The football weekend in the JPL once again provided a lot of material to discuss. In his analysis, Peter Vandenbempt focuses his magnifying glass on Anderlecht’s collapse against Standard and the poor performances of Club Brugge and coach Ronny Deila.
“Liège is hell for the opponent again”
Hell is burning again in Liège. Just like 2 weeks ago against Club Brugge (2-1), the home crowd certainly played its role in Standard’s recovery yesterday.
That resurrection is quite a punishment. Because at halftime the Rouches were knocked out against the canvas.
The strange thing was that Standard played a pretty good first half, with the ball anyway. It had 2 big chances, the initiative and perhaps also a little bit of dominance.
Anyway, Standard was also expertly countered by Anderlecht again and again because far too much space was given away. It was a particularly vulnerable Standard.
It is the credit of the home team, who came out of the dressing room with the support of the crowd and with great belief in the turnaround. Standard was also helped by circumstances due to a suddenly weak and insecure Anderlecht.
The top 6 is now a justified ambition for Standard. However, many steps still need to be taken.
Peter Vandenbempt
All the balls flew in, that is also the period Standard is in now. The contrast with that dark month of August and that 1 in 12 could not be greater.
At that time, there was already a lot of enthusiasm in Liège against coach Carl Hoefkens, about his way of working, about his choices and about the training he gave.
But it was clear to everyone that there was simply too little quality in the group of players. That came in the last hours of the transfer market with Alzate, who played very well yesterday, Sowah and Djenepo.
It is a different team now. The top 6 is now a justified ambition. However, many steps still need to be taken. Carl Hoefkens knows that too.
Standard now recorded 2 nice victories against Club Brugge and Anderlecht, but that could also have been 2 defeats.
There is a basis for improvement, there is confidence, there is spirit, energy, life and conviction in the team and the bond with the fans is there again. Liège is indeed hell for the opponent again. That is certainly a major asset for Standard.
“A blow that can count for Anderlecht”
There is no conclusive explanation for Anderlecht’s collapse in the second half. Except that “this kind of thing happens in football”, say experienced people. Football is a people’s game and is unpredictable.
Anyway, I think two elements are clear and have played an undeniable role.
1. Anderlecht should really feel wronged by the match management, I think. That rejected 0-3 for alleged hand play, added to the approval of Alzate’s 1-2, does not seem correct to me and above all not consistent and yet quite crucial for the sequel.
The uncalled penalty foul on Dolberg in the 2nd half is, in my opinion, simply a blunder by the VAR. But okay, I think – and fortunately – the Referee Department will soon say that it was all correct after all and then we can move on.
2. The attitude with which Anderlecht started the second half: convinced that nothing could happen to them. Vertonghen had apparently already sensed this at halftime, because he reacted fiercely to Stroeykens and Dreyer, who were already waving to the crowd when they went in after the 1st half.
It has happened to Anderlecht before that they start the second half much weaker. And in Liège they paid a price for that yesterday.
A golden opportunity for the rankings was there for the taking. That of course makes the sequel all the more painful for Anderlecht.
Anderlecht will of course kick themselves in the head. The way Anderlecht still had control before half time, despite possession of the ball and the initiative for Standard, and the way they played football, that was just very good.
So pure, so fast, vertical, Thorgan Hazard who was omnipresent, very well played attacks, about 5 chances forced in 1 half in Liège, an impressive game of possession just before half time and clinical in front of goal. That was from the very best of Anderlecht.
A golden opportunity for the rankings was also up for grabs. That of course makes the sequel all the more painful. Because let’s not forget that after those 3 Liège goals there was still half an hour to react. And that didn’t happen either.
Suddenly Anderlecht was sloppy and slow again and could not find a solution for that other match situation. I think it is a blow that can count for Anderlecht.
To really call Anderlecht a title candidate, I would wait a little longer.
“Club has no belief in its own abilities”
Coach Deila is obviously under pressure at Club Brugge. That could hardly be otherwise, of course.
This core, together with perhaps that of KRC Genk, is the strongest and the broadest in the highest class.
If you are only 7th with 16 points from 11 matches, the worst start to the competition in 40 years, then you are definitely doing poorly. Also as a trainer, who is responsible for this.
Until recently, there was apparently still some compassion within the club about outside criticism of the team, the game and the defensive compartment.
Because they knew better, supported by the statistics, which were apparently all very good. Except for the statistics that are really important, namely goals for and against and points. Because that was just bad.
Of course you can continue to say that you could and should have won. And that’s true. That would certainly have been possible in Kortrijk too. But if it doesn’t happen every time, then there is still a problem.
As I see it, it is not a lack of good will, not even of commitment. But there is no conviction and no belief in their own abilities in that team.
There is no line in football either. It seems like they are saying: “We give the ball to Nusa or to Skov Olsen and we wait for an action.” It ripples on a bit.
“Club could have a very nasty fall in the next 2 weeks”
Of course, Deila was brought in anyway, based on what he did with Standard, to revive the dead things from last season. To turn islands into a close-knit group again.
Deila was brought in to send a shock through that dressing room and the club with his enthusiasm and his demeanor.
That also seemed to work in that month of August, around the European qualification against Osasuna. But for the time being there is very little sign of this. This is a pretty dead team.
There has been a lot of talking and working in recent weeks. That’s why I think the defeat against Kortrijk is an extra big disappointment.
Deila’s luck is that Club Brugge already had 3 trainers last year, but that didn’t work in the end. So, I would wait a while before that. They also learned that at Club Brugge.
But it is red alert, both for Club Brugge and for Deila.
Because in the next 2 weeks Club Brugge can have a very nasty fall in the competition against Antwerp, which is also in a bit of a difficult period, but especially against Union, on Thursday against Lugano in Europe and in the Cup at Kiel against Beerschot, which is in 1B. is doing quite well.
Urgent recovery is the message for Club Brugge.
2023-10-23 07:55:27
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