After six official games without a win, Standard won an away game against Gent on Sunday by 1-0. It was a well-deserved win as Standard controlled the game throughout the match and there could have been even more goals had M’Poku got the penalty in the 25th minute after the home keeper brought down Ezekiel in the penalty box. The match was decided by Batshuayi’s penetration and a great shot in the 54th minute. That was his 10th goal this season that put him in the third place of the league’s top scorers. Belgian national team coach Marc Walmots was on the stadium and the 20-year-old would really want to be called up for the national team and a possible place in the squad for Brazil 2014.
This win was very important for Standard’s players as it not only restored their shaky confidence but it put them back at the top where Genk were temporarily situated. While the “reds” have once again achieved a certain point difference in front of their rivals, their Europa League situation is anything but promising. Standard are the last team in group C with only 1 points in 3 games. If they don’t win today, they would probably have to say farewell to spending their winter in European competitions.
- Salzburg are, without any doubt, the best opponent we’ve faced this season – said coach Luzon at the press conference and emphasized that he wouldn’t make any changes about his team’s style:
- We won’t change anything. Our system is based on a 4-2-2 formation and it will stay that way. We consider playing with a lone striker or a offensive midfielder with a center forward a temporary system. It’s the overall vision that counts. I don’t have any particular plan to put the pressure on Salzburg.
Coach Luzon cannot count on center-back Kanu and midfielder Carcela, who got a red card in Salzburg (1-2). Left back and club captain Van Damme has injured his ankle and will not play today, like their striker Bie who’s scored in all three of his games so far, despite starting only one since Ezekiel and Mpoku are above him in the pecking order. We should highlight here that Kanu and Van Damme are experienced and reliable first-team defender and they can also be very dangerous up front, especially from the break. Luzon confirmed that Thuram will be between the sticks instead of Kawashima who’s been having minor injury problems.
To Speak of Salzburg this season means talking in superlatives only as Austrian football has never witnessed such domination that started last season and has stretched to 33 games without losing a game in the league. Salzburg will surely be the champions and they will certainly go through into the second phase of the Europa League, considering they have a 9 points in 3 games. One could say they dominated those games as well, perhaps not as in their domestic league, but enough to come to Liege at easy and unburdened by the result. Even a defeat wouldn’t put their ambitions into question, and they will be without their best forwards today.
Like in the game against Sturm in the league, their best striker Soriano is missing due to adductor problems that has been going on for some 20 days, while their in-form striker Mane has to serve his red card punishment from their first game against Standard. Adding some earlier absent players into consideration, coach Schmitdt will not have seven players in his combination but he is more worried by motivation that the players that go out onto the pitch. After so many wins and success, it is very hard to find motivation as was the case in a hard-won game against Sturm last Saturday, but one should also factor in the fatigue as Salzburg are currently pushing on 3 fronts.
- Our goal is to ensure we secure our spot in the knock-out stages today and a point today will do that, but we are aware we are facing a highly motivated hosts who are trying to catch the last train to stay in the game. We should also not forget that many saw Standard as the favorite of the group and their efficiency so far has been below expectations, even though they are a good team – explained the away coach Roger Schmidt who announced a more closed 4-2-3-1 formation with only one striker – the Brazilian Alan.
- In order to get what we want we have to run a lot and match Standard’s desire and get our chances. I believe we can do it as it would be really nice to start thinking about spring in Europe after this game – concluded Roger Schmidt, but one should also reiterate that a defeat here would not spoil their plans even though games like these are always harder on the team that have to win, and that is Standard.
The Belgian team have conceded a goal in all three games so far and they will want to take an early lead as they will grow nervous if the tied score persists and relaxed Salzburg will have more chances to punish the home team’s risky game from the counters.
So much praise for Salzburg and then bet against them? Many will call it illogical, but betting isn’t math and logic sometimes helps and sometimes doesn’t. Incidentally, I’ve seen all 3 Standard’s games in the Europa League. Those 3 games remind me of fishing when you seem to have gotten a big one and you get nothing. Standard attacked every time, created chances and the opposition scored in the end, leaving the Belgian league leaders regretting the missed opportunities.
Can Standard experience the fourth consecutive disastrous scenario, and quite an illogical one in terms of quality? We shall see tonight in Liege in which only a win will work for the home team, and any other result will mean they can say farewell to the Europa League if Esbjerg beat Elfsborg. In other words, the last chance for Standard, a huge imperative and a great pressure, but they face the opposition who are not in danger, having practically ensured their way through.
This potential casual approach by Salzburg and very realistic fatigue and absence of their best strikers Soriano and Mane still give the Belgian team a solid chance to finally convert their domination on the pitch, provided they achieve it this time. They didn’t do too well in Salzburg, but they still got a goal with a player less, and the home team were in full force and very much motivated then. The situation is much different today and the two teams are actually similar in term of quality. Standard are not complete as well, but the visitors are missing more important player, especially for converting the opportunities, and I believe the home team will dictate the pace of the game and the guests will wait for the counters. In a game like that, everything can happen and the level of energy will play its par, but I think motivation should be the most important aspect, and we should also take into consideration the logic that Salzburg’s run of undefeated games must come to an end. There are two options to bet on – the no draw bet, or Standard wins at half-time or the end of regular time.
