Posts Tagged ‘Marco Van Basten’

It looks like the Dutch soccer team is not going to have to miss master striker Arjen Robben from Bayern Munich. Robben, who was voted as best player of the German Bundesliga collapsed in the match from The Netherlands against Hungary after making what looked like a innocent move. Arjen Robben, who is known for his sensitivity to injuries, plays a big role in the Dutch soccer team. In the game against Hungary, won by the Dutch with 6-1, Arjen Robben scored two great goals.

Arjen Robben is part of what the Dutch nation calls “the big four,” which further include Arsenal striker Robin van Persie, Inter midfielder and Champions League winner Wesley Sneijder and Real Madrid midfielder Rafael van der Vaart. These 4 players are considered the key players of the Netherlands on the upcoming World Championship in South Africa. When Robben got injured, the hopes of the Dutch nation to become the new World Champion went up in smoke so it seemed. A survey in the biggest Dutch newspaper showed that the Dutch people see Arjen Robben as the key to success in the African country.

Holland has very bad memories when it comes to injuries of their most important players. In the past, master striker Marco van Basten  even had to give up his career because of a ankle injury, caused by the many attacks on the ankle of the Dutch player. Like Marco van Basten, Robben is sometimes subject to foul attacks from the defenders of the opponents. Van Basten had a great teacher in Dutch all-time best player Johan Cruijff, who was a master in avoiding foul attacks on his legs and seemed to have a pair of eyes in the back of his head. However, when you have the quality of Marco van Basten or Robben, in the game of soccer of today, this is definitely not enough. Intangible for the defense the opponents seem to have no other choice but to foul incredible players like Robben.

When Arjen Robben recovers in time and if he is able to show his skills during the upcoming tournament (scans made in Rotterdam brought to light he had a smaller injury of the hamstring then first assumed), defenders will use all necessary means to stop Robben from scoring. Let’s hope (for the game’s sake) they don’t succeed in injuring him so bad, he will not be able to excel on this international platform.

Players like Arjen Robben, Lionel Messi and Christiano Ronaldo from Portugal are the ones that people visit a stadium for. Since another striker of world fame is already absent in South Africa (Didier Drogba, Chelsea player from Ivory Coast), it would be more than unfortunate for the soccer fans to miss out on another exceptional soccer talent. But in the beginning of June, most fans seem to have only one thing in their minds: Let the games begin! With the injury of Arjen Robben however, the Dutch people wouldn’t mind postponing it a week or two.

But whatever happens, one thing is inevitable: the coming four weeks the country of South Africa will be the center of the globe.

The  Dutch soccer team is  preparing for  the World Championship in South Africa  and their results so far are  impressive.  Especially  Arjen   Robben from Bayern Munich   Wesley Sneijder from Inter Milan, Champions League winners  and  Robin van Persie  (and let’s not forget Rafael van der Vaart from Spanish giant Real Madrid) are on the top of their game in the last months  and in the Champions League final Wesley Sneijder, Arjen Robben and  Mark van Bommel, captain of Bayern Munich  (son in law of coach Bert van Marwijk) played a  great  game.

The  Dutch team has  made it to the World Cup final twice in a row, in  1974 in West Germany  and 1978 in Argentina.  In 1974  Johan Cruijff   was by far  the best player of the world and Johan Cruijff was also chosen best player of the tournament in 1974.  The world still wonders how it was ever possible that the  Dutch  lost  the   final match  against West Germany. In 1978 it was  top player Rob Rensenbrink  who hit the post in  the last  minute of the  final  against Argentina. Although less impressive than in 1974, the  team  only lost after extra time, the first  World Cup final  that  had to be decided in 120 minutes.   Argentina  eventually won 3-1.

The  Dutch team has  always had  top notch players  (in recent history everyone remembers  strikers Marco van Basten  and  Dennis “The Iceman” Bergkamp) but never really came as close again as they were in Argentina in 1978.  In 1988 Marco van Basten had led them to the European Championship, the only title the Dutch have won so far, with an incredible goal in the final. The reached the semi final  in 1998 in France  but lost it on penalties against  Brazil.  Dennis Bergkamp had scored his  incredible goal  in the  last minute  of the quarter final against  Argentina,  a goal for which the  English  honored him with the  now very famous slogan  “Dennis is God.”

This year it seems to all depend on the form of  Sneijder  and  Robin van Persie,  although the other  teams in the Dutch group, Cameroon, Japan and Denmark  probably fear dribble king Arjen  Robben  most. His  very first  season in Germany with  German Champions Bayern Munich  was  a total success  and  Robben  seemed to score his goals in every  key   for Bayern,  including the incredible  strike against fellow Dutchman  Edwin van der Sar,  goalie of Manchester United in  the quarter final  of the Champions League.

If  all Dutch players  play like they played with their club teams this last season,  the Dutch are not just an outsider for the World Cup, but a  likely winner.  Only time will tell.

Outright Odds: 12/1
Group C Winners: 13/8

New coach Marco van Basten has proven to be a revelation off the pitch as much as he was on it since taking over the Dutch national team. Plucked from an obscure youth coaching role at Ajax where he kept his head down and had low responsibilities when Dick Advocaat quit after Euro 2004, van Basten has made this new-look Dutch team his own.

Out with the old and in with the new seems to be van Basten’s philosophy so while former well known favourites such as Clarence Seedorf and Patrick Kluivert have been given the chop, some of the best players the Dutch Eredivisie has to offer have come in to replace them.

Players such as AZ Alkmaar’s Denny Landzaat, Feyenoord’s Dirk Kuyt and Ajax’s Ryan Babel may not be household names yet but have all won the backing of the manager. Ajax have a strong representation in the squad, with John Heitinga, Nigel de Jong, Hedwiges Maduro and Wesley Sneijder, all under the age of 23, vying for a place in the starting line-up.

The faith shown in locally-based players along with more recognisable faces such as evergreen trio Edwin van der Sar, Edgar Davids and Philip Cocu and the likes of Arjen Robben and Ruud van Nistelrooy has paid off.

The team are showing true team spirit and togetherness, unlike the inconsistent squads of the past and in qualifying notched up 32 points, the highest of any European side. Holland finished five points clear at the top of their group that also included bogey side Czech Republic and Romania, both of whom they beat twice. Surprisingly, the only country they didn’t beat was Macedonia who they drew with twice.

Ruud van Nistelrooy was in scintillating form during qualifying with seven goals in 10 matches and now back in favour at Manchester United, could be a good investment for the top goalscorer market.

The Dutch are always one of the favourites for the tournament but never quite manage it. They have reached the final twice, the semi finals and quarter final stages but never have enough to win it outright.

The team entering this year have little World Cup experience and it would be a big ask of this team to go all the way in Germany.

BetBonus.co.uk Recommendation:
Holland offer better value to win Group C than Argentina but a lack of experience throughout the squad means they cannot be backed to win the tournament outright. Ruud van Nistelrooy could be a good each-way investment for the top goal scorer berth on his debut at the finals.

Holland to win Group C @ 13/8
E/W Ruud van Nistelrooy as top goalscorer @ 16/1