So it seems. Interesting. Maybe the scouting reports showed that Australia likes to attack as well. Added to the good result vs Spain, this might have flipped the case for keeping thing as they are.
Props to van Gaal for not changing horses in mid-stream. Stay with what works. I hope that we don't pick up any silly Yellow cards this match!
The first 30 seconds after scoring are critical in terms of not losing focus. Unfortunately de Vrij had no clue where Cahill was.
I think it's clear 3 CB's doesn't work against this kind of team, especially when those CB's are all pretty bad with the ball. Depay coming on, I think he's exactly what we need in the second half.
Cillesen has to control his kicking otherwise he can not play in any Top team which tries to control possession. He is kicking the ball 500 times a half and its massively irritating and a loss of possession. The worst bit is the opponent wins the ball 95% from the GK's. De Guzman is poor, not just that back-pass but poor overall. De Jong is 0 in attacking. The mid-field is dysfunctional. Switching to a 4-3-3 won't help unless you get in a Clasie type of player
Martins Indi looks like a concussion so we're going to have to go to a 4-3-3 now. Depay will play on the left wing with Robben moving to the right. de Guzman has done little but I'm not sure who should come on for him. Sneijder has been quit poor as well. I would not be surprised to see this one end up in a draw. Cillessen has had to do a lot of kicking because there is simply no outlet for him at all.
De Guzman is just not good enough. Even against Spain when every one of our players looked good, he was easily the weakest player on our side. Would like to see Clasie take his place in the second half.
Can Oranje stop reading the press clippings from the last game and start playing? Cahill's goal was great though can't help full feel Cillessen reacted a bit slow. De Guzman is awful, needs to get off the pitch. Strange that Martins Indi was carted off, didn't look that bad. Hope he's ok
De Guzman is just passing backwards again. Same as against Spain. Backwards or slowly wide and not incisive enough.
The midfield is dysfunctional and we need another ballplayer there. De Guzman is the prime candiate for replacement. With hindsight playing longballs against a team with English DNA is asking for trouble. Reverting back to 4-3-3 should help to push back their fullbacks and stabilize midfield.
We need a Clasie or a Wijnaldum for attacking intent and energy in the midfield, depending on which type of game LVG wants to play. But there has to be major changes in the mid-field. I would hope Clasie replaces De Guzman at time
I am so angry right now. The whole win vs Spain means nothing if we give this away. I can write a paper per player just over this first half. That wrong Sneijder pass to Blind over 5 meters took the cake.
The Leckie guy is causing havoc. Defensively the team gets weaker with Depay & when Clasie comes on. It has to be compensated by a forward march. Try and get them on the back foot. If people sit back and coast and wait to counter Leckie and the others will cause more trouble
Van Gaal himself said it wouldn't work against teams not using a high defensive line and compact midfield who keep the play 'small' . I don't get why he started like that.