Belgium-Turkey: Player Ratings

That was a punch to the gut. After Belgium got off to a great start, scoring a goal in the third minute, they looked well on their way to victory. But Turkey came back into the match, and scored a vital equalizer. The rest of the match was mostly dominated by Belgium, with Axel Witsel missing a second half penalty. But 1-1 remained the scoreline to the end. This gives Turkey a big advantage. With a game in hand over Belgium, and a superior head-to-head record, the now most likely way Belgium will get second spot in the group is if Turkey drops points to either Germany at home or Austria away. Belgium will then need to win in Germany on the last day of qualifying. It's a daunting task, not insurmountable, but difficult to the extreme. To be blunt, the Rode Duivels' fate is no longer in their own hands. On to the ratings.

Simon Mignolet, 6: Hard to give a rating to a player whose only real contact with the ball came when picking it out of the net. Very few keepers would have saved that goal, and if they did, it would have been sheer luck. His distribution was fine, but not spectacular.

Toby Alderweireld, 6: Not really his position, but Alderweireld looked alright as a right-back. Kept Arda under wraps for most of the game (when Arda showed up on the right that is). His forward play wasn't great, but he served in a few good balls into the box (especially on corners). Needs to stay wider, however, when going forward.

Vincent Kompany, 7.5: Dominant, didn't give Kazim a sniff (had one fanatastic block on him though). He did everything he needed to do, and when the time came for attacking, he did it with verve. The true captain of this squad and without a doubt my man of the match. At the end of the match, he told reporters Belgium would go to Germany and beat them, and said with unbelievable conviction. If only we had 9 more of him.

Nicholas Lombaerts, 5.5: Didn't respond quick enough to the first goal. Great player for Zenit, but a little shaky for Belgium. Still, kept calm for most of the match, and otherwise unremarkable.

Jan Vertonghen, 4.5: Simply put, he's out of position at left-back. This can be masked against worse teams like Azerbaijan, but here he didn't look comfortable, especially when Arda showed up on the left. Had two good chances to score on set pieces, but missed both. Presumably, he'll make a big money transfer this summer and it will sway Leekens to play him as a centre-back beside Kompany.

Steven Defour, 5: Not nearly up to his usual standards. He looked out his depth at times. He put in a lot of effort, but it was all so laboured. Didn't see him much going forward either and his incisive passing was absent today. It's becoming clearer by the day that he needs to move to a bigger league to avoid stagnating.

Timmy Simons, 5.5: An okay outing defensively, but his presence in a three man midfield causes problems when it comes to creativity. When he got the ball, there were opportunities to find one of the flank players, but he seemed only able to pass it nearest player to him. He tried mightily to stop the Turks possession in the midfield, but not much he could do. A more dynamic player is needed in his position, and that player was injured for this game (hint: he has a big afro and his names Fellaini).

Axel Witsel, 6: It's hard to rate Witsel, because even though he showed a lot of grittiness and aerial strength, the final ball didn't seem to be there today. He's dominant in the league, but like Defour, he needs a new challenge to improve his game. You could also tell the nerves got to him on the penalty, but that can happen to anyone.

Nacer Chadli, 4.5: Poor outing, after the 10th minute, he disappeared. Nothing worked (besides his nodded ball to Ogunjimi for the first goal). If he stayed on his feet while defending Arda, the Turkish goal could have been prevented. Still, he worked hard and Leekens should have known that he wasn't in great form at the end of the season with Twente. Chadli needs that summer break more than anyone right now.

Eden Hazard, 5: An mediocre outing for any winger, this was a terrible game for a player of Hazard's calibre. He just didn't look in sync with the team. He gave a couple good passes and had a nice action to end his match, but I can't really blame Leekens for subbing him out for Mertens (though Chadli was playing worse . His storming off into the tunnel was unneccessary aswell. This was a big game and he should have put the team mentality ahead of his own ego.

Marvin Ogunjimi, 5.5: He scored a goal and then chased the Turks around for the rest of the match. He didn't look comfortable matching up against the big Turkish defenders. I said before, I thought the match called for a striker who was more oriented to coming back into the midfield and picking up the ball. Ogunjimi wasn't that striker. But again, it wasn't due to lack of effort.

Thomas Vermaelen, 6: While he didn't bring much attacking, Vermaelen looked a great deal more comfortable defensively at the left-back position than Vertonghen. A decent substition by Leekens. Vermaelen may have just staked his claim to the left back spot (not that he really wants it).

