Belgium - How Wilmots Will Get The Best Out Of Hazard, Fellaini, Kompany & Co

We analyze the Belgian squad and the possible permutations of the starting XI ahead of their opening fixture in the World Cup 2014 against minnows Algeria.

Belgium are a team blessed with an array of world-class talent sprinkled across their setup. Right from their goalkeeper to their forward, there are a bunch of exciting players that fight it out for a starting berth in Marc Wilmots’ starting XI. From being a mere ‘making up the numbers’ team, the Red Devils are one of the dark-horses of this year’s Cup and are being tipped by many to give a good account of themselves in Brazil.

Having a dilemma, as Marc Wilmots does, isn’t always the most painful one to have. The Belgian supremo has a wealth of potential at his disposal yet his greatest challenge in Brazil would be to find the right balance between defense and attack. The trio of Vincent Kompany, Thomas Vermaelen and Axel Witsel are guaranteed starters and could well provide the backbone of the team. In attack, Eden Hazard will carry the mantle of being his team’s most potent threat offensively, with able support from the likes of Dries Mertens, Kevin De Bruyne and Kevin Mirallas. With the absence of Christian Benteke, Romelu Lukaku becomes the automatic choice to lead the Red Devils’ line. Manchester United’s golden boy Adnan Januzaj could turn out to be a surprise package of the tournament, given his ability to put on a show.

The System

Wilmots has largely stuck to a conventional 4-3-3 with Zenit’s Axel Witsel being the lynchpin of midfield. Steven Defour and Moussa Dembele have shared their chances in partnering the enforcer with Kevin De Bruyne at the tip of the triangle. Against top sides, Marouane Fellaini has been preferred to the Wolfsburg man with a view to keep things tight in the middle. On the flanks, Eden Hazard has nailed down his spot on the left and coming on the back of an impressive season, the winger will burden the majority of his team’s responsibility. With the absence of Christian Benteke as the lead man, Wilmots may well have to turn to Romelu Lukaku although Kevin Mirallas has often been deployed as a False 9 in many of Belgium’s warm up games.

The False 9

With the absence of Christian Benteke, Wilmots may well opt for a False 9 in the form of Kevin Mirallas or Adan Januzaj. Benteke’s hold up play andAi??hisAi??ability to bring his team mates into the game was Ai??highly appreciated by the coach and with Romelu Lukaku being a different package altogether, Kevin Mirallas could be asked to operate as the False 9 with Hazard and Mertens on either side of him. Wilmots likes to circle his team around the immense midfield talent and Kevin Mirallas could well do a job as the False 9. Th winger’s movement between the central and wide areas could open up space for the likes of Hazard, Mertens and De Bruyne to run into and overload the opposition box.

A 4-3-3 Maybe?

The Belgian central midfield is nothing short of a powerhouse – the imposing figure of Axel Witsel and the domineering stance of Moussa Dembele alongside Marouane Fellaini could well be a daunting task to face. Having said that, there is that little absence of guile and calmness in the form of a player who can hold the ball and dictate the pace of the game which means that Kevin De Bruyne could play a vital role in the middle. With Hazrd on the left and either Mirallas or Mertens on the right, Wilmots may use the pace of Romelu Lukaku upfront as his trump-card. The Chelsea striker, who spent the season gone by on loan at Everton won over many suitors with his sneering pace and strength and his ability to get past his marker with ease and could be used to exploit the Achilles heel of teams like Algeria.

The Full-Back Conundrum

There’s a glaring weakness, an Achilles heel that could prove to be Belgium’s undoing in Brazil. The absence of a quality full-back on either flank is a reason to worry for the management and fans alike and this could be crucial – cast your minds back to Ronaldo’s Brazil in 2002, Italy in 2006 or Spain in 2010. While Cafu and Roberto Carlos were the Brazilian’s first choice full-backs, Gianluca Zambrotta and Fabio Grosso started for the Italians with Sergio Ramos and Joan Capdevilla being Del Bosque’s first choice in 2010. A common denominator – all of the above mentioned were among the best in their respective areas in the tournament. With Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderwiereld (both of whom are center-backs by trade) the automatic choices for the two full-back spots, Belgium have an obvious handicap. Can Wilmots cope up with this handicap? We shall see.

Whom To Choose And Whom Not To?

There is a clear demarcation of the two teams that could be put out by Wilmots. In the group stages, one would expect Belgium to line up in a

De Bruyne could hold the aces in midfield

conventional 4-3-3 with Kevin De Bruyne (the hero of the qualifying rounds) starting in midfield alongside Axel Witsel and Moussa Dembele or Steven Defour. As a conservative, Fellaini could slot in an advanced role ahead of Witsel and Dembele. Given their full-back problems, the likes of Hazard and Mertens may well have to put in a shift defensively. In terms of spearheading the attack, Romelu Lukaku is expected to start as a conventional 9 instead of Kevin Mirallas in a False 9. However, there remains room for experimentation given the relatively easier nature of group the Belgians have at hand.

Its been a long time coming for the Belgians and after nearly a decade of World Cup hiatus, Wilmots men are ready to unleash themselves on the grandest of stages. A generation of stars, the seeds of which were put into cultivation by Michael Sablon is now ready to blossom and put the country back on the road-map of world football. Ai??Wilmots reflects his team’s approach and has claimed that his team have nothing to lose beyond Group H. Will this fearless attitude propel the team to greater heights?

Tags: Belgium