Allow me to start with apologising to all of you for the ongoing drivel about Berghuis and Blind. I keep on saying I won’t be baited and still it happens. I will let the opinions be for what they are. I am a fan of both players, as is now well-known and I simply can’t understand why Bergwijn, Taylor, Janssen or Klaassen don’t get the same amount of vomit from some here, it seems a focused attack on these two guys. I know they’re no Roberto Carlos or Fernando Redondo but they are among the best we have and when they wear orange, I support them. Like I support Weghorst, or De Roon. Enough said. I’ll behave from now on.
Feyenoord coach Arne Slot is currently considered the best and most exciting coach in the Eredivisie. His work at Cambuur and AZ has been applauded but his mission to coach a new Feyenoord team to a European finals has definitely put him solidly on the map as the new crown prince of Dutch football (yes, we tend to use that term for new exciting coaches… most of them start to fail once they got that moniker). This year, Slot had to replace 8 starters in his team and despite a short pre-season with shifts in his squad, he ended the first season half ( a third really) on top!
Feyenoord coach Arne Slot
As a guest at the NOS Studio WC 2022, he made some interesting points about Oranje and the chances.
About Van Gaal’s choices.
“It’s normal for a coach not to explain in detail why he does things. Everything van Gaal does or says has a reason behind it, this is how I know him. Even him joking about becoming the new NT manager for Belgium is to deflect attention away from the team and put the spotlight on him. He will always defend his players towards the outside world. Internally, he can be and will be really vocal and direct and super honest. I think he started with the players he started with, partly because some of them came in with fitness issues. All the focus went to Memphis, but De Ligt, De Roon, De Vrij, Lang and even Frenkie had had issues with injuries. Blind, Klaassen and Berghuis missed a number of games at Ajax due to different reasons as well. Van Gaal used the group games to get his full squad match fit. The reason for him to bring De Roon and Klaassen in versus Qatar had to do with this, I believe. He could have left these players out, but that would mean they would even drift further apart from fitness, which could hurt the team in the knock-out stages. Managing squad fitness and squad happiness – as I call it – is a key factor for a coach, but it hardly gets attention. The reason: coaches don’t want to let other teams know that there might be fitness issues and secondly, most people have no idea what it means to train a player “up” as we call it. It’s a science. Talking about the issues of the individual is also something that goes against the privacy codes. Imagine Van Gaal discussing the health of De Vrij while his management is negotiating with Tottenham Hotspur. It’s a tricky thing.”
About Argentina:
“I am a huge Messi fan. In club games, he never disappointed. He will always do something that makes your mouth fall open. And if Messi is in top form, he will be a problem for Holland… For any opponent. But the thing is, the other 10 players are not of his level. Some of them are actually not that good. Most of them have no clue what to do with the time and space around them. When a team press them high, there will be space in their defence for Messi to have a go at. He can hurt you then. He only needs one or two moments to score. But if you stay compact, the other guys won’t have the creativity to find him. If you lock him in, he will not get much joy and their defence has trouble defending bigger spaces. I expect a similar game as against the US. Hopefully with Oranje better in possession of course. Australia at times had the ball for two full minutes in a row. Against Argentina! Because they are not good without the ball. And when they try and press, the pitch becomes big and we can play easily in between the lines. If we play and execute the Van Gaal plan well, we will not have a lot of problems and will win that game. One condition, our rest-defence needs to be solid. Because once you lose the ball in attack, they will look up and spot Messi, who usually has wondered to some area where he is unmarked and he will pounce. If we organise our defence well, and so far we did, we will win. This Argentina is not like the Barcelona of a couple of years back.”
Van Dijk afraid to go into aerial duel 🙂
VI’s Pieter de Zwart – master analyst – on Oranje. “Despite the fact that Van Gaal’s Oranje is performing below par, the defence of the team excels. Even the wingbacks have finally gotten the headlights now, in the USA game. Let’s focus on the last line of defence.
The 2014 Argentina game is a big blot on Van Gaal’s resume. As he sees it: Oranje should have won as we were the better team (according to Louis The Sun King). And this is also why penalties are getting all that focus, with Frans Hoek – keeper trainer and guru and even with scientific approaches. They have developed so-called action types, with very technical terms like horizontal players and vertical players. Some penalty takers go for an angle. Others go for power. Others wait for the keeper to make a move. How to spot the types and what to do against them, was the main topic. By the way, De Ligt and Malacia have leaked who the penalty killer of Oranje is. In a game called 30 seconds, the question Malacia got from De Ligt was: Penalty killer? and Malacia answered: Noppert. And then both: OOPS!!
