5 things we learned from France’s demolition of the Netherlands

#5 The Netherlands are bad… really bad

Dick Advocaat’s men were utterly abject

FIFA ranked the Netherlands as the best team in the world as recently as 2011, but it is no surprise they have fallen as low as 36 judging by their performance on Thursday.

Dick Advocaat’s men were utterly abject, with their lack of tempo, technique and urgency incredible in the first half. Indeed, had it not been for their hosts’ incessant showboating they might have been facing a far more severe score than 1-0.

For a period in the second half they actually improved, but it was telling that they were reliant on veterans Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie, a second half replacement for the hapless Vincent Janssen, for all of their forward thrust.

Kevin Strootman’s soft red card did not help their cause but in truth, it probably only hastened their demise. Hugo Lloris was tested only once in the game, and by that stage the game was out of sight.

It is hard to overstate just how bad the Dutch were. Surely a team with such quality players are capable of far better?