I guess it's worth starting this right away, since we'll have a lot to discuss, between now and Sunday. The match is scheduled at 17:00 of August 6th, in Enschede.
Holland are heavy favorites on betting sites: http://www.flashscore.com/match/218bXOP9/#odds-comparison;1x2-odds;full-time It should be interesting to see how well this team does in the World Cup against the USA or Brazil (assuming they qualify)
For sure Netherlands raised up a lot in FIFA women's rankings. But to measure up with big teams in the world, I guess they'll have at least to win the final.
here's a brief history of Dutch coach Sarnia Wiegman. She played college ball at the U. of North Carolina, under coach Anson Dorrace alongside Mia Hamm & Kristine Lilly. This might of influenced to play a more direct style of soccer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarina_Wiegman
both play very similar; long balls to the 3 distinctive fwds upfront. Both been critized for having sub par CB's though. While the Dutch might have the better balance in attacking(considering the strong play of mids Groenen & van de Donk), the Aussies have currently about the most tenacious high press on earth. And there's another thing the Aussies got; a scoring machine named Sam Kerr! If she's not the greatest scorer in history(well she's only 23 years old so that's got to be determined yet), she certainly the most flashiest. Compare her to Miedema and you'll see what I mean. First vid, she scores this one vs Japan(she ended up with a hat trick in the first half against the former world champs) at play to is the quick outlet long ball now check out some of her other goals, especially late in the vid where she's scores on a bycicle kick. if you feel confident that your CB's can stop her, than Holland might just win
Hotjam2 opened a Sam Kerr appreciation thread, but now he wants Kerr to take over other threads also! By the way, if you want to compare with the rest of the world outside Europe, the matches vs Japan this year were interesting: Netehrlands beat Japan by 3-2 at Algarve Cup in March, but Japan came in Breda in June to beat by 1-0 at their home the team that I hope will eventually be crowned Champion of Europe.
history in WWC says that the team beating Germany, wins the whole tournament, therefore i'm going with Denmark Harder can rip this Dutch defense apart
I really hope that the Oranje ladies are spurred on by the home support and the momentum they've gathered. For me they have a really exciting, young team with great players. Their defence is obviously a bit questionable but players like Groenen, van de Donk, Martens, van de Sanden and even with Miedema if she can shake the butterflies provides a lot of talent on one team. I particularly liked what I saw from Groenen and van de Donk yesterday adding tenaciousness to their skill and movement. Netherlands to bring home the trophy I hope! Miedema and Martens to score.
you & I are the only ones that seem to know just what a monster Pernile has been even though she hasn't scored a goal. It's the way she controls the flow of the game is really what matters. However, Holland is a different beast that she must contain. While Harder races down the field like an Tiger tank hell bent on laying waste anything in front of her, the usual failed after play expression(when the camera closeups on her face) looks something like 'Where the bleep were my team mates'. The Dutch in the meantime have 5 equally adaptive attackers in there, especially with the two wides(why can't Germany play like that, lol) Martens & van de Sanden, which opens up the middle for Miedema, van de Donk & Groenen this would be the pro side for a Dutch victory 1) home crowd 2) momentum 3) advantage if it goes to pk(as they now can study every move of Denmark's shootout over Austria Denmark's pro side 1) the slowpoke-ness of Spitse & the two CB's 2) the slowpoke-ness of Spitse & her two CB's 3) the slowpoke-ness of Spitse & her two CB's take your pick
Harder's a joy to watch, I think she's the most dangerous going forward these days in woso. She's also the reason why i think Denmark can win it all also i think Pernille should be in top 3 in Ballon D'or this year... with Maro
Sadly an ACL injury for Danish midfielder Line Sigvardsen Jensen. She was having such a good tournament too.
Well, when she had to come out in the semi-final it was obvious that it was a serious injury, although one could have hoped it was not an ACL. Her leg's rotation was hinting at that, though. Austrian challenge was quite awkward there, and I don't even remember that it has been adequately punished!
For me, the most dangerous element in favour of Denmark is this one: Netherlands already beat them at group stage! This could, even unconsciously, give them a false sense of security, as if the real hurdle to overcome was England and it's all downhill from now on. I hope Dutch players don't fall to this trap and that the home crowd will indeed galvanize them and will help them keep their concentration. Luckily, at group stage it was a difficult win, with just a Spitse's PK to break to lock, so they shouldn't underestimate the danger posed by Denmark... I don't remember a specific circumstance, but I guess it happened before that two teams met in the group stage of a big tournament and then, when they met again later, the result was different from what one could have expected, so beware Netherlands! Also, who would have thought, before the tournament, that both finalists would have come from Group A?
i Jensen played a well defined DM role for Denmark. She played a prominent role by connecting the defense to the attacking squad with her excellent passing. She will surely be missed(for the finals) . Godpseed on her her recovery
With much success, it had to come from a big personality sooner or later; Dutch legend Arnold Mühren is bashing the women's team in the daily Telegraaf. "The ladies would lose against fifth level amateur men's teams. Men are stronger and faster, therefore women would lose. I would like to see the women cope with the pressure men do in the game. Men have a tougher "over my dead body"- mentality". (I picked this story up in Norwegian media, so something might have been lost in translation.)
When I hear this sh*t I feel happy that I don't follow their "dead body" football anymore. Men's football is dead to me, because too many people, in that world, have this conceited super-man "win-at-all-costs" mentality. Keep watching men's football Mr. Mühren (I am happy that, after so many years I don't follow men's teams, I don't even remember who you are, or were), and I'll keep proudly follow women's football with utter joy and with relief that it isn't tarnished by figures like you!
Yeah, it is. And, since I root for Netherlands, I hope they won't make the same mistake and they won't approach the game with an overconfident mentality. It's easy, for them, to get lost in the dream of an Euro tournament won at home, in front of their own crowd, and to forget that the game has anyway yet to be played. I don't underestimate Denmark at all, but I feel Dutch players have an even more dangerous enemy: themselves! If they think they're the favourite, this could lose them. They have to be humble, concentrated and willing to fight to the end. For what concerns Netherlands' men's team, too much often they were in final matches where basically all of the neutral crowd (everyone but their opponents) was rooting for them. And they have lost! I don't want it to happen again with the women's team. So, let's put yourself togheter, girls, and give us an Orange win!!!
Got the original Dutch link for this?? I would have to see the context, and whether he was answering a specific question or not. If it was just a statement out of the blue, then I'd have to say he's wrong. The ladies have just as much fight in them as the men do