In 2014, Oranje played with a make-shift defence: an attacker who played in Turkey (Kuyt), two young Eredivisie defenders ( De Vrij, Martins Indi), an older defender playing relegation football in England (Vlaar) and a midfielder (Blind). Today, we have three top central defenders, an experienced left back and a marauding right wing back.
The Three Stooges: Sleepy, Narcy and Grumpy
In Qatar, Oranje is one of six nations who only conceded one goal. Ecuador’s goal was actually the first chance we gave away. The Dutch NT is on par with the strong nations, at this World Cup.
Our defenders all play a specific role.
Denzel Dumfries
Johan Cruyff, Rob Rensenbrink and Denzel Dumfries. A nice list of names. All Dutch players involved with 3 goals in 1 match. When asked about Dumfries’ performance against the US, Van Gaal quipped: “I gave him a kiss, the other day. But as there are cameras present now, I will do it again!” And Van Gaal bent over to the Inter defender, sitting next to him, and smacked a big pucker on Denzel’s cheek. “Thank you sir” was Denzel’s response. In the group games, Dumfries played disappointing matches, because the opponents were waiting for him in the zone, blocking his marauding runs. Then, his weaknesses become apparent. Hard feet and lack of real skills. He is the Dutch international with the most losses of possession. By far. Against the USA, he plays against Pulisic who is not the most driven defender and Denzel can bomb forward. And where the former Sparta player used to blindly hit the ball towards the area, now he picks his head up and sees the free runner.
Jurrien Timber
The only defender who didn’t start every match. Van Gaal calls the position, central back, as the right central defender needs to cover for the missing Dumfries a lot. A role better suited to Timber, as De Ligt also claims. Timber feels fine, in that role. As he also is comfortable in midfield, with or without the ball. With Blind, he repossesses the ball the most times (8 times) and like Ake he has not been dribbled past at all this World Cup. In the attacking sense, Van Gaal is not happy with Timber, as none of his forward passes to the final third ended up at the feet of a team mate. Against Ecuador, it’s partly his doodling on the ball that resulted in the equaliser.”
Virgil van Dijk
The more you don’t notice Van Dijk, the better it is. Van Gaal calls him “the General Forward Press”. When Virgil manages his troops well, he doesn’t have to do much. This is different from his role at Liverpool and it took him some time to get used to. Initially, Virgil was uncertain in the five-at-the-back system but he has grown into it. Against Senegal and Ecuador, he is too static and passive, and he gets quite some criticism from the pundits in Holland. Against Qatar and the USA he has picked it up and plays more forward passes. This is the Fabinho role at Liverpool basically. His heading capabilities are golden for Oranje.
Nathan Ake
Ake is the revelation for Oranje this World Cup, playing consistent, focused and with confidence. Ake always finds a solution and always finds a player in an orange jersey. He seems to be continuously in control of the situation. All the lessons learned from Van Gaal’s former captain at Man City. Guardiola teaches his defenders to keep the ball and dribble in until an opponent bites and makes a move towards the ball. Then Ake passes, as another Oranje player will have time and space. Against the USA, he breaks through the lines with 10 passes! He is top in number of forward passes and he has the least loss of possession. Only twice against the USA, whereas the number two and three on the list lost possession five times (Van Dijk and De Roon). Ake has surpassed De Vrij and De Ligt in this system, quite a feat. In a four man defence, he would only be able to play left back as Van Dijk is beyond reproach for Van Gaal.
Daley Blind
In the run up to the World Cup, Van Gaal says it’s unbelievable that Blind gets so much criticism at Ajax. The team manager doesn’t look at what Blind can not do, but focuses on what he can do. Against the USA, Blind’s strengths are exploited to the max. On paper, you’d expect a mismatch between the leggy Blind and the fast Weah, so Van Gaal instructs Ake to take care of Weah and pushes Blind up to deal with Dest. Blind ends the game with the most tackles (7) and the most duels won (9).
Blind also offers his attacking threat, with a goal and an assist. Against the first opponent who dare to attack Oranje, the wingbacks appear to become our biggest threats moving forward. Van Gaal was proud like a peacock. Blind had 60 forward passes into the opponent’s defensive third, with Frenkie (43) and Gakpo (35) as second and third.
Van Gaal believes Argentina might play the same way as the USA, with Messi in the Pulisic role. If they do, he believes Oranje will have good chances to win.
I say: 3-0, with Memphis, Gakpo and Blind on the score board.
@ Anthony
from previous post
2019 Nation league Final, World cup semi Final 2014, 2021 Euors quarter final, though Blind never put any foot wrong but then he goes into protective mode knowing he can’t provide cover both offensively and defensively and this affects the team and especially on his flank.. Well this is flooded all over the net, about what JC said “ you have to score one more goal then your opponent” . How do you expect this to happen when only one flank is productive than the other. This is often the scenario when game is either tight or in high tempo game. Like to that of the Ecuador game and which you obviously have closed your eye on.
