Patient Oranje secures steady win: 2-0

Finn your last statement is exactly the current market state ….
what are u doing up this hour ????

Posted from  Singapore

Can’t sleep as usual. Watching what goes on in the markets in Asia and Europe. My day is a long one…Looks like we finally may have an upday here in the US also, but I will believe that when I see it.

Are you sure you don’t need someone to carry your clubs Carlos?

robin is fit

Posted from  United States

haha finn, you can always become a teacher!
looks like the hysteria is somewhat gone….

vPersie is fit but where to put him in the team? vdVaarts spot or Babel?

just hope Sneijder will play; hes the best we have by quit a bit..

Posted from  Netherlands

btw finn; its Kees VerkeRk (and Ard Schenk ofcourse); how come you norwegians dont have any real good skaters lately..skating is here still huge and gets even bigger each year, the top boys make some serious money

here a nice clip of dutch people at Thialf singing “my Bonnie”, this is very dutch:
http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=FGG0oFCHd9U

Posted from  Netherlands

@Goose: Outstanding video!! Brings back the memories in a big way!!! Sorry about the Verkerk typo. Realised it after I had sent it, but there is no easy way to edit your posts here(maybe a new feature to be added to the site Jan?).

Our skaters have been on the down ever since the Lillehammer Olympics and Johan Koss “The Boss” retired. It is not as big as it used to be, primarily due to the fact that you boys have been spanking us I think. You can only lose so much before media and sponsors don’t care anymore. Skiing has become the single top dog by far these days. Certainly the big guys make a lot more money in that sport. But back in the day when I grew up, skating was just as big (and a lot more fun to watch. What a great day out. Still remember those Jenever shots with you Dutch . Mind you, I remember very well watching in despair as Ard Schenk were giving us lessons after lessons. That guy was unbelieveable (Verkerk was a little old by the time I got into watching it first hand, but he is still a legend in Norway, especially since he is a nice guy and actually went all the way out to even learn our language). Then the Americans decided to get involved too, and Eric Heiden decided to become the Michael Phelps of skating and take the piss out of the rest of the world.

Oh well. Glad to hear skating is still big in Holland. I take it that Heerenveen is still the place to be for skating (and Groningen for Jenever…?)

I thought it wasn’t very good, some nice attacks and combinations in a good pace sometimes, but mostly too slow to really crack open Iceland’s defence, in second half Babel started to wander off a bit instead of staying on the wing, where he made the right-back look like an amature. his substitution was fair, still needs to develop such things, and he also needs to focus on getting the full reward for his actions. Most of them ended in the box without a result. The rest did ok, De
Zeeuw did good as a replacement, don’t be bitching about him, he is still a very good player, but nevertheless i’d like Schaars in this selection, Maybe instead of Engelaar.
If you think V.Bommel did horrible, you better get you’re eyes checked because you are probably blinded by a prefabricated unegative opinion about him. He did what he was told to do, which was try to smuther Iceland attacks before they start, win back the ball as often as possible,control the midfield before the back-four, and clean up after the creative players. He did all of that, and quite good, but he can’t do all of that and give all of the crosses, or decisive passes, score goals etc. He is playing as a controlling midfielder together with De Jong or De Zeeuw in service of the creative players, so if he does it well, what more could you want. By the way Sneijder really shifted things to a higher gear.
Marcellis did well, but for one mistake which was mentioned earlier, but with that angle and V.d.Sar in goal not much could have happened, besides Marcellis was almost back in front of him before the player took a shot so , i thought it was a decent recovery, he made it even harder for the attacker by speeding back in front of him so quick, Ooijer was the reason he was out of place, Marcellis didn’t trust Andre one bit with that long pass so he moved a bit more towards the center. I say nice job for his first time, but he needs to experience some real competition on international level to really claim his spot in this selection. Although V.Marwijk does seem pretty content with him.

