Five Talking Points from Netherlands 5-1 humiliation of Spain

Looking to avenge their World Cup final defeat to Spain, the Dutch certainly had a point to prove ahead of this game. Although they went a goal behind thanks to Xabi Alonso penalty, a brace each from Arjen Robben and skipper Robin Van Persie and a goal from Stefan de Vrij was enough to see a comfortable 5-1 victory over the reigning World and European champions. Here are the five major talking points from the game.

#1 Individual brilliance overpowers the Spanish tiki-taka

This was supposed to be a game that the Spanish side were supposed to walk through. After all, Spain have arguably the best squad in the tournament and the Dutch have a young squad of players, most of whom are playing in their very first World Cup. The Spanish are a well-oiled machine and the starting line-up featured all but four of the side from the final in 2010. For the opening 40 minutes or so, Spain tiki-taka-ed their way to a 1-0 lead. But after the Dutch equalised the game was turned on its head.

Spain lost their shape and lost their way in the second half. The intricate short passes that made them famous was there no more. The pressure put on them by the Dutch who pressed them relentlessly, showed. Four of the five Dutch goals were a result of individual brilliance, with either Robben or Van Persie making the most of their chances. The game was supposed to be about Spain and how they were going to benefit from playing the same side, instead it turned out to be one about how individuals can prove to be the difference in a tight encounter.

#2 Is it time for Casillas to step down?

There have already been signs that showed that Iker Casillas isn’t the keeper he once was. Whether for Real Madrid or the national team, the Spanish shot-stopper has shown signs that he is on his way down and the game against the Dutch was one such occasion. It was Casillas’s unnecessary coming out of his line that forced Van Persie to improvise and score the equaliser for the Dutch.

While there is little doubt that there could have been nothing he could have done about the second, the Spanish shot-stopper was to blame or dawdling on the ball too much as Van Persie scored his second and his team’s fourth goal. Casillas didn’t have the greatest of seasons for his club last time around and there were those questioning whether it worth sticking to him, when David De Gea was so obviously the better keeper coming into the tournament. Del Bosque stuck with him, but might not do so for much longer.

#3 Goals change games, they certainly do

Up until the moment the Dutch scored their opening goal, it looked as though Spain were going to walk away with yet another routine win. They scored the opener thanks to a penalty which never should have been given and although they didn’t create too many in the vein of clear cut chances, they had a defence who hadn’t conceded a single goal in their previous four World Cup games.

David Silva had a glorious chance to make it 2-0 to Spain but tried to be a little too cute and the Dutch keeper Cillessen was up to the task. And almost immediately Van Persie scored the opener with a wonderful diving header past Casillas and the Dutch went into the break level on terms. Van Persie goal was important in that, not only was it the equaliser, but it was also only the second time that the side managed to break the off-side trap and beat the high line. After the second half started, there was only ever going to be one winner as wave after wave of Dutch attack penned the Spanish defence back. The belief that the equaliser had given the Dutch was enough to keep them going forward in search of more goals. By the end, some hapless finishing, sublime goalkeeping and the posts were the reason why it was just five and not more.

#4 Another sub-standard refereeing display

To say that the quality of refereeing in Brazil so far has been bad, would be an understatement. Whether it was the awarding of a non-penalty for Brazil in the opening game between the hosts and Croatia or the non-awarding of perfectly valid goals for Mexico in the second game, against Cameroon, the refereeing in the tournament so far has been abysmal. And the game between Netherlands and Spain was no different.

From Diego Costa’s blatant dive resulting in a Spain getting the penalty that resulted in their opening goal to Costa not being sent off for a head butt on Bruno Martins Indi, the Italian referee missed quite a few important decisions. Although neither mattered in the end, on another day, those two decisions might have been the difference between three points and none.

#5 Redemption for Robben, but there was no respite for Costa

It is hard to enough to impress in your competitive debut for team as it is. But having to do that, having just come back from injury is even harder. To do that, when the fans are booing your every touch makes your debut a moment that you are unlikely to forget anytime soon. Diego Costa’s debut couldn’t have gone much worse. From being the nation’s best plan B to being unlikely on the pitch for the next game, in a matter of 90 minutes, Costa’s stock plummeted down.

One man whose stock will be at an all-time high, will be Arjen Robben. Before the start of the game, the winger of spoke of the still-vivid memory of Casillas denying him the chance to be Holland’s hero, describing it as an unforgettable snapshot. But if he needed one game to push that memory aside then this was it. Whether it was providing perfect passes for his team-mates or making the life of the opposition defence hell, or just scoring two sublime goals in your team’s opening match of the World Cup, Robben managed to do it all and in the process got his redemption for four years ago.