4 Takeaways From The Netherlands' Dominant Win vs. Sweden At The World Cup

Total Football is here. 

The archetypal World Cup lucifer of a engaged Saturday was a European clash betwixt the Netherlands and Sweden, wherever the Oranje came retired victorious with a commanding, overwhelming 5-1 triumph astatine Houston stadium. The effect takes them to the apical of Group F, albeit temporarily until Japan faces Tunisia.

Ronald Koeman’s broadside gave an almost-complete performance, winning with assurance and fluidity, and overmuch similar the glory days of Rinus Michels and Johan Cruyff's Total Football, it was afloat of attacking vigor, tenacious play and tons of goals. When this squad plays successful specified a manner, it truly elevates its chances of doing thing peculiar astatine this World Cup. That’s not to accidental Sweden didn’t person its chances, arsenic erstwhile the Netherlands suffer the ball, they sometimes permission themselves vulnerable. But successful the end, the Dutch broadside deserved its awesome win.

Prior to the tournament, successful respective shows and interviews, I discussed the Netherlands and their morganatic changeable of winning it each and, arsenic acold backmost arsenic November, I placed them sixth successful my apical 10 powerfulness rankings for the tournament. Koeman’s large enactment with this squad has been evident for a portion present and without anyone realizing, this is simply a squad that is dilatory showing that possibly it tin bash thing it has ne'er done: triumph the World Cup. 

There’s inactive a agelong mode to go, but contiguous the Netherlands showed wherefore they are the existent deal. 

Here are my takeaways:

1. Netherlands Channels Total Football

(Photo by Hugo Rivera/Jam Media/Getty Images)

Back successful the 1970s, the Total Football doctrine created an individuality for the Netherlands that fundamentally became a acquisition to the world. The conception of fluid positioning, stretching the hostile by making the transportation arsenic wide arsenic possible, corporate pressing arsenic good arsenic switching formations mid-game, was a revelation, which took the Dutch to the 1974 World Cup final, earlier yet losing to West Germany. 

Koeman has stated that astatine this World Cup, the conception of "TF" is hard due to the fact that of upwind conditions successful antithetic cities. But astatine this stadium successful Houston, wherever it’s afloat enclosed, and it has regulated air-conditioning, the state to enforce its individuality was ever truthful present. 

There were truthful galore large examples of players occupying divers spaces and becoming truthful threatening erstwhile entering the box. Denzel Dumfries, for example, was everyplace connected the close helping and adjacent came much cardinal arsenic the Dutch attacked. It was his transverse that became the assistance for Cody Gakpo. The midfield of Frenkie de Jong and Ryan Gravenberch were besides magnificent, pulling the strings and protecting the halfway of the pitch.

The bench, too, is besides afloat of a dynamic arsenal arsenic Crysencio Summerville came successful the 2nd fractional and scored his 2nd extremity of the tournament.

Throughout the match, the Netherlands perpetually had 8 players wrong the box, aiming to unit Sweden and not let them to permission its ain half.

Today successful Houston, the Netherlands reminded america wherefore they invented the astir influential and attack-minded doctrine successful the satellite …and wherefore it mightiness yet wage disconnected for them.  

2. Brobbey And Gakpo Were Brilliant

(Photo by Stefan Koops/EYE4IMAGES/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

One of the biggest question marks successful modern times for the Netherlands — arguably the champion squad successful planetary shot that has ne'er won the World Cup — is that contempt the aesthetically pleasing football, it often struggles to find accordant prime upfront. Memphis Depay, the country’s apical scorer, is present 32 and not the 90-minute menace helium erstwhile was.

But successful Brian Brobbey, they mightiness conscionable person the answer. His physicality, quality to clasp up play and beryllium precise nonstop erstwhile entering the container was truthful refreshing to see, arsenic helium reminds maine truthful overmuch of the old-school, classical No.9 that has lone 1 happening connected his mind: caput towards extremity and score. Very overmuch similar Gerd Müller oregon Hristo Stoichkov. 

Gakpo was besides brilliant, causing implicit havoc connected the near wing, wherever his timed runs, coupled with his finishing was different limb wherever Sweden could find nary answers.

Both of them got braces. 

Both of them are cardinal to the Netherlands’ success.   

3. Premier League Fully Represented

(Photo by Molly Darlington/Getty Images)

The prime and familiarity betwixt some sides was ever going to beryllium determination arsenic determination were a combined 11 Dutch and Swedish starters who besides play successful the Premier League, including the Swedish attacking duo of Arsenal’s Viktor Gyökeres and Liverpool’s Alexander Isak, who was up against his Reds teammate Virgil van Dijk, whilst the aforementioned Brobbey (Sunderland) went up against Aston Villa’s Victor Lindelof, the Sweden captain. Sweden, of course, managed by erstwhile Brighton, Chelsea and West Ham manager Graham Potter. On the bench, adjacent much truthful arsenic Newcastle United’s Anthony Elanga came successful aboriginal successful the lucifer to people Sweden’s lone extremity of the day.

The match, therefore, felt precise overmuch similar a Premier League encounter, wherever some sides — notably the Netherlands — didn’t privation to bash thing other but spell guardant and instrumentality the beforehand foot. 

But for today, it was Koeman’s broadside who wholly earned the victory.  

4. Hydration Break Continues To Be An Issue   

(Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

It was different lucifer wherever the hydration interruption was met with boos, and if you've work my erstwhile takeaways, you are much than alert that I americium vehemently against these breaks due to the fact that this athletics is astir bushed and tempo and for that to happen, it requires 45 minutes of action. This is however we person ever known it, and I anticipation that aft this World Cup, we ne'er spot these "breaks" again. 

But I besides wrote successful a erstwhile file that, for this summer, they are not going anywhere, truthful managers mightiness arsenic good marque usage of them by readjusting their strategy. In the archetypal half, Potter did precisely that arsenic Sweden came retired of the archetypal interruption and improved, taking much shots than the Netherlands earlier the break. 

In the 2nd half, arsenic Sweden caused a fewer much problems for the hostile acknowledgment to Anthony Elanga, the interruption halted the team’s momentum and Koeman took vantage by changing a fewer things for the Netherlands. This sport, however, is astir TWO HALVES. And fans person paid bully wealth to spot pause-free action. They person each close to boo and kick astir this rule, which hopefully volition ne'er spot the airy of time ever again aft this tournament.

4 ½. What’s next

The Netherlands volition look Tunisia connected Thursday successful Kansas City with the anticipation of sealing the group, whilst Sweden has a monolithic lucifer against Japan astatine Dallas stadium successful Arlington.