I suspect that v.Marwijk will play like this against Norway.
V.d.Sar
Marcellis-Ooijer-Mathijsen-Gio
V.Bommel-De Zeeuw
V.Persie-V.d.Vaart-Sneijder
Huntelaar

Posted from  Netherlands

@Alex; im a real vBommel fan, always have been (and stated on this blog many, many times), just think hes not in a good form at the moment (dont think Klinsi benches him for no reason) and i think he played a very weak game..cant remember any of his passing working

—————–Sar————————-

Marcellis—Ooijer—Mathijsen—vBoronckhorst

———-vanBommel——deZeeuw———–

—-Kuyt——–Sneijder———vdVaart—-

————-Huntelaar———————-

Posted from  Netherlands

i agree with alex lineup.
bert should try 4-4-2
—————vdSar————
-Kromkamp-Marcellis—Mathijsen—Gio-
-afellay-vBommel-vdVaart-Babel-
——–vPersie–Hunter——–

Posted from  United States

If the Scotland game is anything to go by (and Oranje is certainly a completely different cup of tea than Scotland), Norway had no problems in the first half when Scotland played 4-4-1-1. Second half they changed to a traditional 4-4-2 with attacks starting on the flanks. Norway had much bigger problems dealing with that as the two striker tied up the central defenders (who are decent) which left the right/left back on their own and they had huge problems with the quicker Scots, especially on the right side. As I said earlier, speed on the flanks and quick transition should be the focus.

you people should remember that vMarwijk is a very conservative kind of manager…hes much like Dickie, though i can see him start with Babel who had a pretty decent game

feeling better finn? things are on the up again!

Posted from  Netherlands

Folks,

Been enjoying your site for awhile now. Long time Orange fan since the 1974 WC when at 15 (here in the US) I was dazzled by the spectacle tht is the WC and Int’l soccer, and the Dutch in particular. Here is my question/comment: assuming Van Persie is healthy, why wouldn’t you start him in Huntelaar’s spot? He plays closer to the center at Arsenal. Hunter gets his goals, but seems a touch behind in terms of speed, seeing the game, etc than Robben, VDV, Affellay, Sneijder, Babel and has been spoken of before, Kuyt gives the team something special; and, purely on the basis of form, I’d rather have any of the above on the field than Huntelaar at the moment. Doesn’t mean he won’t progress or, if he moves on to a more competitive league that his game won’t develop, but am just going on what I see now.

Seems to me that if the Dutch went 4-4-2 as they did in 1998, you could get the most players in their most optimal positions. Leaving the back 4 out of it, you’d play VB and De Jong in the central roles (as with Davids and Jonk); you could play Robben in the Overmars (and replace with Affellay or Babel when he inevitably gets injured) role as a pure wide midfielder (starting a little closer to the midfield as he does with RM these days), you’d play Sneijder nominally as a right-sided midfielder, but give him the Ronald De Boer role (who basically went wherever we wanted to in France 1998 and provided linkage between Davids and Jonk and the forwards), and you could play VP and Van de Vaart as the forwards, with VP playing more forward and VDV dropping off a bit in support, and interchanging with Robben and especially Sneijder as they come forward. I think the formation gives Sneijder and VDV freedom, and VP can drop deep and run at defenses with support. Also, its a nice formation to slot RVN in when he, as I think likely, returns to the national team after they’ve qualified for SA. (Another question for another time, I think, but if he keeps the form that he has at RM these days, why wouldn’t he?)

Anyway, I’ve enjoyed the site, and learned much.

Andrew

Posted from  United States

@Finn, Buddy anytime you wanna come down to Singapore you are welcome, as I am not a pro golfer (handicap 5) there is no need to carry clubs. We’ll just enjoy the food and watch football But markets finally moving up. I told most people on Friday if they have cash they dont need for a year, buy some blue chips.
I am not sure if Sneijder or v Persie will start. Think they may both come on later. If they do start then Kuyt will probably come on to hold the right side assuming we are leading. Lots of “ifs” but looking forward to this first TEST for Marcellis too.

