Match 25: Netherlands v. Japan :: Post Match Thread [R]

Really wanted Japan to win this game, great defending by Tulio (imho player of the game for japan) What a screwup by another GK!

 

A fine show of using measured strength to win without showing much to future rivals, and curing insomniac people at the same time.

 

Easy win... if Afelly knew how to score it was 3-0.

Our tactics work perfectly... playing boring in groupstage matches.
Everbody will think we are weak and then we show our real cards in KO phase.

Polish that cup till it shines because Holland takes that baby home this summer.

 

Poor subs by Okada. Nakamura is slow, uninspired and lost so many balls for Japan. Tamada was also wasteful and invisible. Okazaki...well you saw. Why doesn't Okada put on Morimoto? I don't understand. I hope for Cameroon-Denmark draw so Japan has the advantage going into the last matchday.

 

Although Japan is an ok side, their react- antifootball gamble was their undoing. Only one chance given away should silence voices regarding our 'weak defence'. Van der Vaarts starting position was valid and I'd like this to continue. Another business like victory should keep us under the favorites-radar for a little while longer and hopefully we'll pounce with our talent. Special mention to van Bommel and de Jong who can control and be aggressive without being reckless.

 

Yea Nakamura lost alot of balls, I remember at the end of the game you guys were attacking and someone passed the ball to Nakamura and he just stood there and watched a Dutch player get it and run off with the ball, then some japanese player started giving Nakamura lots of shit.

 

I was very impressed with van Bommel today, I definitely vote him man of the match. (Incidentally Dutch TV also nominated him man of the match despite Sneijder being the "official" choice).

I thought Holland started strongly - in the opening minutes Japan barely touched the ball. But by the time half-time came around I was quite concerned to say the least...

Overall, Holland did what they had to without playing their best football. And indeed, looking at how much trouble the other favorites are currently having, six points from two games equates to a convincing start (from a results perspective at least). I was pleased with the defending, although that huge chance for Japan in the closing minutes definitely leaves a bit of a sour taste in my mouth..

 

I agree with you Parel... Van Bommel was great today!

Definitely MotM instead of Sneijder who besides the goal, was not that great.

 

Horrible, horrible game... Even worse than against Denmark, although at times (a few minutes in total at most) football was actually played.

So for us to top the group with two wins has this twilight zone kind of vibe to it.

 

I admit that I found Holland's performance even less impressive than their game against Denmark, but yeah there are definitely some points to be positive about. Certainly the six points in the bag for one thing!

By the way, I nearly had a heart attack when the Dutch commentator yelled that a penalty had been awarded to Japan in the dying minutes!

 

Well, without the antifootball, Japan probably would have lost by more, so I'm not sure if I'd call it a gamble. Not to mention Holland did not really have any other real chances until Japan's defender Tulio started playing like a FW. Perhaps if Sneider hadn't been left completely unmarked, the result would have been different. But it was better than the 3-0 loss for Japan the last time they played.

 

Lol, the Japanese commentator did the same thing!

 

Unattractive match to watch for the neutral observer i imagine. Well dug in Japanese team (Van persie made completely made useless by three defenders) versus a sluggish dutch side trying to create openers and warding off a couple of fast (but usually impotent) counters.

On the plus side, getting good results whilst playing mediocre is also a quality you need to get through in these tourneys. There are more "hyped" clear favorites out there struggling with the minnows as we speak, some even at the verge of being sent home.

A sterile, but still imo, a deserved win for the Netherlands, let's hope more exciting games will follow soon though. African sides generally want to play football so there will be no excuses against Cameroon, their upcoming opponent next week. Robben will most likely be fit again! Fireworks?

 

I didn't see anti-football at all, you guys were just too slow.

 

LOL, yeah that was a good one

 

I'm not exactly convinced yet either, to put it mildly.

 

well done for winning i'm disappointed japan couldn't take hte point or find the equaliser towards the end. However i obviously can admit that Japan are not the hardest opponent the netherlands will face and in the first two games other title contenders have shown glimpses of their best (not yet totally fluid by anyone), but I haven't really seen that by the dutch quite yet and I'll be looking for them to destroy Cameroon.

 

Yes. Every country is entitled to play to their strengths and I don't begrudge Japan for it. The Japan coach was playing for a draw and kept Holland quiet for large parts of the game. The 3-0 loss in the friendly gave you invaluable information how to repell our attack and you did it well. I'll be looking forward to the Japan-Denmark game. Both teams can play footy well.

Your coach was playing for a draw and played to stop us and use counterattacking football to get some kind of result. It's anti-football. Nothing to be ashamed about. Good luck against Denmark, although I'll be rooting for Denmark.

I'd like to remind people that Holland is not at 100%. I'd say 60%. With Robben back and against more attacking opponents Holland will gain about 40% more.

 

I just hope that things will turn around by the time we reach the knockout round. It could very well be, but we'll have to see.

 

Awareness > You think a team using counterattacking is an antifootball team ? If, in the process, they're commiting a ton of faults I agree with you. But we were barely running and we had the best shots of the first half. We're the underdogs, we're not gonna teach you how to play. You're just too good at that.

Anyway, good luck for the rest, I'll be rooting for you .

 

Netherlands only needed a tie here.

So, basically, after going 1-0 they could sit back and wait. Even if Japan tied in the last minute, it was not a big issue.

Japan covered well the center. Sneijder and Van Bommel were never allowed to have space, and VdV is not a winger, so he cannot provide width. Van Persie wasn't influential, and with the tendeny he has to move to the left, well, Kuyt was on his own on the right.

I still have the feeling the Dutch were doing just what was necessary. Van der Wiel and van Bronckhorst stuck to a mostly defensive role, controlling Matsui and Okubo well.

Eventually, Okada realized he was going to get nothing on the sides, so he remplaced those two with Nakamura and Tamada, who play more centrally (Nakamura behind Honda and Tamada, all three in the centre).

At that point Japan had their best chances, and Netherlands had to pull van Bommel back to help in the defense.

Anyway, all in all, tactically a very straightforward match. If Kawashima had not made that mistake, it may have gotten a lot more interesting.

 

Don't get me wrong, I love Van Persie (I'm an Arsenal fan) and really do like Holland, but didn't Van Persie use an arm or a hand to control that ball before it got to Sneijder for his goal?

Just saying...

Not that it would have mattered in my mind. If Holland didn't put one in there, they would have turned up the pressure until they got one I think.

 

Japan played well while Holland played so poor.
Even though Netherlands won, it was a very shameful win.

In the next game, Denmark-Japan, I think Denmark will beat Japan by tough one goal difference.

 

Shameful win. Hardly. Nederland did what was required. Nothing more, nothing less.

I don't see the need to be impressive in the group games. The objective is to get through the group stage and get some solid game time into your core group of players. Then when the knockout phase comes along you up the ante.