Listen to Peter Vandenbempt’s analysis on “The Morning” on Radio 1 Select
A painful loss for Anderlecht.
What a contrast to last week, when Astridbark was on the bench after that victory over Antwerp, even though we already knew luck was precarious and a loss at Ghent was a foreclosed thing. If you lose the way Anderlecht did yesterday, it hurts too much.
It was crazy to see how a game in which football was played so poorly before the break was decided by a superb goal, with great help from Sven Combs.
Anderlecht was always in control of the AA Gent at that moment. After the break, it was also clear that he had been a coach for a while and Ghent had started to feel pregnant in the past few weeks. Anderlecht had enough chances to win easily.
Goalkeeper Rove played a very strong match, but he didn’t have to perform miracles either. Several times it was just a failure in the end, like Hoedt and actually Refaelov. At a crucial moment like yesterday, it could have been a bit more than that of Zirkzee’s great talent. This did not appeal to me.
Ghent was the lucky winner yesterday, but he was often on the other side last season, not rewarding himself in the matches he always had to win. Now it was fine, of course that’s also possible.
Anderlecht didn’t lose their PO I yesterday, of course, but they did lose in some of those 10 draws that weren’t quite necessary, such as against Standard, Kortrijk or Ostend. Along the way, by being weak and unstable for too long, Purple & White have put themselves in a situation where any mistake could be fatal, just like last season.
Along the way, Anderlecht has put himself in a situation by being weak and unstable for too long, where every mistake can be fatal.
“The top four are not decided yet, but Antwerp and Ghent have the best cards”
I wouldn’t easily assume the top four are now fixed, provided Anderlecht wins two more times after the international break. Cercle Brugge will remain a staunch opponent of AA Gent and Antwerp.
Circle lost 5-0 to Charleroi this weekend, but that was due to circumstances. He made a very solid return and is doing a lot in the second playoff. Moreover, Circle has already beaten Club Brugge and Anderlecht, which is quite impressive.
Oh Lofven, the other opponent of Antwerp and Gent, has missed this season against almost all teams, but he has often proven he can compete at home against the top clubs. In that last home game of the season in two weeks’ time, something can still be expected from OHL.
AA Gent of course in the flow. Seven wins in a row, that’s nothing. She also now has two weeks to recharge the batteries and get energized. Antwerp only managed to make the difference at the end of the match against Zolt Wargheim, but it was very good. Really it should have been 5-1.
It has not yet been decided, but Antwerp and Ghent have the best cards, and it shows.
“The Rising Line in Club Brugge”
We just have to remember the result of Club Brugge-Racing Genk, because otherwise it was a mediocre football match. Genk was – perhaps because of this sudden field occupation – nothing short of a club, even honest disqualification. Had Genk grabbed his moment, things could have gone differently.
Club Brugge can of course always count on De Ketelaere’s row and Adamyan once again played an amazing role, a successful temporary acquisition. It is of course important to his goal, but with other goals also with the strength and depth of his work.
Adamian is so valuable that he keeps the player who considers himself the best on earth – Noah Lang – on the bench. That might be great, but for now a very justified choice by coach Schroeder.
This double muffler against AA Gent has reached Club Brugge, but at the same time he is quietly working on a strong streak with 6 wins, without reaching her best level.
It was also not the club that played against the weightlifters of the competition and sometimes things went well, but there is also an upward trend. The club also scored 20 goals in those six matches, which is certainly not a mistake.
Now Beerschot, on empty Kiel, and KV Mechelen follow. Then it could be 6 out of 6 and then Club Brugge will be there just in time when the play-offs start.
“neural union”
A month and a half ago, Union was still 12 points ahead of Club Brugge, now there are only 5 and it is surprising that Union has not won at home 3 times in a row. Against – with all due respect – junior opponents such as STVV, Eupen and Ostend, Union earned 2 of 9 and scored just 3 goals.
Al Ittihad was very weak against Ostend in one game, which I find strange in a match where you know you have to win to keep the difference with Club Brugge.
Ostend did well, but Union should have scored 4 after the break. They were overwhelmingly strong and had many chances, but mistakes and a bit of bad luck got in the way of winning.
For example, the lead over Club Brugge is still 5 points, i.e. 2 in the playoff after the points are halved. This is nothing more.
I also noticed how nervous they were in the union throughout the second half, coach Matsuo in the lead. The referee was attacked by Matsu and the players afterwards, for no reason at all, if you ask me.
Then I think inside the title they aspire a little more strongly than they reveal to the outside world and that it would be a huge disappointment if the fiction wasn’t written in the end. And that’s good too. Either way, Union will get a well-deserved standing ovation anyway.
I think they at Union look up to that title a little more than they reveal to the outside world.
Listen to Peter Vandenbempt’s analysis on “The Morning” on Radio 1 Select
Source: sporza.be and ‘The Morning’
