WC04 Qual.: Holland vs. Czech Republic

[Vagegast]

Game's Wednesday.

Both teams are missing big names. The Czechs are missing Nedved, Poborsky and Galasek. Dutch are missing big names who retired after EURO2004, plus a laundry list of injured and suspended.

Full squad for Czech Republic:
Goalkeepers: Jaromir Blazek (Sparta Prague), Petr Cech (Chelsea, England), Antonin Kinsky (Saturn Ramenskoye, Russia)

Defenders: Rene Bolf (Auxerre, France), Zdenek Grygera (Ajax Amsterdam, Netherlands), Tomas Hubschmann (Shakhtar Donetsk, Ukraine), Marek Jankulovski (Udinese, Italy), Martin Jiranek (Spartak Moscow, Russia), David Rozehnal (FC Brugge, Belgium), Tomas Ujfalusi (Fiorentina, Italy).

Midfielders: Karel Poborsky (Sparta Prague), Tomas Rosicky (Dortmund, Germany), Rudolf Skacel (Panathianaikos Athens, Greece), Roman Tyce (Munich 1860, Germany), Stepan Vachousek (Austria Vienna)

Forwards: Milan Baros (Liverpool, England), Marek Heinz (Moenchengladbach, Germany), Jan Koller (Dortmund, Germany), Vratislav Lokvenc (Bochum, Germany)

Full squad for Holland:
Goalkeepers: Edwin van der Sar (Fulham) en Maarten Stekelenburg (Ajax)

Defenders: Khalid Boulahrouz (Hamburger SV), Kevin Hofland (VfL Wolfsburg), Nigel de Jong (Ajax), Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Barcelona), Wilfred Bouma (PSV), John Heitinga (Ajax) en André Ooijer (PSV)

Midfield: Rafael van der Vaart (Ajax), Denny Landzaat (AZ), Mark van Bommel (PSV), Wesley Sneijder (Ajax) en Edgar Davids (Internazionale)

Forwards: Pierre van Hooijdonk (Fenerbahçe), Roy Makaay (Bayern München), Romeo Castelen (Feyenoord) en Dirk Kuijt (Feyenoord)

 

[$teauA]

I hope they manage to injure even more players so that Romania can have an easier game . I say 1-1.

 

[Awax]

Unfortunatly there's no WC 2004.. but anyway, Go Czechs.

 

[NIDOKING]

We will miss many players from both squads, sounds like an overrated match, cause both stars (Nedved and van Nistelrooy) are absents, plus many others important players as Poborsky, but, anyways, It'll be a great match. Anyone has the line-ups?

BTW, I predict a 1-0 for Czech Republic, due to a long shot of Rozicky Though Sneijder will be the man of the match

 

[adnan2850]

i've got a question about holland?

why doesn't hasselbank ever play? hes really good!

 

[Vagegast]

Maybe it's because you don't remember. His first game was back in 1988.

Anyway, whenever he was in shape he was selected (EURO 2000 + WC 2002 qualifying). Advocaat didn't select him because there were 4 strikers that were better than him (RvN, Kluivert, Makaay, van Hooydonk). And it may sound weird but the Dutch want more from their forwards than goals. He doesn't have the skill and technique that the 4 forwards I just mentioned have.

As for now, he's getting old (35) and van Basten likes young talents so Dirk Kuijt gets the preference over Hasselbaink.

 

[Duong]

I predict Holland 1 - 3 Czech Republic....

 

[dannyeli]

Go Holland !!!!

2-1 Honestly. i think Sneijder and Makaay, although it will be a very tough match. But man, its wierd to see the Holland team without Seedorf (Van Basten won't call him up), Stam, De Boer , Reizeger....

 

[fender]

Holland's defence doesn't seem really reassuring. (:/)

I say a 2-2 draw, and hopefully its gonna be a exciting one.

 

[Vagegast]

Yeah, our defense is always our weakest part. No Reiziger, Stam, Frank de Boer, Cocu.

Ah, I'm not worrying about Seedorf. We've got the midfield covered, trust me. From left to right: Sneijder, van Bommel, Davids, van der Vaart. What more could you wish for?

 

[dannyeli]

Robben

 

[Vagegast]

Well, he's a winger so I counted him as a forward. But he's injured We need him.

 

[dannyeli]

i know he;s injured... anyway is Van Basten counting with him, right ? I mean, he was arguably the best player in the Euro Cup for Holland.

 

[Delly]

Is van Hooijdonk starting? He should, he's been in good form lately.

 

[Zlatan]

I fear the worst for the Dutchies but let's hope Marco is smart enough to give Kuijt a starting place as he is in good shape lately.

 

[Atlas]

Holland 3-3 Czech Rep.

Makaay x 2
van der Vaart

Baros x 3

 

[fender]

Well according to soccernet, Poborsky won't be playing. He needs more time to recover from a back injury sustained while lifting his daughter.

Chalk another up for the strange injuries list.

 

[mhflierman]

Holland are missing players but so are the Czechs. No Nedved, no Poborsky, no Galasek. Our defence kinda sucks, and we're lacking wingers as well. It'll be a tough game. We should be able to rule the midfield though, with an impressive Van Bommal, a strong Davids and the talent of either Van der Vaart or Sneijder (I prefer Sneijder).

 

[adizlaja]

Rosicky will have to carry the midfield load big time. Baros should play with Heinz as Koller is in horrible form.

 

[Vagegast]

Van Bronckhorst, Heitinga, Hofland, de Jong and Castelen are all back from injuries and available Wednesday. Only Bouma is slightly injured,