Van Persie wants place in 'unbeatable' Dutch team

Netherlands showed the depth of quality in their squad on Tuesday when Robin van Persie helped steer an almost completely second-choice line-up to a 2-0 win over Romania in their final Euro 2008 group match.

Van Persie, one of the players drafted in to start the match, had struggled for fitness in the warm-up matches for the tournament but is beginning to come into form at just the right time to help the free-scoring Dutch progress.

Van Persie came off the bench for the first two matches in Group C against world champions Italy and World Cup runners-up France, and then played the full 90 minutes against Romania, scoring an 87th minute goal to seal a third Dutch victory.

"If you can wrap up Romania with your 'reserves' that says a lot," Van Persie, who played in a creative midfield role, told reporters. "With this squad I really have the feeling that we are unbeatable, though we have to take it step by step.

"That is why I just want to be part of the team as it feels like something beautiful is going to happen."

The Dutch will face Russia in the quarter-final at St Jakob Park in Basel on Saturday having easily topped their group with an exciting counter-attacking style of play.

Van Persie, 24, is a contender for one of three attacking midfield positions but he can also fill the role of central striker.

Indeed, Van Persie replaced lone forward Ruud van Nistelrooy against Italy with 20 minutes left while in the France match he came on early in the second half for right-winger Dirk Kuyt.

"I focus on three positions, right wing, striker or the '10' (position) behind the striker, but it doesn't matter to me where I play," said Van Persie, who suffered an injury-plagued season with Arsenal.

Another remarkable fact about the flying Dutch team so far is their scoring ability. They have grabbed nine goals in three matches in what was considered the toughest group.

Those goals were claimed by seven different scorers, with Van Persie and Wesley Sneijder twice on target, and is a completely different picture from their struggle to qualify for the finals in which they scored just 15 times in 12 matches.

However, for Van Persie it is not all about scoring.

"I'm not selfish in front of goal and not desperate to score," added the playmaker.

"Ruud really lives for goals but that is not something I possess."