??? The Netherlands are the reigning Euro Champions. They beat the reigning Asia Champions and current Vice World Champion Japan, they beat the high ranked Canadians. It's supposed to be a competition with the best. It's kind of stupid to expect the Orange Lionesses to obliterate such opponents. These were no Thailand teams. What a stupid remark. Which people? Dutch? In what world do these people live anyway to expect trashing of England and France? Moaning about the opinions of that kind of out of touch peeople is a bit lame, especially bringing it into this thread.
It's a stupid point in that post. You're here in the Final and all that matters is the opponent at hand, not what went before.
Whoa! Relax please I was just turning the question around It’s already all over this thread. US fans are hyper critical of our team I was just trying to point out to those people that they don’t hold our opposition to the same standard. I was not saying anything about the Dutch or their team. They beat who they had to to get to the final.
Fair enough. To those you adressed it's not against minnows the USA had to fight their way into the final. Expecting them to steamroll those like the Thais is disrespectfull to both the US ladies and those opponents.
Let's concentrate at the match coming. It will be interesting to see how coach Sarina Wiegman is going to tackle the front line problem with Lieke Martens toe giving too much problems in the Sweden match to allow her to continue in that match. Will 2.5 days suffice to recover? My favourite line up would see Beerensteyn instead of Lieke. Beerensteyn is way more physical than Lieke and has the stamina to be of help when needed to trouble both the right side midfielder and the speed to be of aid to battle the right winger. With on the sides Beerensteyn and van de Sanden, who love to run into space behind the defense it keeps the pitch to cover wide for the USA wing backs and the midfielders. It also places a big risk to push up forwards the defenders as with a wack clearance kick into the space behind the defense you've to deal with both that love to run into it.
If Lieke cannot go or go for a full 90, your thought process makes sense. Speed and width out wide will also potentially open space between our CBs. I hope Ellis is planning to counter your attacking ability by focusing on shutting down service to your attackers in the midfield. USA need to press higher up than we did against France or England. Letting the Netherlands grow into the match would be a mistake. Ellis has had a surprise or two in some of her starting 11s. Wild guess on my part, but I think Heath sits for the final.
Morgan and Horan, I think, though in some ways Spietse functions more like Ertz and in others more like Mewis. And, of course I meant the question to be current conditions. I f I had to make such a trade it would probably be for Spietse, if it could be for Mewis. Otherwise the keepers maybe, but now were getting pretty loose on the realities-- not sure how good our back line's Dutch is... Miedema is real good, but I'd rather have Morgan. Anyway, you see my point-- if there aren't a host of such possibilities/preferences, "what are the Dutch doing in the final" is a more valid question than ""do we deserve to be here."
Ellis has a big pro to Wiegman in that she can vary her players better than Wiegman because the quality on the bench is not likely to degrade the team much, so Wiegman has to take into account more factors than Ellis. It's a blessing only three subs are allowed, otherwise we would be in a very bad starting position.
And there's another thing, but I almost hesitate to mention it. After Beerensteyn came in, for about 5-10 minutes the rhythms of the game kind of bothered me, and eventually I figured out what it was reminding me of-- anybody remember the NBA All-star game Jordan's rookie year? The one where Isaiah Thomas organized everybody to refuse to pass the ball to him no matter what? It seemed like about half the Dutch squad was doing the same to her-- time and time again she would show for the ball, be pretty clearly the best option, and the player on the ball would go somewhere else-- in a do or die close game, not an all star exhibition... what was that about?
The Dutch were fortunate to beat Japan. We were fortunate vs England. Both teams still deserve to be here.
I truly don't know what to expect. I certainly expect a US win, but whether it will be hard fought like the Spain/England game, or a relatively easy win for this team with a 4-0 or 5-0 score, I have no idea. I don't think Netherlands is in the form they were at the Euros. VDS and Martens have both had poor tournaments, due to injury and/or fatigue perhaps. A lot of the European players are coming off a very long club/champions league season and not in top form. I don't think they are as strong of a side as England or France (or at least don't match up as well against us), but who knows. Their defense isnt' great so they will have to have the game of their lives to stay in it and not go down a couple of goals quickly. I think Press has earned this start and is much more of a handful than Megan for defenders to deal with at this stage in their careers. Neville clearly planned for Pinoe last game, and planned to attack mainly on that right side. Press basically ruined that plan for him and shut out Bronze because of her speed and defensive work rate. I think they should have started Greenwood to give more of an attacking outlet on Heath's side than Stokes provides.
