Is this Dutch team for real?

[ttcom]

As a diehard dutch fan and adopted France fan, I found it hard to believe this dutch team is for real.

[kaliman2006]

We'll see. Won't it be something if, 20 years later, Marco van Basten lifts the European trophy again, this time as a coach.

That '88 team was ridiculous though.  I was only 9 at the time and wasn't too much into watching football yet, but I've seen clips on youtube from that championship and the tandem of Gulit, Rijkaard and van Basten was deadly.

[Tenorsaw]

After beating two Big Teams by a combined score of 7-1, it is hard to say no.  Question is whether the Dutch will beat themselves with the usual intra-squad squabbling.  Looks like Van Basten has this under wrap, so they looking good to go all the way.  They've always been my favorite European team, ever since the days of the Dutch Trio.

[MarylandTrini]

As a diehard dutch fan and adopted France fan, I found it hard to believe this dutch team is for real.

Die hard here too ... my apartment is decorated Oranje for the tournament .. I just hope that they didn't peak too early. Watch Italy/France recover and push hard when it matters. The thing is, in their group, they had to hit it hard from the start.

If the Dutch can maintain, the cup is theirs .. what is going for them is that Van Persie and Robben just coming back and they real fresh. Huntelaar is real Klass and he aint even get a minute yet. Watch them rest ruud for Romania and give him a game.

I have a feeling they might play Huntelaar and maybe Afellay in the next game.

[Tenorsaw]

And the team a lot deeper than we think.  The bench is very strong. 

[Tha G.]

They way over due for a championship.always favrites.

[Mango Chow!]

I have faith in this dutch squad. I had seen highlights from a pre-tournament friendly and I find they were lookin' very sharp.  I think it's going to be between them and Spain this time.

[palos]

The Dutch have always been one of the top teams in football.

For their size of population, they consistently produce players of the highest quality

That they are doing well is not much of a surprise for football lovers.  Is not like they not capable.  Everyone knows they are.

But peeps skeptical because given their history, for the most part they've failed to go on and claim the titles their talents deserve.

Yuh always love to watch De Dutch play but yuh always waitin fuh de oddah shoe to drop wit dem because yuh "know" it jes round de corner.

Hopefully, for them and for football's sake.....they can shake off that "loveable loser" tag they've rightfully earned thru the years.  Same for Spain and Portugal....3 of the world's best footballing countries who have consistently under achieved.

[Bakes]

As a diehard dutch fan and adopted France fan, I found it hard to believe this dutch team is for real.

Die hard here too ... my apartment is decorated Oranje for the tournament .. I just hope that they didn't peak too early. Watch Italy/France recover and push hard when it matters. The thing is, in their group, they had to hit it hard from the start.

If the Dutch can maintain, the cup is theirs .. what is going for them is that Van Persie and Robben just coming back and they real fresh. Huntelaar is real Klass and he aint even get a minute yet. Watch them rest ruud for Romania and give him a game.

I have a feeling they might play Huntelaar and maybe Afellay in the next game.

Good post...


I can't claim to be as diehard as you but I been loving de Oranje Crush years now.  De flying Dutchman was ah bit before my time but something about dem has always captured my imagination and I always treat every loss with great consternation.  This team is showing a remarkable flair for counterattacking and is both deep and relatively young... a frightening combination especially when countenanced by the presence of such veterans as VDS, Robben and Van Nistelrooy among others.  I'd have to say that they have supremely inserted themselves into any conversation about early favorites.

Palos... agreed on "de other shoe" thing, totally true but maybe this time they have the right mixture of leadership and talent.  I'd also prefer to see them improve upon today's defensive showing... they were entirely too shaky for comfort early in the second half, but weathered the storm well.

[MarylandTrini]

As a diehard dutch fan and adopted France fan, I found it hard to believe this dutch team is for real.

Die hard here too ... my apartment is decorated Oranje for the tournament .. I just hope that they didn't peak too early. Watch Italy/France recover and push hard when it matters. The thing is, in their group, they had to hit it hard from the start.

If the Dutch can maintain, the cup is theirs .. what is going for them is that Van Persie and Robben just coming back and they real fresh. Huntelaar is real Klass and he aint even get a minute yet. Watch them rest ruud for Romania and give him a game.

I have a feeling they might play Huntelaar and maybe Afellay in the next game.

Good post...


I can't claim to be as diehard as you but I been loving de Oranje Crush years now.  De flying Dutchman was ah bit before my time but something about dem has always captured my imagination and I always treat every loss with great consternation.  This team is showing a remarkable flair for counterattacking and is both deep and relatively young... a frightening combination especially when countenanced by the presence of such veterans as VDS, Robben and Van Nistelrooy among others.  I'd have to say that they have supremely inserted themselves into any conversation about early favorites.

