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"The intellectualisation
of football has
always foundered
on a simple problem-
-the players. Doing
all your most
rewarding thinking
with your feet seems
to dull the philo-
sophical impulse.
Unless, of course,
you are Dutch.
According to legend,
Europeans played
a moronic, muscular
version of the world's
game, until Holland
proclaimed its vision
of total football in the
1974 World Cup,
and enlightenment
dawned."

From:
Brilliant Orange: The Neurotic Genius of Dutch Football
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Van Persie: We're on the verge of achieving something big

Jonathan Chong
Arsenal-mania.com
Sunday, May 11 2008

Arsenal striker Robin van Persie is adamant that him and his team mates are on the verge of big things, especially with the style of football that they employ.

Van Persie also said that Arsenal would not be sacrificing their style of play in order to win trophies, and that victories would be even sweeter if they did it whilst playing total football.

The Dutch international said: "I am 100 per cent convinced we will soon win big trophies.

"When that happens, I know the whole world will be behind us. It will be a lasting memory if we win it with our style of play.

"We started great, but at the last hurdle we did not make it. We were very unlucky.

"Against Liverpool in the Champions League, we were more or less in the semi-final six minutes from the end.

"We get one unfair penalty against us and we are out of the Champions League.

"Should we put all our philosophy and vision on the way Arsenal play overboard because of one lousy penalty? I don't think so."

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