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Sunday, June 13, 2010

On Holland v. Denmark: Three things to watch for tomorrow from one of the favorites to win the World Cup


Holland (AKA Netherlands) is going to win this game. It's just a question of by how much. I think it'll be 3-1 personally. Holland's got some problems in defense (possibly their only weakness), and may even concede an early goal. But the Oranje this year have fielded one of (if not the best) team they have ever had. So, going in to tomorrow, I want to give my three keys to watch for tomorrow from this extremely talented country.

1. Total football. This is a system invented by Dutch club Ajax in the early 70s and was famously implemented by Holland in the 1974 World Cup, where most of the players were actually from Ajax. In this system, any player that moves out of his position is quickly replaced by another. It's much more complicated than that, but that's the basic system. As a result, any player on the field can become a defender, midfielder, or attacker. The Oranje have made this system famous, and while it's implementation is not as "total" as the '74 side, it is still the hallmark of Holland football and will be on display in the opening game. It's success is based on the adaptability of the players on the pitch, and this Dutch side is not short on talent at all. Their starting line-up consists of Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool), Rafael Van Der Vaart (Real Madrid), Wesley Sneijder (Champions League winning Italian side Inter Milan), Robin Van Persie (Arsenal), Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich, injured, unfortunately), Nigel De Jong (Manchester City), and Mark Van Bommel (Bayern Munich). All of these guys play in the top clubs at the top level of club play in Europe and some are considered the best in the world at their positions. These guys make total football look easy, and could be the most adaptable side in the Oranje's history.

2. Scoring chances. Lots and lots of scoring chances. The Netherlands pass a lot. They also shoot a lot. They have probably five guys that can hit the target from any angle on the pitch from 25 yards out or farther. This is a team that can score, and they can score a lot. They made a business out of it, having an undefeated qualifying run for the World Cup and an undefeated record in friendly matches. Particularly, watch for Robin Van Persie to take a shot that you'll never expect and upper 90 it off the cross-bar. Sneijder can also slot them in like it's his job.

3. Wesley Sneijder free kicks. You've probably heard of Ronaldo's famous free kicks, but a rising star from set pieces is Wesley Sneijder. He's basically automatic, has a great curve on the shot, and can hit them from pretty much any angle. Make sure to pay attention when he gets behind the ball. Did you watch any of those videos? They're pretty cool. Just saying.

These are my three key things to watch for tomorrow morning at 7 AM (that's right, fire up those DVRs or set an alarm! You won't want to miss this). Do you have other keys or think Denmark has a chance in hell? Comment!

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