Oke just trowing in here some ideas: What is the idea of this formation. A problem we face in this team if we look at the Swiss game but also Germany is that there is no connection between the center defense and the three attacker, being the two wingers and the 10. Especially against the Swiss we saw Sneijder and VDV constantly operating even before the midfield line. The two DM's were not able to do so. Against Sweden we saw the same also. The DM's have not the ability to connect defense with attack. If people are frustrated about this problem this line up is the solution. We put our best footballer and best distributer one line back and choose on 10 for second best. However Sneijder needs a pitbull next to him (like in the Scotland game Davids was and it became 6-0 under Advocaat). If United buys Sneijder and has to play there in midfield and Rooney behind the striker then he can nicely adapt to that situation. Sneijder is defensive not very strong but quite nice in chasing and closing opponents in. Afellay as he is dynamic, has played DM at PSV and is a general good footballer. If people want him more on the wing then why can't he play left back. He is a guy that will not be outrun by a guy like Mueller. Strootman and van Bommel are not good in this formation. We need a sober dedicated pitbull for Sneijder. van Persie is left footed and can cross in to Huntelaar who is a good header. VDV our best 10 after Sneijder. If he has to be subbed out after 65 minutes RVP can go play on 10 and Drenthe or Elia can play in the wing.
I like his analysis, apart from him defending (no pun) Edson saying he had no blame. No doubt his Twente past may have given him a slightly blinkered view considering Braafheid. I think most people have given up on critisizing MvB with the knowledge that he will always play under Bert for obvious reasons.
AZ and Scheringa wanted to go so far to keep him, that he had an offer that was better than what they offered at Arsenal I believe. He still wanted to go.
Haha, apparently this Bunjuku is very popular at Arsenal (even a hotshot), but Ebecilio has not only surpassed him in the team, but even got promoted to the reserve squad (directly behind the first team), while they are from the same year and even from the same month. I sometimes think Ebecilio looks not that comfotable on the ball, but the guy has an engine you got to love. He's moving quickly through the ranks. Good sign, but not more than that.
This is also a future possible gem in defense. Jeffrey Gouweleeuw As we say in Holland. "Zit een goeie kop op."
Van Persie just can't stop scoring. 2 goals this weekend, taking his tally to 31 goals in 2011.. amazing! Wenger is not anywhere close to my favorite manager list, but I have to say that he's done a phenomenal job building his attack around Robin. Van Marwijk has got to LEARN from this because it works wonderfully well. RvP thrives in the freedom role he's given. He picks up the ball from midfield, holds up the ball if need be, and distributes. Simply put, Van Persie makes everybody around him much better. Not only he scores goal, but also he creates opportunities for others. There was a perfect instance when he released Gervinho to set up 1v1 with goalkeeper, then the next moment a floating pass found Ramsey in all kinds of space. I am looking at this Oranje. Robben is a mile better than Walcott from dribbling and decision making standpoints, no doubt that Van Persie will get much better services from Arjen. Assuming Afellay is regaining his form, I think he is on par with Gervinho. True that Ibi is not a proven goal scorer, but neither is Gervinho (in fact, he could have had a hattrick today had he knew how to put the goal back in the net). What Gervinho does excellent, which I think Afellay can imitate, is his quick acceleration and cutting inside the penalty box to break down the defense. I think the message is pretty simple... put Van Persie as a free-role striker, surround him with two quick wide players, and give him a midfielder who can pass through-ball (i.e. Sneijder). Let the magic happen.
What about Vd. Vaart as the guy behind the striker? He plays much deeper than Sneijder, what might solve the problem of the huge gab there usually is between the midfield and attack. You can easily place Sneijder a little bit lower in the field and use his long-pass ability to launch Robben and Afellay on the counter. I know it was a failure at the WC 2006, but times have changed and since Sneijder isn't in his best shape I don't think it's smart to build the team around him. Huntelaar as well scored. I would as well try an alternative for Mathijssen. That guy has been a disaster. Both Heitinga and Mathijssen are very vulnerable in the air, both smaller than 1m82!! As much I would like to deny it, but we really need Douglas.
We tried it with Van Persie throughout the WC & for more than 2 years. DIDNT WORK. Van Persie only works for Arsenal not Oranje. He thrives in that system. I would say Vermaelen is a very capable defender now & we don't have a single capable defender. Song is a much better passer than De Jong. The whole team plays for Van Persie . He is also VERY INJURY PRONE & besides I rate Robben much higher so if we should base our style of play around someone it should be Arjen & not Robin. P.S. -> Huntelaar scored 2 goals in Schalke's 3-1 win. That's his 23rd goal of the season & with very little service. Farfan is the only capable creative guy in Schalke & now Farfan & Scalke's captain & best CB Howedes are out with injury.
I too have pondered about Sneijder playing in the role he did in 2004. I think he would be great there right now. And I also don't think he would mind playing in the role at this point in his career. Means even more influence on the play and touches on the ball. I think that's what he likes most about football, being involved. So I'm all for it.
Do you mean he has a better pass completion rate or do you mean he does have more attacking intentions and so gives so now and then a good through pass that leads to a goal like today?
