Dutch to ‘play own game’
With Brazil and England failing to sparkle so far, Italy indifferent and France struggling, the only champagne football served up so far has come from Argentina.
The South Americans’ 6-0 demolition of Serbia and Montenegro featured some breathtaking moves but Van Basten was nonetheless hopeful of getting the better of Jose Pekerman’s side in Frankfurt tonight.
“We also did a good job to beat Serbia and Montenegro and also the Ivory Coast. There were periods when we didn’t play particularly well and if you want to continue in the tournament you cannot have too many of those.
“But both teams are very good and we can do one of two things. We can either watch Argentina and change our team or we can think about ourselves and our strengths.
“We are thinking only about ourselves and we will play our own game, even though it is Argentina we are playing and we know it will be difficult.”
The group winners are likely to play either Portugal or Mexico, who will have wrapped up Group D before the Dutch kick off, and although Van Basten was initially reluctant to express a preference, it emerged he was warier of Luiz Felipe Scolari’s side.
“Portugal are an experienced team and they beat us two years ago in the semi-finals of Euro 2004. They are pretty much still the same team while we have changed a lot of players.
“Mexico are also experienced and we played them just a few weeks ago. If we play them again we can be sure they will be motivated and well prepared.”
Both sides are set to make changes, primarily to prevent players who have been booked in the first two games picking up a knockout phase suspension via another yellow card.
Two of those players, Giovanni van Bronkhorst and John Heitinga, are injured, but Mark van Bommel and Arjen Robben are likely to be left on the bench.
Argentina’s desire to ring the changes could see Van Bommel’s Barcelona team-mate Lionel Messi, who is still a few days short of his 19th birthday, given a start.
Van Basten acknowledged that Argentina possessed strength in depth. He said: “We have seen their games and they have a well-organised team that plays well together.
“They also have some great players, even some that have been on the bench like Messi, so it is going to be a very difficult game for us.”
Hernan Crespo, fellow forward Javier Saviola and Gabriel Heinze are the Argentine trio set to be rested to avoid suspension.
Midfielder Luis Gonzalez is out with a groin injury so Esteban Cambiasso, who replaced him against Serbia and Montenegro and provided the finishing touches to a wonder move for the second goal, is the obvious candidate to replace him.
Argentina have beaten the Dutch just once — to win the 1978 final in Buenos Aires. The most recent World Cup meeting was in Marseille in 1998 when the Dutch won 2-1.
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