Palos... agreed on "de other shoe" thing, totally true but maybe this time they have the right mixture of leadership and talent.  I'd also prefer to see them improve upon today's defensive showing... they were entirely too shaky for comfort early in the second half, but weathered the storm well.

About the defensive part of their game, if they could repeat the Italy showing they alright. I thought coming into the tournament that was their was link, we know they could score goals.
A little suprised that they not playing Heitinga. He's 24 but has spent 17 years at Ajax. Been at Ajax since 7 !! That is why these people are so good. Moving to Atletico Madrid after the summer.

[weary1969]

After France dey is meh team but like Palos say u waitin 4 d next shoe 2 drop.

[freakazoid]

ah find all of ah sudden holland become plenty ppl team hmmmm

[Brownsugar]

ah find all of ah sudden holland become plenty ppl team hmmmm

Dutch waggonists!!!......

[MarylandTrini]

ah find all of ah sudden holland become plenty ppl team hmmmm

Dutch waggonists!!!......

I thought so too ... mentioned it in the other thread

[jai john]

I staying with Big Phil and the two flying wingers ...is true Quaresma eh get de break yet but he still remains , for me , very underrated on the world scene
Is Deco, Christiano , Ricardo ....Goalllll !!!..let's see how the second round shapes up
Portugal; all de way for me !

[WestCoast]

who remember this fella

[weary1969]

Yep West from d real drama era. It always have drama wit d dutch

[breezers]

The Dutch have always been one of the top teams in football.

For their size of population, they consistently produce players of the highest quality

That they are doing well is not much of a surprise for football lovers.  Is not like they not capable.  Everyone knows they are.

But peeps skeptical because given their history, for the most part they've failed to go on and claim the titles their talents deserve.

Yuh always love to watch De Dutch play but yuh always waitin fuh de oddah shoe to drop wit dem because yuh "know" it jes round de corner.

Hopefully, for them and for football's sake.....they can shake off that "loveable loser" tag they've rightfully earned thru the years.  Same for Spain and Portugal....3 of the world's best footballing countries who have consistently under achieved.

Yea well said Palos!!

I staying with Big Phil and the two flying wingers ...is true Quaresma eh get de break yet but he still remains , for me , very underrated on the world scene
Is Deco, Christiano , Ricardo ....Goalllll !!!..let's see how the second round shapes up
Portugal; all de way for me !

Yea JJ..I agree that Quaresma is the truth like Paul Pierce!! Portugal really have ah nice lil team but Holland matching dem with talent in terms of "flying wingers"...and ah feel we have de edge in terms of both talent and depth(ah probably bias but say wuh...) We does jus beat weself on ah regular...so now is we time!!

P.S. shout out tuh Mr. Ryan Babel we missing yuh homie...we go do it fuh u!!

[breezers]

who remember this fella

yuh see dah man...dais de rell general dey yoww...if yuh gimmeh ah chance ah have he and Seedorf playin right now!!! Dais muh favourite MF!!!(and ah believe in muh Dinho eh amongst others..the Zizous etc) But Edgar D AC/DC..giving yuh quality in both goin forward and denfendin...TOTAL FOOTBALL we dealing with!!

[Touches]

The Dutch = Arsenal

Plenty firepower, good to look at, nice brand, skillful players.....but when pressure take them they does fold up like a patraj roti.

Silverware has been elusive. Always in it and right there but 4cup when it matters.

[Brownsugar]

Palos boy nobody eh understand what yuh mean by waiting for de odder shoe to drop more dan me.....laaawwddd fadder mih eh know how much more tournaments ah suppose to endure as a DIE HARD dutch fan before ah could party whole day and night!!....

That said, while ah concerned bout dey defence, de way dey dispatch Italy and France dred.....with STYLE AND CLASS papa....make mih feel dis time goh be mih time to fete.....

      GO HOLLAND, GO ORANJE!!!!   

dat remind mih....de orange juzzy ah buy for de WC 06 a tad too small now.....need to go out and get mih a replacement....ah real lapse dey.....should ah have all mih orange paraphernalia already....

[palos]

I actually hopin Spain could finally do it (aldoh ah really have a serious dislike fuh dem coach).

Portugal and Holland would fit in de same category.  All 3 a lil suspeck in de back and dat is what might keep dem from de trophy.

Peeps better pray Italy doh somehow scrape thru.  Me eh like dem but ah respeck de hell outta dem.  Powerful mojo dem have.

Ah watch de France Holland replay las nite and France coulda win dat game had they taken their opportunities.  The 4-1 final scoreline was flattering to the Dutch and a cruel on de French.  Not that they played badly or didn't deserve the win.  Robben's goal was the killer..coming right after Henry's.

