VS. Where: Koning Boudewijnstadion in BrusselsHow many spectators: 46.000How late will the game start: 20:45 METExpected Dutch supporters: 1000 Stats: FIFA Ranking of both country's since it's introduction: Last 7 results Belgium: Last 7 results Netherlands: Results between both country's: Overall: Visual: Most important games (friendly's excluded): Interesting player market value development Belgium NT vs Dutch NT in a Transfermarkt-column set from high to low (currency in English Pounds): Some "recent" games to remember: The Dutch losing from the Red Devils at WC 1994: The draw at WC 1998 with the Kluivert vs Staelens incident: The Crazy 5-5 in 1999: With Belgium players going to the biggest clubs in the world and the Dutch NT crashing out of Euro 2012, is this a game of the future team vs a past team? Will we now face a period where Belgium will dominate more on the world stage and grab the headlines, while Netherlands will start to struggle to even qualify? Or will van Gaal be able to phase in new exciting prospects and let the team play to the best of their ability? Will we see a team resisting their new coach or will we see a fresh and exciting Dutch NT that tries to win the hearts and minds of the footballing world? Expected is at least a hungry Dutch NT that wants to prove themselves to the new coach and try to put on a good show for the country after the humiliating exit from Euro 2012. Both nations will use this friendly to fine tune the team and prepare for their WC qualifier games in the month after this game. However a match between the country's passes as a classic and is a game on it's own. The preliminary squads are known and posted already on this forum. When the final squads are determined by the coaches in a few days, they will be posted in this thread.
Belgium has the players thats for sure, but they might still need some more time to form and smooth things out. I'm voting for a small win for NL. How the balance will be in Brazil 2014 will be very interesting.
I'm looking forward to this game, even though it's a friendly. Who will be the next captain? How many changes will there be in the starting XII? What kind of formation will he play with? I also can't wait for LvG theatrics vs the media. Btw. Belgium did survive the group stage in 94', they lost to Germany (2:3) in the 2nd round. The next two years will be a good test to see where this Belgium team is, as qualifying for 2016 shouldn't be that hard (24 participants).
I'll vote after the final squad announced. Looks like LvG is playing the role of 'people-pleaser' at the moment. His selection cast a very wide net, calling up both old and new players. I can't tell his intention.. whether he will keep up the momentum with the existing squad, regenerate the whole team, or combination of both. I would have expected only a handful of top-tier players (Sneijder, Robben, Van Persie, maybe Nigel De Jong) would be kept. I believe the young players in this past Euro squad (Narsingh, Luuk De Jong, Strootman, Willems) should be kept, as well. They haven't really been tested but I think their experience training and playing at the Euro will be useful. The rest of the team should be allocated to new players... Clasie, De Vrij, Van Rhijn, Ola John, Maher, etc.
It's going to be close... Belgium has an awesome squad on paper, but somehow they always mess up when the rubber meets the road. Netherlands are a proven squad, and besides the abysmal Euro 2012 always do well. Still going with Netherlands winning.
Very interested to see this match. Hoping for Oranje to find themselves after disastrous Euro performance. Van Gaal should go with the youth in the backline. Please no more Mathijsen. Belgium have lots of young quality players so this game is very important for their development as well with World Cup 2014 qualification around the corner. Oranje 2-1.
Captain will most likely be Sneijder. Big question for me is the same as at the EC. RVP or KJH or both?
Van Gaal wil play 433, so it's going to be RVP or KJH, not both. One thing I like about Van Gaal is that he wil make a decision and will stick with it. And if you don't like it he will give you the middle finger and point out how he is better than you and everyone else. Bert wasn't arrogant enough and that's why everyone walked all over him, but that's not going to happen with Van Gaal.
Lack of arrogance certainly isnt going to be his downfall indeed Van Gaal doesnt really have a lot of room for error, which is my greatest concern. He is so easy to critisize and the media can bring the worst out of him without any trouble, his fate really lies in their hands.
