Our assessment of the Group E contenders gets underway now with a look at Belgium. Mark Wilmots’ side are handed a tough opening fixture as they go up against Italy on Sunday June 13 at 8pm before facing Republic of Ireland five days later at 2pm and Sweden on Tuesday June 22 at 8pm.
Slight favourites for the group ahead of the Italians, Belgium would square up to the Group D runners-up – expected to be Croatia – if they finished first. A second-placed spot, however, would pit them against the winners of Group F, which could see them go head-to-head with Portugal for a place in the quarter-finals.
Road to Qualification
Belgium arrive at Euro 2016 as the winners of qualifying Group B. The Red Devils won seven and drew two of their ten matches, scoring 24 times and conceding on just five occasions.
It’s worth noting that 11 of those arrived in home clashes with Andorra and Cyprus, with Wilmots’ men picking up just one point – and failing to score – against second-placed Wales.
Defensively, it was a campaign of two halves for Belgium – after earning a clean sheet in four of their first five fixtures, they kept out the opposition just once in the final five.
The Belgians have played five friendlies over the last 12 months, chalking up three wins, one draw and a single defeat. A stunning 4-3 win in France was followed up by a 3-1 home victory over upcoming opponents Italy last November, before they bounced back from a 2-1 defeat in Portugal with a 2-1 triumph against Switzerland in late May. Wilmots’ side then drew 1-1 with Finland in midweek, though were somewhat unfortunate to only score with one of their 35 attempts.
Most Appearances Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld, Kevin de Bruyne (10), Eden Hazard, Radja Nainggolan, Dries Mertens (9), Thibaut Courtois, Marouane Fellaini, Axel Witsel (8), Vincent Kompany, Nicolas Lombaerts, Divock Origi (7).
Most goals Kevin de Bruyne, Eden Hazard (5), Marouane Fellaini (4), Dries Mertens (3), Radja Nainggolan (2).
Most assists Kevin de Bruyne, Dries Mertens (3), Toby Alderweireld, Axel Witsel (2).
The Key Targets
Five goals and three assists over the qualifiers highlights the importance of Kevin de Bruyne to the Belgian cause. Although the City midfielder – who has scored in recent friendly wins over Italy and Switzerland – is the priciest option on offer here at 10.0 in Uefa, the underlying numbers merely underline his Fantasy potential – De Bruyne sat top for attempts on goal and key passes on the road to France. The main man for dead-ball duties, he also led the way for crosses, which also heightens his appeal in the DraftKingsoffering.
Eden Hazard was second to De Bruyne for shots and key passes during qualifying and equalled his five-goal tally. Costing 9.5, the Chelsea wide man looks nailed-on down the left and seemed to be building momentum on the back of a strong finish to the Premier League campaign. It remains to be seen whether he can emerge from De Bruyne’s shadow on the international stage, though- so far Hazard sits in 11% of teams compared to De Bruyne’s 16% ownership.
Romelu Lukaku seems to have cemented the lone striker role in Wilmots’ 4-2-3-1 set-up. Priced at 9.0 in Uefa, he’s started four of the previous five fixtures and found the net in three successive outings against Portugal, Switzerland and Finland. His inconsistency is notorious, though, and given that he failed to score in the qualifiers, can we really rely on him? There’s always a worry that if Lukaku fails to impress early on, Wilmots could be tempted to limit the Everton man’s minutes and turn to Christian Benteke or the pace of Yannick Carrasco or Divock Origi off the bench.
Roma’s Radja Nainggolan started all but one of the qualifiers in the centre of the park. Priced at 6.5 in Uefa, he bagged six goals in Serie A last season and produced double-figures for both shots and key passes on the road to Euro 2016. Top for successful tackles and fourth when it came to interceptions, Nainggolan looks another viable DraftKings option.
Injuries at the back have hampered Wilmots’ plans, with Vincent Kompany, Nicolas Lombaerts and Dedryck Boyata all missing the tournament. Given that the former two started seven of the ten qualifiers, it’s fair to say that the Belgium boss has some defensive reshuffling to do, then.
Certainly, Toby Alderweireld (6.5) and Jan Vertonghen (5.5) were nailed on regardless, though bearing in mind that the Red Devils have mustered just one clean sheet in their last ten matches, many may baulk at such a hefty valuation. Alderweireld’s threat down the right produced double figures for both shots and key passes over the qualifiers, though, and he looks the most likely to deliver at both ends of the pitch. Currently, the Spurs man and club team-mate Vertonghen occupy 15% of Fantasy teams.
The Lombaerts news now opens the door for Thomas Vermaelen (5.0) to stake a claim in the heart of the back-four, though it’s Jason Denayer, at just 4.5 in Uefa, who could prove the best value route into Wilmots’ defence. The youngster was handed a start at centre-half against Finland last time out, though local journalists have since suggested that Denayer will be shifted to right-back, with Alderweireld in the centre.
The Long Shots
Both Marouane Fellaini and Dries Mertens (7.5 apiece) turned in some decent attacking stats over qualifying. Fellaini found the net four times – just one less than De Bruyne in over 400 minutes less pitch time – and offers an option either in the double-pivot or further up the field as a Plan B.
Mertens delivered three goals and as many assists in only four starts but, like Fellaini, has now been named in the first XI for two of the last three friendlies. Should be nail down a role on the right of the attacking midfield three, his stats in the qualifiers hint at potential – Mertens’ 21.9 minutes per shot was quicker than any player in qualifying, whilst an average of 26 minutes per key pass was almost on a par with De Bruyne’s 24.7.
Upcoming Friendlies
Belgium vs Norway (June 5)
Euro 16 Statistics Now Available
Our Members Area now contains full Opta data for all the 24 participating nations in Euro 16. It includes statistics covering the Qualifying Rounds and all the friendlies for the last 12-months – we will also be providing statistics throughout the tournament from June 10, updated minutes after the final whistle of each match.
This Euro 16 statistics are provided in addition to the regular Premier League season package. New memberships are now available for the pre-season price of just £12.50 and will expire on June 1 2017. Full details on the benefits of membership can be found here.
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Further Analysis
Group A – Albania, France, Romania, Switzerland.
Group B England, Russia, Slovakia, Wales.
Group C Germany, Northern Ireland, Poland, Ukraine.
Group D Croatia, Czech Republic, Spain, Turkey.
