Comments on: Looking ahead to the WC2010 :-) http://netherlands.worldcupblog.org/international/looking-ahead-to-the-wc2010.html World Cup 2010 - South Africa, Oranje, Nederlands Elftal, Eredivisie, Marco van Basten, Dutch football, The Netherlands Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:05:34 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Flure http://netherlands.worldcupblog.org/international/looking-ahead-to-the-wc2010.html/comment-page-1#comment-158029 Flure Fri, 04 Jul 2008 13:07:14 +0000 http://netherlands.worldcupblog.org/international/looking-ahead-to-the-wc2010.html#comment-158029 Mel Gibson?????? Hi, HedonistiX!! Long time no speak! Looking forward to the two matches against the Dutch. No doubt we'll share a few beers. Flure - Tartan Army Footsoldier. Mel Gibson??????

Hi, HedonistiX!! Long time no speak!

Looking forward to the two matches against the Dutch. No doubt we’ll share a few beers.

Flure – Tartan Army Footsoldier.

]]> By: Jan http://netherlands.worldcupblog.org/international/looking-ahead-to-the-wc2010.html/comment-page-1#comment-157946 Jan Thu, 03 Jul 2008 03:15:09 +0000 http://netherlands.worldcupblog.org/international/looking-ahead-to-the-wc2010.html#comment-157946 Great analysis Finn. We'll have some fun when the Norway game is on. Great analysis Finn. We’ll have some fun when the Norway game is on.

]]> By: Jess http://netherlands.worldcupblog.org/international/looking-ahead-to-the-wc2010.html/comment-page-1#comment-157945 Jess Thu, 03 Jul 2008 03:13:30 +0000 http://netherlands.worldcupblog.org/international/looking-ahead-to-the-wc2010.html#comment-157945 @ Van Basten, Thank you for your explaination! I will for sure check out those links. @ Van Basten,

Thank you for your explaination! I will for sure check out those links.

]]> By: Tjeerd http://netherlands.worldcupblog.org/international/looking-ahead-to-the-wc2010.html/comment-page-1#comment-157943 Tjeerd Thu, 03 Jul 2008 01:55:39 +0000 http://netherlands.worldcupblog.org/international/looking-ahead-to-the-wc2010.html#comment-157943 n.b. Canada is ranked 77 by FIFA The have advanced to the next stage of World Cup Qualification. The play in a group that includes Jamaica. Go Canada Go...Jonathon deGuzman, you would have made a great addition with the team. n.b.

Canada is ranked 77 by FIFA The have advanced to the next stage of World Cup Qualification. The play in a group that includes Jamaica.
Go Canada Go…Jonathon deGuzman, you would have made a great addition with the team.

]]> By: Tjeerd http://netherlands.worldcupblog.org/international/looking-ahead-to-the-wc2010.html/comment-page-1#comment-157942 Tjeerd Thu, 03 Jul 2008 01:47:34 +0000 http://netherlands.worldcupblog.org/international/looking-ahead-to-the-wc2010.html#comment-157942 The Macedonian match up should be a interesting one from a personal note. My nieghbor Mike is Macedonian, he is a former Pro player in the Yugosolavian league 20 years a go. He banged up his knee at 20 years. "I was like Marc Overmars" I had speed,but after the operation it was not the same, anyhow to make a long story, longer, him and I chew soccer over a few brews every week. The man is a wealth of knowledge and a joy for brain pickers like myself. He loves Holland, as most people do. The Macedonian match up should be a interesting one from a personal note.
My nieghbor Mike is Macedonian, he is a former Pro player in the Yugosolavian league 20 years a go. He banged up his knee at 20 years. “I was like Marc Overmars” I had speed,but after the operation it was not the same, anyhow to make a long story, longer, him and I chew soccer over a few brews every week. The man is a wealth of knowledge and a joy for brain pickers like myself. He loves Holland, as most people do.

]]> By: Carlos http://netherlands.worldcupblog.org/international/looking-ahead-to-the-wc2010.html/comment-page-1#comment-157940 Carlos Wed, 02 Jul 2008 23:15:32 +0000 http://netherlands.worldcupblog.org/international/looking-ahead-to-the-wc2010.html#comment-157940 The FIFA rankings always puts more weight on frequency..most purists consider it a joke anyway. ELO ratings are at least a little more realistic, but in the end they are just a hit parade of teams, you like some and dislike others. To me Brazil and Argentina will always be in the top 3-5. Then whoever is doing well in Europe can fill up the rest. Spain deservedly where it is. During a world cup I always look at the odds bookmakers put on teams. As they are the people who put their money where their mouths are. Then you can really see the world rankings - for real! The FIFA rankings always puts more weight on frequency..most purists consider it a joke anyway. ELO ratings are at least a little more realistic, but in the end they are just a hit parade of teams, you like some and dislike others. To me Brazil and Argentina will always be in the top 3-5. Then whoever is doing well in Europe can fill up the rest. Spain deservedly where it is.
During a world cup I always look at the odds bookmakers put on teams. As they are the people who put their money where their mouths are. Then you can really see the world rankings – for real!

]]> By: finnster01 http://netherlands.worldcupblog.org/international/looking-ahead-to-the-wc2010.html/comment-page-1#comment-157939 finnster01 Wed, 02 Jul 2008 21:27:53 +0000 http://netherlands.worldcupblog.org/international/looking-ahead-to-the-wc2010.html#comment-157939 Lets not get too far ahead of ourselves here (like we did in EC). Oranje has to qualify first, and ,yes, on a piece of paper it is foregone conclusion. But so was beating Russia. Scotland beat France twice, including in Paris. Gave Italy a hard time too (which is why they are lying 15th in the rankings). Norway should have killed off Turkey which went deeper into the EC08 than Oranje did. By the way Norway beat Argentina not too long ago with Messi and all playing. Don't be fooled to think they will just sit back watch total football and change shirts and ask for autographs in the end. The one thing I have learned over the years is that football is a funny old game and do not EVER take anything for granted. Incidentally, Macedonia drew with England in EC08 quals, and plays all top teams tough. After all, all they have to play for is pride, which they do very well. Given the performance against Russia, maybe Oranje actually can learn something from countries like this. Iceland is not a bad team anymore either. Lots of players in the Prem plus Eidar Gudjohnson in Barca. Again a big strong physical team, not the sort Oranje likes to play. Oranje were supposed to do very well in 2002 remember? You have to play those games first before we worry about getting to the final in 2010. Oranje should win the group hands down. But I just don't think it will be such a walk in the park as some of you think. All it takes is 10 men behind the ball and one lucky set piece, especially with our defense, and things may not look so rosy anymore. Not one single team of these has anything but upside playing the famous Dutch. The "best" team in EC08. Everyone wants to be on the team that beat Oranje. I am afraid this will be tougher than I'd like it to be. Lets not get too far ahead of ourselves here (like we did in EC). Oranje has to qualify first, and ,yes, on a piece of paper it is foregone conclusion. But so was beating Russia. Scotland beat France twice, including in Paris. Gave Italy a hard time too (which is why they are lying 15th in the rankings). Norway should have killed off Turkey which went deeper into the EC08 than Oranje did. By the way Norway beat Argentina not too long ago with Messi and all playing. Don’t be fooled to think they will just sit back watch total football and change shirts and ask for autographs in the end.

The one thing I have learned over the years is that football is a funny old game and do not EVER take anything for granted. Incidentally, Macedonia drew with England in EC08 quals, and plays all top teams tough. After all, all they have to play for is pride, which they do very well. Given the performance against Russia, maybe Oranje actually can learn something from countries like this. Iceland is not a bad team anymore either. Lots of players in the Prem plus Eidar Gudjohnson in Barca. Again a big strong physical team, not the sort Oranje likes to play. Oranje were supposed to do very well in 2002 remember? You have to play those games first before we worry about getting to the final in 2010.

Oranje should win the group hands down. But I just don’t think it will be such a walk in the park as some of you think. All it takes is 10 men behind the ball and one lucky set piece, especially with our defense, and things may not look so rosy anymore. Not one single team of these has anything but upside playing the famous Dutch. The “best” team in EC08. Everyone wants to be on the team that beat Oranje. I am afraid this will be tougher than I’d like it to be.

