Belgium may shuffle deck to take sting out of Neymar
IT was after midnight in the bowels of the Rostov Arena and Kevin De Bruyne had been asked if Belgium’s quarter-final with Brazil in Kazan on Friday might be a classic. “I don’t really care. If we get a scrappy 1-0 win in the last minute, I’ ll be happy,” he said.
As De Bruyne and his team-mates, euphoric but exhausted, filed through the mixed zone, the same question was asked by waiting reporters of all nationalities.
Was their extraordinarynary come-comeback from two goals downdown against Japan to win 3-2 on Monday a coming-of-age moment, a turning pointnt for a team who have rou-utinely come up short inn tournaments?
Would Brazil encounterer a side who finally haveave the belief and wherewithalthal to match their considerableerable talent?
Nacer Chadli (pictured), scorer of the 94th-minute winner that has already joined the annals of great World Cup goals, a 93-yard counter-attack of blistering pace and precision, felt so.
“Yeah, it’s a big moment for us,” the West Bromwich Albion forward said. “To come back like that in a very tough game said a lot. It takes a special group to do that and I think we have a special group.”
Eden Hazard had talked before the game about this being Belgium’s mo- ment to shine and, bearing in mind that Romelu Lukaku and Yannick Carrasco were the only members of the team that started against Japan who will not be in their 30s by the next World Cup in Qatar in 2022, it is hard to disagree.
Their previous quarter-final appearance ended with a whimper, a dismal 3-1 thumping by Wales at Euro 2016 that cost manager Marc Wilmots his job, but Marouane Fellaini is convinced that they are a different beast now.
“We’re more mature than before,” the Manchester United midfielder ssaid.
“WeWe’ve been working togetogether for a long time nownow, you can’t forget ththat, and want to show eveveryone what we can do agagainst Brazil.”
It was Fellaini’s introduduction alongside Chadli in the 65th minute that turnturned the game on its head. Belgium were trailing 2-0 at that point bbut, within four minutes of the pair coming on, Jan Vertonghen had pulled a goal back before Fellaini equalised with a header of brilliant brute force.
Chadli’s dramatic winner came with seconds left. “That was the best halfhour of my life,” Chadli said. Belgium manager Roberto Martinez now has a big tactical decision to make. The former Swansea City, Wigan Athletic and Everton manager has been faithful to a 3-4-3 formation but Japan exposed its defensive shortcomings.
Martinez has not worked much on a 4-3-3 but it might be the most logical solution if Belgium are to reduce the space in which Neymar and Willian can work, offer an ageing defence far more protection and provide an extra body in midfield. Thomas Meunier was excellent against Japan but fellow wing-back Carrasco was poor and will be lucky to keep his place.
“I do think we may have to adjust our way of playing against Brazil – more sitting back and playing on the counter,” goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said.
“Anyway, it is up to the coach to fig- ure out how to play. I have faith in him.”
De Bruyne has been critical of Martinez’s tactics in the past and hopes he gets it right in Kazan. “There are always lessons,” the Manchester City midfielder said.
Nonetheless, Courtois believes Brazil will watch the way Belgium reacted to being behind and realise they will also have their work cut out.
“Brazil will see we are strong physically, that we can go until the last minute,” Courtois added. “They are maybe the strongest team at the moment but we will do everything to win.” (© Daily Telegraph, London)