Betting odds Holland

Manager: Bert Van Marwijk
Captain: Giovanni Van Bronckhorst
FIFA Ranking: 3
World Cup Appearances: 8
Best World Cup: Runner’s-up – 1974, 1978

Holland Betting Article

Holland Team Profile

It’s rare that the Netherlands, or Holland – whichever you prefer – turn up at these major events without their own unique party atmosphere, and the crazy Dutch could meet their match with the locals in South Africa. On the pitch, however, Holland will mean business as their explosive players will look to drive Holland towards their third final appearance in a World Cup and possibly to win the competition for the very first time as well.

Holland have been the bridesmaid on two occasions after twice coming up short in the final of a World Cup; 1974 & 1978. Recently, though, the Dutch haven’t even got close and will seek inspiration only from their 1998 semi-final in France when they came oh so close to their third World Cup final but lost out on penalties to Brazil. They haven’t really had a squad strong enough to mount a genuine World Cup push since though, but 2010 could be different as a whole host of players within the Holland squad are branded as ‘World-Class’ in their own right.

The Dutch fell at just the last-sixteen stage in their previous World Cup, while they were knocked out of the European Championships in 2008 in the quarter-finals. At one stage in those 2008 European Championships, the Dutch looked the real deal, the team everyone had to beat as they stormed through the Group of Death in emphatic fashion. But, however, they failed to deliver when the limelight was on them, and only time will tell if they fall ill to the same fate in South Africa. The group shouldn’t be a problem, they should complete that part of the mission fairly comfortably, but the knock-out stage is where the pressure will mount and Holland, in recent years anyway, haven’t coped at all well with knock-out football. There’s no time like 2010 to better that though…

Nicknames: Oranje, The Flying Dutchmen

Holland Key Players

All three mentioned below are exciting, explosive and exhilarating to watch. To have all three in the same team is breathtaking as the deadly combination of Wesley Sneijder, Arjen Robben and Robin Van Persie means Holland’s biggest flaw, their lack of a world-class striker, is now longer of great concern. All three are immensely talented when it comes to creating chances but they can also score plenty of goals themselves.

Wesley Sneijder has been a revelation at his new club Inter Milan since joining from Real Madrid. He has superb vision; possessing the ability to read, predict and influence the forward play, but he’s also a very good hitter of the ball as well. He’s a player which will look to shoot on sight and when he catches it right, they stay hit.

Arjen Robben is a magician on the ball, weaving in and out of defences with ease, using the quickness of his feet and his flexibility to dodge oncoming tackles. He occupies one of the flanks usually, often making the full-backs next 90 minutes a nightmare, but he’s prone to cutting inside and having a pop and he too is deadly from long range. Robben doesn’t get a lot of back lift with his shots but they fizz through the air at a disturbing rate of knots, often swerving from side-to-side that the keeper has no chance.

Robin Van Persie is one of our personal favourites; such a delicate little footballer, sort of Dennis Bergkamp like in how he goes about playing the beautiful game. His deft touches, jinxing little runs in between defenders and one lethal shot make the Dutch winger one of the best forwards in the modern game. He’s also a fabulous reader of the play, often seeing a move before it’s even happened. Great vision, the ability to pick out and implement the perfect through ball. Add to his game precision like set-plays and you’ve got one talented winger. 

Strengths

At the 2008 European Championships, Holland were shaping up as genuine contenders for the European crown after storming through their ‘Group of Death’ with France and Italy, emphatically beating two recent World Cup winners. The catalyst for their success on that occasion was the manner at which they counter-attacked. They were lightening quick, precise with their passes and emphatic with their finishing. The Dutch really did look a sheer delight to watch, and with some explosive and exciting players within their midst once again, we’re expecting some more quick breakaways in South Africa as they look to make the pace and guile of the three Dutch musketeer’s to good effect; Wesley Sneijder, Arjen Robben and Robin Van Persie, all of which are more than comfortable when in possession, know how to take on a defender and certainly know where the goal is. Given the chance to run towards goal, either of the three will punish opponents. 

Weaknesses

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is a young lad with plenty of potential and raw talent, but he has his critics despite plenty of room for improvement, with age certainly on his side. He has, however, tried his hand with some of Europe’s biggest clubs, and on some of the biggest occasions, but he’s disappointed massively and there is a big question mark hanging over Huntelaar heading into South Africa over whether the AC Milan flop has what it takes, has enough experience to score the goals Holland need him to score if they are to go far in South Africa.

In fairness, though, there are few strikers available for Bert van Marwijk to choose from, with Huntelaar likely to be the only out-an-out striker travelling to South Africa for Holland. The prolific Ruud Van Nistlerooy has retired, while the forlorn figure of Dirk Kuyt is perhaps the only back up for Huntelaar in that central-forward role.

Holland Qualification for the World Cup

Sector: Europe
Group: 9
Position: 1st
Win-Draw-Lose: 8-0-0
Goals Scored: 17
Goals Conceded: 2

World Cup Potential: 4 / 5

Holland have some explosive players in their midst, players which can really make a difference and have that big game experience from club football. They’re a team jam packed with creativity and forward ingenuity, with the likes of Wesley Sneijder, Arjen Robben and Robin Van Persie all boasting that vital match winning mentality. We aren’t entirely convinced with their defence but it does have more than enough caps to suffice on paper, while a big tournament is needed from wonder-kid Klaas-Jan Huntelaar if the Dutch are to be a big player in South Africa. We feel they can be and they are one of our personal favourites to spring a surprise at odds which would suggest they have only an outside chance of lifting the FIFA World Cup trophy.

