Former Dutch defender shows how to stop Messi

"You should not prepare against Messi, you should prepare against Argentina," Vlaar told Dutch newspaper Telegraaf on December 7. "You need to look at Messi's specific skill set and qualities, but have a plan to block it with the whole team. I just told myself, whenever Messi takes the ball into my position, I have to block it. he".

Vlaar retired in February 2021 because he could not guarantee his peak performance after too many injuries. But he used to confront and successfully block Messi in the 2014 World Cup semi-finals. At that time, Vlaar kicked the center of the Dutch three-man defense, alongside Bruno Martins Indi and Stefan de Vrij. On the opposite side, Messi kicks in at number 10, with Enzo Perez, Ezequiel Lavezzi and Gonzalo Higuain succeeding in Argentina.

The situation of the match was even, when the Netherlands controlled the ball 56%, passed 688 lines, received corners 4 times, finished 7 times with one shot on target. Argentina's statistics are 44%, 545 passes, 4 corners, 8 shots with 4 shots on target.

Argentina's most dangerous detonator, Messi played well when touching the ball 72 times, passing with 80% accuracy with two decisive passes, successfully dribbling up to 10 times and hitting the target once. However, Vlaar and his teammates succeeded in preventing Messi from "shooting". No goals have been scored over 120 minutes. In the penalty shootout, Messi successfully kicked, and it was Vlaar who missed the first turn. Then, it was Wesley Sneijder's turn to miss, causing the Netherlands to lose 2-4.

According to Vlaar, the Netherlands should not appoint any player to accompany Messi, but the whole team must constantly monitor every movement of the Argentine star. The former center-back warned the Netherlands to focus, even when holding the ball, because this is the time when Messi "hunts for bait" and waits for the opportunity to counterattack. "After winning the ball back, Argentina will quickly find Messi like a snake. Just half a chance and Messi will punish you. So the Netherlands must be careful when controlling the ball, this is what we do. did well in 2014," Vlaar analyzed.

Vlaar thinks that Argentina has not changed the way it played since 2014, when constantly dribbling the ball for Messi. "In the first half of the match against Australia, Argentina kicked carelessly and couldn't give the ball to Messi. In the second half, they did it, and Messi immediately threatened," he said of Argentina's victory in the first round / 8 World Cup 2022.

Like the 2014 World Cup, coach Louis van Gaal continues to use a 3-5-2 diagram for the Netherlands in Qatar 2022. In recent matches, the 71-year-old coach has used a trio of central defenders Jurrien Timber - Virgil van Dijk - Nathan Ake, and put Matthijs de Ligt on the bench. Meanwhile, the midfield is a combination of Frenkie de Jong and Marten de Roon.

According to Vlaar, De Jong and De Roon had to cut the ball before reaching Messi's feet, and the strikers had to constantly pressurize. "Messi likes to stay deep to find space and then go for the ball. So you have to limit the space and put pressure on Messi from both sides. Ake and Timber are very good at pressing, and Van Dijk plays the same role as me. In 2014, the band came out to prevent Messi from coming down," Vlaar continued to analyze.

Vlaar said Argentina in 2014 was stronger - with younger Messi and Angel Di Maria, with top-class players like Higuain, Sergio Aguero or Javier Mascherano, while the team under current coach Lionel Scaloni played more collectively.

According to Vlaar, the Netherlands are now pragmatic, hard to beat and have attacking players who can make the difference. "I also like beautiful football, but winning is more important. It's not about how well you play, but whether you are strong enough to win. And I think the Netherlands is strong enough to beat Argentina." , Vlaar predicted the confrontation at Lusail on December 9.

Vlaar played for the Netherlands between 2005-2014, scored one goal in 32 games, was a member of Euro 2012 and the 2014 World Cup. He played for AZ, Feyenoord, Aston Villa, returned to AZ in 2015 and won the tournament. technology last year.