Robben or Sneijder?

Saturday 28 March 2009

The players of the Dutch national football team trained in a South African atmosphere for a while on Friday.

A group of South African coaches on a study trip to Holland took care of that.

The coaches are in Holland as part of the project 'Stars in their Eyes'.

For a week they take part in the coaches course of the KNVB.

Clad in orange and at the end even singing they watched a training session of Oranje and afterwards they all had their pictures taken with the players.

The relaxed scene was a big contrast to the tension within the Dutch team now that the World Cup qualification campaign is about to resume.

Big questions are how goal keeper Maarten Stekelenburg will do after h hasn't played at Ajax for 7 games.

And what choices will Van Marwijk and his assistants make about Holland's top-heavy forward line?

How will those involved react?

Judging from the last training sessions and the players' thoughts the fight for the last open spot could well be between Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder.

One of them will form the line of three behind center forward Klaas-Jan Huntelaar together with Robin van Persie and Dirk Kuyt.

There were some concerns about Sneijder yesterday as he was touching his hamstring during a passing exercise, but after the physiotherapist had a look at it the man from Madrid could take part in the closing training game.

A game between the young and the old, an indication that Van Marwijk wants to keep his lineup a secret until the very last moment.

There are good arguments both for playing Robben and for Sneijder.

There's the age old rule that - more than any other team - Holland needs to use the wings against British opposition.

That way they can avoid getting into to contact with the usually strong British center backs.

Robben is suited to that game and on top he seems to be playing very purposeful at Madrid at the moment.

But during an interview a few weeks ago Van Marwijk spoke about the new reality in football these days.

He said it will not be long until a football team consists of four defenders who only defend and six players who take care of build up while constantly changing positions.

European Champions Spain did it this summer with four midfielders without a set position.

Fábregas, Iniesta, Xavi and Silva would play in midfield and fill in where they were needed as they went along.

Sneijder is very much suited for that style of play as it doesn't make a single bit of difference whether he attacks from the left, from the right or down the middle.

Another factor for Van Marwijk in deciding is that Robben often does exceptionally well coming off the bench to open up a game that is in gridlock.

His dribbling talents can change the course of a game, as he did in the second half against France at Euro 2008.

Whoever make up the team tonight in the Amsterdam Arena Holland will have to make tonight's fourth World Cup qualifier on their own.

Scotland boss George Burley has already indicated that their game on Wednesday at Hamden Park against Iceland is much more important for them.

That's where the Scots will have to get the three points that help them win second place in Group 9.

Against Holland Scotland - depleted by many injuries - will hope for a stolen point the most.

"We only have a change when it will be a physical games with a lot of personal duels that we then win," Burley said.

Kenny Miller will be the lone striker for the Scots tonight with a five man midfield behind him.

In the eyes of Van Marwijk the pitch in the Amsterdam Arena could be a factor tonight.

Since his predecessor at Holland, Marco van Basten, is coach at Ajax the Arena finally has a decent field.

"Despite all the rain of recent days the pitch is in perfect condition," Van Marwijk noticed.

"I hope it stays that way because our passing game depends on a good pitch."