Daley Blind 5/10: If he is not going to get on the ball in the final third then Blind has nothing to offer this team. An invisible performance and Malacia will be breathing down his neck.
Then you want to talk about the USA game which was handicap match and much more favorable one compared to the Senegal and Ecuador game. In the same context why Van Gaal couldn’t do the same vs the Ecuador? Because Head to head the south Americans were more aggressive and made it count and this is where it will come down to again vs Argentina and like I have said, in knock out stages this becomes a decisive factor. This is the difference of what I see compared to you and others.
The cry always has been to get this upgraded so there is a good balance like Dumfries on the right and more productivity from both the flanks and not just in some games only . Now when quick feet Malacia has come into the picture, he is being made to play second fiddle to him again which sucks. When Van Gaal took over this should have been addressed but he thinks blinds experience is important and above all limiting malacia opportunities to compete with blind and show his credentials as to what better he can bring . “Needed when required” this has been his story. If you think about it Blind has forever needed protection, having the best frenkie, van dijk, Ake around him to cover . Dumfries on the right really hasn’t had this luxury and yet he has held his own in the team. This speaks a lot about the two fullbacks and who is a massive part of our team shape, culture and in build up
“Our squads realistic expectations is to go out in the quarter finals. If we lose to Argentina, then we will have met our squad expectations. If we win against argentina, it will be because our team performed… TEAM. Blind is a massive part of our team shape, culture and build up.”
What happened to winning the WC with this squad. The expectation is to go out in the quarters because that’s where the teams capability lies IF ANY. Why wasn’t this addressed by the management DURING THE QUALIFIERS/BUILD UP.? For argument sake. Im not saying NT will lose for sure.
Then you want to talk about tatics. What tatics you want me talk about , the ONE that ONLY VAN GAAL KNOWS TO HIMSELF AND KEEPS CHANGING WITH EVERY TEAM. The equation is simple , you have to score to win and if you play tactically, it comes with its pros and cons, STALEMATE, PKs etc
@wilson
I think that you have made some very unsubstantiated claims. I will try to address your paragraphs.
You claim that blind cannot be both offensively and defensively sound (protective mode). The question i have for you is: 1. Has blind been exposed defensively? I do not believe he has had any issues defensivly 2. What makes you think blind has not contributed offensively? Statistically speaking he offers the most passes into the attacking third, is involved in the most goal contributions at WC out of anyone on the squad etc. All the stats are saying he is immense in the build up play.
I feel you have moved the goal post as your initial arguments were that blind would be exposed defensively. Now that he has been solid defensively, you are saying his offensive output is not good. What specifically is he failing at? Can you back up your claims that he is not good offensively or defensively at this world cup? Perhaps give a stat or 2 and we can then debate if that stat is a relevant metric?
I do not have my eyes closed for the ecuador game? My comments prior to this post has only talked about blinds defensive capabilities (As this is often where your criticisms of blind begin). In the ecuador game, I do not think he was exposed defensively. As for the build up play, I think blind did fine given how the entire team functioned. Not great, but no one was as we played a poor game. This is not down to blind being in the squad or not. The entire team was poor vs ecuador. Blind still was good on the ball but his influence was limited by ecuadors system.
I strongly disagree that the reason ecuador neutralized us was because they are aggressive and the USA were not. The USA played a 4 man defense which allowed our wingbacks to be the open man. No wonder our wingbacks are more successful against a 4 man formation than a 5 man. Next, the USA played more aggressively and pressed us higher up the pitch than ecuador. This gave us space to attack vs trying to play against a tight block. I think Argentina will set up closer to the USA than ecuador. Ecuador may have been feistier in 1v1 duels because they were in a low block and the space between defenders were small enough that its easier to dive into tackles as you have coverage. However, being feisty is not the reason the neutralized us, but rather there low block with 5 defenders (if they were feisty with 4 defenders and played high up the pitch, we wouldve had way more success). What metric do you use for saying that ecuador is more aggressive?
“The cry always has been to get this upgraded so there is a good balance like Dumfries on the right and more productivity from both the flanks and not just in some games only . Now when quick feet Malacia has come into the picture, he is being made to play second fiddle to him again which sucks. When Van Gaal took over this should have been addressed but he thinks blinds experience is important and above all limiting malacia opportunities to compete with blind and show his credentials as to what better he can bring . “Needed when required” this has been his story. If you think about it Blind has forever needed protection, having the best frenkie, van dijk, Ake around him to cover . Dumfries on the right really hasn’t had this luxury and yet he has held his own in the team. This speaks a lot about the two fullbacks and who is a massive part of our team shape, culture and in build up”
This paragraph above does not actually say anything of substantial content. You do not prove that blind needs protection and you do not say why malacia or dumfries does not get this protection. You do not say why the team is worse off for the supposed protection. There is no tactical substance to this paragraph and is just a bias attack on blind.
