Qualifiers for the European Championship 2008.

[dublingunner]

Hows spain/france? How did fabregas & flamini/clichy/sagna/gallas do? lol

I watched it until my stream died during the second half. Pretty uneventful, no goals by that stage, but Spain were making all the play. Flamini or Clichy or Sagna didn't play. Gallas coped but made a couple of mistakes, and Fabregas was neat and tidy but nothing outstanding. The most interesting event was Vieira getting a yellow for nearly hacking the legs off Cesc.

 

[TheThoss]

Van Basten's time in Italy must have paid off - good defensive, counter-attacking game. Very un-Dutch though

Holland do have two awesome finishers in Huntelaar and Horseface. If they carry this formation through, it could work really well, good tournament strategy IMHO.

 

[clockwork orange]

Holland did not playing counter atacking football at all tonight. Holland had the majority of possession and dominated midfield. Holland won because they took the game to Croatia.

@ Hollandgooner we can play similar with Van Persie in the team just drop useless Babel. Wouldn't play Seedorf if VDV & Sneijder play this well.

 

[True Gooner]

Babel was bad? Well Liverpool fans think hes the brightest young talent in the world! I guess its pretty easy to shine in Liverpool

 

[TheThoss]

Holland did not playing counter atacking football at all tonight. Holland had the majority of possession and dominated midfield. Holland won because they took the game to Croatia.

@ Hollandgooner we can play similar with Van Persie in the team just drop useless Babel. Wouldn't play Seedorf if VDV & Sneijder play this well.

Sorry, I kinda guessed from the formation and the Affelay/Vennegoor comment.

 

[EMIR8_SOLDIER]

Babel was bad? Well Liverpool fans think hes the brightest young talent in the world! I guess its pretty easy to shine in Liverpool

Up the rear end

 

[clockwork orange]

Holland did not playing counter atacking football at all tonight. Holland had the majority of possession and dominated midfield. Holland won because they took the game to Croatia.

@ Hollandgooner we can play similar with Van Persie in the team just drop useless Babel. Wouldn't play Seedorf if VDV & Sneijder play this well.

Sorry, I kinda guessed from the formation and the Affelay/Vennegoor comment.

that was kind of a counterattacking goal, Affelay won the ball (so wasn't started from a defensive position).

On Arsenal hard to judge Eduardo's contribution. He got very little decent balls played to him.

 

[go49oner]

Just noticed that in the England squad Cappello put out today, 3 of those players came out of our academy,more then any other team.

 

[clockwork orange]

Babel was bad? Well Liverpool fans think hes the brightest young talent in the world! I guess its pretty easy to shine in Liverpool

Think he lost the first 5 or 6 balls he got. Still rate him only useful as sub.

 

[nazo]

I'm pretty sure Robin would want to play in Huntelaars or VDVs position. Maybe VdV could move to the left with Robin behind Hunt. van Basten loves Robin so i'm pretty sure he has a place reserved for him.

 

[USgoonergirl]

Not a qualifier, but USA-Mexico finished 2-2, Vela played and looked one of the most dangerous players out there. He had alot of great runs, and played some great crosses and will only be getting better. This is the first opportunity Ive had to really watch him and I was impressed.

Altidore scored his first goal for the USA today, cant wait to watch his career progress as well.

 

[HollandGooner]

Holland did not playing counter atacking football at all tonight. Holland had the majority of possession and dominated midfield. Holland won because they took the game to Croatia.

@ Hollandgooner we can play similar with Van Persie in the team just drop useless Babel. Wouldn't play Seedorf if VDV & Sneijder play this well.

I know mate, but why in the hell we would play with two holding midfielders? we can put Sneijder at central midfield and Vdvaart and Vpersie and Seedorf as attacking midfielders? and push Vbronkhorst or De Zeeuw as the holding midfielder, it is,nt needed to play with two defending midfielders,

 

[clockwork orange]

Holland did not playing counter atacking football at all tonight. Holland had the majority of possession and dominated midfield. Holland won because they took the game to Croatia.

@ Hollandgooner we can play similar with Van Persie in the team just drop useless Babel. Wouldn't play Seedorf if VDV & Sneijder play this well.

I know mate, but why in the hell we would play with two holding midfielders? we can put Sneijder at central midfield and Vdvaart and Vpersie and Seedorf as attacking midfielders? and push Vbronkhorst or De Zeeuw as the holding midfielder, it is,nt needed to play with two defending midfielders,

Depends on how you execute it. Yesterday despuite playing 2 defensive/controlling mids, we did NOT sink in. Both Gio an de Zeeuw 'defended forwards' (put a lot of pressure on the opponents). yesterday we played more attacking in an away match v a tough a opponent (compared say to the qualifier v Romania), despite fielding an additional controlling midfielder. If playing 2 'DMF's' enables us to play more attacking, I think we should play them.

 

[Clrnc]

Not a qualifier, but USA-Mexico finished 2-2, Vela played and looked one of the most dangerous players out there. He had alot of great runs, and played some great crosses and will only be getting better. This is the first opportunity Ive had to really watch him and I was impressed.

Altidore scored his first goal for the USA today, cant wait to watch his career progress as well.

Altidore is a great talent. is wenger watching him? hopefully

vela played well, i thought he was one of the better mexican players there.

italy vs portugal was another great game. that was how football should be played

 

[clockwork orange]

Not a qualifier, but USA-Mexico finished 2-2, Vela played and looked one of the most dangerous players out there. He had alot of great runs, and played some great crosses and will only be getting better. This is the first opportunity Ive had to really watch him and I was impressed.

Altidore scored his first goal for the USA today, cant wait to watch his career progress as well.

Did Bradley feature in the match?

