Holland 1-0 Japan: Little tactical excitement
There have been a few low-key games at the World Cup so far, but this was one of the worst. Holland continue to disappoint with a lack of attacking flair, whilst Japan were content with a draw, and didn’t threaten until the 90th minute.
Both sides kept faith with their opening day line-ups. Holland continued to play both Rafael van der Vaart and Wesley Sneijder despite the impressive substitute appearance of Elijero Elia against Denmark. Arjen Robben was not fit enough for consideration.
Japan lined up in their customary shape, which is often described as a 4-3-3 but is closer to a 4-1-4-1 as they generally spend most of the game without the ball, so the wide players take up defensive positions ahead of the full-backs.
The natural result of the two shapes was a fairly static game – Yuki Abe looked to prevent the ball being played into Sneijder’s feet whilst the two Japanese central midfielders tracked Mark van Bommel’s runs, and allowed Nigel de Jong a little bit more time on the ball.
Dutch face same problems
Japan’s tactics were essentially a carbon copy of the Danish tactics that had stifled Holland so well in the first game. One holding midfielder with four midfield runners who dropped into very deep (and central) when they didn’t have the ball, and this made it very difficult for Holland to play through them.
The Dutch problems were the same as in the first game – a lack of natural width. van der Vaart always looks to come inside into Sneijder’s space, whilst Dirk Kuyt often finds himself alone on the right when Robin van Persie drifts to the left, and is not a particularly tricky or pacey player anyway. The most disappointing thing about the Dutch so far is how reserved their full-backs have been, particularly with the protection of two holding midfielders screening the back four.
Instead, they looked to Sneijder and van der Vaart to create in tight spaces, but again they found themselves trying to operate in a similar space, and were often crowded out. Holland played at a slow pace which allowed Japan to drop back into good defensive positions, and they needed to move the ball forward more quickly.
Japan's 4-1-4-1 formation meant they regularly got nine players back into their own third of the pitch. The goal was notable in coming when Holland got Dirk Kuyt into the box alongside Robin van Persie, something that rarely happened in the first half.
Part of the problem with this is that Robin van Persie still looks like he’s trying to regain full match fitness – some quick, straight balls towards him, dropping off the centre-backs, were met with uncharacteristically poor first touches, and this wasn’t helped by a surprising lack of desire from the band of three attackers to make runs into the space he created.
Change in approach after half-time
After half-time Holland were more content to cross the ball into the box. The wingers played slightly wider and the full-backs were more advanced, although often van Persie was often the only target. Most of the aerial balls were met by the head of towering defender Marcus Tulio.
Ironically, the goal came from Tulio’s only poor header of the game; it rebounded to the edge of the area, where Sneijder thumped it into the net. It was the second time in as many games that Holland had relied on a poor defensive header to get the breakthrough – and strangely, both times the mistake came from an opposition defender who had been the best player on the pitch until that point.
Looking at it from another perspective, it was the second time Holland had broken the deadlock by putting a cross into the box, suggesting that this approach (which seems quite unnatural to their attacking players) might be more effective than constantly playing through the centre.
Japan pushed forward looking for an equaliser, but found it difficult to revert from their defensive-minded shape to a more attacking approach. Their only real goalscoring opportunity game in the final minute, from a long ball that Tulio headed on for substitute Shinji Okazaki, who blasted over.
The main effect of Japan becoming more attacking was to leave gaps at the back – which Ibrahim Afellay exploited well after his introduction, again suggesting that some pace is needed in the Dutch attack.
Conclusion
In all, a very disappointing game. In entertainment terms it was underwhelming, and we really learned nothing more about either side tactically. Japan’s 4-1-4-1 cancelling out Holland’s 4-2-3-1 was predictable from merely setting the sides out on paper.
Japan’s near-successful defensive tactics reinforce the view that defending deep against Holland is the best way to stop them, but despite the technical quality upfront they rarely tested the Dutch defence and weren’t ambitious enough to deserve anything from the game.
Holland 1-0 Japan: Little tactical excitement
As I said elswhere (and read in yet another place), have the Dutch turned into Germans, and the Germans turned Dutch?
I hope not!
I saw the game Netherlands – Ghana, and the Netherlands were very good (and Ghana horrible). And now? A few weeks later at the World Cup, I don’t know what to say.
I felt that the lack of width was less of a problem today than it was against the Danes, since Van der Vaart would move right of centre more often, instead of left of centre as he did against the Danes. Sneijder and Van der Vaart were less in each other’s way, and even managed a few good combinations.