Holland World Cup Betting Odds

Holland to win the World Cup (odds before the final):          3/2 – Bet365

Before the World Cup the odds on Holland were 11/1 

Official Holland World Cup Squad

Goalkeepers

Maarten Stekelenburg (Ajax Amsterdam)

Michel Vorm (FC Utrecht)

Sander Boschker (FC Twente Enschede)

Defenders

Khalid Boulahrouz (VfB Stuttgart)

Edson Braafheid (Celtic Glasgow)

Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Feyenoord Rotterdam)

John Heitinga (FC Everton)

Joris Mathijsen (Hamburg SV)

André Ooijer (PSV Eindhoven)

Gregory van der Wiel (Ajax Amsterdam)

Midfielders

Ibrahim Afellay (PSV Eindhoven)

Mark van Bommel (Bayern Munich)

Nigel de Jong (Manchester City)

Wesley Sneijder (Inter Milan)

Rafael van der Vaart (Real Madrid)

Stijn Schaars (AZ Alkmaar)

Demy de Zeeuw (Ajax Amsterdam)

Eljero Elia (Hamburger SV)

Strikers

Ryan Babel (Liverpool)

Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool)

Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich)

Klaas Jan Huntelaar (AC Milan)

Robin Van Persie (Arsenal)

last update: 18 June 2010

World Cup 2010 Holland Fixtures – Group E

28 June – 15.00 – Round of the last 16: Holland v Slovakia 2-1

02 July – 15.00 – Quarter Finals: Holland v Brazil 2-1

06 July  – 19.30 – Semi Finals: Holland v Uruguay 3-2

11 July – 19.30 – World Cup Final: Holland v Spain

World Cup 2010 Group E - Table

World Cup Fixtures and Results

Spain v Netherlands Betting Odds

Spain to win: 11/10 at Bet365
Draw: 5/2 at Bwin
Netherlands to win: 3/1 at Victor Chandler

To Lift the Trophy
Spain: 4/7 at BetFred
Netherlands: 13/8 at Coral

Spain will go into the 2010 FIFA World Cup final without any worries over injury. Not that coach Vicente Del Bosque is one to change up the side very much, and his only decision remains as to whether to insert Fernando Torres back into the starting eleven. Torres, whose club future is under a great deal of speculation after being linked with Chelsea, was left out of the semi final against Germany, due to his lack of form. The Liverpool striker had an injury troubled season, and had to undergo two knee surgeries before South Africa 2010. Del Bosque had persevered with the striker, giving him plenty of time to play his way into form, but dropped Torres for Barcelona striker Pedro. Pedro was lively and injected extra pace where Torres has been wasteful with chances and in possession. It is expected that Torres will get the start, simply because of his experience, and Arsenal’s Cesc Fabregas is reportedly fully fit after being injured during training, but he was not used in the semi final. Spain will again look to David Villa for their goals, as he has scored 5 of their 7 goals in the tournament, or 71% of their goals if you want a look at it that way.

For Holland coach Bert van Marwijk, there could be a couple of changes from the semi final. Van Marwijk was without preferred holding midfielder Nigel de Jong and full back Gregory van der Wiel for their semi final win over Uruguay, because of suspensions. They will both probably come straight back into the side in replace of Demy De Zeeuw Khalid Boulahrouz respectively. De Zeeuw’s chin met with the boot of a Uruguay player in the semi final, and after concerns that his jaw had been broken, it was discovered that there was no break, but his teeth were damaged. His inclusion is doubtful, especially with De Jong coming back into being available. Key man for Holland Wesley Sneijder reported a problem with his calf, but both he and goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg have both been pronounced fit to go on Sunday. Apart from that, Holland should be able to field their strongest starting eleven, and will hope that they will be able to dig deep and take their chances against the Spanish, in the World Cup Final. The Netherlands have scored 12 goals in the tournament, with goals coming from six different players. It would be something for Dutch defender Andrew Ooijer if he gets onto the pitch, as he celebrates his birthday on July 11.

2010 FIFA World Cup Final Facts
One of the sides will be the eighth nation to win the World Cup, the Final of which is being played at Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg. It will also be the first time that a European nation has won the trophy outside of their own continent.  The Stadium as at the heart of South African football, and it has hosted some famous events in its relatively short history. Kick off is at 19.30 GMT. One person who may finish off Sunday with a whole feast of awards for the season, could be Wesley Sneijder, the Inter Milan player won the Coppa Italia, the Champions League and the Serie A title with his club, and he is also in line for both the Golden Boot and the Golden Ball awards. His performance at the World Cup Final could determine the outcome of those awards, and if he adds the greatest accolade in football by winning the World Cup, it would be some 2010 for him. If Spain are looking at superstitions, then no team has won the World Cup after losing their opening match. This is the fourth time that a team has been in the World Cup final after losing their opening match, but the three previous attempts, by Germany (’82), Argentina (’90) and Italy (‘94) each fell in the Final after opening their campaigns with a loss. Spain and the Netherlands have never met at the World Cup, nor the European Championships.
 

Spain v Holland Betting Odds

Spain to win: 23/20 at Victor Chandler
Draw: 12/5 at Totesport
Holland to win: 11/4 at Totesport

Spain

It is what nearly two years of preparation have led to, the World Cup Final between Spain and Holland. While the strong Spaniards were expected to be in the finals, there was always an air of mystery about whether Holland would have the right mental fortitude to make it all the way through to the finals. Now, after a very strong showing by the South American nations, the European nations dominated the semi finals, and for Spain, it took a very un-Spanish like goal to see them through to the finals. After neatly playing their wonderful passing game, and taking short corner after short corner against Germany in their semi final match, Spain eventually found a way through with a cross into the box which defender Carles Puyol netted with his head. The move summed up the patience of Spain perfectly. All through the match, against a German side which had shown how ruthless they can be, Spain kept their football on the ball, as resisted the temptation to throw balls into the box from corners, simply because of the height and strength of the German defenders. One switched play however, caught the German defence off guard and Spain were into the finals. It is just reward for the European Champions, who have slowly grown in stature all through their 2010 World Cup campaign.

No, the start was not ideal for them, as they lost their opening match to Switzerland, but it was a result which did not hurt them either. It was a real wake up call for the pre-tournament favourites, and it illustrated to the Spanish, just how patient they were going to have to be in breaking down teams which set up completely defensively in front of them. That same trend has pretty much followed Spain all through their tournament, but what Spain do better than any team in the world, is slowly and patiently chip away at their opposition in order to get that break though. For all of their offensive power in the squad, Spain simply have not been going out and steam-rollering teams. Ever since their last group match win, a 2-1 victory over Chile, Spain have won all of their matches by a single goal, with Barcelona striker David Villa usually being the hero. It has been enough to see the Spaniards through time and time again, and the resolve that has been shown from that surprise opening feat, has probably been the biggest asset to coach Vicente Del Bosque. It is often hard for teams going into tournaments as favourites to live up to expectations, largely down to inflated confidence. But that will have been obliterated in the defeat to the Swiss, and humility can be a great tool for learning. The only way for Spain after that, was forward.

Spain do not change their personnel very much and they certainly do not change the way they play. Even going up against the Germans, who were scoring freely throughout the tournament including putting four past England and Argentina, Spain stuck to the plan which works best for them. They didn’t switch to any kind of defensive mode in order to snuff out the threat from the quick Germans, in fact it was the Germans who paid a lot respect to the Spanish and sat back. Any team which takes on Spain are going to have to cede a lot of possession. That is the Spanish way, keeping the ball and making passes all across the pitch, patiently waiting for that opening. The main orchestrator of this is Xavi, who does a lot of unseen work in comparison to the likes of Villa and Iniesta, but he pulls all of the strings in the middle of the park. If something is happening, then the likelihood is that he was at the origin of the move. Do the Spanish have what it takes to create some history and win the World Cup for the first time in their history? It really does feel like it would be now or never for this wonderful Spanish side. The only way they should be able to not get their hands on the title now, would be to blow it through over confidence and conceitedness. But you feel that any hints of that were wiped out by the defeat by the Swiss. Losing may just have won the World Cup for Spain.

Del Bosque started with Pedro up front instead of out of form Fernando Torres, to many people’s surprise. Pedro was incredibly lively and a lot sharper in all aspects of his play than Torres has shown throughout the tournament. Now Del Bosque has to decide whether to stick with the young Pedro, who squandered an incredible opportunity to make it 2-0 to the Spaniards against Germany, or go with the experience of Torres. The leaning is towards the latter, as experience counts for a great deal in the biggest occasions of world football. But Pedro brought a whole new level of energy to the Spanish side, helping out wonderfully on the right hand side in doubling up with impressive right back Sergio Ramos. Now all Spain have to do, is put on another perfect 90 minutes of football, and even if it is just that one goal from David Villa, or whether Torres pops up with a winner, it is all that Spain will need. For more than just an attacking team, Spain are incredibly hard working off the ball. It may be something again which goes unnoticed, but they are tough to break down. Firstly because it is so hard to get the ball off them and to make breaks, but that have one of the best centre half pairings in the world in Gerard Pique and Carles Puyol. Breaking through there is one of the toughest jobs in football at the moment. Spain will rightly start as favourites to be the new named etched in the World Cup history. It is hard to bet against them.

Holland

What can Holland do to stop Spain? Coach Bert Van Marwijk has to take a great deal of credit where many Dutch coaches have failed before. He has not built a particularly spectacular looking side, certainly not of the level of quality of Brazil and Spain in terms of technical ability, but he has perhaps done something more important. He has kept the peace in the Dutch camp, and has united a team which has been infamous for rifts and falling apart under pressure at tournament football. The old Dutch beast threatened to raise its head again during South Africa 2010 when Arsenal striker Robin Van Persie was complaining about being substituted. That blew over pretty quickly, as Van Marwijk played down the incident and was happy to start with Van Persie in the next match. The Arsenal striker was against substituted, but he left the field of play this time with his head quietly hung instead of making a scene. That is perhaps indicative of the mentality that the Dutch have at this tournament. They are together as individuals and that has been the big difference this time around.

Frankly, the Dutch are not as good as the Spanish. That is clear to see in following the action from South Africa 2010, but the Dutch are a solid unit which have been getting the job done. They have needed a lot of luck to get where they are, with Wesley Sneijder getting a lucky goal against Brazil and again in the semi final against Uruguay, which broke the resistance of both teams. While Holland have won all of their games at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, they have not played to the high expectation which was expected from them. Their free flowing confident game has been a little subdued, and certainly getting Arjen Robben back from injury was a major boon for them. He, along with Inter Milan’s Wesley Sneijder is the attacking dimension of the team, and where all of their strengths are. Without them, it is hard to see where the creativity is coming from, and if they are starved of the ball, which they should be against the Spaniards, they will naturally find it hard to make an impact. Without them, the hopes of the Netherlands will rapidly fade, and therefore it will be interesting to see how coach Van Marwijk deals with this problem. Will they simply sit back like Germany did, and look to quickly hit the Spanish on the break. It is something which the Dutch have done in the tournament already, but Spain are so good, not many of those breaks come your way.