He, like his club Heerenveen, is red hot in Holland lately, scored 6 in his last 5 league matches. Already on 12 league goals this season.

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Impressed by Poland's 0-2 away win v Czech Republic. Think they're well capable of causing an upset v Germany in their opening match at Euro 2008.

 

[HollandGooner]

Holland did not playing counter atacking football at all tonight. Holland had the majority of possession and dominated midfield. Holland won because they took the game to Croatia.

@ Hollandgooner we can play similar with Van Persie in the team just drop useless Babel. Wouldn't play Seedorf if VDV & Sneijder play this well.

I know mate, but why in the hell we would play with two holding midfielders? we can put Sneijder at central midfield and Vdvaart and Vpersie and Seedorf as attacking midfielders? and push Vbronkhorst or De Zeeuw as the holding midfielder, it is,nt needed to play with two defending midfielders,

Depends on how you execute it. Yesterday despuite playing 2 defensive/controlling mids, we did NOT sink in. Both Gio an de Zeeuw 'defended forwards' (put a lot of pressure on the opponents). yesterday we played more attacking in an away match v a tough a opponent (compared say to the qualifier v Romania), despite fielding an additional controlling midfielder. If playing 2 'DMF's' enables us to play more attacking, I think we should play them.

Well, think RVp,Sneijder,VDV, are,t questionable about their role in the team they will always play in wich cirsumstances we are but what about Seedorf? he has won everything and he plays some good stuff with Ac Milan i know its another story when he plays for us,but he still can be so value for the n etherlands its only a mather of trust he gets.

But i think we can also play with one defensiv midfielder, its enough to press forward, Sneijder can take over the De Zeeuw or Vbronckhorst role as holding midfielder he could fill in the Central Midfield possession we have at least to press forward 4 players is,nt that enough?

Yes i am fully agreed with you if this system is the best to play our football we should hold it to this system, but i am convinded we also can do it with four attacking midfielders as Sneijder more in a central role and VDV,Seedorf,Vpersie as supporters for Vnistelrooy or Huntelaar.

 

[USgoonergirl]

Not a qualifier, but USA-Mexico finished 2-2, Vela played and looked one of the most dangerous players out there. He had alot of great runs, and played some great crosses and will only be getting better. This is the first opportunity Ive had to really watch him and I was impressed.

Altidore scored his first goal for the USA today, cant wait to watch his career progress as well.

Did Bradley feature in the match?

He, like his club Heerenveen, is red hot in Holland lately, scored 6 in his last 5 league matches. Already on 12 league goals this season.

Bradley started, but for the US he plays a more defensive midfield role, which he did decent at, but didnt stand out. He made a few good tackles, but didnt really control or dominate the midfield when he was in, though tbf none of the other US players really did any better until the end of the first half. He picked up a silly yellow card at the end of the first half and was subbed pretty early in the second half.

 

[clockwork orange]

thanks, hope for him they play him in a more attacking role next time.

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By the way the Dutch FA are in official talks with Feyenoord's manager Van Marwijk. He'll be the new Holland manager after Euro 2008.

 

[DREVAK]

Impressed by Poland's 0-2 away win v Czech Republic. Think they're well capable of causing an upset v Germany in their opening match at Euro 2008.

Not sure they will be capable of that, as Germany are still quite the team, but they were indeed really good against Czech Republic. Approached the game much more professionally. Had a sound plan and it worked. Whereas the Czech team could not be bothered. Or so at least it seemed. However, not turning up for a friendly is one thing. Yes, it is not a good thing, nor should such matches be underestimated with EURO approaching all kinds of fast. But, at least to a certain degree, one could understand it. Not be glad about it, no, but on the other hand, it was still a friendly.

However, a completely different thing is the problem. The Czech national team is not going anywhere. Compared to the state of the team, an extremely lacklustre and disinterested performance in a friendly against well playing and quite promising Poland is of no importance. By not going anywhere I mean that it is still the same old team. That might have had a reasonable degree of success several years ago, but it just does not work anymore. Reliance on Koller, who is going downhill fast, and won't get younger. Insisting on playing Baros even if he had next to no playing time. Pretty much ignoring any young players who have shown at least some promise. And that is just the tip of the iceberg.

There has been no advancement in the national team. It is still the same old story. Feed long balls to Koller and hope for the best. Since Koller is way past it, and his teammates are literally unable to do anything else, to play differently, the national team's performances suffer. Do not even bother helping the situation with midfield. Sionko is a limited player who can't get things going. Useful in what he does, but limited nonetheless. Rosicky's form for the NT is fluctuating at best. Plasil is bad, bar one or two matches recently. In those he was good. In all others, he was not. The rest of the midfield is just laughable. Whether it is Polak playing on the wing or having the extremely creative and unrivalled passer of the ball Galasek in the centre of the park.

Back to the Poland match, though. A pretty much nonexistent defense was added to that aforementioned list of problems. As much as I would like to sound less negative, I can't. It was an embarassing performance. The single most positive thing is that Baros had a semi decent at most game. You know things are sad when Baros having an almost average game is the greatest experience from a match. When I think about it, the national team's last fine match was that lone clash with Germany in the qualification. Guess what, it was a very changed team from the usual lineup. With a wildly different approach to the game. Pass the ball, not just hoof it to Koller. And what's just as important, it was against a Germany side that was far from one hundred percent focused on the match.

Things sure look great for the national team, eh!

 

[clockwork orange]

Yep, a player like Koller is a nightmare for the opposition, but can work counter productive because he 'draws' long balls.

What about Martin Fenin? He has started red hot at Eintracht Frankfurt, his first match a hattrick and yesterday a goal & an assist.

How do you rate him?