RVP is now in a group of only 5 players in EPL history that have scored 30 goals or more in one calender year. 31 goals in 29 games. Yes that is better than "een op een".
Impressive compilation. Close aggressive marking, pressure play, forwards footballing intentions. I'm taking interest.
If Ajax is paying attention he could be a candidate. Maybe even after the end of this year on the condition he keeps being amazing for Heerenveen. He is a really footballing defender. Always tries to seek for a football solution as he says himself. Heerenveen turned around when he stepped in for Kruiswijk and co. This is their man of the match score over this season so far with quite some voters: Tussenstand Na Roda - Heerenveen (14 wedstrijden) Vandenbussche - 17 punten Gouweleeuw - 13 punten Kums - 12 punten Assaidi - 11 punten Djuricic, Dost - 10 punten Janmaat - 9 punten Breuer - 5 punten Elm, Narsingh - 3 punten Schmidt, Zomer - 2 punten He is only 20 years and 4 months old which is quite young for a defender.
A player I really start to like (since the U21 team vs Scotland, not since the Ajax game) is Clasie. The difference between him and Fer was huge. Every time he is involved in a build up he is the disk adding the most speed to the attack. He defends fantastic, works hard and also has a very good pass and even trough pass. He has that typical "straatschoffie" vibe over himself. I maybe like him as much as Strootman if not more. The operational speed of Clasie is higher than Strootman. I like the Dutch NT to speed the game up. If he plays with players around him like Sneijder then you have elements that reinforce each others strength having more then what players bringing seperatly to the table. Clasie was like water in the desert in the U21 team (Maher could not keep up with him either). He is that too at Feyenoord to a certain extend. At Oranje you have more players with his operational speed, like Sneijder. If you put those kind of players together, you gonne get cool gameplay I think.
I dont really think we are going to win the EUROS,Germany game has made me see logic. I think we might be in a position Germany was in 2010 WC. Dumping the old & plenty of youngsters coming on. Euros will be that stage for us. I dont see any role Kuyt,Mathijsen,Heitinga,Bommel in 2014. You could perhaps ass Van der Vaart(will probably decline & even now is not a 90 min. player) & De Jong in there. Probably a small core group of experienced guys (RVP,Sneijder,Robben,Hunter,Steke) if they will be still good & loads of good talent around them. That would be the nucleus. I dont expect 18-19 year old kids to grow & develop exponentially & make a major difference in 6 months. The only real candidate who can step up is Bruma & perhaps the Sporting striker,Schaars,Luk De Jong,Drenthe. Most of these guys if called up will be fringe players anyway so need another 2 years atleast.
I think we're overrating the result a bit. We went into the game with a disadvantage knowing that we're not on our best. Germany had an extra boost knowing that the EPL topscorer and the player they still highly rate in VDV (was the Bundesliga's best player when he was there) have already returned to London. And we were already depleted.. If we meet them again in the EC our players will want to prove the world our real face while the Germans might treat us with complacent.
1stly VDV was not the Bundesliga's best player. 2ndly RVP nor VDV would have made much of a difference. In the last 2-3 years I have not seen either of them doing anything significant against any TOP opposition. VDV & RVP played the Swiss match & sucked. VDV is at best a luxury sub & RVP will soon be the same. I watched the Norwitch game,where his 1st goal was a tap in into an empty goal & the 2nd he was 1 on 1 with th GK with only 6-8 yards away from goal & he had a clear shot at goal. I dont get the hype. VDV-RVP,I dont really think should even start. Besides Defense is a huge issue. We have no defense. Apart from the huge LB issue, we have no competent CB's,both Heitinga & Mathijsen suck & Van Bommel is well past it. Neither Kuyt nor Babel is starting material as is Bommel. The problems are way WAY too big & cant be recitified in 6 months. Even on the short term I dont see us suddenly having a Good LB & 2 Good CB's.
v. Persie is one of the 5 players in the PL who managed to score more than 30 goals in one year, for an average side! Vd. Vaart is vital for the Spurs! We had the same problems at the WC, still managed to reach the final. Even with an horrible v. Persie and not-fit Robben. I deny we are the favorites, but we have the quality to beat any opponent. If we're lucky and if we get in the right "part" of the draw, we might be able to reach the final again. If that happens, everything can happen.
Agreed to what you said about the defense. It's been the achilles heel, and I am afraid there isn't any quick solution in the horizon at the moment. I know it's a very sensitive issue for most folks (and I have no intent on opening a can of worms), but I am (still) hoping that Douglas is eligible for a call-up. To me he is an immediate upgrade to Heitinga/Mathijsen. I am also crossing my fingers that Bruma makes the gigantic leap in his capabilities, though I won't wager on this. Re: attack. I am quite optimistic. I think you might have under-rated Van Persie a bit. His goal scoring record speaks for himself. 30+ goals 2011 is no joke. Even Ruud van Goal didn't have that feat. Of course some of his goals look easy, but let's not forget that he does have skills to create magical moments, too. The thing I am excited about Van Persie is that he makes everybody else around him a lot better with his movement and passes. Finally, Robben and Afellay are still missing in action. Assuming both are back on form, the attack will be at a higher level. The pieces are surely there, it's the matter of fitting them all together.