Netherlands

By Tom Cremins

Inspiring Arshavin - Player of the match

After cruising to three straight wins in the group stages, the Netherlands were given a rude awakening in Basel on Saturday. They simply could not cope with the Russians, who refused to read from the same script as Italy, France and Romania before them. It was a disappointing end to a tournament that had promised so much for the Oranje. They were only a ghost of the team that scored 9 goals and conceded just 1 in the “Group of Death”.

The Russians denied the Dutch space in the middle of the park, and attacked them relentlessly from all angles. If it hadn’t been for some excellent goalkeeping from Edwin van der Saar, the Dutch would have been buried by half time. He saved brilliantly from Andrei Arshavin’s curling shot and Denis Kolodin’s 35 yard piledrivers. Those were clear signals of Russia’s intent. They were taking the game straight to the Dutch in a way no-one else had tried to.

Maybe if Ruud van Nistelrooy had connected with a free kick from Rafael van der Vaart when it seemed easier to score, things would have played out differently. Perhaps if Wesley Sneijder hadn’t tried to take on every shot himself and had passed to team mates more they could have unlocked the Russian back line to greater effect.

As it happened, they did get a late equaliser when van Nistlerooy characteristically got in front of his marker to head in a Sneijder free kick. But it was more than they deserved on the run of play. And maybe if referee Lubos Michel hadn’t rescinded Kolodin’s second yellow card for a foul on Sneijder after the referee’s assistant had advised him, perhaps incorrectly, that the ball had already gone out of play, the Dutch would have had an advantage in injury time.

The fact is the Netherlands were fortunate to bring the game to extra time. Physically, mentally and tactically Russia were by far the better team. The Dutch tactic of launching swift counter attacks worked wonderfully against older, slower teams such as France and Italy. But against a young Russian team whose midfielders move around the pitch dynamically and with great purpose, such a game plan had far less chance of success.

The game was decided just as much on the sidelines as on the field of play. The Dutch-born Russian coach Guus Hiddink anticipated Marco van Basten’s approach exactly and was able to plan the perfect response. He packed the midfield and suffocated the Dutch players. The Dutch were allowed possession in areas where they could do little damage. And the Russians made sure they controlled the flanks, with fullbacks Aleksandr Anyukov and Yuri Zhirkov charging down the sides with great determination.

Van Basten’s time as national team manager is now over. He moves back to his old club Ajax Amsterdam to take over the top job there. The search for a new Dutch team manager is on. Based on current evidence, if they want to give the job to another Dutchman they should get Hiddink’s number and talk to him.

by Tom Cremins,
Euro 2008 TV.com writer

The Dutch once again confounded the pundits by convincingly winning a game many thought they might actually prefer to lose. The theory was that if the Dutch eased up in their third group match after already winning the group, then Romania could sneak through at the expense of either France or Italy. Even though neither of those superpowers were convincing in their group matches, they are massively experienced in tournaments. Few teams would relish meeting them again later in the semi-finals.

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Written by Tom Cremins.

After two games, the Netherlands have utterly confounded the experts
and turned the “Group of Death” on its head. Against the odds, they
have dispatched both of the World Cup finalists, scored seven goals
and conceded just one. All while playing some of the most compelling
soccer of the tournament.

Friday’s stunning 4-1 victory over France, with goals from Dirk Kuyt,
Robin van Persie, Arjen Robben and man of the match for the second
time in a row Wesley Sneijder, wins the group for the Netherlands.
They can look forward to a quarter final tie against the runner up
from Group D, either Russia or Sweden. That’s a game that they will go
into as strong favourites.

Already, comparisons are being drawn with the “Total Football” of the
’70s. The magic formula for the Dutch was to ingeniously combine
creative individuality and tireless teamwork. Players supported each
other and covered each other’s positions, along great fluidity of
play. This was done within the framework of the 4-3-3 formation, which
was ideally suited to that style of play. This has been updated by
coach Marco van Basten, who has preferred the more orthodox 4-4-2 in
the past, and is now making use of the increasingly popular 4-2-3-1
line up. But it is still as thrilling to watch, and is delighting the
huge contingent or tangerine clad fans that follow the Oranje army’s
march through the tournament.