Both teams deserve to be in the final. Why? Because they got there. This Is a tough tournament. If you get to the finals, you’ve earned it.
Guess because of the rythm they were used to with van de Sanden (remember Wiegman does hardly ever rotate) t takes time to adjust to the particularities of someone els.
Both teams' players will feel the pressure. If anything, I'm guessing the pressure is greater on the US players. At the same time, though, I think they thrive on it. That's what the celebrations, the golf clap, the tea sip, and all that stuff are about. They've learned how to absorb the pressure and turn it into power. For the Netherlanders, I think they will have the benefit of more organized fan support, they play a very disciplined control game, I don't see them getting rattled by the circumstances. And, I think van de Sanden (thanks feyenoordsoccerfan for how to put her name correctly) is a crazy player a la Rapinoe, though different, that could wreak havoc. It should be a very interesting and fun game. Go USA! PS - it looks like the most US fans here in Lyon are from my home town of Portland, Oregon.
Dutch player selection: Lineth Beerensteyn (Bayern München) | Dominique Bloodworth (Arsenal) | Anouk Dekker (Montpellier HSC) | Merel van Dongen (Real Betis) | Daniëlle van de Donk (Arsenal) | Kika van Es (Ajax) | Loes Geurts (Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC) | Stefanie van der Gragt (FC Barcelona) | Jackie Groenen (1. FFC. Frankfurt) | Ellen Jansen (Ajax) | Renate Jansen (FC Twente) | Inessa Kaagman (Everton) | Danique Kerkdijk (Bristol City) | Lize Kop (Ajax) | Desiree van Lunteren (SC Freiburg) | Lieke Martens (FC Barcelona) | Vivianne Miedema (Arsenal) | Liza van der Most (Ajax) | Victoria Pelova (ADO Den Haag) | Jill Roord (Bayern München) | Shanice van de Sanden (Olympique Lyon) | Sherida Spitse (Vålerenga) | Sari van Veenendaal (Arsenal). Op de standby-lijst staan deze 7 speelsters: Cheyenne van den Goorbergh (FC Twente) | Barbara Lorsheyd (ADO Den Haag) | Aniek Nouwen (PSV) | Katja Snoeijs (PSV) | Ashleigh Weerden (FC Twente) | Jennifer Vreugdenhil (Valencia) | Siri Worm (Everton).
I didn't watch the Netherlands-Sweden game but I've heard it was an extremely physical match, especially from the squad in orange. I hope the U.S. players are prepared to absorb some knocks as well. As has been noted above, the Dutch will likely do everything in their power to stop the U.S. streak of scoring first, in the 15 minutes, and having to chase the game.
Do you really believe they would be freezing out a player like that in a World Cup semi? I don’t buy it. That would be pretty much the least likely explanation for me given the occasion. It’s far more likely to be tactics or something else.
It was the other way around. It was unfamiliar for the Orange Lionesses to be confronted with players bigger and bulkier/more physical power than they were themselves. It took 100 minutes to wear the Swedes down. Edit: just read the match stats I posted. The Swedes were the ones that fouled the Orange Lionesses far, far more. OrangexxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxSweden
Watched the other semi last night. LOVE Jackie Groenen !! Keeper was solid as well. That’s about it for me.
Interesting. Doesn't mean Sunday won't be a physical game though. Edit: I suppose, to quote Rick Blaine from Casablanca, "I was misinformed."
But this is a little different from the Dutch men's emergence on the World Cup scene in 1974. That year, the Dutch men were the sensation of the tournament up until the final. This year's Dutch women haven't set the tournament on fire the way the '74 men did.