All in all, this is Holland’s big day, but their 3-2 victory over Uruguay in the semi finals, showed that they are perhaps a little more vulnerable than the Spanish. The two sides have never met in the World cup finals, and at South Africa 2010, there will definitely be a new name on the trophy. Other records from World Cup history have fallen already, and another one will be the fact that for the first time, a European nation will lift the trophy outside of their own continent. Holland or Spain? Holland will know that they are underdogs, and looking around at World Cup betting tips, everything is leaning towards Spain fulfilling their destiny of being both European and World champions. In order for Holland to get their hands anywhere near the trophy, they will need to tread the thin line between confidence in attack, and displaying a stalwart defence. If they can get a goal early, meaning that they come out and really take the game to the Spaniards in the early stages, then they will have a better chance. Spain will naturally come on to them, and the counter attack may again be the best weapon for the Dutch. They do not have the quality in the midfield that Spain do thought, and that means they must hustle the Spanish players, something the Dutch aren’t great at, and make the most of the opportunities which come their way.

Spain v Holland Betting Tips & Prediction

Prediction (who will win): Spain to win by one goal 13/5 at Bet365

To Lift Trophy
Spain: 4/7 at Bet365
Holland: 6/4 at Bet365

Current World Cup Final Holland v Spain Odds:

Uruguay v Holland Betting Odds

Holland to win: 7/10 at Paddy Power
Draw: 13/5 at SkyBet
Uruguay to win: 11/2 at Bet365

World Cup Semi Final
Date: Tuesday, July 6th
Kick Off: 19.30 GMT

Uruguay

Despite having four teams in the Quarter Finals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, South America have only one representative left, as the remaining Europeans took charge of the competition. Uruguay saw the favoured Brazilians and Argentineans fall by the way side, as they themselves battled through to the semi finals in a tight match against Ghana. Uruguay had the unenviable task of taking on Ghana in the Quarter Finals, who were the last remaining team from Africa. That meant supporters from South America were heavily outnumbered on the African continent, but they were the ones who smiling at the end, after seeing their team win through on penalties. Uruguay have been commended throughout the tournament for their strong defensive play, but they largely had the upper hand in all aspects of their contest against Ghana, who lacked a little punch up front. But it was Ghana who struck first, with a long range effort from midfielder Muntari, who caught Uruguayan keeper Fernando Muslera off guard. It took a great free kick from striker Diego Forlan to draw Uruguay level, but all of the controversy game at the end of extra time, when fellow striker Luis Suarez cleared a shot off his own goal line with his hands. He saw red and Ghana star striker Asamoah Gyan had the chance to put his side into the semi finals, the first time an African nation had been there, from the penalty spot. Gyan hit the bar, and the game went to a shoot-out, which the South Americans won 4-2.

Uruguay have played well throughout the tournament, even if they have not been one of the most exciting teams to watch. They have a superb resilience and team work about them, which is the underlying root of all of their success. They have scored crucial goals when they needed to, and have defended for long periods of game, being quite comfortable in their role of being a defensive team. But they are a side which show a lot of quality when they have time on the ball, with Diego Forlan being at the heart of most of it. While known for his striking prowess across Europe, the number has more tricks up his sleeve than just putting the ball in net. You can watch and admire how he finds space, delivers dead balls with accuracy as well as picking out creative passes. Uruguay are just as comfortable on the ball as any other South American team, but because they have not go the out and out quality as Brazil or Argentina, they work to tactics which work for them. That is being conservative and by giving very little away, it means that they do not have to chase games too hard. Uruguay’s defence works from the front to the back, and the forwards press quite hard to stop the ball getting forward in the first place. The scrapping and quality tackling is a strength of the Uruguayans, especially in midfield, where there are three core players who keep compact. With the two wide forwards dropping back to held in midfield, there is a tough sky blue wall for opponents to get through.

But the South Americans naturally have very good quality up front as well, particularly in the link between Forlan and Suarez. Now however, after his indiscretion in the Quarter Final, Uruguay will have to do without Luis Suarez as they take on Holland in the semi finals. This is quite a big blow for Uruguay, as Suarez is quite the prolific scorer. But, because they generally set up with three players up top, they may be able to cope. Uruguay do put out three forwards, with Forlan linking up between attacking midfielder and extra forward. It is a system which offers a lot of defensive benefits, as well as having the power in position to attack on the counter attack. Uruguay will go into their semi final match as underdogs against Holland, as the Dutch have been riding high on a long run of unbeaten games. But Uruguay can take confidence into the match, simply because of their defence, and knowing that the Netherlands have not looked particularly great through the tournament. Holland v Uruguay will see the South Americans thinking that this as a chance to bring down one of Europe’s elite, by playing a tight, compact game as they always do. Uruguay are a great World Cup Betting tip to grind down, dent the confidence of, and beat Holland.

Uruguay are not a prolific team going forward though, but that does not mean that they do not have goals in them. They are a huge threat from set pieces, and when hitting teams on the break. Holland’s style will suit Uruguay to some extents, as the South Americans will be facing a patient team which like to knock the ball around and look for beautiful goals. Uruguay will be pretty confident that they can negate the threats from Holland, simply by keeping things tight in the middle of the park, and cutting off the supply line to the forwards. They will have to deal with opponents who like to throw a bit more width into their game than any of their opponents have done so far, but with Suarez having to be absent, it may allow for an extra out and out midfielder to spread out and clog up the midfield, leaving just two strikers up top. There is not a harder working team left in the tournament, and the Uruguay strikers always drop back as much as possible anyway, so they always seem to have extra midfielders on the pitch.

Uruguay Team News: Midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro is injured. Captain and defender Diego Lugano is a doubt. Jorge Lugano and Luis Suarez, suspended.

