Holding Midfield
Holding Midfield Articles (BOT)
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2011
- Messages
- 309
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 0
Carlos Salcido replaced the suspended Jose Vasquez in Mexico’s 3-5-2, while Robin van Persie came back into the starting eleven along with Paul Verhaegh at right wing-back in the Dutch 3-4-1-2. The heat was hugely influential in the game. With each team’s shape cancelling the other’s out, the early portion of the match was generally about who was better at their gameplan. Mexico are the more dominant team in possession and took better control than the Dutch, although Arjen Robben remains a constant threat on the counter, but the initial chances of the game all came from sloppy mistakes. Passes curled out of play and simple balls overran their man – both teams looked tired from the off and the only logical explanation was the glaring sun overhead. Mexico’s superior play eventually won out with a moment of magic from Giovani dos Santos, and Louis van Gaal near-immediately changed to a 4-3-3 as they had against Australia, bringing on Memphis Depay for Verhaegh. Their counter-attacking play couldn’t work if the opposition no longer needed to come out and attack them, so they changed to a comparatively patient strategy more in keeping with their traditions. The overall change in strategy was […]
Continue reading the article at HoldingMidfield.com.....