2023-07-30 20:18:00
A first day of the championship is a bit like an inventory of fixtures at the entrance to a new apartment. This is an opportunity to make an initial assessment of the things that work well and those that need to be changed.
Let’s start with the positive: Standard unveiled a new jersey set this Sunday. Black and red, in a style reminiscent of AC Milan. Very nice, it has already been validated by many fans. So much for the positive.
Then let’s move on to what needs to be improved so that we can really write that the Standard season has started. And there, there is a little more material.
The new ones in running
At the start of the first outing of the season, Carl Hoefkens had chosen to field four reinforcements from the start: Zinho Vanheusden, Aiden O’Neill, Isaac Price and Hayao Kawabe. The first held the barracks as if he had never left it, in the rear. In midfield, O’Neill – in a style reminiscent of Cimirot – was discreet. As for Isaac Price, he attempted a few incursions, without success. We feel that he still needs automation with his teammates.
Kawabe started the game as a left winger before quickly moving to the right flank, switching with Donnum. From both positions, he moved a lot, constantly asking for the ball. But when he received, he had a hard time making good use of it and having an impact on the meeting. Latest newcomer to the game: Romaine Mundle. The young winger rode with envy but without effectiveness.
Huge difficulties to be dangerous
This is the refrain of the preparation and it is also that of the start of the season: Standard is having a hard time creating an opportunity. The Rouches did get a few hot situations, thanks to one or the other high recovery from Balikwisha in particular, but it too rarely resulted in a real opportunity. Aligned as number nine, Noah Ohio only framed a shot, too soft and too distant, at the end of the first period.
The Dutch striker was logically replaced on the hour mark following a rather lunar attempt by Madjer. He came out with his arms hanging, disappointed with a performance that contrasted with his hat-trick scored in preparation once morest Alkmaar. His only spark since the resumption of training at the end of June.
A tactical system not yet developed
Since taking over the reins of Standard, Carl Hoefkens has said goodbye to the three-man defense that was advocated by Ronny Deila. But his 4-3-3 is not yet in place. The boulevards left by Fossey and Laursen on the sides (Saint-Trond had too many situations of two once morest one on the flanks) and the lack of reference of the offensive players were flagrant. And the way Koita walks with the ball at his foot, without pressure at the entrance to the rectangle, before rolling up his superb shot at the end of the match is abnormal. Not everyone seems to know exactly where to position themselves yet.
This Standard, which lost at the start of the championship for the first time since 2015, is facing a real construction site, even bigger than last year. A construction site that is reminiscent of that of the tram in Liège. To deal with it, this team will need time. And it’s always good to remember that we are only at the end of July.
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