Posted from  Singapore

@Andrew – Welcome to this wonderful site. I believe that V Persie could become the ultimate No10 for Holland as he is beginning to look and play that way with Arsenal. Hunter is the ultimate striker and not a great drifter. I would play both of them up front which would worry most defences in the world, especially if you have Babel or Robben coming at you from the flanks and Sneijder thru the middle too – scary !

Posted from  Singapore

Unfortunately I can’t watch the match. I cannot find the news about it (because I can’t access the internet on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday). What I am looking for is the starting eleven and the replacement. Also, what was the formation? Thanks.

Posted from  Indonesia

Bobotoh are you talking about the Match against Iceland ? 4-2-3-1
Sar
Marcellis Ooier Mathijsen Gio
vBommel deJong (de Zeeuw 14m)
Kuyt vdV (Sneijder 80m) Babel(Affelay 65m)
Hunter

Jumpa Lagi

Posted from  Singapore

@jan u r so offencive with afaleey and bommel

Posted from  India

@Jan: Think (and hope) it is real. However, I am cautious, as we have several large financial firms reporting earnings this week. I believe with the exception of one time write-offs, it should not be too bad. It is the credit that is killing (or lack of), not the basic banking operations. Especially now that the bailout plan seems to have gotten some more meat on the bones and details are out, it should bounce positive. So if we close out this week on a high, we may have hit the bottom. But the market is really volatile. Lower oil prices have helped keep it from completely tanking.

Still think there will a lot of more consolidation to come in the financial industry, globally. e.g. Don’t think Morgan Stanley will survive in it’s current form. However, if a solid week can be put together on the Street, most of the jitters may be gone.

Actually Carlos’ advice on getting some blue chip for people who do not need the cash for the next 3 years is a very decent advice.

I see Asia is up in a big way today, Europe doing good, so I expect we in NY will have another good day. Which we have not had in two weeks.

A few people even had a few beers yesterday. Been a long time since that happened…

—————–van der sar——————-
–marcellis—ooijer—mathijsen—van bronkhorst
——–van bommel———–de zeeuw———-
——————sneijder———————-
—van der vaart—-huntelaar——–van persie

Basically a 4-3-3, just emphasizing that de Zeeuw, and van Bommel stay back.

Posted from  Canada

@Andrew; interesting comment .. i think vPersie is just not a real striker, hes more a man outside the box ..Huntelaar should be compared with vNistelrooy who also is very slow and has average football skills, BUT both just have a nose for goal (like Gerd Muller, prob. the best striker ever)
i do agree that at the moment Huntelaar is out of form (he hasnt played well in the dutch league either) and vMarwijk could give vPersie a go (dont think he will tough)
the most important thing for vPersie to learn is that he ISNT the main man in Oranje, Sneijder is..once he accepts that things will prob. work out and hell find his place in the team…still think his ego is a problem

Posted from  Netherlands

Carlos, Jan, Goose;

Many thanks for the warm welcome. Great site you have here.

Agree with Goose that Sneijder is the guy who can make the team move. Saw both the Macedonia and Iceland games, and have seen just about all the Real Madrid games this year (Gol TV in the States) Van de Vaart looks like he has magic in his foot; from nothing he’ll conjure up a flick or a touch and send the goal scorers on their way, and the man can score (always has been able to—from scramblers goals to beauties). But when Sneijder came on at the end of the Real Madrid game a couple of weeks ago, and at the end of the Iceland game, the difference in tempo and forward drive was noticeable. He’s just relentess in pushing the team forward. Nice to have them both. Can’t say about Van Persie’s ego; have heard comments of the like since he was at Feyenoord, but since there is an ocean between us, I don’t get the daily coverage. Guy is really a talent, though.

Posted from  United States

Halo Carlos in Singapore, do you know Indonesian language or Malaysian language? . Senang jumpa lagi .

Thanks for your information about the formation. Looking at the players that Holland have, there’re too many good players. If Holland want to play with 4-2-3-1, the players like Sneijder or Van Persie cannot play. Or, Holland should play another formation.

Posted from  Indonesia