What happened to winning the WC with this squad. The expectation is to go out in the quarters because that’s where the teams capability lies IF ANY. Why wasn’t this addressed by the management DURING THE QUALIFIERS/BUILD UP.? For argument sake. Im not saying NT will lose for sure.”
As for the paragraph above, it is my understanding that the KNVB set the target of quarterfinals. This is based on how the KNVB views our player pool. Management DURING THE QUALIFIERS has addressed this by trying to over achieve. How? Playing a 5-3-2 to maximize our strengths and provide coverage for our weaknesses and create a positive culture (leaving out cillessen, karsdorp) with a winning mentality (see van gaal press conferences). Do you agree that management has tried to address this by playing 5-3-2 and creating a winning culture?
“Then you want to talk about tatics. What tatics you want me talk about , the ONE that ONLY VAN GAAL KNOWS TO HIMSELF AND KEEPS CHANGING WITH EVERY TEAM. The equation is simple , you have to score to win and if you play tactically, it comes with its pros and cons, STALEMATE, PKs etc”
The paragraph above is such nonsense. It appears I have upset you by asking to provide your own tactics instead of criticizing van gaals. To be very clear on what tactics I want you to talk about: I want you to talk about what tactics that WILSON would use vs argentina. This is because you clearly think Van Gaal is making mistakes with his tactics. Please do not deflect by attacking van gaal. Just tell the board your solution since you clearly see the obvious flaws in van gaals tactical preparations.
If you see such an obvious flaw in our system and player selection, then surely you have the answer as to what tactics and players we should play. I will ask you again in case there is a miscommunication. Can you let me know which tactics you would implement in order to beat argentina?
P.S. Van gaal has not changed his tactics with every team. We have used a 5-3-2 for months, worked on it at many camps, We have utilized a mid/low block in every game so far, We have utilized the “trap” by having our strikers go wide and then collapse on the opposing CB’s. Maybe i see this wrong but can you provide any evidence as to why you claim van gaal has changed his tactics in each game of the world cup?
I just heard that there are only around 1400 Dutch fans in Qatar and an estimated 35-40 thousand Argentinians. How is that possible? Considering the rest of the stadium will be cheering for Messi NT will be basically playing in Buenos Aires. Nerves of steel will be needed. But I am not too worried because Jan says Argentina is easy to beat.
These Messi fans are mostly from kerala, where i belong to. At least half of them are work in the gulf countries and the rest are going from my state. Note: kerala is a province of India.
There’s quite a bit of Argentinian fans unfortunately. I’ve been in Qatar for a week, and you can barely find a non-English European person. It’s pretty sad. I’ve seen a grand total of 5,000 Mexicans, 12,000 Argentinians, 18 English, 3 Spanish, 2 French and 1 Dutch person.
@ignacio, now that’s sad and really surprising about the Dutch fans. I guess it has to do with the season.
I hope you have a great time.
They are the most dimwited fans..its so annoying to bare them in kerala..Messi messi messi misiah crap..Arjentina crap…
In Jan we trust. Argentina are the clear favorites on the betting market, but what do they know…
Nice to have back Aloysius and Hendrix back, but please, be more humble, don’t forget that before you, there was the master, Marinus Jacobus. I hope he can join too!
I’m sure Argentina coach would have had a word with his countrymen and Ecuador coach Gustavo Alfaro or alfaro must have got in touch with scolini with tips for him on what to expect.
In the midst of messi messi messi, there is another player the dutch have to be mind full of. Alexis mac allister. Very underrated player playing for Brighton. Long range goal specialist. If he gets space outside of the box and time, he will be detrimental.
For the Dutch, Dumfries should be the man Argentina needs to look out for. He is the focal point of the dutch attack and if he finds space and time, he will cause havoc.
Noppert as well, like I said could be triumph card for van Gaal in this match. He is focused and will not be easily beaten. It will take something special to beat him.
Who ever scores first win.
im not that confident..but i never am…
We will win 2-1 tonight.
Once Messi is nailed, the Argentina team weakened by 30%, i believed.
🦁Hip Holland Hup🦁
@Balkan
Van Hanegem was already a tad older in 1978, 34 years old and his former mentor/coach Happel told him before the WC he would not be a starter.
Willem knew himself well and declined the invite, knowing he would be poison in the group if he didn’t play.
I had to repost this. This is just too good. A classic already.