Dries Mertens, 7: Great energy by the little man who subbed out the other little man. He won a penalty and provided some creativity going forward. Scorched the hands of Demirel with one shot. This definately won him some points in the eyes of everybody, including the coaching staff.

Jelle Vossen, N/A: Came on too late to give a mark.

All in all, it was a disappointing day for Belgian football, and it deflated some of the hype surrounding the team (which may not be a bad thing). It's positive to note that Belgium never looked overly dejected in this match. They were the better team and got quite unlucky, what with the one shot on their goal ending up on the scoresheet. Things look bleak right now, with regards to qualifying, but it ain't over 'til it's over. I suspect that on October 11 in Dusseldorf, the Rode Duivels will probably have more to play for than just their pride.
Until the next match!

Belgium-Turkey Qualifier Preview: The Showdown

A couple months ago, the Rode Duivels finally made good on their prodigious talent, beating Austria in convincing fashion, away from home. After a relatively easy victory against Azerbaijan, anticipation began to build towards the crucial home encounter against Guus Hiddink's Turkey. Tickets sold like hot cakes for this match (something that hasn't happened in Belgium for a long time). If Belgium wins, second place looks likely; a draw or loss gives Turkey the firm advantage. It's a must-win, without a shadow of a doubt, so tensions will be running high. In truth, the Turks are a big step up from the Austrians and Azeris. Apart from Marouane Fellaini Moussa Dembele and Romelu Lukaku, the squad is pretty much full strength. Turkey, however, will be missing the German footballer of the year, Nuri Sahin and Hamit Altintop. That limits their creativity to some extent, but the excellent Arda Turan should be able to pick up the slack.
Going on early reports, it seems safe to say that Mignolet, Alderweireld, Kompany, Van Buyten, Vertonghen, Simons, Defour, Witsel, Hazard and Chadli will start the match barring any unforseen injury. That likely means Thomas Vermaelen, who just came back from injury, will miss out. That's unfortunate for the captian of this squad, but it would be hard to displace Vertonghen at left-back, as he has been quite good there for the last few internationals. Many in Belgium will want to see Vermaelen in Van Buyten's centre back position, which is fair, given Van Buyten's track record, but Leekens has remained steadfastly confident in the Bayern man. At present, one of Alderweireld or Ciman will likely start at right-back. Leekens will probably give Alderweireld the spot, as Ciman has been on the bench for Standard Liege lately. Whatever the case, it's going to be an important decision, as the left flank is where Arda torments his opponents. If the defense does turn out as predicted, the wide defensive positions will be taken by centre backs, likely meaning solid defence but little attacking support from the fullbacks. That may hamper creativity, but it should give the wingers a little more leeway when it comes to tracking back.
The midfield is pretty much a given. Defour has had a couple of injuries in the past few months, but he should be healthy enough to play. If Fellaini was around, this would probably give Leekens more of a headache, but he's still recovering from an injury sustained with Everton. Simons is an excellent holding midfielder and Witsel was outstanding in his last games with Belgium, so don't expect any surprises there. It's a little disappointing not to see a guy like Radja Nainggolan get a selection after a great season in the Serie A, but it is good to see David Hubert, Genk's captain, get a callup.
The attack is where the picture gets a little hazy. While Lukaku was probable to start, he got injured at the last minute. So now it's between Jelle Vossen, Bjorn Vleminckx and Marvin Ogunjimi. Vossen is more crafty and technically skilled than either Vleminckx 0r Ogunjimi. He also doesn't hesitate to draw deep and get involved with the midfield play, and the lumbering Turkish central defenders may find that difficult to deal with. Vleminckx is probably the best finisher of the three, while Ogunjimi is the strongest and quickest. But given Vossen's attributes and his earlier performances with the Duivels, I'm picking him to start. With the absence of Dembele, Leekens has little choice other than to start Eden Hazard on the right flank. If he can replicate the form he's shown with Lille, the Turkish left-back (the young Ismail Koybasi) could be in for a long night. On the left side, Nacer Chadli will get the nod over Dries Mertens and Kevin De Bruyne (even though they both finished the season stronger than him). But Chadli is probably the most suited to a physical game, and since the diminutive Hazard will already be on the right, Leekens may feel that Chadli's strength and height will come handy.
So here's my predicted lineup:
----------------------------------Mignolet------------------------------------

Alderweireld----------Kompany-----------Van Buyten---------------Vertonghen

-------------------Defour-----------------------------Simons--------------------
------------------------------------Witsel----------------------------------------

Hazard-------------------------------------------------------------------Chadli
------------------------------------Vossen--------------------------------------

