Crossing of statements between Belgian footballers, heated criticism around the team, with age in question, and the first final for the third game, next Thursday against Croatia (18:00 local time, -3 GMT); this is the atmosphere that surrounds the ‘red devils’ on a rest day after the defeat against Morocco (0-2).
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Limit situation for the selection of a Roberto Martínez who after said defeat analyzed when asked by EFE the reason for the ills of his selection. “We have played better than against Canada. was the plan. In a World Cup like this you have to grow with the games you play. There are two games for us. After the goal we don’t react the way we have to, we have to play until the last minute in the same way. We have too much responsibility, I don’t see freedom or enjoyment,” he said.
“We are an attack team and we have to have great joy in our game. This can happen because of what is expected of us. It is time to analyze it. We can play the last game to have something to win, and we have played the last two games thinking we had something to lose”, “We are playing with fear of losing, it is difficult to see it because in recent years we have always been a very offensive team . Our players work a lot without the ball and with the ball I don’t see that work. We are going to try to be ourselves again against Croatia”, he added.
Roberto Martínez did not want to enter into the easy criticism that is being made of Belgium: the age. And it is that the Red Devils are the sixth team with the most average age of the tournament -27.81-. Ahead is Brazil -27.88- and Argentina -27.92- in a list clearly led by Iran -28.92-. For Spanish, it is a matter of fluency.
He also distanced himself from assess Kevin De Bruyne’s statements before traveling to Qatar in which he said, in an interview with The Guardian, that his team had no chance of winning because they are “too old”.
These went viral on Twitter after the defeat against Morocco. Vertonghen replied sarcastically in the mixed zone: “We attack badly because we are very old“He said after holding back thoughts that he “shouldn’t say outside the locker room.”they are not the fastest”.
Complaints without solution, especially from a De Bruyne who has already recognized that he has to learn to control his frustration, something that at the moment has not shown. In addition, against Morocco he again signed a poor game; selfish in conducting -rare in him- and imprecise with the ball at his feet. Up to 27 turnovers. Too much for a team that has Lukaku coming out of injury, Hazard who is only around for 60 minutes and a Courtois who saved against Canada and missed against Morocco.
And the reality is that. In Belgium, Russia 2018 is always remembered, where it was third after falling on the difficult side of the draw -eliminating Brazil and losing to France, ultimately champion in the semifinals- after a goal by Januzaj against England. But a lot has changed in four years.
Hazard is a shadow of what he showed in that tournament, when he was among the top five players in the world. He now flashes, but the advantages he can gain are lost as soon as he tries to change gears. Lukaku arrived at the World Cup injured and having played five games. Witsel has lost lateral mobility and the central defenders, it is true, are slow.
Youth yes, but on the bench
The end of Belgium’s gold generation is approaching faster than anticipated. It could even be after three group stage matches., while the fruits of this growth of Belgian football see him from the bench. Roberto Martínez has been the creator of the structure that allowed the small country of 11.59 million (in 2021) inhabitants to be a reference in World soccer, but the last step is demanded of him, that of the alternative.
Vertonghen, 35, is the oldest on the list. Toby Alderweireld has two fewer. Both are giving their last legs in football, returning to their country with Anderlecht and Antwerp, respectively. And they continue to be headlines with Belgium while Zeno Debast, the youngest at 19, Wout Faes (24) and Arthur Theate (22) await; At the moment, without opportunities despite the fact that Belgium plays with three central defenders. First Dendoncker -midfielder- and then Meunier -lateral or lane- occupied the remaining position in the rear.
A generational change that also suffers in the attack. An offensive in which, as Roberto Martínez said, there is a lack of daring. Yannick Carrasco has become a substitute after not appearing in attack against Canada, Leandro Trossard is only revulsive despite his seven goals and three assists in the Premier League with Brighton, and Jérémy Doku, called to be the agitator from the bench, He has not had minutes yet, as if Dries Mertens did against Morocco, who is far from being the one who made history in Naples.
controversial decisions that have fueled criticism in a Belgium that is no longer conforming to their own and that they see that they can say goodbye to Qatar 2022 as soon as it starts.
And it is that those of Roberto Martínez victory would make them pass yes or yes, when facing Croatia. Of course, if Morocco beat Canada, they would do so as second in the group and, presumably, they would face Spain in the round of 16.
In case you don’t win, the only option that would give Belgium a pass to the round of 16 would be to draw and for Canada to thrash Moroccoto be able to balance the goal difference of -3 that Europeans and Africans have after two games played.
Possible scenarios in theory, with the numbers in handbut the sensations so far, waiting for Roberto Martínez to revive his team, say something else.