With 5 matchdays left in the Jupiler Pro League, Peter Vandenbempt is already looking ahead to the play-offs. Is leader Union experiencing a dip and KRC Genk and KAA Gent falling by the wayside?
“It is not the time for a dip for Union”
Jupiler Pro League
UnionWesterlo
After the cup defeat against Club Brugge, Union also dropped points at home against Westerlo. There are therefore elements for the competition, which is located at a great distance, to draw on.
Union had a very difficult first half against Westerlo. I certainly thought that was a credit to the visitors, who played well and with a lot of energy. But afterwards Union was simply stronger. Without that completely unnecessary VAR intervention at the end, the leader would have won again.
Yet coach Alexander Blessin has been critical of his team’s performance for some time, even after winning games against RWDM, for example, and even last week against Genk. Union was in control there and Genk was actually powerless, but the football was modest for a long time.
They concede goals far too easily. After the 6 in the past 4 league matches, another 2 in the Belgian Cup.
And on Saturday after the match it was about Mohamed Amoura, who dribbled too much and made wrong choices in the zone of truth. For striker Gustaf Nilsson the term “selfish” was even used. That’s not something we associate with Union.
They are less firmly in the block. That cup match against Club Brugge was really weak: 3-0 would have been more logical than 2-1, which now offers perspective for the second match.
So the coach is at least vigilant, maybe even worried. That series of 18 games without defeat in the competition is of course still there and the lead in the rankings remains large.
But perhaps everything Coach Blessin has touched on is the canary in the coal mine. You should not ignore these signals, this is not the time for a possible dip. Because, for example, there are also those two European matches against Eintracht Frankfurt.
Related:
“0 out of 6 is twice as hard for AA Gent”
Jupiler Pro League
KAA GentCercle Brugge
Hein Vanhaezebrouck had called the match against Cercle Brugge crucial. KAA Gent lost 1-2 and the Champions’ Play-offs are now in real danger, just like for KRC Genk.
Genk played very good football for a long time this season, but this was not translated into results. In the meantime, the Limburgers’ good, smooth football and the many chances they created have also disappeared. That is worrying for a team that I have long considered to be one of the real title candidates.
AA Gent is still struggling at the tail end of the top 6. Lost 4 times in 5 competition matches, 1 in 15.
Despite all those injuries to important players such as Sven Kums, the absent international players who have just returned, strikers who have been transferred away… Ghent could have simply grabbed a point against Anderlecht and won against Cercle Brugge. Then a 0 out of 6 hits twice as hard.
They had plenty of chances before half time, 2 goals from Cercle with 2 balls between the posts… That addresses part of the problem. Cercle has a striker in Kevin Denkey who has already scored 20 times, so you can also win difficult matches with 10 men.
The last thing Ghent needs is a coach who has doubts or becomes a bit despondent.
Peter Vandenbempt
The difference in self-confidence and conviction after the match could not be greater between the two trainers. Miron Muslic said: “No one can get us out of the top 6 anymore”. That’s spoken.
Hein Vanhaezebrouck said: “I don’t know how we are going to do that. With a thin core, with young, inexperienced players on the bench, with experienced players with whom we have to be careful and also with two European matches.”
I understand that of course, but it is not what you as a club or player want to hear from your trainer. The last thing Ghent needs is a coach who has doubts or becomes a bit despondent.
Europe is simply too important to simply give it away in view of the long battle for Play-off I. Vanhaezebrouck does not envy the clarity, but he must now convince everyone at Ghent that it is possible.
Related:
“The leaked report is a catastrophe for our referees”
The referees were again criticized from all sides this weekend. Last week the referees’ evaluation reports were also leaked. I think that is very bad, a catastrophe for our referees.
By the way, that is not a reproach to the newspaper that published them. If I had them myself, I would have done it too. It’s journalistic work. But anyone who passed on those figures either did not have the right intentions for the arbitration in Belgium or has gone about it very painfully wrong.
If the intention was to fully criticize big boss Bertrand Layec for the catastrophic way in which he has been leading that department for years, then it was not necessary, because that was already known. And secondly, the decision to part ways at the end of the season, when his contract expires, has long been made.
That mismanagement has now also been put into figures, but at the expense of many referees and VARs, who are already under fire without protection every week.
You will have stepped onto the field as a referee this weekend, knowing that players and trainers have read your report.
Peter Vandenbempt
Those who come out of it positive will find it very pleasant. They see how colleagues who were pushed too much are embarrassed. There is also a lot of jealousy and unhealthy competition among the referees.
But you will have stepped onto the field as a referee this weekend, knowing that players and trainers, to whom you must exude a certain authority, have read your report.
All those responsible in football know that thorough changes are needed, and they are working hard on that.
Fortunately, there was Alessio Castro-Montes from Union, to whom I would like to present the award for the best statement of the weekend. He could also have complained about that wrong VAR intervention that cost Union 2 points against Westerlo.
But he said: “We should pay less attention to the referees. It won’t help if we put extra pressure on them by talking about it again. This might make them doubt even more and that is not good for their level. They’re just trying to do their job, I don’t think there’s anyone with bad intentions.”
Good luck, Alessio Castro-Montes.
Related:
2024-02-12 08:49:58
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