As always, international fixtures are difficult to predict, especially in this case, where both teams are quite evenly matched. But I think Belgium's momentum and crowd support will propel them to a hard-fought victory. I'm expecting Witsel and Kompany to shine, and Hazard to get an assist. 2-1 to Belgium. Yeah I know, I probably jinxed it.
Enjoy the match! (kickoff is at 8:45 pm, Brussels time)

Austria-Belgium Player Ratings

Two Axel Witsel strikes near the beginning of each half gave Belgium a well-deserved victory over a listless Austrian team. While Belgium was by no means dominant, they took their chances and never looked nervous (well at least towards the end of the game). Georges Leekens went against conventional thinking, by benching Eden Hazard, but in the end it payed off. So now on to the ratings:

Simon Mignolet, 7.5: A very solid debut for the young Sunderland keeper. He made one smart save on Janko, preventing an equalizing goal. Quite good in the air and his calmness was a welcome sight. He didn't clear a ball far enough on one corner, but no harm done. If he can stay in goal for his club, then I believe we have found our undisputed starter at the position.

Laurent Ciman, 5.5: In the first 30 minutes of the game, Ciman looked like a calamity waiting to happen, as he kept clearing balls into opposing players. He didn't look at all as though he belonged. But then, he started to settle, and lo and behold, he didn't give Arnautovic a sniff as the game wore on. He even gave an assist for the second goal. But, unfortunately, he's still just a stop-gap solution.

Daniel Van Buyten, 6: In all fairness to Van Buyten, he played a very good game overall, dominating the Austrians in the air, something we definitely missed in the home game. But he gave away Austria's biggest chance (with help from Ciman). If it wasn't for Mignolet, he'd be crucified in Belgium right now. If he could cut out the (near-)blunders, I don't think anyone would have a problem with him starting, since he adds such a great physical presence.

Vincent Kompany, 8: Vince the Prince is now King Kompany. Dominating in every sense of the word. He had little trouble with Janko, or the larger Maierhofer. His distribution was good and his classy manner of play reassures his teammates. Only negative was the yellow card he picked up, forcing him to miss the Azerbaijan game on Tuesday.

Jan Vertonghen, 7: A very good defensive game from the Ajax man. He kept his man quite all game. He had one chance on goal, but for the most part, he stayed back to confine the Austrian attack (which is logical seeing as Belgium grabbed the lead very early on).

Timmy Simons, 6.5: A solid performance. While he was nervy in the first 30 minutes, he calmed down and prevented any Austrian incursions through the centre. Doesn't have the attacking ability that Fellaini has, but his experience was vital in preventing the Austrians from coming back into the match.

Steven Defour, 6.5: A quiet game from the Standard-captain. Gave the assist for the first goal, and constantly harried any opposing player coming into the Belgian half. Not a brilliant performance, but a very useful one.

Axel Witsel, 8.5: A fantastic match for the young versatile, midfielder. He took his goals very well, but he also was so good at winning the ball in the air and ground. He was strong on the ball, and gave some great touches as well (the deft flick to the offside Ogunjimi stands out). I'm struggling to remember if even Fellaini has ever had as good a game with the Duivels as Witsel did last night. Man of the match, without a doubt.

Moussa Dembele, 6.5: Strong on the ball, and mindful of his defensive duties. Gave his defender a torrid time. But he lacked the final bit of incisiveness needed in the 16. Still can't fault his excellent work rate. Good choice by Leekens.

Nacer Chadli, 7: While he wasn't very dangerous, Chadli raided the left side quite well, holding the ball, and providing some good crosses. Defended well too (a running theme for this match). He got the nod over Hazard on the left, and to some extent justified it.

Marvin Ogunjimi, 6: No real threat on goal, but he constantly chased down balls, harried the defenders, and was just a general nuisance. A decent game, but I don't believe he's the answer to our lack of production from our strikers.

Kevin Mirallas, 5 (subbed off Ogunjimi in 80th minute): In his limited minutes, he looked quite good, showing some attacking bite.

All in all, it was a good showing by the Rode Duivels, with a mental fortitude that has been lacking recently. Next up is Azerbaijan, a must-win game (and a game that should be won comfortably). I think the Duivels will again win, with the same scoreline of 2-0, which should them back into a good position to qualify for the Euro Cup.

Austria-Belgium Euro Cup Qualifier Preview: Do or Die

On the 12th of October of last year, the Rode Duivels played one of their most memorable games in recent memory. A topsy-turvy 4-4 draw was played out in the Heizel Stadium, where a late Austrian goal snatched away 2 crucial points. In all fairness, that should have been the end of Belgium's qualifying campaign, but Turkey inexplicably only managed to Azerbaijan. With that result, Belgium remains in striking distance from the coveted 2nd place in the group. But to have any chance of it, a victory is needed in Vienna this coming Friday.