Dear Aloysius,
I know that you consider yourself a sportsman, having been a teacher of gymnastics. I too was a fair athlete, particularly in my younger years, when I actually enjoyed baseball as much as football (Neeskens did as well). Although my talents were more mental than physical. My preferred baseball position was catcher and up here I have met another catcher who I think can offer you some sage advice. His name is Yogi, but with Y rather than a J.
I know you won’t listen to me (or understand what I have to say), but maybe if I let Yogi communicate with you in his way, you will be more receptive. But beware though, because while he and I agree on many things, unlike my advice, sometimes his statements can be a little cryptic. Here goes:
I say “Before I make a mistake, I don’t make that mistake.”
Yogi says “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.”
I say “You play football with your head. Your legs are there to help you.”
Yogi says “This game is 90% mental and the other half is physical.”
I say “To win, you only have to score one more goal than your opponent.”
Yogi says “It ain’t over till it’s over.”
I say “Playing football is very simple, but playing simple football is the hardest thing there is.”
Yogi says “You wouldn’t have won if we’d beaten you.”
I say “Sometimes something has got to happen before something is going to happen”.
Yogi says “It’s like déjà vu all over again.”
I say “If you have the ball you must make the field as big as possible, and if you don’t have the ball you must make it as small as possible.”
Yogi says “No one goes there nowadays, it’s too crowded.”
I say “Why couldn’t you beat a richer club? I’ve never seen a bag of money score a goal.”
Yogi says “A nickel ain’t worth a dime anymore.”
I say “I’m ex-player, ex-technical director, ex-coach, ex-manager, ex-honorary president. A nice list that once again shows that everything comes to an end.”
Yogi says “Always go to other people’s funerals, otherwise they won’t come to yours.”
I say “Football is a game of mistakes. Whoever makes the fewest mistakes wins.”
Yogi says “When we lose, we made too many wrong mistakes.”
I say “When you first have the ball, you must look forward as far as you can.”
Yogi says “The future ain’t what it used to be.”
I say “The most important part are the fans, that people going home are happy. It’s their time off and you should give them something to enjoy.”
Yogi says “If the people don’t want to come out to the ballpark, nobody’s going to stop them.”
I say “There’s only one moment in which you can arrive in time. If you’re not there, you’re either too early or too late.”
Yogi says “It gets late early out here.”
I say “If you don’t shoot, you cannot score.”
Yogi says, “You’ve got to be very careful if you don’t know where you are going, because you might not get there.”
Listen to Yogi, and know where you are going Aloysius…..and remember, in the quarterfinals, it gets late early out there!
All the best,
Hendrik
P.S. 3-4-3…
@ Jan; i want to show off my cool Oranje tattoo..but seems i cant post links to images here?
There was a question earlier about “why not Malacia over Blind?”. The answer can be found in this post. Blind simply has the most passes into the final third. That is not something you can expect from Malacia.
Also, I think Van Gaal wants the pivot in the team, with Dumfries playing high up as a right winger, but then the team pivots to the right, getting Timber towards the right back space and keepin Blind more behind to cover the left zone.
I think LVG is doing his best to turn Blind’s weakness into something he can use.
In the past we did see our full back both too high and then you’re really exposed.
As for the criticism, I agree with a previous comment which said it’s merely negative bagging. Aimed at the person.
As for Berghuis for instance, I never said he was world class. I mean, who is? Virgil, Frenkie and maybe Memphis. Ake is getting there and Timber and Gakpo have the potential, as does Simons.
But De Roon is not world class, Klaassen is not, Dumfries is not, Blind is not, janssen, Bergwijn, weghorst, etc. Why is the criticism only aimed at Berghuis?
Is it because I tend to like him?
One cannot ignore the fact that of the different options in midfield (Koopmeiners, De Roon, Klaassen, Taylor) Berghuis is the most creative of the lot.
We simply cannot buy players who are better, in this NT, we will have to make do with what we have and I am all for pinpointing the weaknesses of the players we have, but I am not a fan of thrashing the players that play for my team. I have been critical on Dumfries, but on aspects of this game. Whereas other aspects, I applauded. That, to me, is balanced constructive criticism.
Wilson was trying to make a point about tactics, earlier on. I’ll try and find his comment and copy it in here.
Wilson, who said this: ““Our squads realistic expectations is to go out in the quarter finals. If we lose to Argentina, then we will have met our squad expectations. If we win against argentina, it will be because our team performed… TEAM. Blind is a massive part of our team shape, culture and build up.”???
