Euro 2008 update: Why Holland will not win the European championships

Holland defeated both France and Italy by emphatic score lines. It does not happen often, and I think both results flattered the Dutch. Holland rely upon deep defending with quick counter attacks, the strategy did work; but this considering that Holland took two early leads against the French and Italians. Their opponents seeing themselves behind were forced to take the game to the Dutch, only for Holland to then open them up with quick counter attacks.

Can such a style work against other teams in the knock-out stages? It depends on the opponents and the flow of the game, but it is a risky strategy to play. Against teams that are relatively younger (in defence) to both to the Italians and French it may not work, as they would more than likely have the legs to track back. Then teams like Spain and Portugal are more than able to control possession for longer periods, which means that the Dutch will defend deep in their own half for long periods of the game, if that happens then the initiative would be in the hands of the opponents, especially if the Dutch have to chase the game if they go behind. That’s why I think they will come unstuck in the later stages, and in that manner.

Just a quick note on Italy, I predicted they would triumph, as did Beckenbauer, but they have made such a slow start to the tournament. But I wouldn’t discount them at all, they are known slow starters, as they were in the 1982 world cup, which they went on to win. If they manage to get out of their group then they can grind out results, the same applies to the Germans. As for France they seem out of it, they are old, battered and lacking in spirit (something the Italians did not show at any stage against Romania)…