We continue the analysis of next monthβs Euro 2012 tournament in Poland and Ukraine by taking a look at another of the competitionβs favourites. Having already run the rule over Denmark and Germany in Group B, we turn our attentions to the runners-up in the 2010 World Cup, Holland:
Bert Van Marwijkβs side get the ball rolling in Group B with a 5pm clash against rank outsiders Denmark on Saturday June 9. Following on from that is an eye-watering showdown with Germany, which takes place on Wednesday June 13 at 7.45pm, before they pit their wits against Portugal in their final group match on Sunday June 17 at 7.45pm.
This group has, arguably, more potential for goals than any other. Germany won all 10 of their qualifying matches, scoring 34 times in the process, and also thrashed the Dutch 3-0 in a friendly last November. Denmark may be the underdogs but demonstrated their capabilities by finishing above Portugal in the qualifying rounds, forcing Cristiano Ronaldo et al to defeat Bosnia Herzegovina in the play-offs to seal their progress.
The Road to Qualification
Van Marwijkβs men breezed through qualification with nine wins and one loss in their six-team group; the defeat, at second placed Sweden, occurred after Holland had already clinched top spot in the group. The Dutch racked up 37 goals, scoring more than two goals on five occasions β the highlight being an 11-0 home win over San Marino β and conceded just eight, with a total of six clean sheets accrued.
Most Appearances: Mathijsen & Van der Wiel (10), Huntelaar, Pieters & Kuyt (9)
Top Scorer: Huntelaar (12), Van Persie & Kuyt (6), Sneijder & Afellay (3)
Top Assists: Sniejder & Kuyt (6), Van der Wiel (3)
The Likely Lads
Gregory Van der Wiel is far from cheap in the McDonalds game. The right-back comes in at 7.0 and, with Germany and Portugal offering a strong attacking presence, many Fantasy managers will likely avoid the Dutch defence. Those afore-mentioned six clean sheets, in addition to a trio of assists, highlight Van der Wielβs possible potential at both ends of the pitch, however, and with starts nailed-on and an ownership of 3.9%, he could be a decent differential.
Coming in at 9.5 in the McDonalds game, Wesley Sneijder has already received plenty interest, with 23% of Fantasy managers snapping up his services. Playing in the hole in Hollandβs 4-2-3-1, Sneijder returned three goals and six assists in eight appearances over the qualifying campaign and, after a frustrating injury-plagued campaign with Inter, will be keen to steer his country to success. Aside from his obvious talents and likely set-pieces, Sneijderβs appeal is furthered by the fact that Dirk Kuyt and Arjen Robben β the other two near-certain starters in the attacking midfield three β have both been classified as forwards in the McDonalds game.
Injury prevented Arjen Robben from playing any part in the qualifying campaign but, back to full fitness, his contribution on the flank will play a pivotal part in Hollandβs attacking forays. Priced at a reasonable 9.0, the Bayern Munich man could appeal to those Fantasy managers looking to take advantage of the uncertainty surrounding the lone forward role; a double in Hollandβs 3-2 win at Wembley highlights his importance to the side, though Robben will need a morale boost after that crucial penalty miss in the Champions League Final against Chelsea.
Cheeky Punt
With only one forward role available in their favoured formation, it could well be a straightforward battle between Robin Van Persie and Jan-Klaas Huntelaar to lead the line. While Van Marwijk has recently insisted both could play together, it remains to be seen if that is the case if Holland have a fully fit squad to choose from. Certainly, Robbenβs enforced absence afforded them the chance to do so doing qualification with the Arsenal skipper out wide but, with the Bayern man now fit and raring to go, his manager has a huge decision to make. Both players are priced at 11.0, though Huntelaar has the potential to be a huge differential, with just 4% ownership to Van Persieβs 32.7%. At this point, itβs difficult to snap up either player with full confidence; Huntelaar started and scored against Bayern Munich last night but Holland have three more friendlies still to follow, though, and by the time the tournament gets underway, we should have hopefully more than guesswork to go on.
Priced at just 7.5 in the McDonalds game, Dirk Kuyt is an intriguing prospect. While his domestic campaign with Liverpool has been disastrous, Kuyt provided as many assists as Sneijder and scored as many as Van Persie in qualifying β the fact he missed just one game indicates Van Marwijkβs faith in his abilities. The Liverpool man seems to be ahead of Huntelaar in the penalty pecking order β he scored from the spot in a friendly against Austria when the latter was still on the pitch, though itβs worth noting that Van Persie didnβt play any part in the match. With an ownership of just 4%, Kuyt could be one worth considering, with many Fantasy managers choosing to overlook him in favour of the bigger names amongst the Dutch squad. He underlined his potential by providing an assist in last night’s 3-2 defeat by Bayern Munich.
Further Analysis
Group A Czech Republic, Greece, Poland, Russia
Group B Denmark, Germany
