As the dust finally settles after the World Cup equivalent of the Gunfight at the OK Corral another question surfaces –  why was Ruud van Nistelrooy still on the bench while Dirk Kuyt started, and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink came on as a substitute?

Has van Nistelrooy suddenly become so poor that he has plummeted below Kuyt and JV of H in the Dutch pecking order?

 His record during the group stage was:

Serbia and Montenegro Started but replaced by Dirk Kuyt after 69 minutes

Ivory Coast Started and scored a goal but replaced by Danny Landzaat 73 minutes.

Argentina Started but replaced by Ryan Babel 56 minutes.

So how do you go from the first choice striker – albeit one who is replaced in the second half of all three group games – to not even seeing any action in a must one game against a side that at various times is up a goal but down a man?

 Of course the issue is complicated by his fall out with Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford and likelihood that RVN will be changing his place of business come the new season.

There has been mention of tactical situations but I’m not sure that the explanation holds water given the desperate nature of the game against Portugal. Maybe at the kick off, but when you have the kind of possession that the Dutch enjoyed late in the game, who would you want on the park Hesselink or van Nistelrooy? (For what it is worth did Kuyt show anything to indicate that he is worth the fee that has supposedly being placed on him?)

It would seem to me that one is beyond tactics and the only explanation is van Nistelrooy and Marco van Basten must have had “words” and severe ones at that. I had expected RVN to arrive at the WC ready to take out his club frustrations on other countries.

Apart from a decent first half against Serbia and Montenegro and the chance he put away against the Ivory Coast he looked out of sorts and lacking sharpness.

The Dutch midfield missed a match-fit Rafael van der Vaart and although the passed the ball nicely in midfield there was few penetrating passes into the penalty box – the kind RVN feasts on.

Well this one turned out to be a big disappointment. It sounds as if the IC vs. S&M would have been a better choice.

I'm not sure what we learned from this game. Both defenses were almost water-tight with both attacks being largely restricted to efforts from long-range.

I would say that Van der Saar was the busier keeper and Argentina did have the shot that came back off the post in the first half. However, the Dutch finished more strongly.

It looked like Argentina missed the intelligent running of Crespo and Saviola in attack.

The Dutch and Portugal seems to be a well matched pair while Argentina will surely have to much for Mexico.

Sober second thought may bring about a change in mind. But at the moment I think we saw one of the greatest displays of football at this or any other world cup today.

I would have to go back to Holland beating Argentina 4-0 in 1974 to find anything comparable.

Thoughts?

Messi to Crepo - and another one. 4-0.

Are Argentina that good or are S&M that bad? I think it is definetly the former today.

I expressed doubts about the Argentine defense before the tournament started and we probably still don't know how they will do.

However these two games will help Heinze get his match sharpness back and that will benefit Argentina. A game-fit Heinze is a real bonus for Argenina.

But it is early days and WC history is riddled with great starts and sad ends - blog to come later on that I think.

Tevez gets into the act. 5-0 - if this was boxing the fight would have been stopped at half time. And Messi gets another 6-0.

Only time will tell whether not it will end in tears of joy or sadness for Argentina but all I can tell you is that we have just seen one of the great World Cup performances that I can remember. If you didn't get a chance to watch it the first time, catch the replay, tape and keep it to show kids.

That was a spiritual experience!

Man of the match - Juan Roman Riquelme but it could have easily been any of five Argentine players.

S&M just cannot keep up with Argentina. They are chasing - and from time to time trying to kick - shadows.

Kezman gets sent off for a lunge at Mascherano - that came after he had a wee kick just a minute before at Riquelme after the ball had gone. He got away with the first one - but not the second.

Is Kezman really a superstar?

A flick from Riquelme puts Crespo through - a clear penalty there - but the referee waves it off.

And for S&M it just gets worse with Messi on and Maxi off.

Maxi scores his second one and Argentina is putting on a clinic. S&M can't handle Argentina's movement, passing or anything else.

The Group of Death? Well it looks that way for Serbia and Montenegro.

It looks as if the S&M defenders have been made to play in ski boots compared to Argentina who are floating.

The movement of Saviola and Crespo is so good.

But so is just about everything from Argentina just now.

Half time.

He was replaced by Gonzalez, suppossedly in order to give Argentina more attacking punch. Gonzalez off injured, Cambiasso on.

