooijer or was it Heitinga?.

they all played okay. really felt like I was watching a match at a training ground. Wales gave us a lot of time and room – with which we didn’t do a lot. Can’t draw too much from such a match/opponent in my opinion.

btw, on more than one occasion robben shouldve passed instead of shooting on a tough angle. wouldn’t say he played great or anything, he just had a lot of time/room.

Posted from  Germany

@Mario: My thoughts exactly after the match. Mathijsen was ok, but not really tested by the Welsh attack, right back was Ooijer. I might as well reveal the team I think needs to start after the last 2 friendlies (though I don’t think Van Basten will change anything except with Van Persie – he seems determined to start the same team for each game). Here goes:

GK: Van der Sar
RB: Melchiot – adds a lot to the width.
LB: De Cler – solid defensively, adds to the width of the team.
CB: Heitinga – musn’t play anywhere else.
CB: Ooijer – looked very solid but unable to attack effectively. Bouma would be okay.
DMF: Engelaar – amazing, controls the midfield, shields the defence, can support the attack too.
DMF: Van Bronckhorst – very solid, great experience, better option than De Zeeuw.
AMR: Van Persie – Sneijder can’t play wide, he never goes down the channel. Van Persie’s not the perfect option, but no-one is.
AML: Robben – class there, must play.
AMC: Sneijder – plays best in the centre, behind the forward. Looked great second half against Wales. Should play here or DMF.
CF: Van Nistelrooy – holds the ball up well, done great in both friendlies.

Kuyt and Affelay are the impact guys with no Babel in the picture. Mathijsen can’t be trusted against good attacks, De Zeeuw’s just looked crap – poor passing, poor tackling, no reason to be in there at all.

Posted from  Japan

it was easy. wales is wales but this games are good for the fighting spirit. robben was the man of the match. with one note which might be important in serious games: he’s as selfish as usual. brilliant moves but he should give the ball more often to his teammates.

Posted from  Hungary

@ferenc – yes, there were several occasions when Robben made the wrong choice – especially two where he tried to score from a ridiculous angle and there was a guy waiting to tap it in. His crossing was also very poor. Fact remains though – he is the only guy in the Oranje squad you can give the ball to level with the defenders and he can beat them for pace and score, as he did. The only other guy who can do that? A fully fit Van Persie.

I agree it’s only Wales, and at home, but they’re young kids and they’ll have wanted to impress. That Welsh team hasn’t been doing so badly lately and they were completely dominated from start to finish. A few more goals would have been nice, but that Hennessy lad showed why some big premiership clubs are after him.

Posted from  Japan

Good practice and somewhat of a morale booster, going in with a win before the Italy game (albeit against a very young Wales team). However, still would have liked Oranje playing at least 1 quality opposition before going into the tournament (e.g. England, Brazil, Argentina etc.) England is wasting their time with Trinidad and would probably have been available if KNVB tried a little earlier.

Just think going straight from Wales to Italy will be a bit of a dog’s breakfast. Still not convinced about the defense. It is OK to play well when there is nothing to do and no one is putting any pressure on. I don’t like the current crop of defenders against a Luca Toni et al. and someone needs to give Gattuso a nice (and early) kick up his behind or he will harass our midfielders with his tackling and his Kuijt running impersonation all day.

Huge game Monday in a week. 3 points, Oranje is pretty much through. 0 points, it will be extremely difficult. Also, I can see cards being a potential problem (for both teams)in this match. Can’t wait for this stuff to start though!!! I have a lot of very long lunches or early departures lined up for the next few weeks here in NY. And the mobile will be safely in the “off” position.

Posted from  United States

@Rob i would say that would be the same team that i would use! except have robben on right wing and persie left wing.

Posted from  United Kingdom

@finnister, my finals finish on wednesday so im goin to be watching ever game of the european championships, theres no way im missing one game let alone Netherlands in action, do hope they get passed their group!!

Posted from  United Kingdom

@Lars – yes, I’d have them swapping like Robben did this game. I can understand Van Persie on the left because Robben did well on the right today, but I’d rather Van Persie be the guy cutting inside than Robben.

