World Cup Betting: Brilliant Orange?

Teams / Ben Lyttleton / 23 March 2010 / Leave a comment Free £25 Bet

Robin Van Persie is confident of playing for Holland at the World Cup

After their 100 percent qualifying campaign, expectations are high amongst Holland supporters. But if they're ranked third best in the world, why are Robin Van Persie and co only seventh favourites to triumph in South Africa? Ben Lyttleton reports.

"A quarter-final spot is the least we can expect from this Holland team, although Van Marwijk is already looking beyond that. 'We are not going to this tournament to be a part of it, we're going there so we can win it,' he says."

The injury update released on Monday night about Robin van Persie must have thrilled Holland coach Bert van Marwijk. The Arsenal forward declared himself "medically fit" and hopeful of playing a part in Arsenal's title and European run-in after injuring ankle ligaments on international duty back in November.

"I still hope I can take part in the final phase of the League and hopefully the Champions League. This has been my goal from the beginning," he said. "My first goal is to play for Arsenal. When I said that a few months ago, I looked crazy. But as it stands now, that will happen. Only then can I think about the World Cup."

For Van Marwijk, though, the signs are that Van Persie, who is an interesting [44.0] price to finish top scorer, will be fit to lead the line for Holland in South Africa ­ and that is a huge boost for the understated boss. His biggest challenge is to temper expectations surrounding the only team who qualified for the World Cup with a 100 per cent record. By winning all eight qualifying matches ­against Norway, Scotland, Macedonia and Iceland, Holland also moved up to third in the Fifa world rankings.

Despite that lofty position, they are currently priced at a seventh-best [17.0] to lift the World Cup, a figure that reflects the main issues surrounding this team: namely, their reliance on two highly talented but injury-prone players in Arjen Robben and Van Persie, a back-line that is not the equal in class to its forward equivalent, and a tournament history peppered with great performances and false dawns.

Van Marwijk has made very few changes to the squad that smashed Italy 3-0 and France 4-1 at Euro 2008, before losing in the quarter-finals to a Russia side coached by Guus Hiddink. The two main differences are in goal, where Martin Stekelenburg has replaced Edwin van der Sar and in midfield, where Mark van Bommel is restored following a fall-out with previous coach Marco van Basten.

While Van Bommel's presence, usually alongside Nigel de Jong, strengthens the shield in front of the back four, Stekelenburg is some way short of Van der Sar's level. The central defensive partnership of Joris Mathijsen and Johnny Heitinga is solid, youngster Gregory van der Wiel has impressed at right-back, while Giovanni van Bronckhorst, in the absence of any decent competition, is still first-choice left-back. Feyenoord¹s Rob Vlaar is an up-and-coming centre-back pick but Van Marwijk has admitted he is loath to pick players from the Eredivisie because the level is so much lower than what he expects to see at the World Cup.

With Dirk Kuyt on the right-hand side of a 4-3-3 and the other midfield spot going to Wesley Sneijder, whose form with Inter Milan has put him in the running for Serie A's Player of the Year, creating chances will not be a problem for this team. They are [1.75] to win a group featuring Denmark [5.5], Cameroon [5.7] and Japan [12.5] and could face either Paraguay or Slovakia in the next round.

A quarter-final spot is the least we can expect from this Holland team, although Van Marwijk is already looking beyond that. "We are not going to this tournament to be a part of it, we're going there so we can win it," he said. This Dutch squad is unlike any previous one for another reason: the coach has worked hard to rid his side of any divisions and rifts and, for once, it is a harmonious camp.

There is plenty of time for that to change but if their key players can steer clear of injuries then Holland will be a team to watch this summer.

Tags: Ben Lyttelton, Dirk Kuyt, Giovanni Van Bronckhurst, Holland, Robin van Persie, South Africa 2010 betting, Vincent Del Bosque, World Cup betting