Holland

Holland have not been playing anywhere near their potential of Total Football, the style associated with the Dutch. While they have gone nearly thirty matches now without losing, there appears to be something lacking in their game, an edge that is not quite sharp enough which may see them fail in the Holland v Uruguay semi final. That seems an odd thing to say about a team which just went out and beat Brazil 2-1 in the Quarter Finals. Holland found themselves behind early on in the match after the Brazillian attack were cutting through them like a hot knife through butter. To their credit, they got themselves back into the match with a piece of luck from a cross from key man Wesley Sneijder, which eluded everyone including Julio Cesar in the Brazilian goal. Holland went on to win the match, largely helped by the South Americans completely losing their cool and capitulating, with Brazil’s Felipe Melo being shown the red card. It was a feisty, tetchy match, in which the Netherland were guilty of showing unsportsmanlike conduct, with winger Arjen Robben in particular spending a lot of time on the ground in drawing fouls. He was lucky to still be on the pitch for simulation, as the Dutch players milked all they could in playing up to the referee and agitating the Brazilians.

Holland have not displayed as much firepower as they were expected to have, and while going behind against Brazil was the first time that they have had their backs against the wall, they have not been overly convincing in proving that they have enough to win the World Cup. However, luck does play a huge part in football, and the Dutch are now just two victories away from winning the greatest prize in the game. South Americans Uruguay stand in their way now and it will be tough test for the Dutch, who will need to show a little more passion than they have done. They are on the brink of something good, and perhaps they are saving their best for last, and their best will be needed to break down the resilient Uruguayans. There were rumours of fractions in the Dutch camp after Robin Van Persie was moaning about being substituted in match. He had a very poor afternoon against Brazil, and him not being on song will not help the Dutch cause any. The key man for Holland is Inter Milan’s Wesley Sneijder, who floats around linking up the midfield and attack. It was his two goals which caused the downfall of Brazil, and Uruguay simply have to find a way to keep him quite. They do that, and they will be giving themselves a huge boost.

At the back Holland lost their main centre half Joris Mathijsen just before kick off, and the aging legs of Andre Ooijer had to step in. The Dutch were not, in any way shape or form convincing against Brazil at the back, and Uruguay will fancy their chances there, especially from dead ball situations. The best way for Uruguay to get through Holland will be going down the middle of the park, where the South Americans will be able to out work, out battle and out tackle the European side. There is not a great deal of toughness in the middle for Holland, with Mark Van Bommel being the main man who holds things together. Quite how he was on the pitch at the end of the match against Brazil is quite a mystery, as he was guilty of some very blatant fouls. He was quite reckless, and if the craft and speed of Forlan can get the better of him, then the South Americans will be in with quite a good chance of winning this one. For Holland, this will now represent their best opportunity to win the World Cup in their history. They will believe that they are facing the weakest team left in the competition, and their place in the final should be already booked. This is something else which could work against their favour, underestimating the technical capabilities of the Uruguayans. Holland need to show a lot more conviction, and a lot more creativity than they have done in the tournament so far, in order to break down Uruguay. They have the talent, but do they have the team to rise again and get the job done without being over complacent?

Netherlands Team News: Gergory Van Der Wiel, Nigel De Jong (suspended). Robin Van Persie, Joris Mathijsen (injury doubts).

Holland v Uruguay World Cup Betting Prediction: Uruguay could again edge this one, adding another upset to the list of unexpected results for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Uruguay +0.75 Asian Handicap for 41/40 at Bet365
 

Betting Guide to Holland

Perhaps that old destructive nature has started to creep back into the Netherlands, just as it appeared that Holland were finally a collective that would push on towards World Cup glory together. Arsenal striker Robin Van Persie has been complaining about the fact that he got substituted in Holland’s last sixteen victory over Slovakia. He was visibly unhappy at the time, insisting that Wesley Sneijder should have been taken off instead of him. Now coach Bert Van Marwijk has the task of trying to unite the Dutch side as they chase a place in the World Cup final. All too often Holland have failed to put their talents to good use when it matters, usually falling into some disarray off the pitch at tournament football, which then causes them to crash out. Historically, the Dutch always start well at tournaments, and then bottle it on the big occasion. Even during their impressive qualification run and build up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Van Marwijk kept stating that he is imploring and drilling into the players the need to stay calm and to show a togetherness. The in fighting has been a problem will Dutch sides in the past, and all was looking to be plain sailing until Van Persie launched an angry outburst. Holland unquestionably have the talent worthy of winning in Europe and on the World stage. Whether they can put everything together for three more matches remains to be seen, as they have yet to display with any consistency, the beautiful game they have come to be known for. Not that they have been troubled in the World Cup so far this time, they haven’t, winning all three of their group games comfortably. But the Netherlands look as if they have not hit top gear, and going into a quarter final match against Brazil, that is exactly what you would need.

Holland came through their World Cup qualification with a 100% record, and they are on a long unbeaten run of games, which should put them in good standing in terms of confidence. While confidence is a necessary part of football, the Dutch are usually over confident to the point of arrogance, another of the qualities which are often their own undoing. Holland are famous for Total Football, but they are looking well short of that great title, even though they are clearly one of the stronger teams in Europe. Tournament football has never been their forte though, and like Spain, they are still chasing their first ever World Cup title. They certainly have the individual talent to do it, with Robin Van Persie himself, and the likes of Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben. Do they have the team to do it though? Their back line is solid enough, yet they have rarely been tested against top opposition. Cameroon exposed a lot of holes when playing and pace, and managed to get in behind the Dutch defence on several occasions. It is little things like this which keep Holland from being favourites in tournaments, even though they have some of the most impressive form around. They are not as good as Brazil, but they good give Brazil a good game if they can get enough of the position, but they are nowhere near as potent up front as Brazil are, the same level of threat just is not there. Holland, when the stressful times come and backs are against the wall, probably do not quite have the team nor the team spirit to win out.

Tactics: Holland’s Total Football approach lies in the fact that they let their midfielders and forwards link up by instinct. While there is obviously a formation to start out with, there is not so much of a rigidity in the workings of it. It is a very South American style which the Netherlands play, with the key man in the creative number ten position, being Sneijder who links up the midfield and sit in behind lone striker Van Persie. Arjen Robben and Dirk Kuyt patrols the flanks then, as well as filling in in centre midfield. Interchangeable is the word for Holland.
 
