FOOTBALL – Tomorrow evening FC Emmen will finally play the much-discussed home game against Helmond Sport, which was canceled on January 14 because the guests were unable to assemble a representative team. The KNVB demanded that the people from Brabant travel to Drenthe, but that did not happen. A sanction followed, but there was no regular 3-0 victory for FC Emmen.
Points were deducted for Helmond Sport and since then the club has been last in the Kitchen Champion Division. Since that January 14, Helmond Sport played five games, in which only one point was taken against the ten of Telstar. With 18 points from 26 matches, the red shirts are five points below Almere City FC, which is penultimate.
Increase margin
Nevertheless, Emmen will certainly not underestimate tomorrow’s opponent, who has been trained for two weeks by Sven Swinnen (who succeeded the dismissed Willy Boessen). After all, Helmond lost 1-0 earlier this season. The match at De Braak meant a turning point for the men of trainer Dick Lukkien, because then a strong one followed that actually lasts to this day. The current second place is now quite firmly in the hands and will feel even more solid with a win. Because if Emmen takes three points, the gap grows to number 3, Excelsior, to six points. In addition, Lukkien’s men have also played one game less. Number 4, FC Eindhoven, is even eight points behind.
Which eleven will start?
It is still unclear how Lukkien will play for his own audience. Today’s training did not provide any clues for this either. Last Friday’s game maybe. Will Lukkien opt for his trusted system from the kick-off or is a system with two strikers the obvious choice after the success in the second half against Jong Ajax?
With Metahan Güclü, the coach has a similar player as Mart Lieder at his disposal and because the latter will no longer play this season (due to serious knee injury), Güclü is an option. “We expect he can play a half,” said Lukkien. “And if we bring him in, we prefer to do it from the kick-off, so that – if he is not able to finish a half – it does not unexpectedly cost an extra substitution.”
Focus and willingness
But even more important than the system and the figures in the field, according to Lukkien, is the focus and willingness of his players. “We were not satisfied with the first half last Friday, then recovered after the break. We did that as a team by showing willingness. And I expect that tomorrow too.”