And what do you mean here:
“Then you want to talk about tatics. What tatics you want me talk about , the ONE that ONLY VAN GAAL KNOWS TO HIMSELF AND KEEPS CHANGING WITH EVERY TEAM. The equation is simple , you have to score to win and if you play tactically, it comes with its pros and cons, STALEMATE, PKs etc”
Did you not see the tactical video I posted earlier? That guy nails it. I am not sure what you are referring to? if you play tactically you get stalemate? Huh?
Every coach uses tactics my friend. We won v USA and we had tactics :-). What are you on about?
@ jan – I have to defend wilson on one specific point here.
Wilson, who said this: ““Our squads realistic expectations is to go out in the quarter finals. If we lose to Argentina, then we will have met our squad expectations. If we win against argentina, it will be because our team performed… TEAM. Blind is a massive part of our team shape, culture and build up.”???
That paragraph is actually what i said. My intention was to set the record straight that our player pool is not more talented than a quarter final team. Therefore, if we do not win the world cup, it is not appropriate for wilson to say “i told you so! Blind was the reason we didnt win the world cup”. However, it is difficult to articulate that holland not winning the world cup is not a justification that wilson is correct and van gaal is wrong. Does that make sense? I feel like you Jan, may be able to express this point better than I.
Someone mentioned master Marinus?
I need to put a pin in that balloon. Rinus Michels was NOT the architect of Total Football.
Initially, he didn’t even play 4-3-3. I wrote several posts on this (years ago).
Rinus got the Total Football concept from Ernst Happel.
Later Cruyff and Van Hanegem would state that during WC1974, Michels would rattle on about tactics but Cruyff and Van Hanegem would instruct the players what they wanted on the way to the pitch.
it’s no surprise Michels wanted JC at Barca and later in the US as well.
Michels was a good trainer, he used discipline and physical strength (he himself was a Ron Vlaar like defender). As we say in Holland: the players determine whether a coach is good or not, not the other way around.
https://freeimage.host/i/20220331-181732.HnGf2Q2
if they win the WC ill add the date
Amazing Goose :-). Really cool!!
According to AD, Steven Bergwijn will start up front tonight and Cody Gakpo will be the 10 instead of Davy Klaassen.
I can’t help it lads, it’s not me. The AD, the second biggest Dutch newspaper (from Rotterdam, so usually pro Feyenoord, not pro Ajax) came with a little tribute to …. Daley Blind. Here is the summary:
Blind was ecstatic after his goal versus the USA. Was it because of the criticism he copped? “Not really, I was just happy that we scored the 2-0 after another great move. I didn’t really care about the criticism, I have been getting criticism for years now, I can handle it.”
Blind kept on working on his great stats at the World Cup. Some numbers:
11. Blind has not lost in 11 consecutive games at a World Cup. The lost match versus Argentina in 2014 is seen as a draw, in terms of FIFA stats. If Blind again doesn’t lose after 120 mins versus Argentina, he will have the record of 12 matches unbeaten, with Mario Zagallo of Brazil and Julio Olarticoechea of Argentina.
6. with his goal and assist on Dumfries, Blind has a direct involvement in 6 goals now. two goals and 4 assists. Only Sneijder, Robben and Van Persie were involved in more goals.
4. Blind holds the record number of assists on a World Cup for Holland, with Rob Rensenbrink and Dennis Bergkamp.
99. Blind will play his 99th cap should he be in the line up today. He will be 9th on the all time list of Oranje capped players, behind Sneijder, Van der Sar, Frank de Boer, Rafa van der Vaart, Van Bronckhorst, Kuyt, Van Persie and Phillip Cocu.
Noppert is a funny guy. Really down to earth.
Asked by a reporter:
question: Would you want to exchange shirts with Messi?
Noppert: Huh?
Reporter: Most players would really want a shirt with Messi on it….?
Noppert: Why? Why would I want a shirt of Messi? What good will that do me?
Ha, funny guy Noppert. I like that answer which is equal to “Messi who?!” 🙂
A funny story from my childhood. There was a boxer in my neighborhood who everybody used to admire as the best around. One day someone asked him if he could fight Muhamad Ali and if he could actually win. He thought for a second and then responded: “Well, you never know. All it takes is a lucky punch at the right moment. He may be strong but I have the technique.” 🙂
I think that’s right. There’s always that potential for a brief moment of chaos, a misplaced pass, a bad controlling touch, that creates an opportunity. There was almost one moments ago for Brazil, where Croatia stole the ball and started into transition but then immediately lost possession as their fullbacks had just begun to advance. There’s only so much that LVG can control and each remaining match is likely to turn on those brief chaotic moments.
Agree on Noppert; liked the end of the press conference when he straightened up the chairs after he stood up to leave.
In the meantime, Croatia is not making life easy for Brazil.
Croatia – Brazil, the team that makes less mistakes will win. Fine margins.