Ah doh like France under Domenech anyway.  Somehow they seem....restricted...if daz de word.

[palos]

The Dutch = Arsenal

Plenty firepower, good to look at, nice brand, skillful players.....but when pressure take them they does fold up like a patraj roti.

Silverware has been elusive. Always in it and right there but 4cup when it matters.

Arsenal win trophies sah....

[redtrinigirl]

Ok, should we feel any special affiliation to de Oranje, seeing as is Beenie homeland? 

I liking Portugal and Holland, though ah feel Italy will get it together as time goes by and win it.

See? I said it fro the start, ah liking le Oranje and Portugal for it this year. True both sides often crash out before the finals, but we'll see. Both along with Spain playing a brand of football ah like. And they scoring goals too, not just pretty football.

So ah guess is citrus fruits this year (ah orange and ah portugal, get it?  )

[palos]

dat remind mih....de orange juzzy ah buy for de WC 06 a tad too small now.....need to go out and get mih a replacement....ah real lapse dey.....should ah have all mih orange paraphernalia already....

Ahmmmm....Ms Sugar.  On behalf of de male population EVERYWHERE, please do not adjust yuh WC 06 orange juzzy.  It eh have no such ting as "a tad too small" when it come to dem ting deh....especially on YOU!  Matter of fack..we fine yuh should wear it more often...so it could stretch betta...

Please and tenks....

[Brownsugar]

 

Palos.....yuh too idle....

[ttcom]

Hope they can maintain their form.

[MarylandTrini]

who remember this fella

yuh see dah man...dais de rell general dey yoww...if yuh gimmeh ah chance ah have he and Seedorf playin right now!!! Dais muh favourite MF!!!(and ah believe in muh Dinho eh amongst others..the Zizous etc) But Edgar D AC/DC..giving yuh quality in both goin forward and denfendin...TOTAL FOOTBALL we dealing with!!

Favourite player of all time have to be Dennis Bergkamp.
After the Euros, Van Basten going to coach Ajax, with Bergkamp as his understudy doing his internship.

Holland and Spain can't meet in the final. It should be :

(Holland / Italy / France / Spain / Sweeden)
VS
(Germany / Portugal / Czech / Croatia)

The Dutch play Sweeden in the next round (if the Sweedes finish 2nd)
And then Spain plays the 2nd team in group C (Italy / France / Romania) ... unless they drop points today
The winners play each other in the Semi

[asylumseeker]

Well ...

I want to examine this thing from the other side ... with special respect to the game v France ... certainly, the Dutch played a coherent game ... very tight in closing the spaces ... some superb passes ... overall good chemistry ... tactical discipline, particularly from the spine ...

Buh lehme say, @#$# Domenech has been exposed ... it seemed evident that there were a couple keys that could have been employed to make things a lil more difficult for the Dutch ... and seemingly he sat on his hands ... I don't see him managing in 2010.

Oh yeah, in the interest of full disclosure ... normally this clash would have found me conflicted because ah have regard for both teams ... buh Domenech did not live up to his end of the bargain.  So when Titi Henry scored ah was hoping for a lil resuscitation of the French ... despite the fact that Henry was a principal candidate to siddung ... STEUPS ...

Ribery, Govou, Malouda, Henry were not communicating AT ALL ... that wasn't the result of Dutch dominance ... that was the result of other shit. The Dutch exploited that ...

1. Ah tempted to say Sagnol should have been more active in the attack, at least on an alternating or occasional basis. Ah know why he was staying closer to home, but geez on ages! de Henry goal was produced by Sagnol's lone coherent run fwd ... on a few other movements fwd he was tentative or just coudn't get it played in in sync

... Then again, one can argue ... validly ... that the Robben goal seconds later was a product of Sagnol's fwd movement ... normally it would not have been Thuram isolated 1 v 1 with Robben ... it would have been Sagnol v Engelaar or Sagnol v Robben with the central defender squeezing to support ...

2. NEVERTHELESS, ##@# Coupet was horrible and lackadaisical on that and a number of the Dutch efforts ... that resulted in goals or not ...

3. Though not directly related to the outcome - this exclusion of Trezeguet is absolute bollocks ...

4. I dare anyone look at the match again and find a French player consistently located 10, 15 or 20 yards outside the arc ... one of the precise locations where the Dutch won balls and restarted their attack.

5. What de hell was Anelka supposed to accomplish ... steups ...

6. If Gomis was brought in as the target ah still waiting fuh him to collect a decisive ball

[MarylandTrini]

Everyone know Domenech is a big imps ... imagine he used to leave out Pires in his prime because he don't trust Scorpios