With all the focus on Argentina, Brazil and Spain, Holland have gone about their task quietly and hogging more limelight than the players have been the 36 Dutch models in orange skirts hired by Bavaria Beer.
However, with the knockout rounds under way, the Dutch will look to underline their title aspirations and avoid becoming Slovakia’s latest big-name victim when the two square off in the Fifa World Cup Round of 16 match at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Monday.
Holland progressed to the knockouts after topping Group E with a perfect record. However, more than playing in the fluent Dutch manner, Bert van Marjwik’s team have been grinding out results with steely, if not beautiful football. Striker Robin van Persie looked sharp in their final match against Cameroon and the goal against the Africans will do his confidence a world of good.
In the midfield Wesley Sneijder has continued the rich vein of form that he demonstrated last season en route to leading Inter Milan to a treble. Holding midfielders Mark van Bommel and Nigel De Jong have been outstanding and are a major reason why the Dutch have only conceded one goal in the tournament so far.
Not averse to getting their hands dirty, the two have been doing a wonderful job in breaking opposition counter-attacks and launching the likes of van Persie and Sneijder into the final third. The team’s most creative player Arjen Robben put a hamstring-injury concerns aside and came on as a substitute in their final match. The workman-like Dirk Kuyt has been industrious on the flanks, but has failed to penetrate the defence the way Robben is capable of doing.
However, coach van Marjwik admits he will not rush the maverick winger into action and instead opt for a cautious approach. “The idea is to build him up gradually. I’m really pleased he was able to play for 20 minutes and nothing happened. I take it he’ll be able to play in the next match but I don’t know if he will be part of the starting XI.”
Captain Giovani van Bronckhurst admits the team are yet to produce their best football but is pleased that they have been able to pull off wins even when not at their best.