What if? How many times will Mark van Bommel, Toby Alderweireld and co have asked themselves that question after the defeat on the field of Anderlecht.
What if Owen Wijndal didn’t give a nod to Thorgan Hazard? What if Hazard hadn’t gone down so theatrically? What if the referee had solved it with yellow for Wijndal and Hazard. What if there was someone other than Visser in the VAR studio?
READ ALSO. “It’s not unsportsmanlike of Hazard, it’s smart”
On Friday afternoon, Mark van Bommel looked ahead to the meeting with KRC Genk and, you can guess, it was about the arbitration more than once. Because we asked – correct. But also spontaneous.
READ ALSO. Just before half time, Antwerp had to play with ten men after a ‘headbutt’ by Owen Wijndal
When it came to the chance of 1-1 (Balikwisha decided straight into the hands of Anderlecht keeper Schmeichel), Van Bommel mentioned the theme himself: “Such opportunities are simply moments that you depend on.” Then ask yourself a question. “What did you think of the red card? Did you see Mechele and Denkey a day later?” he referred to the clash between Brandon Mechele and Kévin Denky in the Bruges derby two days later. And especially the fact that no red was drawn there. They were also nose to nose, but Denkey did not lie down theatrically after a nod from Mechele.
“VAR is out of touch with the field”
“The referee gave Wijndal and Hazard both yellow cards and that was the end of the matter. Until the VAR intervened and Wijndal was sent off. After which he forgot to give Hazard a yellow card. And who got yellow in the second half?” Right Hazard. “As far as I’m concerned, it’s a kind of size-mongering,” said Van Bommel, who advocates less interference because of the video ref.
“The VAR makes the whole circus crazy. Abolish? No, not that. But only use it for goals and offside. And gross violations. And this (Wijndal’s reaction to Hazard, ed.) was not a serious violation.”
© BELGIUM
A clear position from the Dutchman, who then supported his captain. Alderweireld said on Saturday that a VAR cannot sense a match because it is not physically present. “The emotion of the stadium, of the moment and of the match, you cannot feel it in front of a television screen. You see the images in slow motion. Moreover, the pressure on the referee is so great when he is called to the screen by the VAR. And now I’m going to stop talking about it. We have to play good football and the referees have to whistle well,” said Van Bommel.
Playing good football, that is exactly what Antwerp did before Wijndal’s exclusion. Without scoring, that is. “The technical and tactical performance of my boys was at Champions League level. I stand by that. We’re doing it perfectly, down to the last thirty meters. We are getting there, but the finish or the last pass is not good. And that is not a blame on the players who have to finish it. We need to get more boys into the zone of truth and we are busy doing that.”
“Would we spare Janssen for the cup final? No, stop it. Then we have to spare him for four weeks and then we would throw away the play-offs.”
Mark van Bommel
Head coach Antwerp
And Van Bommel is not only looking to Janssen for this. The Great Old’s top scorer operated in midfield against Anderlecht and was also taken to the side after the red card. “He was only going to play 45 minutes anyway. He is now completely fit again. Do we spare him for the cup final? No, stop it. Then we have to spare him for four weeks and then we would throw away the play-offs. We are absolutely not at that point yet,” Van Bommel remained combative.
Lammens’ move
Of the first four matches in the play-offs, Antwerp will play three away. The only match at the Bosuil is Saturday evening against Genk. “Genk is a football team and we like that,” said Van Bommel, supplemented with the seven mutual results. This amounts to four wins for Antwerp, two for Genk and one draw. “These are always top matches in which we try to play good football. It won’t be boring.”
Van Bommel is counting on substitute goalkeeper Senne Lammens on Saturday. — © BELGA
After the defeat at Anderlecht, Antwerp suffered another blow. Jean Butez was operated on with a fracture in his hand. Now it is up to second goalkeeper Senne Lammens, who came over from Club Brugge last summer, to show himself.
“He doesn’t have to show himself anymore, he has already done that. In the cup matches and in the Champions League on the field of Porto, he has already shown that he is the future of the club. I don’t worry about that. He knows what will come his way in the coming weeks,” Van Bommel concluded.
Wijndal suspended
Engels, Corbanie and Butez are out for Saturday. Keita is training with the group again, but will not yet be in the competition selection. De Laet already showed in his substitute appearance at Anderlecht that he is ready for his last matches for Antwerp.
Earlier this week, Wijndal received a suspension proposal of two conditional matchday suspensions and one effective suspension. Antwerp agreed, which means they cannot use the Dutch left back against Genk on Saturday. Coulibaly may be his replacement.
READ ALSO. “Energy and enthusiasm always beat tactics”: Wouter Vrancken wants to build on his victory against leader Union against Antwerp
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