Ok, what should the starting lineup look like for this match. I watched a little bit of the Italy match yesterday and Lippi played a lot of youngsters even though they have not locked in first place in their pool. Let's hope Van Marwijk does the same thing. We need to see which of them can step up to the plate.
Re: Oranje v Norway - WC Qualifier ------------------------------Stekelenburg------------------- Van der Wiel---------Marcellis---------matthijsen--------Braafheid --------------------Bommel-----------Schaars----------- Kuyt or Van Persie----------Van der Vaart----------Elia -------------------------Huntelaar-------------------------
Re: Oranje v Norway - WC Qualifier Umm.. Italy were playing a friendly. Just being a pedantic wanderer.
Re: Oranje v Norway - WC Qualifier Good line-up, except I would put Kuyt at the top again and have Huntelaar on the bench.
Re: Oranje v Norway - WC Qualifier Kuyt deserves that spot more than Huntelaar on the basis of this season, I'll give you that.
Hey guys could you pleas tell your players not to beat us with more then like 3 goals ? I mean i don`t give a shit about aouer NT but i would prefer not having to be ashamed of them when ever i leave the country. But i guess that ship has sailed. =_=
You still have a chance of qualifying don't you! No need to despair just yet. Besides it's not like we thrashed you in Norway!
Re: Oranje v Norway - WC Qualifier It's not just that, but what Kuijt offers up there. A lot more movement and his versatility allows the people around him to play a more free-flowing football as witnessed in the first half. He can switch to a lot of different positions (which is great as that means the entire front four can switch to every other forward position with ease), draw defenders away and extend play. This makes it all harder for the opposition defense to predict what's going to happen. Huntelaar is a lot more static then Kuijt and too sluggish to be just as effective. Things might become more predictable with him in this formation. Huntelaar would be more effective in a 4-4-2 formation or a traditional 4-3-3.
Re: Oranje v Norway - WC Qualifier Everyone can agree on Kuyt's commitment and hard work during a game. However, to me it seems that he tends to score when the team is either 2-0 in front of 2-0 behind, or against non top level teams. Just an opinion though, but he does get a bit of stick here in England for not scoring enough goals. I think he performs better on the wing then as a centerstriker in Oranje.
Thing is we have better players for on the wings then him. So I'd say it's a waste to play him there unless it's a tactical decision where his qualities are needed or noone better then him can play.
Re: Oranje v Norway - WC Qualifier That's about it I reckon.. Plus in that game Kuyt played on the right wing.
Re: Oranje v Norway - WC Qualifier ---------------------------------Stekelenburg---------------------------------------- vd Wiel-----------------Marcellis--------------------Mattijssen-------------Braafheid ----------------------v Bommel---------------SCHAARS------------------------- Kuyt-----------------------------vd Vaart-------------------------------------Elia ----------------------------------v Persie------------------------------- Why As I thought about Dutch defence, I realised that to win the WC, a player as Matthijssen should be the guy you select as a backup for your main two central defenders. Except, we lack those two (de Boer and Stam type's for example) and Matthijssen is perhaps the best we have. If he gets injured before WC, we have big trouble and me writing that down is just sad thing on itself. The backs are the sweet spot for foreign coaches to exploit Dutch weakness. A class coach as Hiddink or Lippi or others, analyse, signal and capitalize on it in matters off seconds. I see us talking about how to fill in those lovely slots up front before an important WC match and thinking about attack patterns, and then the match starts. A match that’s only about containing the punishment we receive by the foreign wingers scaring the .... out off Orange every single time they receive the ball from their midfield. v Marwijk needs to feed the new defensive breed with as much games as possible. Also, a tournament is won by teamgeist, seriousness, focus, the will to win. In that area Schaars is king. How the hell that Mendez or Mendes guy got to play Saturday, I don't know, but Schaars leadership is needed. He was the leader when Holland under 21 won the Euros‘, he talked v Gaal into staying at AZ, he made AZ Champion. Let this kid continue to be leader. Perhaps de Jong is as good or a little better, but the other quality that Holland lacks all to often before a WC/Euro is finally there, I would use it. The vd Vaart and v Persie thing. I heard some time ago they could not go along very well, but on the field they love each other. The love is doubled if they play close together up front. They combine the hell out off the opponents on field. I do not want these lovebirds to disturb. Let's see what they have in store for us in de Kuip. Elia. Would like to see a fresh winger at work. Norway could be all about defence Wednesday and a "I will prove myself youngster" is perhaps the thing we need. Also, the "Babel or Elia" discussion can evolve with important new data. How is Elia holding it up at Orange etc. Kuyt at the spot he plays for Liverpool after 54 minutes Robben for Kuyt after 66 minutes Babel for Elia and Demy for v Bommel (gets sloppy in last 20 minutes as he also proved at Barca)
Potentially the centerback situation could improve if Vlaar gets healthy again... I really hope so for him. I'd like to see De Jong and Schaars as defensive mids at one point Wednesday. Van Bommel-Schaars will probably work, De Jong-Schaars however not so sure, so let's try it out. We need to find a back-up for Van Bommel.
I Remembered from some years ago, I saw de Jong as a left back at Ajax at a CL match? He was young and not good enough at that spot, but what about him now. The big argument of course against Edson and vd Wiel is, they are not tested enough. Not playing week in week out in top competition. Well, perhaps de Jong can be tested again at that spot. I like him, because he is a do or die guy. Him and Schaars in the team, all the better. How about Affelay as replacement for v Bommel. Is he to attacking, not fulfilling his defensive obligations. Who has folowed him enough to give good judgement?
Vlaar, hmmm. Somehow he does not make me comfortable. In that context I have my hopes on Maduro. I really hope he can evolve into the regular at Valencia.
De Jong played at rightback and centerback a few times with Ajax in the CL, never at leftback if I recall correctly. As midfielder he is way superior though. I think Afellay is more of a creative / attacking midfielder a la Sneijder, and not suitable as controlling / holding midfielder. But I could be wrong, as he had a good season at PSV this year.
Re: Oranje v Norway - WC Qualifier I like Kuyt better coming from the right than as a striker to be honest. His hard work is more needed there. Huntelaar to me is like a poor man's Ruud Van Nistelrooy right now. He's got the talent but he's not quite there yet. Overall though I don't really think the position game up front really matters. We've all seen in this qualifying campaign that our players are very dynamic, Van der Vaart and Van Persie switching positions was a joy to see notably. So I say: just pick the four most in form players and give them plenty of freedom. They'll work it out amongst themselves.
By the by, De Jong is suspended for the Norway game. So we'll likely see either Schaars, De Zeeuw or Mendes da Silva in that position.
Re: Oranje v Norway - WC Qualifier I tend to agree, but I wish Huntelaar did more of the tracking back, passing, and holding with his back to goal that RVN does so well. I think that kind of stuff is very underrated and was critical in the group stage at the Euro tourney.
Re: Oranje v Norway - WC Qualifier It'd be a dream come true if Ruud returned to fitness and form and decided to play for Holland again. His comments to the media so far indicate that he's not exactly adverse to it either. I really think he deserves a world cup on a personal level too. If anyone in our squad has made the most out of his talent it's him. A true football professional in every sense of the word.