Selection Belgium. I hope Kevin de Bruyne plays for them. I like him from what I have seen. I am really curious if a new Dutch midfield with Clasie and or Anita are able to dominate Witsel and Felleini. We need to play with fast wingers as they have bad backs. To bad Elia is not selected. Keeper: Thiebaut Courtois (Atlético Madrid) , Jean-François Gillet (Torino), Simon Mignolet (Sunderland). Defense: Toby Alderweireld (Ajax), Laurent Ciman (Standard Luik), Guillaume Gillet (Anderlecht), Vincent Kompany (Manchester City), Nicolas Lombaerts (Zenit Sint-Petersburg), Sébastien Pocognoli (Standard Luik), Daniël Van Buyten (Bayern München), Thomas Vermaelen (Arsenal), Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham Hotspur). Midfield: Steven Defour (FC Porto), Moussa Dembélé (Fulham), Marouane Fellaini (Everton), Timmy Simons (1. FC Nürnberg), Axel Witsel (Benfica). Attack: hristian Benteke (RC Genk), Nacer Chadli (FC Twente), Kevin De Bruyne (Werder Bremen), Igor De Camargo (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Benjamin De Ceulaer (SC Lokeren), Eden Hazard (Chelsea), Romelu Lukaku (Chelsea), Dries Mertens (PSV), Kevin Mirallas (Olympiakos Piraeus).
He actually was responsible for not applying pressure on a Azerbaijan attacker in the away game IIRC that resulted in the 1-1 for the country. It was a clutch game for Belgium, so no excuses. I think he is far better in the middle and I am also in the camp that Vertonghen was unlocked by Anita last season second part. The first part he was not very impressive. He is a good player, but on the back position he will give away chances, also as his concentration is not that good either. One thing though. Belgium can always rasie their level against Dutch NT.
Final selection for the Belgium game: Keepers: Maarten Stekelenburg (AS Roma) Michel Vorm (Swansea City) Tim Krul (Newcastle United) Defense: Ricardo van Rhijn, John Heitinga (Everton), Nick Viergever (AZ), Joris Mathijsen (Málaga), Stefan de Vrij, Bruno Martins Indi (Feyenoord), Jetro Willems (PSV) Midfield: Nigel de Jong (Manchester City), Kevin Strootman (PSV), Rafael van der Vaart (Tottenham), Wesley Sneijder (Internazionale), Adam Maher (AZ), Urby Emanuelson (AC Milan) Attack: Bas Dost (Vfl Wolfsburg), Ibrahim Afellay (FC Barcelona), Robin van Persie (Arsenal), Jeremain Lens, Luciano Narsingh (PSV), Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Schalke 04), Dirk Kuijt (Fenerbahçe), Arjen Robben (Bayern München).
So three months after Van Marwijk advises De Jong to join Gladbach to develop as a player and to stay relevant for Oranje, De Jong is dropped from the squad hehehe. The silliest thing is of course that Van Gaal called up Martins Indi on the basis of one Feyenoord game earlier this week (that's according to Van Gaal).
Oke so some things that could be interpreted as curious: BMI (Bruni Martins Indi) not in preliminary squad, but after game against Kiev and van Gaal observed him in that game in the Kuip he has selected him nevertheless. Clasie is not in the selection. Van Gaal said about this that he was very close, or even should have been selected. However he also said that for some spots there have to be vacancies. Also Cor Pot only needs 1 point to qualify (U21 will play Italy on August the 15th) and he thinks his team is much better with Clasie. Same goes for Ola John. Anita is not selected as well. Anita is older than 21, so for him it really has to do with preference for other players. Dost is chosen over de Jong. That's odd for me, as van Gaal is somebody who likes players that can play football along with the team. Van der Wiel is not in the team, while van Rhijn is. This is what we have predicted after the Euro. But has also to do with van der Wiel not being really in the game yet. Using this last criterion Persie and van der Vaart could have been excluded as well, but van Gaal deemed them as important figures and he wanted to talk to them. After Belgium his criterion of being fit will be installed fully. RVP and VDV have just returned playing for club or not even yet (RVP). It's also quite odd to see no Vlaar, Boulah and Schaars (old player of van Gaal at AZ) in the team. De Vrij has a right leg and so does Vlaar. BMI has a left leg. Looks like Vlaar has lost out to de Vrij here. The fact there is no room for Schaars, Clasie and Anita might indicate another system. However van Gaal wanted to consult the team first (also odd). He stated that it's their WC and he wants to talk to them about the system than rather to decide outright about it. Finally we see Maher, Emanuelson in the team and also Lens. That last name is a bit unexpected for me, but had a good pre season. So not that weird. Strootman is already longer with the team and Willems after a good pre season is there as well. Not to weird things here.
I'd rather watch our under 21s than this lot to be totally honest. They're a fresher, potentially more exciting team than this lot. I was hoping for a good Holland clear-out by Van Gaal...
