.svg.png)
BELGIUMManager: Marc Wilmots
Likely Line-up (4-2-3-1)
| Pos | Name | Age | Caps | Club |
| GK | Courtois | 22 | 16 | Chelsea (ENG) |
| RB | Alderweireld | 25 | 34 (1) | Atlético Madrid (ESP) |
| CB | Kompany | 28 | 59 (4) | Manchester City (ENG) |
| CB | Vermaelen | 28 | 48 (1) | Arsenal (ENG) |
| LB | Vertongen | 27 | 56 (4) | Tottenham Hotspurs (ENG) |
| DM | Witsel | 25 | 48 (5) | Zenit St Petersburg (RUS) |
| DM | Fellaini | 26 | 50 (8) | Manchester United (ENG) |
| RAM | Mirallas | 26 | 44 (9) | Everton (ENG) |
| CAM | De Bruyne | 22 | 22 (5) | Wolfsburg (DEU) |
| LAM | Hazard | 23 | 45 (6) | Chelsea (ENG) |
| ST | Lukaku | 21 | 29 (9) | Everton (ENG) |
* Has appeared at a previous World Cup
Average Age: 25.1
Total Caps: 451
Best Odds: 25/1 (BoyleSports)
Player to Watch: Axel Witsel
Player to Watch: Axel Witsel
Belgium are the first team I have previewed who will have virtually no players unknown to British or Irish fans. Those few players who do not ply their trade in the Premier League, are now fairly well known to us through the Champions League. One such example is in goal...
Until recently it would have amazed many to be told that Simon Mignolet of Liverpool was not 1st choice in goal for his country. However the rave reviews received by Thibaut Courtois for Atlético Madrid on their way to the La Liga title and the Champions League final will have removed any surprise. The reason why Mingolet is not in contention is now all to obvious. Courtois is a better goalkeeper. A better goalkeeper than Mingolet, and better than anyone else for that matter. He is surely on his way back to Chelsea next season to take the #1 shirt from Petr Cech.
If Belgium have a weakness of any sort, it is in their lack of specialist fullbacks. As a result all of the back four who take the field in Brazil will be centre-backs by trade. Toby Alderweireld of Atlético Madrid is the most likely to be asked to take the right-back role, while Jan Vertongen of Tottenham will fill in at left back. Both are accomplished defenders, and if having to do this is a weakness, it didn't show as the Red Devils laid waste to a tough qualifying group featuring Serbia, Croatia, Scotland, Wales and Macedonia.
Vincent Kompany will captain the side from centre back, and will probably be partnered by Thomas Vermaelen of Arsenal.
 |
| photo: Елена Рыбакова |
The injury that rules Christian Benteke of Aston Villa out of the tournament means that any temptation for Wilmots to attempt to play 2 forwards is removed. Belgium will therefore deploy a 4-2-3-1 formation, and Axel Witsel (right) of Zenit St. Petersberg will be one of the two defensive midfielders chosen. Witsel is perhaps the one player most people reading this blog will have seen very little of, even if his name is familiar. He is a natural athlete, technically superb and a team-player. The complete footballer. Aged 25 he has played in the Portugal and Russia, but it would seem likely that after this World Cup he will be seeking a transfer, to allow him to test himself in one of the top European leagues.
He will be joined by either Steven Defour of Porto, Marouane Fellaini of Manchester United, or Mousa Dembélé of Tottenham. One could make an argument that any one of them could or should be chosen, but Wilmots decision to give Fellaini to #8 shirt would suggest that the Man United man is at the top of the queue, despite a poor season at club level. Indeed, a massive clue is that the team I would suspect Wilmots will choose have been given the 1-11 shirts.
The attacking midfielders look like being a trio of Eden Hazard (Chelsea), Kevin De Bruyne (Wolfsburg) and Kevin Mirallas (Everton). At centre forward Romelu Lukaku of Everton is unchallenged in the absence of Benteke.
Belgium have without any doubt stumbled upon a 'golden generation' of players. Brazil in 2014 represents their best ever chance of World Cup glory.
No comments:
Post a Comment