[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by Itse

I have never said they're anything but one of the best teams in the tournament. That is a completely different issue from me not liking them. Same as with Canucks back when they were good.

20 shots, sure, but not really that many great ones. This wasn't Belgium vs. USA. Netherlands has the best group of strikers in the tournament by a ridiculous margin and their midfield is among the best. It doesn't take a great coach to win the shots in that situation. They were 2 nervous players away from losing this game.

Look at Algeria vs. Germany. Löws idea of a lineup was a bloody mess. They won because their players were so much better, but if that was a coaching match, it would have been a clear loss. That game was a huge black mark on Löw.

This was not impressive by van Gaal. Maybe a black mark is a bit of a stretch, but in the end they had by far the easiest opponent of the four finalists, and yet they were the only one that couldn't score a single goal.

I don't see how that is NOT some seriously unimpressive coaching.

This was the first really defensive squad they faced, and they didn't have a real strategy for it. Mexico, Spain, Chile and even Australia to some extent played an offensive style.

Good thing for Netherlands there's no defensive teams in the top 4.

So if two or three of those shots that hit the bar were an inch or two different Van Gaal is a good coach?