Coach: Bert Van Marwick – is not a person who is afraid to go his own way, but he does keep the ethics of Holland’s impressive style of football. Has relied on his experienced players a lot through his reign, and took a huge gamble in taking Mark Van Bommel with him, who has become pivotal in the middle of the park for Holland. The only thing wrong with Holland, is that is hard to see a back up plan if they go behind, and Marwijk hasn’t got a lot on the bench to change things up.

Holland World Cup 2010 Stats

Results
Holland 2, Slovakia 1
Holland 2, Cameroon 1
Holland 1, Japan 0
Holland 2, Denmark 0

Goals: 7 For, 2 Against
Cards: Y8, SY0, R0
Top Passer: Mark Van Bommel (238 passes, 78% completion rate)
Most Fouls: Wesley Sneijder, 8

Last 10 Match Holland Form:  DDWWWWWWWW

Probable Route to Winning the 2010 FIFA World Cup: Brazil (Q/F), Uruguay (S/F), Spain (F)

Holland Betting Tips

Stage of Elimination
Quarter Finals: 2/1 at Ladbrokes
Semi Finals: 6/1 at Bet365
Winners: 10/1 at Ladbrokes
Runners Up: 11/1 at Ladbrokes

To Reach Final
No – 1/5 at Bwin
Yes – 3/1 at Bwin

Holland’s Top Goal scorer at StanJames
Robin Van Persie 3/1 (1 goal)
Arjen Robben 5/1(1 goal)
Wesley Sneijder 4/6 (2 goals)
Dirk Kuyt 4/1 (1 goal)
Klaas Jan Huntelaar (1 goal)

Holland Betting Tip: Total Goals: 8-9 for 3/1 at Ladbrokes

Brazil v Holland Betting Odds

Brazil to win: Evens at SkyBet
Draw: 12/5 at BetFred
Holland to win: 7/2 at Bet365

Brazil

The Brazilians look to be on cruise control. They blitzed their way past the Ivory Coast, and then made tough fellow South Americans Chile look less than average in their last sixteen match. They look to be in ominous form, and with coach Dunga saying that they are only getting more confidence from each match, there is a lot to be feared from the Selecao. Brazil are running at around a 70% win rate in their World Cup matches, which is pretty phenomenal. Their victory over Chile gave them their 67th World Cup match victory. Holland’s win rate at the World Cup is at exactly 50% from their 40 matches played. What Brazil have, on top of their sheer individual and team quality, is a lot of patience in sticking to their game. The passing and movement is to be admired, and while there is more of a defensive set up about Brazil, it is hardly noticeable, as they are still taking the games to opponents. This is the respect that they command as soon as they step out onto the pitch, and only against the super defensive and negative Portugal have they failed to find the back of the net. Their victory over Chile, was perhaps, their most impressive win, as Marcelo Bielsa’s men are no pushovers themselves. This was a Chile side which Spain had difficulties against, even when the South Americans were down to ten men. Brazil quickly and lethally brushed Chile aside, with some clinical attacking moves that were buried. Brazil make the most of their chances, and they make more chances than most. It is hard to tell if they have even made it into top gear yet, or whether there is more to come. They sat back and relaxed so much against the Ivory Coast, for example when they were closing in on victory, and against Portugal there was always a feeling that there was much more underneath to come.

Dunga knows how technically gifted the Dutch can be themselves, but will no doubt be backing his own men to be much better. Gilberto Silva, who is the key man in holding the midfield together with his distribution at the back of it, has told how desperate Brazil are to regain their World crown. They are not showing any desperation on the pitch though, as they are one of the few teams who actually seem to be enjoying playing their matches. They do not look as if they have any pressures on their shoulders at all. Confidence is a big element of football, and there doesn’t appear to be one performer who is not there 100% mentally for Brazil. Perhaps Robinho, whose form has been sparkling, is the epitome of this. He is along way from the depressed shadow of his former self that he was at Manchester City, as he is probably the brightest spark of light in the Brazilian team. Brazil are accomplished and teams naturally step out and give them a lot of respect, but Holland cannot afford to give them too much. Brazil can overrun teams and the difficulty is simply in knowing how to contain them. Portugal did it by dragging the game into a stalemate, Chile tried attacking and lost, while the Ivory Coast played cautiously and conservatively and still conceded three goals. There is great difficulty in tying Brazil down, although their strength is down the centre, but even then the overlapping full backs add the extra dimension. They have the time, craft and ability to move onto a semi final meeting between either Ghana or Uruguay.

Holland

Holland perhaps have not hit the pinnacle of their passing game during the tournament. The current Holland side are setting records, as their 23 game unbeaten run is the longest they have gone without suffering defeat. They take on Brazil in the best form of their lives and they can surely have had no better preparation, but that far from guarantees them success on the day. Coach Bert van Marwijk knows that he is taking on the strongest side at the tournament, and that his players will need to keep their mental strength if they are to prevail. All too often Holland have crumbled when coming up against a good team in the latter stages of tournament football, after starting those same tournaments so well. South Africa 2010 has seen their most convincing start to any World Cup. So what next for the Netherlands? It does not get any tougher than meeting Brazil in international knock out football, and Holland will need to make the most of any space that is given them. The natural width which Holland play with will be the key to them winning this match, as Brazil tend to keep things narrower when they do not have possession of the ball. The old Brazil were often caught at the back when they pushed forward, but that is not the case so much now, as Dunga has put a stop to that.