As for the limited attacking threat from the full backs you point out, on the left this is mainly a case of Giovanni van Bronckhorst no longer having the legs for it. Bert van Marwijk has made a few dubious calls when determining the final 23, and omitting Urby Emanuelson in favour of Van Brinckhorst and Braafheid has been the biggest one. Urby would have been the perfect left back for the past two games.
Spot on analysis as usual of an awfully boring game. We want Robben back!
The Netherlands are having difficulties similar to what Spain went through in their match against Switzerland. Both teams repeatedly shuttle the attack through the middle. But their players are winding up overcrowding the center of the pitch and are playing in each other’s space. Silva and Van Der Vaart have both drifted off their wings too much and are making it easier for the opposition to crowd the center and defend.
Today Sneijder’s ability to strike the ball outside the box with quality was the difference. Xavi, Iniesta and Silva are all world class players but scoring from outside of box is not a strength of any of the three. It’s not a central part of their skill sets.
Both the Netherlands and Spain play very creatively but that style has been confining rather than liberating in some ways so far during the Cup. It will be interesting to see how each adjusts tactically to diversify their attacks as the opposition has a template for how to play each of them defensively.
Fabregas anyone?
I keep regretting watching these games because it feels like eye damage. Japan did nothing special defensively but Holland kept trying to do the same thing over and over again and it failed every time.
These so called creative teams seem to suffer from Arsenal syndrome, trying to pass through packed defenses. When it doesn’t work they blame the other team for being defensive. Typical
The tactical inflexibility of teams and coaches in this WC has been frustrating. A good deal of slow learning is going on, it would seem, and too little willingness to respond to how the game is shaping up by the coaching and playing staff.
France and England seem particularly poor in this regard, doing the same ineffective things over and over without seemingly a moment of introspection. A manager or team that is adaptive to the conditions of each match seems to have a really good chance of coming out of this tournament with unusual success, given the lack of imagination so many teams are exhibiting. Bielsa maybe? Aguirre? They at least have personnel that are flexible and can adapt. I’d say Maradona too, but his decisions vis-a-vis Jonas don’t give me much confidence in his tactical acumen. Then again, his gamble with Maxi worked out well in the last game, so maybe he’s got more up his sleeve than I’d be inclined to believe.
From what I’ve read Bilardo may give Maradonna a bit of help tactically.
Holland are playing the type of football that will finally win them the World Cup
Anyone spot this? http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/19062010/2/tactical-switch-works-wonders-dutch.html?
I didn’t…
As was mentioned in some of the TV analysis, the pace of Elia and Affelay seemed to give the rest of the midfield more space as they stretched the play.
But I didn’t notice De Jong and Van Bommel playing further forward, Van Bommel was making forward runs in the first half, as you mentioned.
I have to admit I found it hard to stay awake during the second half though.
Ya, I didn’t see that at all either.
After the displays of Elia and Affelay I wonder if either will get a starting berth for the next game, they deserve it. I imagine the coach is waiting for Robben to be fit to inject the pace but it may be better to give him an extra game off as they don’t need to win their final group game to finish top.
I agree completely with the full backs not getting forward enough, especially when Japan are so defensive. It seems unecessarily cautious at times.
I must say, I’d place Sneijder higher up the pitch. In the first half especially, he spent more time further forward than van Persie (on and – very rarely – off-ball)
As a Dutchman i have to say this: that most of the team is not only massively overrated individually (they’re good but not nearly the world class superheroes our pundits here in Holland mistake them for, with the exception of Arjen Robben), but that i am extremely annoyed with the baseless “arguments” in Holland as to why the Dutch playing badly or boringly is a good thing. It is said that playing well or entertainingly has won them nothing so maybe playing this way will make a difference. Apparently the dross served up in 1990 and 2004 (E.C.) has escaped their collective memory. They played awfully and still won nothing.
We can play some gorgeous football and be eliminated in the final-16 round, but at least two years from now many people would remember our games, as they do the games against Italy and France two years ago. We could play football that would make one fall into a coma (as we do now), reach farther by one round and still be eliminated, and nobody will even remember we participated. What’s the point? If winning is all that matters, all i have to do is ask about the result once the game is over. I needn’t subject myself to this pain.
I’m embarrassed by the usual arrogance in Holland, the wishful but baseless thinking, and all the nonsense of our “big 4″ whom up to now could be found in the back rather than the front.