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Written by Tom Cremins

Euro2008TV.com

Based on their opening day performances, the advantage would seem to be with the Dutch camp ahead of Friday’s match against France in the Stade de Suisse Wankdorf, Berne. Kick off is at 8.45 pm local time, 2.45 EST. The Netherlands put three goals past the current world champions in the same venue earlier in the week and that should do wonders for their confidence, and help settle nerves before their next game.
The French on the other hand laboured against a resolute Romanian team and failed to show the guile necessary to defeat an opponent that was clearly playing for a draw. But let’s not underestimate the Romanians. They have some very talented players, are well organized and will doubtless give a good account of themselves when they take on the Italians and Dutch.

France have considerable depth in their squad, and if Thierry Henry and Patrick Viera are back in the starting line-up, then they should show a marked improvement in their play and pose a more coherent threat to Holland than the Italians did on Tuesday. And in Bayern Münich star Franck Ribéry, France have a midfielder capable of turning any game on its head.
The Dutch on the other hand have more injury worries to be concerned about. Arjen Robben (read full article…)

Written by Hasan Saiyid
Euro2008TV.com Writer

Coach Roberto Donadoni’s disposition on the bench said it all.  When the Netherlands came ever so close to scoring yet another goal against Italy in the second half, the coach could not even muster up the energy to stand up and chide his pathetically under-performing team.  It is perhaps the worst moment in football when a coach, even one as taciturn as Donadoni, has an air of resigned acceptance.  Perhaps Marcello Lippi would have never sat back even at 3-0; but then again his Italy perhaps would have never collapsed so dramatically.

As Italian fans struggle to come to grips with what can only be described as a drubbing by the Dutch, there seems to be no real explanation close by.  The apologists, though not in good number currently, say that the first goal was blatantly offside and set the tone for Italy’s miserable night.  But even they cannot take refuge in the fact that the goal may have been onside (admittedly through a very obscure interpretation) and that Italy were second best on the night.  Indeed, at times it felt that their support was second best also as a wave of orange belted out tired, but justified, song after song.

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Written by Tom Cremins
Euro2008TV.com writer

van Nistlerooy 26
Sneijder 31
van Bronckhorst 79

The Netherlands confounded expectations with a resounding 3-0 win over luckless Italy in Berne. Even though Italy were well beaten on the night, they showed plenty of promise on the attack but were thwarted on a number of occasions by the excellent goalkeeping of Edwin van der Sar.

The game exploded into life in the 26th minute when Ruud van Nistlerooy deflected Wesley Sneijder’s shot past Gianluigi Buffon from a clearly offside position. The Italians were incensed. According to the chairman of Austria’s refereeing commission van Nistlerooy was played onside by Christian Panucci, who lay injured off the pitch. It is not an explanation that will do much to placate fans of the Azzurri. It’s quite certain that the decision will be the topic of heated debate around the water-coolers of Europe tomorrow.

Barely 5 minutes had passed when Italy were 2-0 down. The Dutch launched a wonderful flowing move down the pitch after successfully defending a corner. After running half the length of the pitch with his team mates, Giovanni van Bronckhorst crossed the ball to Dirk Kuyt in the box. Kuyt then headed it back to Sneijder who blasted the ball past Buffon at the near post. But Buffon was to deny van Nistelrooy a third goal 3 minutes before the break.

It was 3-0 after 78 minutes when van Bronckhorst headed Kuyt’s ball past Buffon. The Italians were stunned as they succumbed to their worst defeat in the history of the tournament. They now have a stiff challenge ahead of them to qualify from the group. France and Romania who drew their game 0-0 earlier on, will be anxious to pick up points against the Italians to secure their own passage to the quarter finals. But it would be foolish to write off the Italians, who have enough quality in their squad to bounce back quickly form this disappointment.

The Netherlands on the other hand have laid down the gauntlet in emphatic style, and their fans will no doubt be relishing Friday’s game against Les Bleus.