Brazil have a tough back line to break down, and that is why Holland need to use the natural width that Dirk Kuyt and Arjen Robben give them. Holland are a good team, although they have not put on the fully competent displays that were expected to flow from them. Holland are one of those teams which do use space very well when the opportunity arises, and most of their transition work is all down to the roaming skills of Inter Milan’s Wesley Sneijder. He is a class act at the moment, and allowed freedom to get forward knowing that there are two  holding midfielders behind him. Holland are defensively solid, but not only do they have to worry about the craft that Brazil will exude in open play, Brazil have a new weapon in their arsenal, and that is being able to send big defencemen up for set plays, like Lucio. The Netherlands will have their hands full, and it remains to be seen if they have that extra level in them to take on Brazil, but they are one of the more confident teams to be able to give it a go. Holland are a technically good side, and play more like South Americans themselves than a European side. There will always be questions about the Netherlands and their ability to go all of the way. It could be another year of falling short for the Dutch.

Brazil v Holland Betting Prediction: Over/Under 2.5 Goals for Evens at BetFred
 

Current Holland v Brazil Odds:

Is The Future Bright For Oranje?

With Germany laying down the fiercest intent form a European nation at the 2010 FIFA World Cup so far, next to step up to the plate, is one of the most in form nations in World soccer, the Netherlands. Holland start their World Cup with a match against Denmark, in what many expect to be a lot of one way traffic heading towards the Danish net. That is simply down to the impressive qualification the Dutch had, and their free scoring during their warm up matches, which included trouncing Ghana and Hungary. While the Oranje are clearly the favourites to win this match and their group, there are signs that Denmark could put up some stern resistance if they bring their top game to the field. Of all the things said about the Dutch, of all the superlatives spouted forth about their style of play, they have always fallen short when it comes to tournament football. With their excellent form (having not been beaten since 2008), can the Dutch finally put a string of disappointments behind them and mount a serious and consistent challenge for the World Cup this time around? If they are to do so, then they can announce their intent with a solid win over Denmark.

The Dutch side is a star studded one, but one of their in form players, Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben, won’t be taking part on Monday. The winger has been declared fit enough to take part in the World Cup at some point, and joined up late with the squad in South Africa. Robben picked up an injury to his hamstring in a warm up match, with doubts being raised over his ability to take part in the tournament. He seems to have enacted a miraculous recovery though, and coach Bert van Marwijk will look forward to his return, but won’t risk him unnecessarily. When you can call up Real Madrid’s Rafael van der Vaart as a straight replacement, then you can’t be in too much of dire straits. Can Holland turn their beautiful game into beautiful success? Too often they have come out of the blocks quickly, and that crashed after being over confident and arrogant. There is a swagger about the team, highlighted by Robben’s injury picked up by doing an unnecessary back heel trick pass, and their opponents will look to use that against them. If there is one weakness with the Dutch, then it will be their over confidence in the big pressure matches. But Marwijk has been trying to drill that out of them at camp, and will his wise words have an all important lasting impression on the current Dutch side. They have suffered two semi final heartbreaks in World Cup history, but can they go at least one step further?

Danish Dynamite Looking for Alternative Sparks To Ignite

Truth be told, because Denmark cannot put out their starting eleven, coach Morten Olsen may see his side struggle. What the Danes will bring to the World Cup table though, is organisation and strength in team work. They will know that they have not got the star ability to compete on an even keel with the Dutch in terms of attacking flair and individual brilliance, but their cohesion as a team could get them through, if they can hold out long enough and the Dutch start to lose their composure. This match should have been a fascinating battle for supremacy between two Arsenal strikers, with Holland’s Robin Van Persie going up against Denmark’s Nicklas Bendtner. But the Danes will have to make do without their young star striker who is recovering from a groin strain. The full fitness status of goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen (who hurt his elbow at the end of the Premier League season) is still in doubt, and that could hurt them a lot of he is not quite ready. Sorensen is their number one choice, and will probably be thrown in, as he is an incredibly safe pair of hands behind the back line.

The Danes will put out an organised defence none the less, led by Liverpool’s Daniel Agger, even though they have more players in the treatment room, unable to take part in their opener. Olsen will also have to find a way to inspire his side, who did finish top of their European qualification group ahead of Portugal, as their preparations have not gone to well. Denmark lost to World Cup minnows South Africa and Australia as part of their build up, failing to find the back of the net on each occasion. But one thing Olsen can call upon, is Denmark’s decent record against Holland in tournament football. Five times they have encountered each other, with the head to head equal at two wins each and one drawn match. Out of all the star studded teams at the World Cup, such as Spain, Brazil and Argentina, it could be the humble Danes who cause Holland problems. The Danes will know the Dutch quite well, with several of the squad plying their trade in the Dutch top flight. For some reason there is a quiet confidence around the Danish camp, that they have the tools to stop Holland, before the mighty Oranje can even get going in the tournament. But the Dutch, having seen fierce rivals Germany fire four past Australia, will, in their arrogant way, want to emulate them.

Holland v Denmark Betting Odds and Stats

Last 5 Matches
Holland 6, Hungary 1
Holland 4, Ghana 1
Holland 2, Mexico 1
Holland 2, USA 1
Holland 0, Paraguay 0

South Africa 1, Denmark 0
Denmark 0, Australia 1
Denmark 2, Senegal 0
Austria 2, Denmark 1
Denmark 3, USA 1

Last 5 Match Goals
Holland: 14 For, 4 Against
Denmark: 5 For, 5 Against

Recent Stats
Holland: P50, W33, D12, L5 with a 66.0% win percentage
Denmark: P50, W24, D13, L13 with a 48.0% win percentage

World Cup Stats
Holland: P36, W16, D10, L10, GF59, GA38
Denmark: P13, W7, D2, L4, GF24, GA18

Last 10 Match Form
Holland: DWWDDDWWWW
Denmark: DDWLDWLWLL

Match Odds
Holland to win: 8/15 at Bet365
Draw: 10/3 at Victor Chandler
Denmark to win: 6/1 at Ladbrokes

Asian Handicap Betting Tip: The Danes will be organised and tough for a lot of teams to break down, and they have some decent quality up front. Nevertheless, the Dutch have much sharper tools, and their incredible creativity should be able to break through the most resistant of teams. The Dutch are an interesting side to watch. They should win their group at a canter, and be a major threat throughout the tournament. Will they hit the wall though at some point and crash, as they inevitably do? It should not be in this match. Can’t really beat the value of Holland -1 for Evens at Paddy Power.

