Day 14: Netherlands vs USA | Argentina vs Australia (Last 16 1&2)

Samid

He's no Bilal Ilyas Jhandir
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USA

Match 49
Saturday 03 December, 15.00 GMT @ Khalifa International Stadium
Round of 16



ARG
255711
AUS

Match 50
Saturday 03 December, 19.00 GMT @ Ahmed bin Ali Stadium
Round of 16​
 
I still believe the Netherlands have to come to life at this competition at some point (tough game though) and Argentina will be too strong.

Fancy Argentina to make the semi finals.
 
Netherlands to win in extra time/on penalties, Argentina over 90 minutes. But who knows anymore, it's too difficult to predict.
 
Think we'll scrape by the US with another pragmatic win, though not sure by any means.

I hope the Aussies give Argentina a game, but doubt it.
 
I think the USA can give them a good game and potentially cause an upset. Australia, not so much.
 
Easy Argentina win, USA might cause an upset given Netherlands have looked a bit shit. But I think Netherlands win.
 
What I don't like at all is the fact that USA coach Gregg Berhalter played in the Netherlands for six years, he even played for the same team as Louis van Gaal once did. Which probably means he's been keeping a closer eye to Dutch football than a lot of other NT coaches over the last years, and knows the tactics and culture well. Which might help create some extra believe that they can beat them, or leads to him making some minor tactical tweaks in USA's favour.

Also don't like the fact that Team USA actually has a much better midfield than the Netherlands, despite Frenkie de Jong. Oranje has the better defensive unit, and a marginally better attack, but USA have played with more energy, intensity and determination so far, so all things considered it's probably going to be a very boring close match.

Then Argentina knocks out Holland in the quarters and all of us Dutch supporters are going to wonder why we waited 8 years for this shite.
 
USA let's go!

In my fantasy land it's a USA v. Japan semi. Don't @ me.
 
Hopefully USA do not make it further than this. Holland 4-0 please.
 
Be good for football AND the US if they won the World Cup. A genuine world competition with global competitors.
 
Bulldog United said:
Be good for football AND the US if they won the World Cup. A genuine world competition with global competitors.
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I see another man of culture. USA v. England final. I can dig it. (as long as USA wins)
 
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MarylandMUFan said:
In the World Cup, never. The last 2 times we have been in the round of 16 we lost 2-1 in extra time but never gone to pens.
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Yeah, I knew we never went to PKs in the WC, I just can't remember the last time we ever went to them in other tourneys.
 
Netherlands are dull as feck under LVG, but I still have a soft spot for them because I loved their teams as a kid and I can't have the US doing well. They need to go out next round.

Wouldn't mind the aussies beating Argentina though. Would love the 'Asian' teams to keep progressing.
 
Vidyoyo said:
Will be tough I think for Netherlands if it goes to extra innings
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only in the U.S defence I'd fancy in extra time is Robinson. The other 3 might look a bit leggy, subs aren't great apart from when Zimmerman is heading the ball. Also U.S doesn't have anyone in deep midfield they feel comfortable throwing in apart from Acosta who is just a guy.

But Aaronson has to be one of the best subs at the World Cup. Instant energy. In hindsight I think this was the best job for Gerrard and England should have just played Scholes and Lampard in front of a Hargreaves or Carrick or Parker.
 
Dest and Pulisic will cause Holland untold problems if they're allowed possession. The orange over-30s team could struggle with cut backs. Specially if VvD is in stand still and watch while they shoot mode.

It's got 0-0 all the way to penalties written all over it, hasn't it? (Jinx number two of the day).
 
NoPace said:
only in the U.S defence I'd fancy in extra time is Robinson. The other 3 might look a bit leggy, subs aren't great apart from when Zimmerman is heading the ball. Also U.S doesn't have anyone in deep midfield they feel comfortable throwing in apart from Acosta who is just a guy.

But Aaronson has to be one of the best subs at the World Cup. Instant energy. In hindsight I think this was the best job for Gerrard and England should have just played Scholes and Lampard in front of a Hargreaves or Carrick or Parker.
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Ya I agree with all of this, the biggest weakness is the difficulty to sustain the high intensity for 90 minutes. A big reason for this is the relative lack of depth at the moment for this team. I always felt that this tournament was one cycle too early and reckon that we will have a better overall squad in 2026 instead of just having a good starting XI + 1-2 good subs. Particularly I would like to see development of players in defensive midfield positions (James Sands is a relatively young lad at Rangers currently), center back (Chris Richards for example), and strikers (Sargent is joint top scorer in the Championship so he's on the right track but not quite there yet in terms of being prolific, while Pepi needs a couple more years I reckon).
 
USA - Holland will be a borefest that one team will edge. I think Argentina are on the up now and will have no problem with Australia.
 
I do think this game is going to be one of a bunch of matchups, but the four I am super interested in are:

- Press Resistant(tm) FDJ vs. a rotation of MMA. I am betting that Berhalter has one, or a rotation, of those guys constantly hounding him. If he breaks that then the US is in trouble.
- The US right side (Weah/Dest) vs. Blind. That is a lot of pace and they are constantly flipping who goes forward (on the US goal it was Dest way ahead of Weah). Blind was never the quickest and I look for Berhalter to try and exploit him.
- Gakpo/Memphis vs the US CB's. It's anyone's guess who partners Ream (or hell, maybe Ream gets dropped), but whoever it is will be under constant pressure.
- The US #9 vs the Dutch backline. Whoever it is (hopefully Sargent) will almost certainly be dropping into space to receive the ball. Will VVD and co follow or stay disciplined.
 
Same story for US...it is their midfield, fullbacks, and whatever forward line they throw out. If they win the midfield battle and the fullbacks get into space, the forward line movement if there is any, can catch NL out of position.

Assuming Timber and Ake will flank VVD, that will be an interesting task of the American forward who occupies the central part of the attack.

A CB not VVD, FdJ, and Gakpo will be the difference for Netherlands. If Gakpo gets chances, he'll be clinical for at least one. FdJ could have his way against US, but it'll be tough and he's too talented to dismiss even in a numerical disadvantage.
 
US and A is not dangerous even now I'm not scared of the aura of US and A.
 
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