Robin Van Persie needed to play center forward…for what reason exactly? He can’t hold the ball, he doesn’t outplay defenders by flair, he’s not scoring and his first touch is woeful thus far. He’s stumbling over his own legs and the only round shape he’s managed to strike well thus far is opponents’ heads.
v.d. Vaart needed to play but the only one he seems to be playing for is v.d.Vaart, because he is obviously ignoring tactical instructions for his own personal benefit. Sneijder is satisfied enough with himself to think his “man of the match” award against Denmark was completely justified (it wasn’t). It was embarrassing how he can think even from 50 yards his set pieces would hit the target, when all they do is end up near Antarctica. Try laying them on a teammates head, you self-centered dummy!
We’ve gone ahead against both Denmark and Japan because of awful blundering, not skill, and yet most people here seem to be satisfied with it all, while hypocritically lambasting all of the other games for being boring and bad.
A touch harsh there, don’t you think ?
While I agree that Holland have needed a bit of luck for both of their wins, it is not a case of overrated individuals, rather a lack of proper movement and understanding between them.
As has been pointed out in this site, Sneijder and V.d.Vaart keep running in same space, stemming the flow. One cannot expect Kuyt to keep beating his marker to provide crosses, yet he does a good enough job on the right and will do so even better, provided that van der Wiel supports him during attack.
Van Persie has not been at his best, but then the way Holland are playing, pinging crosses in the box, does not suits him. He is at his best when dropping deep and linking up with the midfield runners. Also, either Van Bronckhorst should join more in the attack, or van der Vaart should be dropped for Elia.
So, it is not really a case of the team being overhyped, but (like England) a case of poor tactics.
I don’t think i’m being overly hard. The type of game these players prefer having only works with opponents that give them the time and space to do it, i think.
And with our reputation they can forget about that at this stage.
I think it probably requires knowledge of the kind of arrogance and self-inflation we get here in Holland from both pundits and players to realize just how overrated they are. Van Persie is being seen here as one of the best in the world, a world beater, when the lad has yet to prove any such thing for club or country. These players (the “big four”) all want to play, want to play together, and claim they also CAN. Yet when they get the chance they all either fail to deliver on their preferred positions because they’re in love with the ball instead of maintaining tactical discipline, or think themselves so highly they try truly stupid things like free kicks from ridiculous distances (Sneijder) even though he fails again and again.
I’ve seen Van Persie stumble around not being able to deal with tight marking (he scored twice in a friendly against Mexico with space enough to fit the team bus between him and his marker, so to speak, but people ignore that), because he struggles with his first touch and lack of agility/balance. Yet he insists on playing in that position. He may drop deep to link up but then who’s in the endzone? We need a man to stay there and deal with it. If Van Persie simply cannot do that then he needs to quit stating his preference and play where the manager tells him to.
Kuyt? Sorry, he cannot get by his man because he doesn’t have the technical ability or flair. He’s a hard worker and that’s it.
You’re correct that Elia should replace v.d.Vaart but the manager doesn’t seem willing.
And Van Bronckhorst will quit football after the tournament so that should tell you something: he’s too old and slow to run up and down the flank and still be in place defensively when required.
But finally and this is the thing: i could handle it if they were regarded the quality they are, somewhere beneath the absolute top sides. But the overestimation of these guys by people, pundits and players here in Holland has them be one of the candidates for the gold, and it’s utterly baseless.
Forget about winning the gold, i say, and think about entertaining people. Trying to win the gold will get us neither.
Hmmm… it seems to me that you are frustated more by the fact that Holland are being overhyped by their media than their general play… I have never been to Holland and am unaware of the general mentality of people regarding their players, so I will submit to your arguments.
I concede that players like Van Persie and Van der Vaart have not achieved much with their clubs. But this Holland team also reached semi finals of Euro 08, and performed well in qualifying matches.
I still feel with correct tactics, this team can go a long way.
I guess it’s the schizophrenia of the attitude that bothers me. Overhyping them by others and by themselves, yet being reasonably satisfied with their displays thus far. Also the lack of rationale by claiming that playing badly and winning will get you farther than playing well and winning (as they did two years ago).
Concerning the players, don’t get me wrong. I don’t think they’re bad at all. Just overrated. Maybe i feel like i’m being taken for a fool when i’m told the likes of V.Persie are technical wonderkids, when i can clearly see him actually having to struggle hard to do something nice with the ball, while the real whizz kids like Messi, Ronaldo, Aguero etc do it like it comes naturally.
And when it comes to the likes of Kuyt, he is massively popular here because he’s such a workhorse. Maybe it’s me, but working hard has always struck me as a given rather than a quality. Because i don’t particularly find him very useful outside of his workrate, i’m never all that impressed by him.
Anyway, i hope thing will finally improve from here on in.