This win was very important for Standard’s players as it not only restored their shaky confidence but it put them back at the top where Genk were temporarily situated. While the “reds” have once again achieved a certain point difference in front of their rivals, their Europa League situation is anything but promising. Standard are the last team in group C with only 1 points in 3 games. If they don’t win today, they would probably have to say farewell to spending their winter in European competitions.
- Salzburg are, without any doubt, the best opponent we’ve faced this season – said coach Luzon at the press conference and emphasized that he wouldn’t make any changes about his team’s style:
- We won’t change anything. Our system is based on a 4-2-2 formation and it will stay that way. We consider playing with a lone striker or a offensive midfielder with a center forward a temporary system. It’s the overall vision that counts. I don’t have any particular plan to put the pressure on Salzburg.
Coach Luzon cannot count on center-back Kanu and midfielder Carcela, who got a red card in Salzburg (1-2). Left back and club captain Van Damme has injured his ankle and will not play today, like their striker Bie who’s scored in all three of his games so far, despite starting only one since Ezekiel and Mpoku are above him in the pecking order. We should highlight here that Kanu and Van Damme are experienced and reliable first-team defender and they can also be very dangerous up front, especially from the break. Luzon confirmed that Thuram will be between the sticks instead of Kawashima who’s been having minor injury problems.
To Speak of Salzburg this season means talking in superlatives only as Austrian football has never witnessed such domination that started last season and has stretched to 33 games without losing a game in the league. Salzburg will surely be the champions and they will certainly go through into the second phase of the Europa League, considering they have a 9 points in 3 games. One could say they dominated those games as well, perhaps not as in their domestic league, but enough to come to Liege at easy and unburdened by the result. Even a defeat wouldn’t put their ambitions into question, and they will be without their best forwards today.
Like in the game against Sturm in the league, their best striker Soriano is missing due to adductor problems that has been going on for some 20 days, while their in-form striker Mane has to serve his red card punishment from their first game against Standard. Adding some earlier absent players into consideration, coach Schmitdt will not have seven players in his combination but he is more worried by motivation that the players that go out onto the pitch. After so many wins and success, it is very hard to find motivation as was the case in a hard-won game against Sturm last Saturday, but one should also factor in the fatigue as Salzburg are currently pushing on 3 fronts.
- Our goal is to ensure we secure our spot in the knock-out stages today and a point today will do that, but we are aware we are facing a highly motivated hosts who are trying to catch the last train to stay in the game. We should also not forget that many saw Standard as the favorite of the group and their efficiency so far has been below expectations, even though they are a good team – explained the away coach Roger Schmidt who announced a more closed 4-2-3-1 formation with only one striker – the Brazilian Alan.
- In order to get what we want we have to run a lot and match Standard’s desire and get our chances. I believe we can do it as it would be really nice to start thinking about spring in Europe after this game – concluded Roger Schmidt, but one should also reiterate that a defeat here would not spoil their plans even though games like these are always harder on the team that have to win, and that is Standard.
The Belgian team have conceded a goal in all three games so far and they will want to take an early lead as they will grow nervous if the tied score persists and relaxed Salzburg will have more chances to punish the home team’s risky game from the counters.
So much praise for Salzburg and then bet against them? Many will call it illogical, but betting isn’t math and logic sometimes helps and sometimes doesn’t. Incidentally, I’ve seen all 3 Standard’s games in the Europa League. Those 3 games remind me of fishing when you seem to have gotten a big one and you get nothing. Standard attacked every time, created chances and the opposition scored in the end, leaving the Belgian league leaders regretting the missed opportunities.
Can Standard experience the fourth consecutive disastrous scenario, and quite an illogical one in terms of quality? We shall see tonight in Liege in which only a win will work for the home team, and any other result will mean they can say farewell to the Europa League if Esbjerg beat Elfsborg. In other words, the last chance for Standard, a huge imperative and a great pressure, but they face the opposition who are not in danger, having practically ensured their way through.
This potential casual approach by Salzburg and very realistic fatigue and absence of their best strikers Soriano and Mane still give the Belgian team a solid chance to finally convert their domination on the pitch, provided they achieve it this time. They didn’t do too well in Salzburg, but they still got a goal with a player less, and the home team were in full force and very much motivated then. The situation is much different today and the two teams are actually similar in term of quality. Standard are not complete as well, but the visitors are missing more important player, especially for converting the opportunities, and I believe the home team will dictate the pace of the game and the guests will wait for the counters. In a game like that, everything can happen and the level of energy will play its par, but I think motivation should be the most important aspect, and we should also take into consideration the logic that Salzburg’s run of undefeated games must come to an end. There are two options to bet on – the no draw bet, or Standard wins at half-time or the end of regular time.
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