Netherlands: We have to do better against Brazil

Netherlands defender Khaled Boulahrouz says his team will have to better Monday’s performance against Slovakia in tomorrow’s quarter final against Brazil if they want to advance to a semi-final clash against either Ghana or Uruguay.

“I think the performance was not that good as we wished. We know we can do better,” he told SoccerNews.com. “We have to do better. Against Brazil in the next round we have to play one level higher, maybe two levels higher than we did, so it was not so good.”

“We have to be more focused and concentrate because we gave a couple of chances away and I think if you play against Brazil and the defense changes one on one against the goalkeeper they will score and that’s what we have to change – we have to play more compact and not give them too much space.”

Bouhlahrouz, who plays his club football for VfB Stuttgart in Germany added that he and his teammates feel highly motivated and harbor a strong desire to take this year’s trophy home.

“The feeling between the players, between each other is very good, very intense and we know everybody has the feeling that we want to win the World Cup.”

He did not believe the Netherlands had enjoyed an easier route to the quarter finals than some of the other teams he said. “In the World Cup there’s no easy route. Look at Italy, look at France, look at Spain – they qualified at the last moment. I think for people at home, it’s easy to say, and for the press, but to play, to do this by yourself is not easy.”

Boulahrouz did not feature in the game against Slovakia, but says he is ready to play for his country, whenever he is required. “Of course I hope to play every game. The trainer is making the decision and I have to accept that. I try to be a team player. Of course everybody wants to play in the World Cup but we want to win the World Cup and everybody needs to be present and needs to be fit if the coach needs them, and I will do the same.”

Midfielder Nigel de Jong echoed Boulahrouz’s sentiments about the performance against Slovakia. “It was not one of our best games, but we did enough to go through to the next stage.”

However, this was not reflective of a lack of motivation in the Netherlands change room, he said. “We are motivated. We just came here for one goal and to win and reach the quarter final. You know you have different opponents as well and you have to go from round to round to succeed. This game is over now, we just have to analyse our opponents for a couple of hours.”

[By Fatima Asmal for SoccerNews.com]