World Cup Preview - Group E - The Netherlands
Nickname: “Clockwork Oranje”FIFA ranking: 4th
Coach: Unseasoned Bert van Marwijk
Game Schedule:
June 14 – The Netherlands vs. Denmark (Jo'burg, 7:30 a.m. EST, ESPN)
June 19 – The Netherlands vs. Japan (Durban, 7:30 a.m., ESPN)
June 21 – The Netherlands vs. Cameroon (Cape Town, 2:30 p.m., ESPN2)
Prospects: On paper, the Dutch always arrive as favorites and rarely challenge for the main prize. The usual narrative is about self-destruction and there's plenty of evidence of that again, including an on-going feud between Wesley Sneijder and Robin van Persie. There is plenty of quality about the squad and experience at the highest level of the game, but somehow the Dutch are a big question mark for me. There opening match against Denmark will tell us a lot about how far the Oranje will go this summer.
Key Player: Arjen Robben has rebuilt his career that crashed and burned after Chelski and was a big part of Bayern's run to the Champion's League final.
Youngster to watch: This is one of the most experienced squads in the tournament. Even the relatively young members such as Ryan Babbel are well known to all.
Who Will Get the Goals: This is the key flaw to the Dutch. For a supposedly top striker, RVP just doesn't score enough goals. The burden will fall on Milan's Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.
Who Will Get the Cards: Man Citeh's Nigel de Jong usually starts on a yellow.
Funniest Name: Back up keeper Henk Timmer.
Prediction: If they can navigate their way out of this tricky group on top, they'll have an easy Round of 16 tie against either Paraguay or Slovakia. If second, they get Italy. In any case, they'll run up against a superior Brazil in the quarters.
posted by The Blue Devil @ 10:24 PM
5 Comments:
I beg your pardon. RVP's first match back for the Dutch and he picked up both of their goals in a win over Mexico. He could go on a tear and get 6 goals in their matches, easy. Throw in more than a couple from the likes of Sneijder, Huntelaar, Elia, Van Bommel, and Kuyt, and one or two from their freescoring defenders and they'll be ok for goals.
But I totally agree that their opener against Denmark will be very telling about their chances.
I'll remind you that the likes of Peter Crouch, Glen Johnson and, erm, Ledley King scored against Mexico the other day - clearly sticking in goals against El Tri doesn't take that much these days.
The numbers just don't stack up for RVP. He scores on average 11 goals a season for the Arse, his strike rate is less than one in three matches for the Dutch side. If he were to score six in June, he'd be on a streak that he's never shown before. The sad fact is that Darren Bent scores more goals in the Premiership - and for much worse teams. Fortunately for Gunners fans, you've got a new striker on the books.
I'll make you this wager - if RVP scores even four goals in the first four matches and the Dutch make the quarter-finals, the drinks are on me on the 4th of July.
Just 4? That's a bet. I'll be very thirsty just to drive the point home.
Did you see either goal? Whaammmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm! is back.
Four by the time I see you for the quarters on 4th of July weekend. Deal.
Hey, I know that RVP is capable of the spectacular. But as they used to say about John Barnes' England career, "one cracker against Brazil does not a career make."
That said, I'll be happy to be proven wrong...unless he scores against England, that is.
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