Van Persie is probably off form because he hasn’t played much this season due to injury. He has shown glimpses of being world class but no prolonged form.
But if he isn’t playing well who are you going to play up front? He seems like the best of a bad lot.
Van der Vaart is being played out of position. He’s never been a wide player and it shows in this tournament. It seems like the same problem Brazil had in 2006 where they tried to cram all their playmakes in the same side.
I’ve never been a fan of Kuyt. I guess he gets the nod over others because of his movement in to the box. I imagine he will get replaced with Robben when he’s fit.
Robben will make a difference to all those players because he can get in behind the defense and widen the play giving V.d. Vaart and Sneijder more room to play.
I would have selected V.Nistelrooy. He knows what its like to be invisible for 80 minutes and yet is always where he’s supposed to be and knows how to deal with it. He’s a pure striker. He may not be 100% match fit but he doesn’t need to be. V.Persie really seems to me to be one who needs space to deal with his own physical clumsiness.
V.Persie also wants to play the ball so when he’s without it too long he gets out of position, much like V.D.Vaart moving off of the left flank toward the middle because he really feels he needs to be part of the play. I hope Robben will replace Kuyt once he’s fit enough but in Holland some of us are affraid the manager will either give Kuyt his vote of confidence and have Robben come in later in the games, of put Robben on the left side as he’s done in the past. In my opinion Robben and Elia should play on the flanks.
agree that sneijder was never man of the match. it had to be van bommel, he was outstanding
I’ve actually been enjoying watching the Netherlands in their first two matches. It’s not total football, but it’s been really effective. They’re running their opponents into the ground forcing them to chase the ball (66% possession in both matches) and then taking advantage of the tired legs and inevitable mistakes. Japan and Denmark may have put up solid defensive performances in the first half of both matches, but they never looked close to scoring.
My best guess is that this is a tactical decision — the Netherlands are in a weak group against teams likely to play very defensively, so rather than expending a lot of energy trying to break down a packed defense, they played very patiently. I think we’ll see the brakes come off a bit against Cameroon, who I doubt will pack nine men in the box against them.
Cameroon? They’ve booked the flight home, and this game is essentially a throwaway game.
Right. That’s why I think it’ll be a more open game. It’s not like Cameroon have anything to lose, and they’re not a naturally defensive side.
@mlyons, you are spot on.
During UEFA 2008 they blew their load in the group phase. They went in at 100% vs Italy and France, then got rusty from playing a B-Squad in the glorified training match vs Romania. When the knock-out phase started they were already worn out. Also, they had already shown their cards to the rest of the teams. Russia picked up well on that and effectively denied them a semi-final spot.
They learned from that. I think Bert van Marwijk is well aware of whole “choke-theory”, and pays a great deal of attention on how to deal with that tag.
Like you stated, they have learned not to tire themselves against opponents that wouldn’t mind a draw or a small loss. In the knockout phase only a win counts, and opponents can’t afford to use the ultra-defensive formations. This is when Holland can play their own fluid game again, and as a bonus, later-stage opponents will not know the true strength of the Dutch playing at full potential.
The players seem to be very relaxed and confident, so my guess is they know their own potential all too well.
I haven’t enjoyed them but I concede it’s hard to play beautiful flowing football with 10 men behind the ball. The problem is they seem so much better with Elia and Affelay on the pitch.
I’m not sure if it is tired legs or these players who make the difference late in the games but I think it’s the latter.
It will be interesting to see how they play against Cameroon, especially now that they’ve qualified and Cameroon have nothing to play for.
Holland had more room to create in the second half following their goal, but the swift passing game they worked brightly in the first half slowed to a crawl. I saw several kick backs where a player was open in an advantageous position forward, with room to turn. In the first half, the kick backs were smart efficient escapes from the pressing Japanese players; in the second, the kick backs demonstrated a lack of awareness of their teammates’ positions. Kuyt in particular is doing a good job moving off the ball (and able to turn it when received), but sees it far less than he should.
Do you think that moving V.d. Vaart back into a central midfield position would help players get picked out better as he’s a good user of the ball plus he may have more time on the ball.
I think they were playing this way to just keep the ball and weren’t too bothered about getting a second. Saving their legs as others have mentioned.
Wow this is a great resource.. I’m enjoying it.. good article
I have a feeling that the Dutch coach is merely conserving. Surely he would have realised the lack of real width in the game against Denmark (he also had 2 very seasoned and intelligent former players in philip cocu and frank de boer as his assistants), but perhaps he’s just reserving Robben and Elia for the crunch matches later on, ESPECIALLY against teams playing with attacking fullbacks..