Saturday, June 14

Do Holland play direct football?

Strange to say I felt a tinge of sympathy for Sam Allardyce last night. Holland might have been brilliant, but had Van Persie's first goal been scored by say Andy Carroll from a Stewart Downing or Matt Jarvis cross it would have been labelled as classic Big Sam direct football. The Netherlands' Daley Blind played a long diagonal cross from near the halfway line and Van Persie managed to get his head on it and direct it past Casillas. Yet the Guardian described it as "a beautiful lofted pass for Van Persie's majestic diving header" and a "stunning diagonal ball." Holland's second came from a diagonal cross too, while the third was from a set piece, Van Persie closed down the keeper for the fourth and Robben outpaced a static defence for the fifth. Perhaps the problem is not so much the style of football WHU play as not having the likes of Daley Blind, Van Persie and Robben to do it effectively.

3 comments:

Redkipper said...

I thought the same , Sam for England !!!

Spain's possession 66 % but Holland's pressing and 'long ball' passing got them their deserved win.

Have to say the Spanish defence being out paced by players passed their best, including A R was also a major factor.

Pete May said...

Yes, I'm playing Devil's Advocate but as BFS says perception is important in football - if the Dutch play it long it's a masterful pass. Spain defence looked very slow on the night…

Press Release Format said...

The style of playing football of Holland is very rich.The always play
direct football.Yes i agree with you
at this point.Thanks for sharing it.