Semi-Final: Argentina Vs Netherlands

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:

ACMRox wrote:As much as I'd like to see Messi win the tournament for Argentina I see the Dutch winning this one.

Struggling against a park the bus Costa Rica is one thing, counter attacking against a defensively weak Argentina is another.

They didn't look defensively weak today or against Switzerland.

Anyway people keep expecting Argentina's apparent weak defense to crumble every round and they still haven't.

Plus it works both ways, Messi will have more space and in the end he'll drag them through.

Switzerland parked the bus and still were able to expose them and have a couple very good chances, Belgium was really disappointing I'll grant you but the Nigeria game is all the proof I need that this defence is a disaster waiting to happen .

And since LVG will most likely sit back and counter attack I don't see the underwhelming Argentina attack creating too much.

We can beat Netherlands with our free flowing tiki taka style and we've got Messi on our side, he'll lead us to glory this time.  

Pedrionel

all these Messi avatars give me flashbacks of that poster Albiceleste. 2013 GL

I think the the OT vs Costa Rica will hurt the Dutch. Plus Argentina surprised me with how much better they lined up and held there line today vs Belgium. So I'll pick Argentina

Btw, whats the word on Kun and Di Maria? Any chance they will be back soon?

Van Persie aint no Begkamp. If Netherlands should win, it will be all due to Robben imo. Either way , I am not bothered.

I hope the finals consist of Netherlands v Germany or Brazil v Argentina. I want it to be a derby!

The Dutch have to be the favorites here.. I hope Argentina wins though, there's nothing like seeing the best player in the World compete in the final

Like Ronaldo did in 2002

windkick wrote:Btw, whats the word on Kun and Di Maria? Any chance they will be back soon?

Di Maria is likely out for the rest of the tournament, although we will know for sure tomorrow.

Aguero is back in training but it remains to be seen whether he will be able to attain match fitness by the semifinals.

Netherlands are favorite, But Argentina will give everything they have, going to be very close game. Who ever score first will win the match.

Messi pls......pls run through the entire dutch team and score..



pls

I have a feeling Argentina will nick this one.

Argentina - Netherlands always looks like as a special match.
I hope to watch a great match as it was in France 98

It 's first time Netherlands wins to penalty kicks , if I remember correctly

Euro 92 , Euro 96 , World Cup 98 , Euro 2000 ( )

Voted Netherlands.
They just keep on winning as I want them to lose.
I still want them to lose, so I think they'll win this one.

Argentina are going to miss Di Maria big time...all the solidity in their play will be reduced. You need such a player on the pitch

Also, I can already see Macherano getting a yellow for foul on Robben or Sneijder

This game depends on wether DiMaria can make it I think. He is very important to this Argentina team. If he plays I think Argentina will win if not I think they will lose

Has Kun recovered btw?

Robespierre wrote:It 's first time Netherlands wins to penalty kicks , if I remember correctly

Euro 92 , Euro 96 , World Cup 98 , Euro 2000 ( )

They've won a penalty shootout, vs Sweden, in Euro 2004

It's a shame that NDJ and Di Maria are out, both are pivotal to their respective team's setup.

Very difficult choice, I voted Netherlands without real conviction, that's just how I feel it.

I hope Robben shines and win the best player award. he deserves it.

The Franchise wrote:If De Jong was playing, he would thug Messi enough to keep him quite. Now without him...I dont know what Holland gonna do.

But without Di Maria...Argentina are in trouble.

Very interesting

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:

ACMRox wrote:As much as I'd like to see Messi win the tournament for Argentina I see the Dutch winning this one.

Struggling against a park the bus Costa Rica is one thing, counter attacking against a defensively weak Argentina is another.

They didn't look defensively weak today or against Switzerland.

Anyway people keep expecting Argentina's apparent weak defense to crumble every round and they still haven't.

Plus it works both ways, Messi will have more space and in the end he'll drag them through.

Well said.

RED wrote:With LVG at the helm,  Holland don't have nothing to fear.

I wanted to say something on LVG anyway. So this might be the right thread.

When he was first given the Dutch job I thought why would a country hire a coach who last failed to even qualify it for a world cup and a country like Holland at that. However it's rare that a country's football association makes such a splendid choice. He's turned things around very well. From the infighting of Euro 2012 to one of the most united. spirited and mentally tough Dutch teams I have ever seen. He's even made them more attractive to watch that Van Marwijk's WC 2010 team. What's more is that he's done all this with a squad with probably less than five household names. Taking them to the world cup semi final when many had predicted the Dutch to be the first major casualty of the group stages. Before the tournament started bookies had rated them at #8 behind even Belgium, Colombia and France. Then who can ignore his magical substitutions in this tournament not least of all the complete rabbit out of the hat Tim Krul. However it's not just for this tournament that I want to shower him with praise. He's possibly the least valued top level manager in the world largely due to his abrasive nature. See Jupp Heynckes is given so much credit for the brilliant Bayern Munich team of 2012-13 which is fine but what must not be forgotten is that the foundations of that team were built by LVG. He was the one who moved Schweinsteiger to central midfield. He was the one who found Muller. He was the one who brought the best out of Robben and gave him so much confidence that he could excel at the levels he is excelling now instead of his previous reputation of glass man. With a squad having problems in so many positions he took Bayern to the UCL 2009-10 final and lost narrowly. Very few top level coaches trust and get the best out of youth as much as LVG. If we can see beyond his dictatorial and somewhat unpleasant and crazy personality there is no doubt that LVG is a fantastic football manager. If Holland were to win a world cup for the first time then perhaps currently they don't have a coach more deserving of that honour than LVG. Even if they exit in the semi finals he's already done immensely well. So for once hats off to LVG.

Mamad wrote:I hope Robben shines and win the best player award. he deserves it.

Depends really, there's quite a few candidates who would be deserving.

Also i must say while i have a feeling that we are going to see Argentina v Brazil i wouldn't be surprised at all to see a Germany v Holland final either.

All 4 teams have pretty much limped to the semi finals, showing clear and obvious strengths and weaknesses which can and probably will be exploited.

I don't really see a clear favourite from any of them, thus expect two very tight and cagey semi finals.

BarrileteCosmico wrote:Unfortunately this is as far as we go. Demichellis vs Van Persie . Rojo vs Robben . Garay vs Sneijder.  Sabella vs Van Gaal, especially

Hopefully LVG doesn't park the bus though, as he probably will. CRC-NLD was boring enough for the dutch fans, let alone neutrals.

Pessimism has served us well in this tournament. The brilliant Argentina of 2006 did not reach the world cup semi finals but this "fluke" team has done just that. So let's continue to be pessimistic and end up winning the world cup.

RealGunner wrote:I am confident in Messi's powers. If anyone can, he can. Just hoping Aguero is fit. Also Enzo needs to start.

I think Messi is the main reason why so many are supporting Argentina this time including even people who would likely not be well disposed towards them because of past rivalries.

Go Messi win the world cup and forever sit on the golden throne where only Maradona and Pele currently sit.