This Juranovic character is quite good.
This Croatia – Brazil match has been more nervy than exciting from my perspective, and I’m not even really that invested in the outcome.
Not sure how I’m going to handle our match this afternoon…
Frankie and De Roon will be under a lot of heat in today’s game. If they deliver, we have a chance! If not, then I doubt we can beat them.
Excitement already running high lads. Hope we go through. It would be the 4th time I will see Oranje play a WC semi final.
A pity that Croatia has no one decent in attack. This game should have been over by now.
I’m normally not a fan of Michael Oliver (although quite not to the extent of Gigi Buffon’s feelings), but he does not appear to have succumbed to the Brazilian hype and instead has officiated this match in a relatively even-handed manner (Brazilian fans might disagree). Hopefully that bodes well for our match vs Argentina as well.
We have Antonio Mateu Lahoz of La Liga fame today. He’s previously officiated the Qatar – Senegal match and also Iran – USA in this World Cup and was the referee for the Man City – Chelsea Champions League final last year. He apparently is a bit of a showman who likes to award cards, so we’ll see how he does today…
WOW! 1-1. Can Croatia get to penalties AGAIN?!
So, Croatia plays to keep the 0-0 for 115 minutes, then breaks. Then Brazil plays to keep the 1-0, then breaks.
If only there was a lesson to learn there, but what could it be, the world wonders.
HAHAHAHAHA!!!
I don’t think we’ve learned that lesson either, unfortunately….
Brazil out !!!!!
Brazil out.
its confirmed Berjwin starts for klassen….thats the only change..
Guillaume, when Brazil scored I was feeling it really was a matter of time. How do you play 120 mins only to get to penalties. As soon as they had nothing to lose and put a few passes together they scored.
Livakovic is one hell of a keeper. Keeper of the tournament so far.
Happy for Croatia! Modric is a monument. 37 years old and eliminated his much younger peers from Real Madrid.
That’s exactly what I hate. I can’t stand these teams that could play but don’t. Sure, Livakovic is amazing on penalties. But what, they’ll do like in 2018, play all their knockout games in 120 minutes, then get to the final exhausted only to lose to France?
Just saw a highlight in Telemundo from 2014 penalty shootout. I didn’t remember that last one by Argentina was almost saved by Cillessen. Why didn’t LVG use Krul like in the previous game against CR?
only 3 subs can be used those times .we ran out of subs..
Thanks Emmanuel! My memory is very foggy about that game. The only thing I remember was a chance by Robben in the last 2-3 mins of regular time.
welcome man…hup Holland
This team is garbage, sorry. You can’t hold the ball, can’t attack and just perform a destroying game praying for luck. Scare this.
Screw this. Disgusting. Arg is no USA.
was it Blind’s mistake in 0:1?
Guys, don’t know what to say at this point, but that was a brilliant pass!
We’re going to have to show something in attack to stay in this match
Say it like it is. This is garbage. There is no excuse to play like this. They are frozen with fear of Messi and yet he did the damage. Garbage all around.
Unfortunately, I do not see yet any attacking potential in Oranje, unless Argentina makes very bad mistake.
Gotta bring in Klaasen to get some more creativity in attack. Not even a shot on goal.
Maybe Berghuis comes in? I kid I kid
It’s not that Argentina had a lot of chances. Both are guarding the back very well and only that goal separates them. We need to attack but cautiously as a 2nd goal will kill the match.
This is where I struggle with the LVG tactical approach, and unfortunately we’re now faced with what Jean Verette was curious about — how do we behave / what changes get made if we fall behind?
I don’t think there is really an “on/off” switch that you can flip to switch into a dominant attacking mode, particularly when you’ve been playing passive and defensive all this time. We can certainly score in this match, but I just can’t get my head around playing like this as a way of winning, particularly like now when we’re on the wrong side of the scoreboard…
It’s too much of a sacrifice in quality for results, as Hendrik might say 😉
Netherlands have more ball possession but they can not attack. They played just to defend againts Argentina. De Jonk do not move the ball quickly . Gakpo need klassen.
Wrong subs
Not sure how subs will change the structure of the Ned’s game…
Why not lang???
It is very bad game; with this you cannot go through even fairly beatable team…
AZ, it is the same football we have played in all games so far, only that this time finally someone scored before we did.
I am sorry but Blind is very bad.
LVG is showing that he is a one trick pony. No tactical change, using terrible subs, negative football. He is being outcoached by a junior Argentina coach. I will say it again, in this WC we have played the worst football of the last 35-40 years regardless of reaching the quarters. I was hoping we would finally show up and play but I see more of the same. We’re deservedly going out.
Messi plays very arrogant, and referee does not dear to say anything.
