Cruyff: "We're playing counter football"

Friday, 25 June 2010

Former Ajax and Barcelona star Johan Cruyff remained polite about the performance of the Dutch team, but reading between the lines, it was obvious that he wasn't impressed.

"The result was good, an important victory, some new players came on. But technically it was a bit disappointing," Cruyff said.

"So far the opponents weren't all that strong, but still they were allowed to create a number of chances. When you look at the corners, I believe they had six and we had one. That says something."

Holland are far from the attractive football they used to play. Dutch analysts are comparing Van Marwijk's team to German sides of the past, who would often suffer, but still win it in the end. If Holland go a long way Dutch fans might accept that, but elimination in the quarterfinals (or worse) will certainly bring down a lot of criticism on Bert van Marwijk.

Cruyff didn't yet criticize Van Marwijk as such, but it is clear he isn't thrilled with the way they play. "They were playing counter football rather than offensive, and in such a situation when you can put on Elia and Robben you can speed things up."

Holland's best player ever had compliments for Dirk Kuyt, but that was as far as he wished to go. "In all games Kuyt has been very important. He plays on the right and does everything on that wing. But I am missing the real football; a high pace of the ball, good position play. I don't know how the possession was divided, but it will have been about equal or even negative, yet - in general - to score goals you need more possession. Now it is often one or two passes, then a long ball and then they lose it. But let's say they all did their best."