Dutch coach keen to keep Robben in reserve

Coach Bert van Marwijk says he hopes to be able to unleash winger Arjen Robben on the Netherlands’ World Cup rivals soon, but only when the Bayern Munich star has fully recovered from injury.

Robben sat out Holland’s 2-0 win over Denmark on Monday as he continues his recovery from a thigh injury.

The Dutch struggled to live up to their billing as potential World Cup winners after they needed an own goal by Danish defender Daniel Agger and a tap-in from Liverpool’s Dirk Kuyt to win their first Group E match.

The Netherlands now face Japan in Durban on Saturday and then Cameroon in Cape Town on June 24 and van Marwijk is happy to keep Robben in reserve.

“We won 2-0, so I can hardly say we missed him,” said van Marwijk. “We have speed and creativity in our selection, Arjen is an exceptional player, he is creative and super-fast so I am pleased we have him on board.

“It does create some reassurance that we can call him up when the time is right.

“We felt the co-operation was excellent between Wesley Sneijder, Rafael van der Vaart and Robin van Persie.

“We scored 10 goals in two of our warm-up games and we still have plenty of weapons on the bench.”

With Manchester City’s Nigel de Jong and Bayern Munich’s Mark van Bommel shoring up the midfield, van Marwijk said he was happy about their level of control, but not about de Jong’s yellow card late in the first half.

“I didn’t really think of taking Nigel off, he does a great job alongside van Bommel, but I felt he put in a reckless challenge,” said van Marwijk.

“We spoke about it at the break and I was sure he wouldn’t get a second card.

“Several players played a good game, van Bommel provided grip and control, he has confidence and power.

“I think we made a reasonably stable impression and we never panicked, not for a moment.”

Although Holland fielded a star-studded side, the Danish defence held firm in the first half before Agger diverted a Simon Poulsen header on 46 minutes into his own goal and Kuyt put the matter beyond doubt after 85 minutes.

Much has been said of the Netherlands’ attack which boasts Arsenal striker van Persie, supported by Sneijder, Kuyt and van der Vaart.

But van Marwijk says his squad must now live up to their potential by playing the flowing football they are famous for and not allowing complacency to set in.

“I have been saying this since I became head coach two years ago, we know what it means to be a favourite, we play good football and are very creative,” said van Marwijk.

“I have said 100,000 times that sometimes we are arrogant and sometimes that might backfire on us, and I have told my players from day one and we must not fall into that trap.”