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

That better be the scenario, or we will be very dissapointed.

 

Exactly! I am pleased that at any rate Holland have at the very least three players that they can bring on who can indeed "up the ante": Elia, Afellay, and of course Robben soon. Although Afellay missed two great chances against Japan he was unlucky not to score against Denmark.

And once again Holland have maintained their record of never going out in the group phase of a World Cup [and only once in a European Championship, 1980]. So as long as they qualify, they always survive the group phase. More than can be said for Italy, France, England, Argentina, Spain, Portugal and even Germany (although Germany's WC record is good they crashed out of both Euro 2000 and Euro 2004 in the group phase).

Anyway I still have memories of Holland's nightmarish group phase in Italia '90 where as European champions they opened with a 1-1 vs Egypt (a match that Egypt arguably deserved to win!), then 0-0 vs England and 1-1 vs Ireland. (Despite losing to West Germany in the 1/8th finals that was still their best game of the tournament lol.) But yeah, things are going much better in 2010 at any rate!