Roberto Martínez keeps squeezing, but the lemon has been squeezed. AgainstMorocco, an exhausted Belgian team reached a new low: 0-2. There is a dangerof explosion in the hopelessly divided dressing room, the national coach seemsto have lost his grip. If there is not at least a draw against vice-worldchampions Croatia on Thursday, the World Cup will be over for Belgium.
Jan HauspieSunday, November 27, 202221:35
“No one has glossed over things,” wrote Ruben VanGucht from Qatar on hissocial media following the incident in which Kevin De Bruyne and TobyAlderweireld during Belgium-Canada were just not nose to nose. And thatplayers and national coach had been honest in their analysis after the luckyBelgian victory. Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth. TheSporza interviewer, with the experience of his third World Cup, one more thanexperience adept Roberto Martinez illustrated that you don’t have to stayin Doha these days to know what’s going on with the Red Devils.
The reason for his blind positivism was De Bruyne’s press conference. In it,the Belgian turntable talked about the way in which he had expressed hisfrustration too flashy against the Canadians. That was not right, he thoughtafter a night’s sleep (and who knows, a silent exhortation). Endearing,indeed. But to deduce that all was over is either laziness or credulity orboth. Because it was not over. Other messages, which apparently did not reachVan Gucht, mentioned ‘stress’, ‘ambras’ and even ‘war’ in a Belgian dressingroom that has been hopelessly divided for longer than today.
Picture BELGA
Against Morocco, the Red Devils kept up the appearance of improvement for halfan hour. But then the Moroccans started winning the duels, and they continuedthat line throughout the second half. Just before half-time, the Belgiansalready escaped a deficit when a free kick from Chelsea attacker HakimZiyech just disappeared into goal at the first post. Fortunately forMartínez and his friends, the VAR had seen a Moroccan offside. Exactly thesame thing happened fifteen minutes before the end, just like with thedisallowed goal Thibaut Courtois not looking good. The best goalkeeper inthe world, knocked at the near post not once but twice? With an organizationin front of him that didn’t seem like anything, but which he didn’t correct?
Courtois, who had saved the furniture against Canada, lay there and watched:0-1. For example, not one of our two remaining world top players gave homeagainst Morocco. Because despite his public penance, De Bruyne also played adragon of a game. His body language showed disinterest. Thomas Meunier hehappily drowned on his right side, and with a rare counter – it was still 0-0- he would rather crush himself than serve a teammate. At no point did DeBruyne take the team by the hand. While he was already frustrated in the lostEuropean Championship quarter-final against Italy, and he added a shovel oftheater on top of that against Canada, De Bruyne left things ostentatiouslyagainst Morocco.
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After the game, Van Gucht thought he could detect disappointment and evenleadership Jan Vertonghen , the first man in front of his microphone.Restrained fury would have been more correct, and the subtle round of blackshots – according to Vertonghen, the attackers had failed – completely escapedthe questioner. Other than Eden Hazard or Romelu Lukaku De Bruyne hasnever been popular in the Belgian dressing room. At the same time, thatdressing room has always realized that it could not do without its bestplayer. De Bruyne is not the latter at this World Cup. And no national coachin the area who still gets the noses in the same direction.
THE MOMENT
The switch after 60 minutes of not alone usual suspect Eden Hazard, as wellAmadou Onana. By dropping the 21-year-old midfielder into the startingline-up, Roberto Martínez had shown progressive insight and provided the teamwith running ability and fighting spirit. After less than half an hour, Onanafaced a yellow card and it was established that he was suspended for the thirdgroup match against Croatia on Thursday. As a precaution, therefore, he shouldnot be taken to the side. Martinez did it anyway. Onana is the discovery ofthis World Cup and symbolizes the new Belgium. Veteran Dries Mertens isn’tthat, and yet he was the first to fill in – man in shape Leandro Trossardhad to wait another 15 minutes.
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Martínez’ ways are inscrutable, but if he still believes that you can grow ina tournament, it does not hurt that he takes a closer look at the famous 1986World Cup. The Red Devils then reached the semi-finals against DiegoMaradona’s Argentina , after memorable duels against the Soviet Union andSpain.
In the group stage, however, it had been chopping over the ditch. Just likenow in Qatar, it started with a defeat and a win, and the third game had to beat least a draw to be allowed to go to the eighth finals. For that third match- against Paraguay – the national coach went Guy Thys with the coarsebrush through the team. Jammer Rene Vandereycken was put on a plane home,four other players also flew, but then to the bank. Enter half a new team,including the youngsters Patrick Vervoort and Georges Grun. The gameended 2-2 and the rest is history.
Let us pray for that one well-hidden piece of Guy Thys in Roberto Martínez.
THE QUOTE
“There are a lot of things going through my head right now that I shouldn’tsay. Not outside rooms, anyway.’ – Jan Vertonghen