And it all start again with: 03.09.2010 San Marino - Nederland 07.09.2010 Nederland - Finland (Stadion Feijenoord in Rotterdam, 20.30 uur) Squad: Ibrahim Afellay (PSV), Vurnon Anita (Ajax), Mark van Bommel (Bayern München), Khalid Boulahrouz (VfB Stuttgart), Eljero Elia (HSV), John Heitinga (Everton), Klaas Jan Huntelaar (AC Milan), Theo Janssen (FC Twente), Nigel de Jong (Manchester City), Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool), Jeremain Lens (PSV), Hedwiges Maduro (Valencia), Joris Mathijsen (HSV), Robin van Persie (Arsenal), Erik Pieters (PSV), Wesley Sneijder (Inter), Maarten Stekelenburg (Ajax), Rafael van der Vaart (Real Madrid), Piet Velthuizen (Vitesse), Ron Vlaar (Feyenoord), Michel Vorm (FC Utrecht), Gregory van der Wiel (Ajax) en Demy de Zeeuw (Ajax).
Oh I'm gonna quote you on that, Johan Especially if we drop points early But you can quote me if we go undefeated. Fair enough??
We just had a Dutch C-side almost beat a Ukranian A-side. And I believe the Ukraine is better than anyone we've got in our group! None of the countries in our group qualified for the most recent world cup and only Sweden is a regular feature at the Euro champs. If we don't breeze through this group I'll eat my hat.
Vorm haakt af: http://www.telegraaf.nl/telesport/voetbal/7508829/__Vorm_meldt_zich_af_voor_Oranje__.html?p=7,1 That only leaves us with Stek and Piet
Sweden is a good side but Hungary blows and Finland not so great either. So we should qualify comfortably but you never know hence why you play the games
I like Ruud and he has had a great start this season for HSV, but isn't this just a tad opportunistic? The EC is 2 years away and he'll be 36 by then.
I'd rather have a 36-year old van Nistelrooy than a Huntelaar (AKA poor man's van nistelrooy) who plays about 1 game of first team football a season to be honest. We've got plenty of striker talent coming through, the De Jong Brothers, Fer notably. Ruud would work for us as a temporary solution.
Agreed, just play it day by day. If Ruud keeps his form this entire year he can help us qualify. If he still miraculously maintains his form into 2012 he can even start in the Euro's. If he doesnt then Bert just wont call him up in 2012
I'm all for calling up Ruud - even if he is 36 in 2012, if he's fit and in form he could be very useful coming on late
He's a little pessimistic because we're not playing 5-4-1 I guess. Shame El Hamdaoui once made the mistake of playing for Morocco. Would be a great option otherwise.
I am not as much concerned about qualifying as I am about how the team will 'recover' from the devastating WC loss. I'd expect to see some degree of complacency, especially in the next couple matches when the core play together again competitively as a team. I think it is natural and I am OK with this-- but hopefully not too much to create disharmony in the team. I'm also curious if/how Van Marwijk would give up his ultra-conservative policy of calling up 'established' players. There are surely some exciting talents waiting to get unleashed. I believe all qualifying matches are win-able, without sounding too arrogant. Oranje may not spill the points until the tricky away game to Sweden, which will happen in the last group round (at this point, things may have been all settled).
He virtually played like one in that friendly v the Ukraine and he did really well. Kuyt is no left winger either. Or midfielder. GIo was never a real left back. It's not like the Dutch squad ws ever hung up on club positions. End of the day Ruud's the best striker we've got at the moment. Thoroughly deserved call-up - Ruud the Postman always delivers even after three major injuries.
I'm not saying we'll win all games but I can't see us lose any either. If that sounds arrogant so be it. We've got far more in-depth quality than any of the other sides, and I say that with respect to them as they're all much smaller countries than us too. If we don't win this group fairly easily then we've been pretty bad.
vPersie injury worse than first thought, he's out for a whole month: http://www.telegraaf.nl/telesport/voetbal/7517013/__Van_Persie_maand_aan_de_kant__.html?p=20,1
ruud being called up is probably the best option although i hope huntelaar starts both games since he was called up ahead of him, and ruud being 36 at the next ec isn't exactly in his favour either.
Ruud likely to start on bench: http://www.telegraaf.nl/telesport/voetbal/7519359/__Partij__Geen_basis_v._Nistelrooy__.html?p=11,2 That probably means Hunter will start as striker and Kuijt on the wing