]]> By: OhYeah http://netherlands.worldcupblog.org/international/looking-ahead-to-the-wc2010.html/comment-page-1#comment-157938 OhYeah Wed, 02 Jul 2008 20:25:11 +0000 http://netherlands.worldcupblog.org/international/looking-ahead-to-the-wc2010.html#comment-157938 Netherlands is like Brazil without f*cking up the important games. :) Netherlands is like Brazil without f*cking up the important games. :)

]]> By: --HedonistiX http://netherlands.worldcupblog.org/international/looking-ahead-to-the-wc2010.html/comment-page-1#comment-157937 --HedonistiX Wed, 02 Jul 2008 19:37:29 +0000 http://netherlands.worldcupblog.org/international/looking-ahead-to-the-wc2010.html#comment-157937 @Bob: Agree that FIFA ranking is irrelevant, too much weight given for "frequency" of matches instead of quality. With that said, curious why you don't think Oranje is the #5 best team in the world? Whom would you rank above us? After EURO, I'd probably rank Spain, Brazil and Germany (maybe Portugal and Argentina in the mix) above us .... we did beat France and Italy convincingly .... so #5 doesn't look "overpriced" to me. Then again, I'm using the irrelevant ranking rationale. In my mind, Netherlands will always be ranked #1 (ok, maybe #2 after Brazil) at all time. --H @Bob:

Agree that FIFA ranking is irrelevant, too much weight given for “frequency” of matches instead of quality. With that said, curious why you don’t think Oranje is the #5 best team in the world? Whom would you rank above us?

After EURO, I’d probably rank Spain, Brazil and Germany (maybe Portugal and Argentina in the mix) above us …. we did beat France and Italy convincingly …. so #5 doesn’t look “overpriced” to me. Then again, I’m using the irrelevant ranking rationale. In my mind, Netherlands will always be ranked #1 (ok, maybe #2 after Brazil) at all time.

–H

]]> By: Junior http://netherlands.worldcupblog.org/international/looking-ahead-to-the-wc2010.html/comment-page-1#comment-157936 Junior Wed, 02 Jul 2008 19:35:10 +0000 http://netherlands.worldcupblog.org/international/looking-ahead-to-the-wc2010.html#comment-157936 Bob, I don't think Jan underestimated the opponents, and he rightly concluded with "Holland will most likely enter this group as the faves and will have everything to lose when the concentration isn’t there." Don't forget, Scotland is ranked 16 by FIFA(England is 15), so it's not a certainty that Holland can defeat Scotland. As Jan has pointed out, we have never convincingly won against Norway, and their team style of play does not suit ours the best. So maybe we could easily make draws against Norway,if we are not careful. In the EURO, the Dutch were expected to beat Russia, but could not. So we cannot underestimate these opponents, but we will kick their butt(that's what I think) because Marjwick has no other choice but qualify for the WC 2010, that is his first priority as a coach.God forbids a repeat of 2002!!! As for the rankings, I don't buy them at all. I don't understand why Scotalnd is 16; Portugal is ranked lower than the Czech Republic. The rankings have to do with past performances, they tell nothing about future performances. Coming into the EURO, both Italy and France were in the top 5, while Holland was in the top 15. But we all know what happened to France and Italy. Bob, I don’t think Jan underestimated the opponents, and he rightly concluded with “Holland will most likely enter this group as the faves and will have everything to lose when the concentration isn’t there.”
Don’t forget, Scotland is ranked 16 by FIFA(England is 15), so it’s not a certainty that Holland can defeat Scotland. As Jan has pointed out, we have never convincingly won against Norway, and their team style of play does not suit ours the best. So maybe we could easily make draws against Norway,if we are not careful. In the EURO, the Dutch were expected to beat Russia, but could not. So we cannot underestimate these opponents, but we will kick their butt(that’s what I think) because Marjwick has no other choice but qualify for the WC 2010, that is his first priority as a coach.God forbids a repeat of 2002!!!
As for the rankings, I don’t buy them at all. I don’t understand why Scotalnd is 16; Portugal is ranked lower than the Czech Republic.
The rankings have to do with past performances, they tell nothing about future performances. Coming into the EURO, both Italy and France were in the top 5, while Holland was in the top 15. But we all know what happened to France and Italy.

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