[RubberKettle]

What is Holland?

[MCherry281]

I think Draw +232 is the best play. This is a tough one. I think it ends 1-1

[lakerboy]

The more I think about it I gotta take germany ml +153 for a bit. Books have no choice but to respect the dutch but they are bickering again ( what else is new) and the germans can be clinical.

[RubberKettle]

Hup Holland Hup

[lunchbawks]

netherlands all the way

[Dark Horse]

Holland has a philosophical problem these days. The typical Dutch style is what has made Orange a public favorite for decades. (they played in WC finals in Germany against Germany and in Argentina against Argentina, before winning a Euro Cup in 1988, and losing another WC final to Spain). The last WC was a departure from the Dutch school under coach Van Marwijk. Instead of playing an offensive possession-based game, they played a counter-attacking style. In that style, with a lot of open space once you get the ball, the combination Schneider to Robben was especially dangerous. But the style didn't earn Holland style points, and this tournament they're back to their regular style; based on the 'total soccer' they invented.

But this transition back to total soccer is not going very well, because that style is based on the Ajax school. And the present coach, as well as the striker (Van Persie) are from the Feyenoord school in Holland. An Ajax striker will position himself very differently than Van Persie. Huntelaar played a few years for Ajax, but he's on the bench. In the Ajax system many different players are played clear before the opposing goalie, but that is because the striker is not only a prolific goal scorer, but also knows when to move away to make room for others moving into his space, and, even more importantly, knows how to bounce the ball with his back to the goal. This quick one-touch bouncing allows incoming players, like Schneider, either a clear shot on goal or a chance to pass the ball into the box to an incoming player. All that Ajax-stuff is lost with Van Persie upfront.

So now you have a team that relies on the individual actions of Van Persie and Robben, with other players sort of standing by and watching (those two squandering chances). It doesn't make much sense that Van Marwijk is attempting this transition with the same players as two years ago. In a way Holland is paying the price for the strong run two years ago, because Van Marwijk is getting surprisingly little criticism. This team is not really clicking, and even though they dramatically outplayed Denmark in the first 25 minutes of the opening game, and could have easily been up two or three goals, the fact that they didn't score suggests that the players, especially Robben and Van Persie, are not sharp. They look tired. The fact that Holland couldn't keep up the pressure after the first half hour means a lot. They didn't shake of the bad luck of a Danish goal, but were mentally affected. You don't see that kind of lack of resiliency in a championship team.

Germany should at least be able to get a draw here. That's all they need. They don't have to win this, which is very important when handicapping this game. They're solid as usual, and will be hard to beat by anyone. I expect both teams to be more cautious in the first half, with the game opening up in the second half. So I would bet the prop: more goals in second half than in first half.

[PaperTrail07]

Germany--Spread PICK on heritage=NO DRAW BS -118.....gotta go w it

[lakerboy]

Nice analysis Dark horse.

[moshi]

Difficult to pick a side. I'm going with both teams to score and 2nd half more goals.

[hedgejob]

O3.5

[Dfjay9]

Threw some cash on germany +150

[zoo youk]

what a chance for Van Persie

[zoo youk]

Holland looks like much better team so far

[zoo youk]

gooaaaaalllllllll

what a sweet pass

[zoo youk]

fawwwwk just missed another

[zoo youk]

banggggggggggggggg!!!!!!!!!!!!

[lakerboy]

Holland is a joke

[zoo youk]

may I ask how a guy named mario gomez is german??? LOL

[RubberKettle]

Holland being punished. Lets get another goal so I can break even

[k13]

may I ask how a guy named mario gomez is german??? LOL

His dad is spanish.

[convick]

Father is Spanish and mother German I think.

[YorkHunt]

Gomez is gay.

[lunchbawks]

what a chance for Van Persie

this fukkn guy is a disaster

[RubberKettle]

Rafa and Klaas on cmon Holland get us a goal

[paco]

Nederland gonna get shut out

[YorkHunt]

i need one more goal from either.

Hollands D looks atrocious youll get at least 2 more goals.

[zoo youk]

need 1 more goal to hit the over 2.5 along with germany PK

damn as im typing this Van persie just misses one

[Dfjay9]

Let me go ahead and jinx it and say im glad I got talked into ger +150 instead of pk

[YorkHunt]

DJ no jinx....The more Holland presses the more chance the Nazis will pop in a 3rd goal

[Dfjay9]

I feel dirty rooting for them after they cheated my England last WC

[paco]

Over cash!

[RubberKettle]

Lets go what a goal