Second Round (3 Viewers)

[mnementh]

Seedorf was better for Milan and Real Madrid in the past: but he still humongously underperfomed in the national team. Same goes for Makaay. So if their current form is worse: wouldn't you agree it's (as usual, perhaps even more so) highly unlikely they would succeed this time?

No I don't mate, because I don't believe that there's a thing called "underperforming in the NT" as a characteristic. If they didn't do well, one should look why - perhaps not played in right positions, perhaps bad trainer and so on. If the player is good, one should never look at what he did in the past. Seedorf had a great season, and he is very dangerous from outside the box, which is what I thought Holland needed for example. His past/history is irrelevant. I look at his current form now, him being of Dutch nationality and I make my decision. For the trainer, he should look upon every player as if it was the first time he ever played for the NT... it's like a different person in that moment of choice.

 

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[sateeh]

Not that I expect the nepotist bunch of the Dutch FA to listen to me but here's why Marco van Basten needs to go:

• Playing football the Dutch way means allowing the right and left backs to go forward, down the flank. Instead, Van Basten insists on keeping them behind, with one central defender moving up the midfield when in possession. This tactic has proven itself to be disfunctional because it directs the play through the centre of the pitch, effectively making the flanks useless. This isn't 1974 or 1998, our wingers need back-up, but aren't receiving any.
• The midfield is consistently defending, which is what happens when a central defender moves up the pitch and a midfielder has been ordered to take his place. With the flank backs staying behind, it creates two distinctly seperate units on the pitch: defence and midfield. Midfield is then forced to defend because smart players like Riquelme or Tevez would otherwise play in between the two units and take painful advantage. Midfield and defence used to flow over into each other and with the likes of Sneyder and Van der Vaart or even Landzaat combined with more defensive strength in Cocu, Maduro or (in the future) Schaars should make this well possible. The gap between different units has allowed both the Ivory Coast and Argentina to play us around the pitch.
• I don't know how he's done it, but Van Basten has managed to make the attack our most soar point. We don't score goals. Our wingers don't have back-up and we need a forward that can hold the ball if we keep playing like this. Van Nistelrooy doesn't do that, neither does Makaay who was dropped for that reason and Kuyt is quite simply Belgian League material. That makes dropping Huntelaar from the squad unforgivable. Again the phenomenon of seperate units comes back with a consistently defending midfield. The long-ball or cross-balls towards Arjen Robben or Robin van Persie might be useful every once in a while, but we've been relying on them. In the meantime said players are too young to be able to make all the correct calls at all the correct times. With Van Nistelrooy being far from a leader and experienced midfielders like Cocu playing somewhere in defence: the guidance up front is completely gone. Dare I say it: keep playing like this and we will need Patrick Kluivert.

So there you have it: Van Basten's style of play has quite simply vastly more negatives than positives, yet he swears by it. It's time for a change of coach and I suggest bringing Rijkaard back, assuming he wants the job. Otherwise keep an eye open for Co Adriaanse.

makes sense and sport on in many points

u said that Van Bommel is a positive for Holland, i have to disagree there as he is just on of the weakest links in that midfield, i would rather have sneijder and VDV with Cocu playing...there will be more support for the attacking players

 

[Slagathor]

makes sense and sport on in many points

u said that Van Bommel is a positive for Holland, i have to disagree there as he is just on of the weakest links in that midfield, i would rather have sneijder and VDV with Cocu playing...there will be more support for the attacking players

Van Bommel has been underperforming for Holland because Van Basten sent him onto the pitch with a different role. Van Basten insists he is a defending midfielder only, when everybody knows he's not. Van Basten has a bit of a personal vendetta going against him (same goes for Van Nistelrooy now, I suppose) and it's going to be the downfall of our team if he doesn't resign.

No I don't mate, because I don't believe that there's a thing called "underperforming in the NT" as a characteristic. If they didn't do well, one should look why - perhaps not played in right positions, perhaps bad trainer and so on. If the player is good, one should never look at what he did in the past. Seedorf had a great season, and he is very dangerous from outside the box, which is what I thought Holland needed for example. His past/history is irrelevant. I look at his current form now, him being of Dutch nationality and I make my decision. For the trainer, he should look upon every player as if it was the first time he ever played for the NT... it's like a different person in that moment of choice.

Very well. I don't entirely agree but it's a fair statement. Don't expect anything of the sort from Van Basten though: as I said, when the man doesn't like a player, he doesn't like him at all costs...