Cambiasso then proceeds to score a magnificent goal after playing a one-two with Crespo that finishes a wonderful move. A back heel from Crespo only adds to the goal - a thing of beauty.

I'm a big fan of Cambiasso - he was excellent for Inter this season. He works his butt off every game and he has skill to go with it.

Crespo has one dosallowed for an offside that wasn't offside. Crespo's movement up front is causing S&M big problems.

It was a bad day for….

Serbia and Montenegro a side that rarely looked capable of getting a goal after going 1-0 down to the Netherlands.

Iranian goalkeeper Mirzapour and centre back Rezaei who teamed up to gift Mexico a go-ahead goal that turned out to be the winner.

Angola’s 2005 player of the year Jamba who saw Luis Figo breeze passed him to set up Pauleta for the only game of the game after only four minutes.

FIFA – the British investigative program Panorama turned their attention to bribery allegations involving the bankrupt company ISL and “payments” allegedly made to officials of soccer’s world governing body over a period of 20 years.

It was a good day for….

Arjen Robben whose pace and running caused the Serbian and Montenegrin defense no end of problems.

Mexico’s Coach Ricardo Lavople – his double half time substitution paid off - eventually.

Mexican striker Omar Bravo who notched two in typical goal poaching style.

And the most overstated fact of the day...

USA plays their first game tomorrow.

EVDS is hurting and everytime the ball goes to him it is a potential problem. However he does well to grab a cross and sets up a quick attack which ends with Robben firing wide.

Robben flys down the left side and is body checked just outside the penalty area. Gavrancic yellow card and free kick to the Dutch but nothing comes of it. We are now into injury time.

Whistle goes and Holland starts with a win. The Dutch were clearly the better team while S&M looked like a team better equipped to grind out a scoreless tie than to chase a game after going a goal down.

Man of the Match - Arjen Robben.

S&M has now taken off their two first choice strikers - Kezman and Milosevic - but to date it has not made a difference. At some point soon S&M must push other players forward to support the front two.

Netherlands take off RVN who has been playing a slightly different role than we normally see and Kuijt is on.

Koroman strikes a wicked shot from the edge of the penalty box that Edwin van der Sar (EVDS?) gets down well and gathers at the seconmd attempt.

S&M looks like a team that has no idea how to come from a goal down. They are devoid of ideas - and short of numbers up front. If they are going to get one back it might have to be a set piece.

RVP goes ever so close with a left footed that just bends around the far post after a free kick on the right side.

Edwin van der Sar shows what an advantage it is to have a keeper who can also play a bit as he brings an ackward passback down on his chest and then he cooly clears.

It has just struck me what is "odd" about this Dutch team - neither of the de Boer twins are playing. I know they have been gone for a couple of years but they were around for so long that I became accustomed to seeing them whenever the Dutch played.

The Dutch conceed a corner and they only have one post manned. God I can't understand why teams to that.

Van Bommel off and Landzaat (AZ) on. The obvious difference between the two teams is still Robben. He is the flair player that S&M just don't have.

Best television ads so far

1. Adidas - two Spanish speaking kids picking a team of stars to play in their kick about. The digital addition of the Kaiser is a great retro touch for us old guys.

2. Guinness cartoon - what can say except brilliant! brilliant! brilliant! The only question is were they inspired by an ESPN soccer analyst?

3. Maria Sharapova - I think there might be something about a camera involved.

Half time Holland 1-0 Serbia & Montenegro. S&M has been thoroughly outplayed and at the moment they look like carthorses trying to keep up with thoroughbreds.

Zigic is on for Milosevic.

Vidic of Manchester United has to sit this one out due to suspension. Robin Van Persie (RVP) is part of a Premiership trio starting up front for the Dutch with Ruud Van Nistelrooy (RVN) and Robben.

S&M has opted to start with the 6' 7" Nikola Zigic (Peter Crouch with muscles and without the dance) on the bench, hopefully a reinforced one.

Nearly 15 minutes gone and the game has yet to settle into a pattern although Djordjevic looks like he might be the danger man for S&M. (Just as well we have an & between the S and the M!).

Arjen Robben scores! He times his run perfectly as S&M get caught square trying to hold a line and runs through on to a clip over the top from RVP. A maasive goal for the Dutch given S&M's great defensive record.