Posted from  Japan

Hey guys, I think you need to stop worrying about the team and start worrying about whether you’ll get out of the group….. Personally, I see the dutch finishing rock bottom.
Who are you guys trying to kid. Van Der Sar – he’s only had a fair season because his centre halves did well. Let’s look at the dutch defence. Ooijer – has he even played for Blackburn??? Melchiot – when has he ever been a good defender??? De Cler – Never heard of him. Heitinga – poor to average. Not that you’ve got any better to come in. Where on earth did you pull Gio Van Bronckhurst from. Jeez this guy must be nearly 40 and if he isn’t he plays like a 40 year old. I’m sorry, I just don’t see it. You may have talent up front, but believe me, that defence will not hold on to a lead for very long. Looking forward to seeing an early exit for the Oranje

Posted from  United Kingdom

@Angelo: f**k off!!!. hahaha

@ Angelo
where’s england? did not qualify?
because i such everywhere in group a-d and i cant find england?

Posted from  United States

@angelo, go cry at home like a woman because your united kingdom did not qualify, and remember how we humiliated you 3-1 in 1988 and how we threw you out of the world cup 1994 during the qualification.

did england win the euro at least once????????????????? not really, so go to bed man, maybe in your dreams you can see england playing the oranje in switzerland.
you’re happy with your clubs playing the finals of champions league?? yeah thanks to the foreigner players, because if it was the old rules with only three foreigners you wouldn’t even dream about two english teams in the final match. man u the great team won it twice?? ajax won it four times.

you’ll see how van persie will score a wonderful goalagainst italy same as he did against inter.
go oranje go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted from  United States

Now, now guys – England certainly proved that big names win you trophies this year. I’d say they’re hot favourites for the Euros with 3 of the 4 defenders from the Champions League final in their side…

Posted from  Japan

I’m so glad that you think because i live in England that makes me English. Have you not fathomed out that with a name like ANGELO this would means i’m from Italy, which correct me if i’m wrong have 4 STARS on their shirt for each of the WORLD CUP WINS!!! YOU FOOLS. I wet myself everyday looking at englishmen who now realise they have to sit with their wives / girlfriends for the next 4 weeks as there’s no football for them. I on the other hand am pretty confident about our chances. as for the Oranje, the quicker MVB goes the less of an embarrassment he becomes. An absolute legend in wrold football. It would be a shame to see him humiliated. By the way, why get all excited about beating the MIGHTY WALES!!!???
Looking forward to next Monday dishing out a footballing lesson. FORZA ITALIA

Posted from  United Kingdom

@Angelo; you’re a woman? than let my say this in a polite manner

please fuck off, please go and play on the Italian blog…nobody here is looking for some attention seeking idiots

Posted from  Netherlands

Ciao Angela,
at least the dutch do not have a trackrecord in diving, which I must admit is something the Italian belladonnas will absolutely win! Forza Italia!

Posted from  United Kingdom

Get a load of this guy Angelo, your probably italian trying to boost your morale, or english and pissed off you guys didnt make euro 2008. Telling a dutch person van der sar is as you would want to put it, shit, would probably get the crap kicked out of you. Heitinga is a good solid defender. Gio has always been a good player and adds a bit of ballance to the team, and if you would call a 33 year old 40, he still does well for his age. we dont have great defenders, but the rest of our team is just above any other country, no one has as good a midfield or att as holland. cheers

Hey, which dutchman payed Chiellini to take Cannavaro out of Euro 2008. He just made your route into the 1/4 finals a lot easier!!!
although with Mr sicknote (RVP) out of the 1st game i still don’t think you lot have much to shout about. Everyone talking about WHICH Holland will turn up. The ageing one with no skill or the one that usually self implodes at every tournament.
Who are this years candidates for training ground fights. I wonder?!?!?!

Posted from  United Kingdom

Angelo – your information about the Dutch team must be really old, or you just like to antagonize people, even if you don’t have real evidence, so you dredge up whatever you can find.
Nobody is talking about which Holland will turn up. We haven’t had problems with consistency with this team. There are not going to be any training ground fights either.
Are you sure Cannavaro is really out? He might still be faking, I know Italy has a pedigree in that. Now get out of here.

Posted from  Canada

Stanley Cup lover!!!!

Posted from  United Kingdom

italian soccer and mentality ruined the real soccer with your stupid “catenaccio”, u lock your 11 players in the box and wait for some luck to score, and then your players look like women. italian soccer=luck, thats all about it

Posted from  United States