Why not try something new in attack? Xavi, LDJ? What have you got to lose? What an idiot.
Team just isn’t good enough
There was no a contact with Messi
The sight of VVD pushing Messi on the edge is SAD. Ron Vlaar was more assuring covering him..
I do not think he pushed him, it was acting from Messi’s side.
De Jong for Blind? You cannot organize an attack and you bring service-depended De Jong?
I guess I do not understand anything in football…
Unfortunately, I think LVG may have been believing his own hype a bit much. Putting aside decisions about style, formation, talent, etc., we just don’t seem to have a concerted approach to creating scoring opportunities, and its coming back to haunt us…
We’ve had 57% possession, almost 400 passes, 84% pass accuracy and 1 total shot…
1 shot!!! None on goal! Pathetic.
Welp, penalty. It’s over
But the emperor is being exposed for what he is today. Yesterday he declared that we’re beating Argentina. What kind of a clown says that?
A coach needs to say these things. What else can he say? “We are going to loose”?
I know we are not playing well, but there was no any fault to appoint a penalty shot. It is getting too political to drag Messi to final. It is disgusting in my view.
Wherhorst??????
I was expecting Lang or Simmons. Electricity and creativity
I suspect Plan A today was get to penalties and it seems like Plan B is now to throw tall strikers on and hit long balls into the box. And I think it probably would have been the same in every remaining match. Personally, I don’t want to win playing like that…
Is berghuis still playing????????
Min 80, we have yet to register a shot on goal. I dare anyone go check stats from the last few decacades you will never find a worse team. I hope LVG disappears never to ne heard again. Fkin buffoon.
Is Plant B working. It is disgusting what Messi does.
A straight forward plan works. Goal by weghorst… Should be like this when 1-0
Referee has an assignment for every fault on Messi to give a yellow card. He is losing control over the game.
Too little, too late.
I learn my lesson. No more criticism. Thanks Van Gaal for being Werhost!!!
WOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUT
NO WAYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Plan A is back on!!!!!
O boy. This is nailing biting
Yes. Should put weghorst from the beginning
Oh. My. God.
Holyshit!!!!
This is some epic sh!t
No gungho again ?
I hate Parades with a passion. What a dirty scu.umbag.
I hope we don’t settle for penalties.
My son called me to say don’t ever disrespect Weghorst again!
Then he called back to say the Netherlands can’t win without (with-wout) Weghorst!
I guess the Dutch are the world’s tallest people for a reason!
He also pointed out that Weghorst is the only man who could get a yellow before even entering the match and then score two goals to send it to extra time!
Love weghorst. He is so underated netherlands striker
We are back to the sh1ty style.
Wish we had Xavi in the middle.
He isn’t tall enough 😀 Maybe move Noppert up the field and bring in another keeper? And push Virgil forward as well?
And Lang in on! For Gakpo…
Hope he’s a good penalty taker!
I don’t know if I could watch penalties.
Noppert you gentle giant.
@ Balkan
Argentina mistake for going into defense mode
History repeat again 🙄 lost on pinalty
Noppert noppert noppert
Let’s do 1 more goal.
Hup Holland Hup💪💪
Why not koopmeiners first.
He is a specialist. Az days
Too much of a hole to dig out of, first in regulation and then in penalties. You just can’t come back from 0-2 twice…
Commentators here in USA talking about Messi destiny to win the WC. I hate this bias. I hope they lose. This is ridicule
Max respect to Weghorst?! The rest I hope I don’t see again in this team. Good riddance to LVG and please take Blind and all your shitty staff with you.
Everything is about dragging this mediocre Argentina to the final only because Messi needs one more trophy in his collection. On the other note, NED going back to their original Plan A was wrong taking into account bad history of the penalty taking. Anyway, four more years to wait…
Agree in all what you say. Coming back to plan A and Messi bandwagon
AZ, sorry but NAH. We played garbage and were extremely lucky to tie the game. Yes FIFA wants Messi to win it but I don’t think today’s referee was bad.
I wonder why o why, didn’t they go gong hu in the last 15 minutes. I could understand the first 15
We had the initiative and the adrenaline and they were under shock, yet we let them in the game and played for penalties.
That was insane. Did they not see how Noppert froze on Messi’s penalty?
Very sad. How many times we lose in penalty?
Eu96
Wc98
Eu2000
Wc2014
Wc2022
:(((((. I hate football
Well I guess considering our penalties track record, I expected them to take some risks in the 2nd half of ET. And yet it was all Argentina.
As I wrote in the new thread, it was evident from the moment Messi took the first penalty during that game that we would lose should we got to penalties.
Is it too much to ask to select a keeper that is even semi-competent on penalties?