The Netherlands made a significant step forward in performance against the United States, but they will need to do it again to defeat Argentina.
Lionel Messi and his teammates haven’t looked as fantastic as many predicted at the start of the tournament, but they’re showing signs of development and still have a lot of skill.
With the Copa America winners not at their best, the Dutch will be looking to defy the odds and reach the World Cup semi-finals, as they have done in the last two World Cups.
The last time this happened, Argentina knocked Louis van Gaal and his team out on penalties following a goalless 120-minute match.
Here’s what the manager expects his players to do if he wants to revenge for the loss eight years later.
1. Cut off Lionel Messi’s supply line.
Messi is a decent player capable of winning games on his own. Stopping him from doing so once he has the ball in a hazardous place is almost difficult. Therefore, the Dutch must limit their time in such areas as much as possible.
Van Gaal was able to do so in 2014 by having Nigel de Jong cling to him like glue, and considering how successful it was – the PSG player had one shot in 120 minutes – he’ll almost certainly use a similar method this time around, with Marten de Roon likely getting the unpleasant assignment.
To stop Messi, though, more than simply closely marking him is required. When he drops deep, the Netherlands’ forwards must shut off his passing routes, and defenders must be ready for the inevitable instances when he does burst through.
We never thought we’d say this, but Virgil van Dijk might learn a thing or two from Ron Vlaar in that area; the former Aston Villa player put on a show in Brazil, making some spectacular tackles on the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner.
2. Attack their backline
However, the South American club has only faced opponents who were content to stay back and seldom launch rapid counter-attacks, allowing 34-year-old Nicolas Otamendi and co a relatively easy time of it.
Argentina’s defense has only let up three goals in four games in Qatar.
There are several reasons to assume that if the Dutch forwards approach them more directly, they will have a lot of fun.
Otamendi is about to turn 35 and is no longer incredibly swift or mobile, while Nahuel Molina and Marcos Acuna, converted wingers, are hardly the most defensively sound full-backs.
It isn’t easy to picture any of them standing up well against the likes of Memphis Depay, Cody Gakpo, Steven Bergwijn, and Van Gaal should start the latter over Davy Klaassen as a result.
Argentina’s backline would be forced to sit deep or risk being exposed on the break with such a speedy forward three to contend with.
3. Maximize the use of set-pieces
Argentina is the minor team remaining in the World Cup, so the Dutch should be producing opportunities from set-pieces considering their squad.
For starters, they have some major aerial threats in Van Dijk, Nathan Ake, and Virgil van Dijk in their starting XI.
Furthermore, they have one of the tournament’s penalty crossers of the ball in Gakpo, who has notched up a slew of assists from corners at the club level.
Despite this, the club has yet to score in Qatar, with Gakpo’s deliveries proving threatening but his teammates failing to capitalize.
In a game that might be determined by the smallest of margins, altering that in the quarter-finals could be crucial.
4. Get Frenkie de Jong involved.
Argentina will aim to silence Frenkie de Jong in the same manner that the Netherlands will try to stop Messi from grabbing the ball.
With his passing and dribbling, the Barcelona man initiates attack after attack, with his team’s magnificent team goal against the USA starting at his feet, inside his box.
Nobody else on the Dutch squad can achieve what he does. Thus, they struggle to produce anything when he isn’t playing.
Argentina will, without a doubt, be aware of this and will have strategies to restrict its effect.
Given that, Van Gaal must devise his strategy for dealing with this, whether it involves transferring a player or altering the whole system.
It may seem a radical move to make just for one player, but it is worthwhile; if he can get possession, he can dominate the midfield on his own.
5. Be prepared to face the big guys.
As previously said, Argentina isn’t the tallest of teams, so if Van Gaal is desperate for a goal, there is one apparent answer.
Wout Weghorst and Luuk de Jong are well over 6ft tall and two of the most dangerous aerial threats in the game.
Van Gaal has previously said that in a bad scenario, he would contemplate putting them both on and lumping crosses into them, and such a strategy would be wildly successful in this match.
Argentina will almost certainly use Lisandro Martinez to defend a lead, and although he’s considerably more robust in the air than some make him out to be, there’s no getting with the reality that he’s much, much shorter than Weghorst and De Jong.
If all else fails, taking route one would undoubtedly generate some opportunities for that reason, and it would make Van Gaal’s old foe, Big Sam, pleased.
