Group C: The Netherlands vs Ivory Coast

[Gnidrologist]

A pity for IC, they were the most entertaining team in this championship imho, but lacked the finishing coolness, which is often the main problem for african teams.
Netherelands on the other side are very dissapointing this time around. I was always a big admirer of their attacking minded playing style, but not in recent years. Maybe Van Basten is utilizing too many inexperienced players or he's just trying to be overly pragmatic, but this team is quite dull to watch.

 

[fender]

Good win for the Oranje, credit to Ivory Coast their really tough opposition.

Two great games so far today, hopefully the Mexico one will have just as much entertainment.

 

[Jannes]

ivory coast > holland

 

[CapaJr]

I understand, you probably smashed your old one after watching this WC's playoffs

j/k

actually yes, scoring 4 goals but still couldnt be in the world cup was very frusturating

 

[Silencer]

The 2nd half was dissapointing from our side I agree, although we defended well it was not the playstyle we are used to nowadays which means attacking play but that changed when van Basten subbed Ruud and for the life of me I have no idea why

van Bommel has an interview on Dutch tv right now and he is saying that we played very bad, he is not satisfied. Yes satisfied with the points but not with the performance."we can do much better" he says and he's right. This is the reason why I think that it will be the same song as in every tournament. A few nice games, going through to the quarters, maybe half if we're lucky but then .......home again cause we lost with penalties.

van Persie is in the studio also now and they will go full force against Argentina according to the players. "We will not go for a draw but we want to win" Well looking at Argentina today........don't think so

 

[Fernandez]

van Persie is in the studio also now and they will go full force against Argentina according to the players. "We will not go for a draw but we want to win" Well looking at Argentina today........don't think so

This is an example of a guy who loves his compatriot buddy Ruud, but doesn't back his country to beat Argentina. Where's the loyalty?

 

[Krypton X]

Cote D'Ivoire how many friggin' chances do you need? and what the hell was that from Holland, I wouldn't have expected a team of their class to spend half the game defending a one goal lead, they totally played IC into the match, they're just fortunate Ivory Coast's finishing is garbage, just like the refereeing of this match.
I hope IC can maintain this standard of football until the next WC, with some more experience and a better keeper they could be a much more formidable side.

Damn it, I was hoping for a draw to spice up the Holland-Argentina clash, but either way if the Dutch continue playing like they did in the last 45 minutes they're just going to get themselves steamrolled by Argentina and any of the other quality teams.

 

[Luis Ah-Hoy]

Silencer, you're an unbiased lad...

I congratulate you!

 

[Silencer]

Of course I will always back my country wise @ss but you have to realistic as well. I hope we'll win of course. Payback for WC1978.
We played against Argentina last year in a friendly here in Holland and we won but this is the WC.

 

[Silencer]

Silencer, you're an unbiased lad...

I congratulate you!

Thanks, you can be proud of IC as well cause if they can keep this up and become even better they are a serious dangerous side for many teams.
It's good for IC to play at the WC to have more experience now and I really like to see them play.
In a way it's a pity that they are out now but they are in a very unlucky group against us and Argentina. Hopefully they will beat Serbia in their last game and seeing them today they have a real chance!

 

[VanTheMin]

great to see ruud scoring. after he was subbed, i think IC deserved something from their play.

argentina to win the group i say

 

[Hendrik]

What was that, I've never seen a Dutch team play such a negative football and still their defense looked shaky at times. They subbed their only striker for a defensive midfielder with 20 minutes left in the game. If Advocaat was the coach and let them play these tactics the tabloids would have called him all kinds of names and he'd be gone by the end of the tournament.

I'm predicting an early exit in the knockout stages.

 

[Fernandez]

Besides the goal, Ruud was invisible again. Looks liek he is testing an invisibility cloak with Owen and Henry.

I'm predicting an early exit in the knockout stages.

If they don't get Portugal that is. I expect them to beat Mexico, Iran or Angola.

 

[rpvankasteren]

What was that, I've never seen a Dutch team play such a negative football and still their defense looked shaky at times. They subbed their only striker for a defensive midfielder with 20 minutes left in the game. If Advocaat was the coach and let them play these tactics the tabloids would have called him all kinds of names and he'd be gone by the end of the tournament.

I'm predicting an early exit in the knockout stages.

But now we have a coach with Italian roots. And he has some kind of boyish charm over him not even the most heterosexual men could ignore.

 

[Zlatan]

Man I'm so happy we've made. Doesn't matter to me that we were awfully crap in the second half. Our first half compensates for that.

w00t we've done it! Group of death? hahahahahahahahahaha!

 

[Luis Ah-Hoy]

Zlatan, i bet you weren't laughing so loud, until the final whistle....

 

[Midwinter]

What was that, I've never seen a Dutch team play such a negative football and still their defense looked shaky at times. ... If Advocaat was the coach and let them play these tactics the tabloids would have called him all kinds of names and he'd be gone by the end of the tournament.

I understand what you mean, but it's definitely not because of 'negative tactics'. Holland just isn't that good. They didn't 'happily sit back' defending the lead, they were forced to do so by the storm Ivory Coast unleashed on the Dutch goal. So my compliments to Cote d'Ivoire, they really deserved a point this game, and I'm Dutch myself...

They subbed their only striker for a defensive midfielder with 20 minutes left in the game.

I think you overlooked Robben and Van Persie?

 

[Silencer]

What was that, I've never seen a Dutch team play such a negative football and still their defense looked shaky at times. They subbed their only striker for a defensive midfielder with 20 minutes left in the game. If Advocaat was the coach and let them play these tactics the tabloids would have called him all kinds of names and he'd be gone by the end of the tournament.

I'm predicting an early exit in the knockout stages.

Yeah for Germany, talking about a team that really sucks
As if they are playing like champions, hosting the tournament and playing like crap. Your friendlies were mainly a joke. I remember the beating you took from Romania which we beat 2 times in the qualifying rounds. Man I really hope we face you again, I've read that the Germans are sh*tting their pants if they think about meeting us in the tournament and you should cause we will kick you out of your own tournament if it comes to that waaaaaahahahahahahahahahahaha

 

[NGAFOOTBALLKING]

Côte d'Ivoire is by far the best african country now. They played very well. Damn I'm proud of them, better team in their first two games. They were just unlucky and unexperienced.

There is no way in hell they're the best team in africa. If it wasn't for the fact that most african players put club before ALWAYS then Nigeria and Cameroon would be here and they would of beaten Holland or Portugal its just that in africa money is more important than pride.

They played well, but I still think Nigeria's 1994 team was the only African team with a legitimate chance to actually win 1st, 2nd or 3rd. Their loss to Italy was devestating.

Exactly you hit the nail on the head.

 

[TheBlueBalla]

holland played awful, ivory coast dominated the whole match(just not the first 20 min)
they cannot win the world cup, they dont have what it takes

Dude, so wrong. Posession meant nothing because they were just wasteful with it. Holland never looked more than a bit worried outside the last 20

Personally, I like Holland's chances if theyre as clinical as they were today. Nobody can stop that trio up front when theyre on their game

But now we have a coach with Italian roots. And he has some kind of boyish charm over him not even the most heterosexual men could ignore.

haha