Another Brussels derby at a disadvantage for Anderlecht and a beating Hein Vanhaezebrouck. Peter Vandenbempt saw how Anderlecht fell into the same role again against Union, AA Gent corrects and puts a feather in the hat of Antwerp coach Mark van Bommel.
“Always the same for Anderlecht: weak start & overpowered in midfield”
Union has won the derby against Anderlecht for the fifth time in a row and thus remains the team of the capital. Despite the fact that the coach has changed dug-out with Felice Mazzu, many elements for the explanation of Anderlecht’s defeat have remained the same.
It is unbelievable that Anderlecht will concede an early goal for the fourth time against Union, even three times in a row already after 2 minutes.
Anderlecht also starts weak every time in that match. For example, in the play-offs there was twice a chance to grab something for the Purple & White, but even then it started weak. And then you have a big problem against a team that can defend well in block.
Also always the same: Anderlecht are overpowered by Union for a period, trumped in the duels, too simply put aside in the middle strip. The young and light brigade in the midfield was pushed aside with power and that was also the case against the sturdy, burly Swiss on Thursday.
The young and light brigade in the middle lane was pushed aside. A type of Trebel is clearly missed.
A type of Trebel, who sets fire to it, who leads the way in battle, who also occasionally commits a foul, is clearly missed.
Felice Mazzu admitted afterwards that they lost the match in a bad first half. He had already said that after the defeat on the field of Cercle Brugge, and rightly so. It will be a little worrying for the coach.
Because in the final quarter – not before – Anderlecht still had a few good opportunities on one point. But of course Union could have scored a few goals by then too. Then you lose that Brussels derby five times in a row, which is very painful.
I assume that Hoedt is thoroughly washed. Making so much noise when he was rightly substituted after a weak game. No, wrong.
And I assume that Wesley Hoedt is also washed a lot, because that was also a low point in the match: played a weak game and then made so much noise when he was logically substituted.
A look full of contempt towards Mazzu, a few more gestures and that must be a leader in the dressing room. No, wrong.
“The VAR just did its job”
AA Gent against Antwerp was the highlight of the match day, but afterwards it was all about the referee and the VAR. Ngadeu himself coined the word “conspiracy”. That has crossed a line.
Everyone knows that Ghent has been the victim of a few equally incomprehensible and unacceptable decisions by the game management in recent months. That explains why there is so much frustration with the team and its coach.
As far as I’m concerned, the VAR just did its job yesterday. Also with that penalty for Antwerp. For example, there have already been an incredible number of whistles, nationally and internationally, I have already seen that, even after the intervention of the VAR. The man just did his job.
Just like at Union-Anderlecht, where Anderlecht received a penalty twice at the end, but the VAR rightly whistled him back.
I did think that referee Laforge was having a bad day, not for the first time this season. And his attitude doesn’t really help to accept that. But Ghent has to guard against the wrong fight it has gotten into.
Ghent has to guard against the wrong fight in which it has become involved.
If Vanhaezebrouck, as he himself indicated, warned his group of players about the referee (I understand that he may do this based on previous negative experiences), then you send your players onto the field with a certain idea.
Then, in every small decision made against them, they will see the confirmation of what they were already convinced of beforehand. You really can’t play football like that, that attitude only works counterproductive.
All understanding for the past, but the focus should really be on the problems at Ghent and they are legion: never kept a zero, compared to last year a defense that is uncertain, the lack of Tissoudali, and so on.. .
“Van Bommel is not afraid to win ugly and that is a compliment”
About the match itself: Antwerp won 1-2 and thus wins its first five league matches in a row. That was welcome after that European disappointment, although it will hurt a few more times when the European season gets underway next week.
Antwerp’s reaction to that disappointment and to the early backlog could have been there. Though I thought it was a boring game to watch. That only got worse as the game progressed, there was hardly any football and Antwerp decided to defend the lead tooth and nail.
That is also the conclusion that more people have drawn after a month of Mark van Bommel, a Dutchman in the dug-out. Not every Dutch coach is called John van den Brom and certainly not Adrie Koster, playing football with the back door always wide open.
Some pragmatism is not strange to Van Bommel, we have already seen that in Europe. In Ghent, he even abandoned his fixed system, because it suited better to fight Ghent. His team gradually coached and changed in a kind of hedgehog position, although that also had to do with injuries.
It is not because Overmars is the sporting boss that Antwerp has to play football like Ajax always and everywhere.
So he’s not afraid to win ugly and if that’s not the case every week, I mean that as a compliment. It is not because Marc Overmars is the sporting boss, that Antwerp should always and everywhere play football like Ajax.
Despite all the Dutch in the club, Antwerp’s DNA is still very much present on the field. Of course he wants his team to play better and more dominant football in the long run, but if necessary: just fight!
And look: Union is coming to visit on Wednesday, it will be one of those competitions, I dare to think, where the pieces will fly off.