Very weird. They both experience adaption problems in Germany at the moment. However I thought van Gaal would go for the handicapped footballer instead of the player that is not able to play football at all. A bit of an odd choice yes. Viergever has a left leg, Gouweleeuw is busy with Heerenveen for Uefa League and has a left leg. He really goes for a player that is able to neutralize an attacker, rather than really good footballers. Should please Douglas. However the way de Vrij is developing will face him a problem. If van Gaal would value experience that much, he would have chosen Vlaar. He didn't, so apparently Douglas will not be able to use that to much to his advantage.
Looks like there is only one holding midfielder on the club, de Jong. Mathijsen, Heitinga, and Kuyt are just place holders at this time and won't be on the WC team assuming qualification. Van Gaal probably called them up just to help get through the first two matches in September. I agree with Ms. Nesskens, the U-21 team will be more entertaining.
Look at the possible back line. van Rhijn ----de Vrij----BMI----Willems Schaars is out. Boulah is out. Vlaar is not there. Maher is in the team. The change is between the lines. No Anita, Clasie and Schaars. That's 3 DM's. I only see de Jong as pure DM. Strootman and Maher are both no real pure DM's. More like players with vertical options in their repertoire. It's not to shabby if we go back to 4-3-3. However for that, other DM's might have been better.
I think its pretty clear that at this point Willems has nailed the LB spot and will get heaps of chances. Van Rhijn could find himself in a similar position pretty soon. One thing is very clear it's a well though-out pretty non-controversial selection. Maintaining some Status Quo with some fresh changes. However much bigger changes were needed and anticipated. So that begs the question why this?? Why not Clasie or Anita or Ola John?? Why stick with VDV or Heitinga or Mathijsen??? I think its clear that Van gaal has a huge ego and has a history of messing up personal equations with players. He is Supremely gifted coach but very stubborn and has poor man management skills. Too many changes,rampant dumping of older players,he has already tried all that. I think his last disastrous experience with the NT and his experience with Bayern has taught him something. This is a big dissapointment. But I dont think Van Der Vaart or Kuyt or Mathijsen will make it. We have already seen Schaars,Boula,Bouma and a few others axed forever. The axe will slowly fall. I think LVG knows that the players have big egos and rampant axes will lead to a media witch-hunt,raise many questions,create controversial interviews and so on. The last thing he wants is discontent and a fragmented dressing room. I think it will be a Slow Phase out. Viergever and Indi are both left footed and will play LB while De Vrij will fight for RCB,we can have Jeffrey or Vlaar come into the fold too. Van Rhijn started as a RCB too. The selection shows he has thought about a Post Mathijsen LCB. And that LCB will be left-footed. LVG is religious about left footed and right footed players playing in the left hand and right hand side of the pitch. Its pretty safe to assume this is Good Bye Match for Mathijsen and a wake up call for Van Der Weil. The rest remains to be seen. Big Question marks are Van Der Vaart?? Afellay??Kuyt?? Lens?? Will they hold on?? Will Clasie,Anita,Ola John,Luuk break through? I think Clasie is guaranteed a spot at some point and him waiting will only make him a better player thanks to him earning his spot.
Heitinga played CDM for Everton and given how big a liability his at defense he can be a De Jong(CDM) Back up. Its safe to say either or Anita or Clasie or Fer might break in soon into the CDM spot. However Clasie is likely to be physically dominated and does not have the stamine to play 90 minutes against say an EPL club. So Clasie has more chances to break into the VDV/Maher spot given he has good vision,speed and can use both feet. Also I dont get this obvious un-informed ness. Van Gaal likes players to play football but he I think he does not mind ST's with limited technical abilites if they are very good goal-getters. Mario Gomez flourished in his 2nd season under LVG and LVG said Huntelaar is the best in the world inside the box and confessed to being a fan. So it was already apparent Dost will get a look in. BVM never cared about his defenders and mid-fielders to play football but demanded great technical skills of his ST,contrary to LVG who is the opposite.
If he wants to go back to a classic 4-3-3 then I can understand calling up Dost rather than De Jong. In the same vein, calling up Lens doesn't make sense as in what position would he even play in a classic 4-3-3, and this while he's leaving out Ola John who arguably is the only classic Dutch left winger right now. I've no clue where Van Gaal is going with this. I'm guessing that for now he doesn't want to offend anyone or something, allowing himself a couple of whims (Martins Indi for one). It all seems a bit clueless to me.
I think VdW is just passed because he hasnt played yet. Dost is just the obvious breekijzer. He has more to offer than luuk.