Dutch Favors?

[Albirrojo]

Denmark won it in 1992 but only went because Yugoslavia received a ban from it and they weren't even in the original hunt for the 1992 Euro Cup. So, it's true, sometimes the giants of international football don't make the big tournaments. There is a lot of parity in international football especially for an outsider like Denmark to win it.

The USA and even Portugal before the last several years often did not make these tournaments.

[VCFan]

P.S. There used to be a time when only 4 teams actually qualified for a Euro... forgive me for saying that not qualifying for every single Euro isn't exactly a disgrace in that light.

Well, I've said nothing about a redcard myself.

Italy did not go to the 1992 Euro Cup http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Euro_1992 , France did not go in 1988 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Euro_1988 , well after the four team format was taken away. Even reknown football countries do not always field teams able to make the tournaments.

Sure, I agree with that. But you seemed to insinuate that it was somehow telling of Italy's inferiority that we haven't qualified for every single European championship when in reality that's happened to many of the countries one would consider "powers". Sorry if I misinterpreted your comment.

[Awareness]

The press revealed that van Basten will most likely will play a B-team. He will rest 9 starters

Propable line up (4-2-3-1 in contrast to the 4-3-3 Holland played against Romania in the qualifications):

----------------------van de Sar----------------------
----------------Heitinga------Bouma------------------
--Melchiot------------------------------------de Cler--
--------------------------------------------------------
--------------de Zeeuw------Engelaar-----------------
--------------------------------------------------------
--------van Persie------Afellay------Robben----------
-------------------------------------------------------
----------------------Huntelaar-----------------------

[1shot1kill]

How is that a B team? :confused:

[Amsteldam]

How is that a B team? :confused:
Well the whole defence is B for one
Midfield has 2 B-players and Huntelaar is B choice after RvN

Thats about all the B-players we can field, there arent many more left

[1shot1kill]

Before the game against Italy, everybody expected all those defenders to start, except for Bouma, so it's hardly a B defense, heck Heitinga has played an awesome season and people were wondering why the hell he was not starting the 2 games already played and Mathijsen who is not too popular was.

Same pretty much counts for the midfield, except for Engelaar which was a surprise to start against Italy and France. People were expecting Affelay to start instead of Kuyt, de Zeeuw instead of De Jong before the Italy game.

The only thing that would make this a B team would be if the goalkeeper was replaced.

[Martininho]

Before the game against Italy, everybody expected all those defenders to start, except for Bouma, so it's hardly a B defense, heck Heitinga has played an awesome season and people were wondering why the hell he was not starting the 2 games already played and Mathijsen who is not too popular was.

Same pretty much counts for the midfield, except for Engelaar which was a surprise to start against Italy and France. People were expecting Affelay to start instead of Kuyt, de Zeeuw instead of De Jong before the Italy game.

The only thing that would make this a B team would be if the goalkeeper was replaced.

It's nice to have this sort of "problem", wouldn't you agree? :)

[FNU]

The press revealed that van Basten will most likely will play a B-team. He will rest 9 starters

Propable line up (4-2-3-1 in contrast to the 4-3-3 Holland played against Romania in the qualifications):

----------------------van de Sar----------------------
----------------Heitinga------Bouma------------------
--Melchiot------------------------------------de Cler--
--------------------------------------------------------
--------------de Zeeuw------Engelaar-----------------
--------------------------------------------------------
--------van Persie------Afellay------Robben----------
-------------------------------------------------------
----------------------Huntelaar-----------------------

I know Huntelaar is going to give 110% if he truly wants to play for a CL team. He will show his worth, I'm looking forward to him playing. Van de Sar isn't one to let easy ones go in, this team can AT LEAST draw with full strength Romania.

[Amsteldam]

The fact vd Sar is starting and not Stek tells me Holland wanna win this match

[Black Label]

Exactly, also I'm quite curious how this offense will do. Affelay, Huntelaar, in fact all of them have something to prove.

[1shot1kill]

I know Huntelaar is going to give 110% if he truly wants to play for a CL team. He will show his worth, I'm looking forward to him playing. Van de Sar isn't one to let easy ones go in, this team can AT LEAST draw with full strength Romania.


Romania is not at full strength, they are missing 2 players.

[Anthony]

Dear Italian cousins,

How about this? Italy just goes out and wins. Then, after the game is over, you can all whine and complain about conspiracies IF Romania wins. And if Italy loses just be quiet and let things drop.