The injury bug has decimated the Belgian squad with two vital players missing in Marouane Fellaini and Thomas Vermaelen. Both Nicholas Lombaerts and Bjorn Vleminckx are looking doubtful for this match, which is a shame, since both these players have been having outstanding seasons in Russia and Holland respectively. And Jonathan Legear, the man who tormented Austria in his first cap, will also be absent. That leaves Georges Leekens with some headaches. While Vermaelen has excellent cover in Vincent Kompany and Jan Vertonghen, there is no one on this squad who can do what Fellaini does. The only one who can possibly measure up is the versatile Axel Witsel, but he lacks Fellaini's ability to break-up opposing passes. If I know Leekens (well, going on his previous starting XIs), here's how I think Belgium will start the match:

----------------------------------------Proto---------------------------------------

Vanden Borre--------------Kompany------------Van Buyten-----------Vertonghen

-----------------------Defour-------------------------Simons----------------------

----------------------------------------Witsel--------------------------------------

-------------Hazard------------------------------------------------Chadli----------

---------------------------------------Lukaku-------------------------------------

That's just guess of course, but I have a feeling Proto will start due to his good form in Belgium. Antony Vanden Borre will likely beat out Toby Alderweireld for the right-back spot because in the last match, Arnautovic simply dominated the Ajax centre-back (even Leekens acknowledged it). While Vanden Borre has been inactive for awhile, he's likely the best option, especially when supported by his friend Kompany (though one could make the argument that Denis Odoi of Sint-Truiden is much more deserving of a selection). I understand most Belgium fans won't be thrilled to see Van Buyten back, but he's starting for Bayern Munich again (not saying much since Breno and Badstuber have been horrendous), and his aerial dominance will likely come in handy against the physically imposing Austrians. While I'm not a massive fan of Vertonghen playing left-back, he'll likely win out over Sebastien Pocognoli due to form, and his defensive ability. Unfortunately, Leekens didn't select Bart Buysse, who is starting at the left-back position for FC Twente. As well, the revelation of the season in the Jupiler League, Derick Katuku Tshimanga, a speedy wing-back, has just come back from injury, so unfortunately he was not considered for selection.

It's pretty much a given that Timmy Simons and Steven Defour will start the game against Austria. Simons has been having a good season with Nuremburg and it's well known that Leekens values his experience. Steven Defour's return from injury coincided with Standard Liege's and Axel Witsel's resurgence. His vision, tenacity and footballing intelligence make him an ideal central midfielder; Leekens will surely not overlook him. I expect Axel Witsel to fill a versatile, box-to-box role (something he did very well in the latest friendly against Finland), playing just ahead of Defour. That being said, it's well known that Leeken's admires the physical strength of Jelle Van Damme. Thus, it may be possible that the Standard trio of Van Damme, Witsel and Defour lineup in the midfield alongside Simons (Witsel on the right, Van Damme on the left). In this scenario, Leekens would be banking on a match where both flanks are well guarded, giving Austria little to work with. The shortcomings would be the obvious lack of midfield and wing creativity.

On the attacking side of things, the picture gets cloudy. In short, Belgium has a lot of good attacking players, but few good goal scorers. I expect Lukaku to play because he's looked very good in the last two friendlies (as an aside, I find that Lukaku plays much too rigidly with Anderlecht, but with Belgium, he drifts more to the flanks, giving him more freedom to operate and create). Obviously, Eden Hazard should be in the lineup (either as a winger, or with a free role), but we all know Leekens doesn't particularly like him. Still, it's hard to overlook the best player in Ligue 1. The last attacker, if Leekens opts for a three-man attack, is hard to predict since Moussa Dembele, Dries Mertens, Kevin Mirallas, and Nacer Chadli all can stake a reasonable claim to the position. Dembele and Mirallas are better second strikers than they are wingers. And Dries Mertens may be a little too similar to Hazard. So Chadli will likely win out over those three. But who the hell knows, Leekens may just decide to go with the Genk duo Jelle Vossen and Marvin Ogunjimi because of their chemistry (like he did in the first game against Austria).

All of this is speculation, but what I do know is that come Friday, 2,000 Belgian fans will be present in the Ernst Happel Stadium ready to cheer on les Diables Rouges. I think their long journey will have a happy ending, with Belgium surprising Austria to win 1-3. Let's hope I'm right.