The Red Devils started a new era well yesterday under national coach Domenico Tedesco: they opened their European Championship preliminary round with a 0-3 in Sweden. This first match of a renewed Belgium has been awaited for a long time, what did our analyst Eddy Snelders think of it? “It was satisfying. On the left we have to think about defensive alternatives.”
After 7 years of Roberto Martínez and his trusted recipe with the Golden Generation, which had a painful end at the World Cup in Qatar, some people were anxious to wait. Snelders: “A drastic innovation had to be implemented and the question was alive: “What was Belgium still, how far were we?” This match was a barometer for that.”
“And you can say it’s okay: in this group we will go to the European Championship and we will be able to continue to participate in the major tournaments. That is certainly reassuring. Are we stronger or less strong than before, we still have to Let’s wait and see. We often missed the big moments with the Golden Generation.”
It is normal that there is still a lot of room for improvement, the beginning was a bit nervous, the second half was better: “You are with a new group, with a mixture of young and old. Tedesco did well, he still has some kept older, important players with experience. And he supplemented that with young guys who have a lot of enthusiasm. That mix is good, but of course you need time. “
“It was a difficult start, because you didn’t know Sweden very well and in the past it seemed like a difficult cliff. It is important that you get through such a competition well and that is what happened. The result is there. The start so it was good.”
Whether we are stronger or less strong than before, we have to wait and see.
Lukebakio was the surprise in the starting eleven.
“Surprising that Lukebakio came into the team from nowhere, but he was great”
That’s the general impression, Snelders also picked out some individual performances. Dodi Lukebakio seemed written off at Anderlecht a few years ago, but the Hertha Berlin winger is now emerging. He gave Lukaku 2 assists. “He did very well. He used the space that Sweden gave on the right very well”, Snelders saw.
“He hurt Sweden. It was a bit surprising that he came into the team from nowhere. Everyone thought that was a great move. But he made a very big contribution to the victory.”
Lukebakio’s replacement, Johan Bakayoko, the 19-year-old from PSV, also did well, including the third assist. “But you also have to make a small comment. The match was in its final fold. Then there is less sharpness, insofar as it was already present with the Swedes.”
“He stood out with a great action on the third goal, that stays with him and is important for him. To make his mark on a squad in the next games. If you put him in from the beginning, you’re not sure if that will be of the same value.”
Lukaku did great in terms of scoring. He breaks open the game, although he is not yet in top form.
Of course we cannot ignore Romelu Lukaku either: with his 69th, 70th and 71st goal for the Devils. It was his first goals for Belgium since October 2021. The record top scorer barely touched the ball, but did score three goals.
“That is important for a striker. Although I must say that Lukaku is not yet in top shape. He regularly lost the ball when handling his goals. That was a bit like the Romelu of a few years ago.”
“Anyway, with a striker it’s mainly about scoring. It was very well done with that first goal, even though Lukebakio had an excellent center. That’s how Lukaku also breaks the match open. And it’s important that you have players who can.”
“I hope for him that his form will improve and that he will also become the Lukaku we used to know in the game.”
“Thinking about defensive alternatives on the left side”
So they did their job at the front, what about the back? Wout Faes made a great save on the line in the beginning: “I thought it wasn’t quite right then. It was also too easy a pass on the left. Yannick Carrasco and Arthur Theate were not 100 percent clear, also Thibaut Courtois had some bad luck with a ball that came behind his body. Fortunately, Faes was there.”
“After the 0-2 I found the defense a bit less stable. Before that they didn’t really have a problem and they kept everything closed. After the 0-2 it was difficult on the left side, with Theate, who is not really a left back That still needs some thought. Are there any alternatives?”
It brought the Swedes 2 chances. “But they did slide out on their ballerina shoes in the 16-meter range, they didn’t get a shot. Those were 2 moments you have to watch out for. The match was already played, but you give away chances a little too easily. “
Although Snelders also understands that Rome was not built in 1 day: “You are in a new composition at the back, with new people around each other. That takes some time. They came out of the race unscathed and with little to no damage. is the most important.”
Arthur Theate.
“Sweden was not a point of reference, Germany is becoming much more so”
Out of Sweden was called a bit like an exam for Tedesco and his group. They passed, but Snelders did not want to mention an indicator last night. “I might vote negative for some people, but this was not a point of reference, because the Swedes don’t really represent anything. We have to be honest about that.”
“At a certain point everyone starts shouting at Ibrahimovic. That man is 41 years old, if you have to rely on that as a country, you know it’s not good. 2022 was a bad year for the Swedes: relegated in the Nations League, no World Cup.”
“These are all symptoms that make the whole thing less attractive. It is clear that Sweden is in crisis.”
The Belgians are now practicing on Tuesday at European Championship host Germany, that will be something else. “They don’t play in the European Championship qualifying round. They will be sharp, because they want to show themselves. That is more of a reference match. But I don’t think we will have many references in the group matches of the European Championship preliminary round.”
“We can almost rest assured that we will push through as the winner of that group, even being second would not be a drama. With opponents such as Azerbaijan, Estonia, Austria, Sweden … We have now seen what that represents. We can be reasonably confident We are very confident that we will also be present at Euro 2024 with a rejuvenated and new team.”
We can be reasonably confident that with a rejuvenated and new team we will advance to Euro 2024 as the winner of this group.