Love,

Your Italian American cousins.

PS -- I still think the game in Kaiserslautern was fixed.

[NickyViola]

Romania is not at full strength, they are missing 2 players.

No team on the planet is ever at full strength.

[Tetsuo]

I know Huntelaar is going to give 110% if he truly wants to play for a CL team. He will show his worth, I'm looking forward to him playing. Van de Sar isn't one to let easy ones go in, this team can AT LEAST draw with full strength Romania.

underestimated again...:rolleyes: huh when will you people ever learn. yes this team could get a draw or win against us, but we could very well win it. their "B" team's attack is fantastic, but their defensive seems shallow. i say 2-1 for Romania. oh and our full-strenght team managed to draw with the world champs and the vice champs and took 4 points from the full strenght dutch team. and people still think we need the dutch to "let us win". :rolleyes:

i heard a theory from many people that it will be an unwise thing to let Spain have such an weak opponent if Romania qualifies. i guess Spain will beat Romania senseless with 3-0 just like France and Italy did...

3 more hours. i just can't wait :) Hai Romania!

[FNU]

underestimated again...:rolleyes: huh when will you people ever learn. yes this team could get a draw or win against us, but we could very well win it. their "B" team's attack is fantastic, but their defensive seems shallow. i say 2-1 for Romania. oh and our full-strenght team managed to draw with the world champs and the vice champs and took 4 points from the full strenght dutch team. and people still think we need the dutch to "let us win".

i heard a theory from many people that it will be an unwise thing to let Spain have such an weak opponent if Romania qualifies. i guess Spain will beat Romania senseless with 3-0 just like France and Italy did...

3 more hours. i just can't wait :) Hai Romania!
Anyone can get a draw by playing 10 behind the ball. :rolleyes:

[1shot1kill]

It has been confirmed that Van der Sar is not playing, Stekelenburg will be the goalkeeper.

Romania has a chance.

[NickyViola]

It has been confirmed that Van der Sar is not playing, Stekelenburg will be the goalkeeper.

Romania has a chance.

Romania has a chance no matter who Holland puts out there.

[Amsteldam]

It has been confirmed that Van der Sar is not playing, Stekelenburg will be the goalkeeper.

Romania has a chance.
You had a chance even with vd Sar playing (or any of the other A-listers)

But dont be fooled into thinking Stek is a 2nd rate keeper, he's been known to make spectacular saves.
Perhaps you may be unfortunate enough to find out tonight :p

[Nickless]

oh and our full-strenght team managed to draw with the world champs and the vice champs and took 4 points from the full strenght dutch team. and people still think we need the dutch to "let us win". :rolleyes:

How can you say that you managed to take 4 points of an full strenght Dutch team? The team Holland played in the lost away game (1-0 Romania) in the qualifications was the following:

Stekelenburg;
Heitinga (68. Jaliens), Mathijsen, Ooijer (85. Koevermans), Bouma;
Seedorf, De Zeeuw, Van Bronckhorst;
Van der Vaart, Van Nistelrooy, Robben (78. Babel)

thus, not including Sneijder, van der Sar, Engelaar, de Jong, Boulahrouz, Kuijt and partly van Persie (Who is not a starter for Holland on this tournament yet).

The other game you played (0-0), you faced this squad:

Stekelenburg;
Jaliens, Mathijsen, Bouma, Van Bronckhorst;
Sneijder, Landzaat (80. Emanuelson), Van der Vaart (86. Seedorf);
Robben, Huntelaar, Babel.

Thus, not including van der Sar, Boulahrouz, Ooijer, de Jong, Engelaar, van Nistelrooij, Kuijt, and again partly van Persie.

Of course this is a bit being too precise, but I stated these line-ups because you still think you will face the Dutch which you faced in the qualification. Or to put it in a different way, you go back to games that do not even have any influence on the match of tonight.

With this said, I don't think the Dutch will have a easy game tonight, but because of the hunger for succes (surely of the reserves) I think that it will be a win for the Dutch. Since Romania have to score in order to not rely on the game of Italy and France, there will be some space for the Dutch, who are capable of converting this in their advantage.

[Tetsuo]

Anyone can get a draw by playing 10 behind the ball. :rolleyes:

good point :) but Italy did that all it's history. cattenacio sounds familiar ;)