Berry Smit, trainer of RKAV Volendam, expects a lot from the Dutch national team against Argentina. “They really get a problem,” says the 49-year-old former professional football player in the NH Sport radio broadcast. “Half of Argentina is over thirty.”
The Volendam player enjoyed the match against the United States. Smit saw the game ‘as it should be’ on the Dijk. The Dutch won 3-1, but afterwards was again criticized for the sober game. “I think it’s a bit of a shame. For now, consistent results are being achieved. In the Nations League, preliminary rounds and the start of the World Cup. What is the problem?”, Smit wonders.
Result counts
Smit cites the 2008 European Championship as an example. Then the Orange won in the group stage under national coach Marco van Basten of Italy, France and Romania and went out against Russia in the knockout phase. “That has happened to us too often. Now we are in a good series. We had to win from America and we did. What is actually going wrong?”
The attitude of the analysts is mainly that the Netherlands will have a hard time against top countries. “We have yet to see that”, says Smit, who assumes a good outcome against the South Americans. “Looking at Argentina’s selection. Half are over thirty. They lose to Saudi Arabia and against Australia they had a great chance in the last minute.”
“There are much worse examples of ‘concrete football’. Every ball from us that hits the side, there are four men ready in the box,” says the former defender. He has therefore thought carefully about the battle plan that the Orange should put on the mat. “We have to do the same as against Belgium. Lionel Messi is then say De Bruyne. The Netherlands then won 4-1. Let’s do it the same way. Messi is on paper as a left or right winger. We just have to Marten de “Put Roon on it, just like with De Bruyne. Cody Gakpo then Enzo Fernandez and Memphis Depay let you lead the way on his own. Then you play 5-4-1 in possession of the opponent and then with Davy Klaassen.”
Messi
One of the greatest footballers ever plays in Argentina with Messi. “Messi has had one thing on his mind since he was 17: how do I level with Diego Maradona.” The late star footballer won the World Cup in 1986 with a number of legendary goals. “Maradona took the cup on his own in 1986. This is Messi’s last time to equalize. He also has the gun factor in the Netherlands, except Friday.”
The quarterfinals at the World Cup between the Netherlands and Argentina start next Friday at 8 p.m.