What about the Dutch – German Oranje

De WK-rubriek met aandacht voor mediaberichten uit het buitenland over het Nederlands Elftal. Uiteraard reppen alle buitenlandse media over de zakelijke speelwijze van Oranje. Toch krijgt de ploeg van Bert van Marwijk ook credits voor de twee zeges op Denemarken en Japan. Vandaag een artikel uit de Engelse krant The Guardian.

“The DNA of the Holland team appears to have been changed. They have won their opening two matches, qualifying with a game to spare, but the words to describe their performances are more associated with Germany.”

“They have been efficient, neat and methodical, with little of the fluid and expansive football that is usually considered a mandatory obligation of all those who pull on the orange and black.

The legacy left by Johan Cruyff, Dennis Bergkamp and those many other exquisitely gifted footballers is of being recognised as one of the more sophisticated football nations, and that means the Dutch are supposed to beguile us.
In fairness to Holland, they still have reason to be satisfied with the manner in which they have navigated their way safely through Group E and, in terms of entertainment, there should be more to enjoy when the fit-again Arjen Robben returns, the Bayern Munich player having been the outstanding performer in last season's Bundesliga and a man who symbolises the flair and adventure for which Holland's footballers are renowned.

For all the criticism, they had almost two-thirds of the possession. The problem was the majority of it came in areas where they would not trouble their opponents. When they advanced into more attacking zones there was little penetration or guile and they were indebted, ultimately, to Kawashima misjudging the flight of Wesley Sneijder's 53rd-minute shot for a soft goal.

"We know there is a lot more to come from us," the captain, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, said. "It feels like we're gradually building up momentum and that's what you have to do at World Cups.

"In the past we've started tournaments really, really well and then fallen away, and that's one thing we want to do differently this time. It's no good having a really good group stage if your level goes down after that. For us, it's about keeping the momentum going, gradually improving and making sure that every game is better.”