After three days of matches, Antwerp is in the lead with a perfect report. And with 5 points ahead of Club Brugge. “That doesn’t sit well with the national champion,” says Peter Vandenbempt in his first analysis of the season.
“Van Bommel has brought clarity in no time”
After the third match day, only Antwerp has the maximum of points after a win against OHL. It was a really good top race, thanks also to Leuven who made a good turn and confirmed his good start.
OHL played football with guts and could have won a point, but Antwerp was the better team to be clear and deserved to win.
It is striking how coach Mark van Bommel has brought clarity to Antwerp’s game in no time. They play football recognizable and that was a problem all season last year under Brian Priske. “What does Antwerp stand for?”, we always wondered.
Alderweireld brings what was expected of him in the back: stability and experience.
The midfield is balanced with a very strong Yusuf and Alderweireld brings what was expected of him in the back: stability and experience.
There were also strong individual performances, such as from striker Michael Frey. He was doomed to be a substitute after Vincent Janssen’s top purchase, but the Swiss continues to work imperturbably and score.
Nainggolan had indicated that number 10 is his best position and Van Bommel obeys. No more switching pays off. Balikwisha may finally be going to play football to his great talent, while last year it was still trial and error.
Antwerp was collectively strong. It is still far from perfect, OHL has had its chances to take a point. But 9 out of 9, 5 points ahead of Club Brugge – that’s what they look at at Antwerp -, European clear…
Yesterday there were a few moments in the first half and the second half when Antwerp really accelerated and set the pace, and then it was very strong. As a new coach you can wish for little more than what we saw yesterday from Antwerp.
“Club Brugge could have had less than 4 out of 9”
At national champion Club Brugge, the engine still struggles a bit: 4 out of 9. Lost in Eupen last week, now equalizing against Zulte-Waregem.
Not on track is putting it mildly. It could also have been less than the 4 out of 9. Zulte Waregem also didn’t steal the point based on the entire match.
If your goalkeeper is by far your best player for three games in a row – even against Eupen and Zulte Waregem – then that is dubious for a team that aspires so much and invests so much.
Except for Mignolet, really only Skov Olsen can be satisfied with his start to the season. Hans Vanaken, the hub of Club Brugge, is not yet on track.
The supporters are getting a little worried anyway, they murmur. And that is very annoying for a young, new coach who is making his debut at the highest level.
Especially defensively, it is nothing short of a horror, individually and collectively. Even men you can rely on, like last year’s Mata and Mechele, are not at their level. Otasowi and Hendry are not good enough.
Club Brugge is already holding a match or 3 open days. In the play-offs it was actually like that every now and then, because there too Mignolet was the champion maker with a lot of saves. He now has to do that again at the start of the season.
The supporters are getting a little worried anyway, they murmur. And that is very annoying for a young, new coach who is making his debut at the highest level.
And on Sunday Club has to go to Leuven, which I just praised. 5 points behind Antwerp and Paul Gheysens, that’s not good.
“Match against Rangers is of utmost importance for Union”
Union received a lot of praise this week for his brilliant European performance against the Rangers, but lost without a chance in Mechelen on Saturday: 3-0.
As coach Karel Geraerts pointed out: the basic values of Union were not respected. Winning duels and playing with a big heart, that’s where it starts with the vice champion.
It was a non-performance between those two games against Rangers. And that was unconsciously helped a little bit by the choices of the trainer. He put three basic players on the bench, so you indicate where the priority lies.
And then Geraerts had the bad luck that the three replacements were not good, to say the least. Union won 36 percent of the duels before half-time, against Rangers it was still 56 percent. Those numbers say it all.
Union’s basic values were not respected: winning duels and playing with a big heart.
Last Tuesday’s stars, regulars such as Teuma, Lapoussin and Lazare, were also very mediocre.
And to be clear, KV Mechelen was very good. They were “Union” so to speak: eager, sharp and very eager to win.
Whichever way you look at it – you can say it twenty more times – it also makes sense: tomorrow’s match in Glasgow is of the utmost importance for Union. Also financially, because the qualification for the play-offs yields 5 million euros, a lot of money.
Because of that 2-0 starting position, Union also has a chance of qualifying. Although I would like to say again that it will be very difficult: 50,000 fans, great atmosphere, an opponent who has been hurt in his honor…
I saw that this weekend Alfredo Morelos, Rangers’ top scorer, has also returned after 5 months of injury and has already scored. Ryan Kent may still be prepped. Then the Rangers are another team.
“Very cool how Genk already plays football according to the recognizable principles of Vrancken”
Racing Genk also started the season well with 6 out of 9. With a bit of luck against Club Brugge on the first day of play, it could have been a well deserved 9 out of 9.
It is very impressive how Genk has been playing football according to the recognizable principles of Wouter Vrancken from day one. That is always a quality if you recognize the hand of the trainer: without many detours to the front, risky too, because at times defensively vulnerable…
Despite 4 goals this week and 3 last week, the efficiency is not quite there yet. Anyway, there is energy and experience, typical of Vrancken teams. The players create a lot, there is an idea behind the attacking game.
Players who were so often unrecognizable last season – bad mentality, no commitment – are excelling again. And then, with Ito and Oyen, two more outstanding players from the first day of play have disappeared.
Chapeau to Dessers who kept fighting and running and working and playing for Genk until the last minute.
The Genk fan can live on hope. It’s a shame that a very nice and good attacker is leaving our competition with Cyriel Dessers, but we understand that.
I want to underline once again: chapeau to Dessers who kept fighting and running and working and playing until the last minute for the club that paid him until the last minute.
Just like Amuzu did yesterday for Anderlecht. He may leave for Nice. A founding example for other colleagues in their situation.
Peter Vandenbempt
