5/8/2010: Practice Notes & Interview Blooper

Geert den Ouden is touch and go for kickoff against Cincinnati, nursing slight injury.

**Let's start off with a laugh before we get into some tactics. Let's just say, in the video below, a few of the Dutch players were doing some questionably spurious sorts of things behind myself and midfielder Alex VanderSluijs during the beginning of our interview. Just thought it was amusing behind the scenes look at the banter at practice, as the team is taking the game extremely serious tomorrow but was still able to have a good laugh after practice:


**Another thing to note is that a good hour (maybe more than that) of the two hour practice tonight was just straight up quick passing in like a 8 v. 8 game. Very Dutch style with the think before you pass and anticipate where the other player will be sort of drill. Sort of Van Gaal-like with the pass and go, and bypass sort of mentality. The players overall looked much sharper than the last time I was out at practice a few weeks back (as Bas aludes to in the video clip in the previous post.)

I once and a while saw players find the unusual space and the one with the ball often found them, especially early on in the drill (first 30 mins.) before attention sort of waned. I was especially impressed with the movement of a couple of American players who seem to be adapting well to the style that Silooy is looking for.

**Nevertheless, playing with style would just be a bonus for Silooy tomorrow. As he stated to me and earlier to the players that he would much rather see an ugly win tomorrow, than a beautiful loss. PSV would approve, Cruyff not sure (although I could not reach him, :-)).

**The Dutch Lions have been sort of riddled with injuries. I do not think Geert den Ouden will be able to go (he tweaked his ankle against Global United, was good, and had a setback today, it will be touch and go before kickoff), Bret Jones is out, Evan Schwartz I believe is out for this game. I'm not sure who else, but Silooy said five or six important players were battling injuries. So, any sort of win would make him happy considering those circumstances.

**Other than that, I'll have more stuff up tomorrow before the game, unless swamped, and if not hopefully I'll see you next to me in the Orange Legion chanting. Go Lions!