World Cup Group E Teams: Holland, Denmark, Cameroon, Japan. This is one of the groups at South Africa 2010 which may not attract a great deal of World Cup betting, but as with all of the groups, it should not be overlooked. Why? Because there are always opportunities to make a profit with World Cup betting, it is picking out the best prices with the most potential. Here we continue our series and look at some of the best value bets that can be found in Group E. The eventual winner of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, may realistically not come from Group E, but it does contain a very strong outsider in the Netherlands. However the rest of the group may be lacking in the kind of quality that will take a nation to the knockout rounds, so the gulf in class can help your betting strategy. When there is clear divides, World Cup football betting may not offer the best prices, but it does offer some securing to add to things like multiple bets at your online bookmaker.

Outright Market: Holland 4/7 at Ladbrokes
The Dutch are enjoying one of the most solid looking approaches to the World Cup. During their international friendly matches, they have beaten the USA, thumped Ghana and Hungary and prior to all of that, made France look woeful. Holland have shortened in World Cup Odds to go out and win the tournament, but were rocked by the potential that they will be without one of their in form stars, Bayern Munich’s Arjen Robben. Robben picked up a hamstring in injury after scoring twice in their demolition of Hungary, 6-1. Now there is a wait to see if the former Chelsea player will be able to make the World Cup, although Dutch Coach Bert Van Marwijk has not replaced him. The Dutch have a lot of quality in their side, but they have not attracted the level of betting that the likes of the disjointed Argentina have. This is a bit of a mystery, because if you paired both them together, right now on the current form of the teams, you would back the Netherlands. Holland have always been credited with playing beautiful football, but without enough grit and fight when it comes to the business end of tournaments. After going through the European qualification zone without dropping a point, and looking fluent and potent in front of goal during their international friendly warm up matches, Holland suddenly seem like a very strong bet. Even at these odds, they are pretty good value for backing, in a group which they should win at a canter.

To Qualify: Denmark Evens at Stan James
Denmark probably represents the best chance of the other teams to get out of the group. They finished top of their qualification in Europe, edging out Sweden, Hungary and Portugal. That was a tough, tight group, one that required a lot of fight to get through. Denmark put away sixteen goals during qualification and only conceded five. When they take the field at the World Cup, there is little doubt that they will set their stall out with a tight game plan. They have a little more fire power than you may think, notably Arsenal’s Nicklas Bendtner and ex-Chelsea star Jesper Gronkjaer. They won’t be short of class when it comes to putting away chances, and one thing the Danes have shown, is that they know how to defend, and how to do it well. Whether that means ten men behind the ball, then so be it. They should be a hard team to break down, and that is the reason why this bet makes such good value. Evens for them simply To Qualify ahead of Cameroon and Japan, is a great deal for the Europeans, who lost only one of their ten qualification matches.

Not to Qualify: Cameroon 4/5 at SkyBet
You think of Cameroon and you automatically think of Roger Milla dancing around the corner flag in a goal celebration. The Cameroon side of today, is nowhere near as gung-ho or talented as the one that gave England a scare at the quarter final stage of Italia ‘90. After a dismal showing at the African Cup of Nations at the beginning of the year, and with the bother over star striker Samuel Eto’o making up his mind whether he should participate or not after some harsh words spoken about him in the press by Milla, Cameroon look a shadow of their former selves. After drawing with Slovakia, suffering a 3-1 loss against Portugal, and then conceding the lead twice against Serbia, Cameroon have been struggling in international friendly warm up matches, against teams who have also qualified for the World Cup. Coach Paul Le Guen has an uphill struggle with Cameroon, and do not be surprised to see them looking like they are lacking interest and fight at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Betting against them could well bring some decent rewards looking at the best bookmakers for betting on the World Cup. 

To Finish Bottom: Japan 5/6 at William Hill
Should be a strong contender for the wooden spoon along with Cameroon in this group. Much like the Cameroon which wowed crowds across the world, Japan have also fallen from grace and stature somewhat, since breaking on to the World Stage. They play with pace and look gutsy, but all of their eggs are in one basket, and that is midfield. Their strength is in their midfield creativity, but having a side which has been largely rebuild from the last World Cup where they only picked up one point in the group stage, they are not cohesive or strong. Spirited, yes. Talented enough to challenge for qualification? No. They battled hard against a lack luster England in a warm up match, but still lost after scoring two own goals, and that has left them in a run of four consecutive defeats in their preparations for South Africa 2010. Therefore, poor form, and finishing behind Australia in the Asian qualification zone, means that you should largely be betting against them. This bet offer reasonable, if not astounding World Cup Odds but there is profit to be made on them.

Most Group Stage Goals: Holland 11/3 at Bwin
Hardly a surprise, given the blistering form that they are in, and the weaknesses of their group opponents. What is surprising is the decent odds on them finishing as top scorers. This is one to be jumped all over, and in all of their group stage World Cup fixtures you would expect Holland to run up some goals, certainly against Japan and Cameroon. Denmark may be a tougher nut to crack, but the Dutch look very good, and very strong right now. They are packed with creativity, pace and talent, and goals should not be that hard to come by.