Euro 2012 Preview - The Netherlands
Nickname: “Clockwork Oranje"
Absurd FIFA ranking: 4th
Coach: Veteran coach Bert van Marwijk
Match Schedule:
June 9 – Netherlands v. Denmark (Kharkiv, 12 p.m. EST)
June 13 – Netherlands v. Germany (Kharkiv, 2:45 p.m.)
June 17 – Netherlands v. Portugal (Kharkiv, 2:45 p.m.)
Prospects: The inventors of "Total Football" are typically one of the favorites among neutrals; however, they won very few fans with their disgraceful performance in the 2010 World Cup final against Spain. Which Holland will show up? If this year's friendlies are any way to judge, it will be more of the same with Nigel de Jong and John Heitinga lying in wait for the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo with waist-high tackles. The match up with Germany on June 13th could really produce some fireworks.
Key Player: If van Marwijk sets up defensively, it will take a wild card such as Arjen Robben to unlock the better defenses in the knock-out stages. Just don't let him take any penalties!
Youngster to watch: I don't expect many new faces coming through in this settled side; however, Liberian-born FC Twente winger Ola John would be a fun substitute to watch.
Who Will Get the Goals: After a 30 goal Premiership season at Arsenal, Robin van Persie has to be one of the favorites to pick up the Golden Ball this summer.
Who Will Get the Cards: Aging midfield assassin Mark van Bommel starts on a yellow card for me.
Prediction: Losing finalists - Because of the draw, it's a fairly easy path for the Dutch into the semis. I expect them to place second in the Group of Death, just edging out a lively but naive Portugal. They should then be able to see off Russia with minimum stress in the Quarter-finals before what I hope will be a thrilling semi-final against Italy and a simply epic rematch final against the Germans.
posted by The Blue Devil @ 6:14 PM
4 Comments:
I've wanted to like Heitinga but he's too much of a hot head for me.
I'm intrigued about waist high tackles on Ronaldo though ;)
I know - if someone has to be hospitalized by the thuggish Dutch, Cristiano is a good candidate.
He needs a De Jong tattoo on his waxed pects.
A hilarious 2-1 loss at home today to Bulgaria. Not much of a warm-up for the favored Dutch. Still Germany lost 5-3 to Switzerland and Portugal drew 0-0, so perhaps this isn't the Group of Death after all.
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