If you had asked TF-loving football “purists” - as opposed to “impurists” - who they would most like to see in the final, they would’vs said the Netherlands and Spain. Funny enough, the Dutch faithful have been very critical of their current team, protesting that the team has betrayed their Total Football heritage.
The Netherlands have been playing a 4-2-3-1 system as well lately, but it’s lacked the fluidity of the Dutch of old. There are those who attack (Robben and Van Persie, neither of whom have defensive duties), and there are those who defend. But the link to the forwards is missing (the two in front of the defenders, de Jong and van Bommel). They are play disrupters and will be deployed to snap at the heels of Iniesta and Xavi in an attempt to rush them.
This is not to say this is a shortcoming of the Dutch coaching staff or players. They have a limited amount of time to become a cohesive team and this is the most efficient method.
Spain on the other hand, with its Barcelona core, has played together for four years and they play their possession-style regardless of who they face. The challenge facing the Dutch is to make adjustments to disrupt Barcelona’s modern adaptation of Total Football.
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