Group C Preview- Holland

One of the all-time greats of european football, Holland manager marco van basten has agreed to manage FC Ajax just after this tournament. This is the third major tournament in a row where the dutch find themselves in the so-called group of death. The two previous times they qualified through their group only to be knocked out both times by Portugal. This time around they cannot meet Portugal until the final, 20 years after Holland's only success with Maroc Van Basten leading the Oranje to the top. As always with dutch football there is an abundance of striking options with Van Nistelroy, Kuyt, babel, van Persie, huntelaar and Arjen Robben providing an excellent weaponry of choices upfront although Robben and van Persie endured an injury-hit season. Seedorf;s absence will be a big blow to the dutch hopes and a lot will rest on Holland's golden boy Rafael van der Vaart. On the plus side van Der Sar's excellent season (probably the best of his career) in goal.

PROS:
1)Great choice of strikers
2) Van Der Sar had an excellent season
3)Asalways they can play the dutch way with a suitable 4-3-3 formation

CONS:
1)No great defenders, they will have to work hard to keep goals out
2)No Seedorf, he will be a huge blow
3) A few players had average seasons with their clubs



Goalkeepers

1 Edwin van der Sar
13 Henk Timmer
16 Maarten Stekelenburg

Defenders

2 André Ooijer
3 Johnny Heitinga
4 Joris Mathijsen
5 Giovanni van Bronckhorst
12 Mario Melchiot
14 Wilfred Bouma
15 Tim de Cler
20 Ibrahim Afellay

Midfielders

6 Demy de Zeeuw
8 Orlando Engelaar
10 Wesley Sneijder
11 Arjen Robben
17 Nigel de Jong
23 Rafael van der Vaart

Forwards

7 Robin van Persie
9 Ruud van Nistelrooy
18 Dirk Kuyt
19 Klaas-Jan Huntelaar
21 Ryan Babel
22 Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink