Scouting Belgium

I haven’t noticed many Belgians on Fantasy Football Scout over the years so thought I’d have a go at a preview. Since spending the best years of my life in the country, especially footballing wise, I have an affinity with the team and nation. Additionally, I think there are quite a few misconceptions about the team which I’d like to discuss in a preview-type format. I hope some of the points are differentials to more professional previews you’ll see elsewhere.

The Manager

Wilmots I view a bit like Scolari with Brazil, a group-builder who is loyal to his favourites and won’t rock the boat too much. Any changes are more likely to be gradual and phased in rather than sudden and extreme. In this sense the qualifying campaign is probably a stronger guide than it might be for other nations, and for Fantasy prospects he could be one of the more popular managers, despite a plethora of options in certain areas.

Vertonghen is Belgium’s Sven-era Paul Scholes

Vertonghen never plays centre-back for Belgium – if there’s ever an injury or suspension at centre-back, instead of shifting him inside, Wilmots always brings in another centre-back instead, keeping Vertonghen at left-back. Anyone therefore applying Phil Jones logic to Vertonghen that ‘if he doesn’t play full-back he could get a game at centre-back and vice-versa’, that’s just not the case, sadly, as I think he’s one of their top two centre-backs. This is a country with more languages than natural full-backs, just one in the entire squad (Vanden Borre) and he’s a right-back. The other make-shift option is Ciman, like Alderweireld, a centre-back who can play right-back. Vertonghen is well and truly Paul Scholes’d on the left once more. Any line-up site which suggests he played centre-back with Vermaelen or Lombaerts at left back, ignore it.

Midfield minefield

Witsel aside, Belgium doesn’t really have an outstanding central option who picks himself. For example Dembélé and Fellaini both started more games than they didn’t in qualifying, whilst Defour is the odd one out only starting three of the matches, but when he did come in he was vital in sealing qualification. Then there are the players who can play centrally, either deeper in a three or more advanced in a position more like a number ten. De Bruyne’s best position is arguably a central playmaker role, but due to the abundance of central players relative to right wingers, I think there’s a strong chance he’s on the right again. A possibly interesting twist, however, is when listing his squad Wilmots read out de Bruyne with the midfielders, rather than with the forwards such as Hazard and Mertens. A bit like Eriksen at Spurs, his crossing is excellent so there are real advantages of playing him out wide if that’s where he plays.

Eriksen is a nice segway to another flexible man, Chadli. He probably plays centrally for Belgium more than he does wide these days, but also offers the left-wing option and even played right-wing in what was probably Belgium’s most emphatic qualifying performance against Serbia. He only started five of the ten qualifiers but the five missed all coincided with injury, two completely ruled out and two others came the week after he returned from a six-week injury. Whilst he may not be the most popular player elsewhere, the manager likes him and I fancy him to take one of the two central spots just in front of Witsel simply because there are other wing options like Hazard, De Bruyne and Mertens. Chadli was also read out with the midfielders rather than forwards by Wilmots which could be an issue if he suddenly has de Bruyne as an extra central man to compete with. Unlike Vertonghen, though, versatility could be described as a strength for Chadli’s starting prospects.

Mertens seems quite a highly rated player and is fairly flexible too but he really struggled to get a game in qualifying, and despite a fairly strong finish to his debut campaign in Italy, I’m not sure he’ll have much luck breaking in here either. He should always be one of the first to come on as an impact sub if not, though. He and head-down Kevin Mirallas seem to be the impact subs of choice for Wilmots. Januzaj therefore I think is in real trouble if this pair are struggling, this World Cup seems to be more one of pure experience for the Manchester United and Nando’s man-boy.

Hazard

Maybe surprisingly, Hazard isn’t completely as nailed on as a player of his talent probably should be. Every Mourinho moan we’ve heard this past season rings even more true with Wilmots. Was he the best performer in qualifying? He’d struggle to make the top ten. Does he do a good enough job defensively? Seemingly not as he’s been left out the starting lineup a few times, apparently based on this inability or unwillingness, whichever way you want to view it. In this sense Mourinho is probably the best assistant coach Wilmots could dream of. Hazard has improved slightly in this area in the past season and a potential match-winner like him will surely find himself in the line-up, just don’t bet your gravatar on it.

The Benteke hole

This injury really was devastating in so many ways. Benteke was really integrated into the side and was proving to be a great foil for the players around him. His one-touch layoffs especially led to so many goals in qualifying and his big bonce was forming a great relationship with de Bruyne’s crosses. This is where Lukaku is way behind, even if individually there may be little between him and Benteke. Ironically it could even be Lukaku’s Everton teammate who denies him full playing time up front in Brazil. Mirallas very much looks like a centre-forward option in this squad brimming with attacking midfield options, yet short on numbers and experience up top.

Star men

Attacking-wise at least it was really Kevin de Bruyne. Since breaking into the side a couple of qualifiers in, the cheeky-faced blonde became a mainstay and finished with twice as many goals as any of his teammates, and twice as many assists as any of them too. He’s excellent on the counter-attack, at crossing and vision-wise from more central positions too. He’s quite similar to Özil in that respect. His mid-season move to Wolfsburg was essential and he’ll be going to Brazil with good form and fitness levels as a result.

Talent-wise, as alluded to before, you’d have to say Hazard too. He has very little pedigree when it comes to international football and he timed his club form perfectly for the Qatar winter World Cup rather than this one, but he’s still a talent that is more backable than most. As if a World Cup in Brazil for a nation who haven’t qualified since 2002 isn’t enough motivation on its own, Hazard also has the extra fire of proving big-stage doubters wrong.

Elsewhere Courtois, Kompany and Witsel made an excellent spine defensively and there’s no reason why they shouldn’t continue to here. Vermaelen really lacks minutes this season but his international record is much less blotted than his club record recently.

Fixtures

Algeria in Belo Horizonte – dry and warm, but not too bad.

Russia in Rio – similar, warm but not too bad.

South Korea in Sao Paulo – cool, even a chance of rain.

Good link for more detail: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24897388

Set Pieces

Main men:  De Bruyne for crossed set-pieces, Hazard for penalties. Also unlike for his club Hazard does take some direct free kicks for Belgium. Mertens for corners too if he’s on the pitch and Vertonghen, as well as an assist threat from his full-back position, does take free kicks too, as this video will illustrate .

Predicted lineup

(certs in bold, not necessarily in that position in de Bruyne’s case)

——————————- Courtois ———————————

Alderwiereld —– Kompany — Vermaelen —– Vertonghen

——————————– Witsel ———————————–

———– Dembélé —————————– Chadli ————–

— de Bruyne ————— Lukaku ———————- Hazard —

Bonus section. What to say when:

They score: “zaalig.” Like sweet, awesome, super.

They concede: “tjonge jonge.” Like oh boy. Works best when simultaneously shaking your head.

They have a penalty shout: “arbitre?!” This is actually the French for referee but it rolls off the tongue a much better than the Flemish version which is like trying to say Schweinsteiger whilst choking.

The penalty isn’t awarded: “verdomme!” Like damn it! Make it god verdomme for extra effect in agnostic settings.

Waffle over. Can Belgium win the world cup? Like Match of the Day I end with an awful pun and a raised eyebrow.