Belgium are rocking.
Despite possessing a squad packed full of individual talents, and Marouane Fellaini, Belgium failed to click in their first game of Euro 2016 against Italy and deservedly lost 2-0.
In addition to putting in a poor display on the pitch, reports have emerged of disharmony behind the scenes.
An altercation on a plane back to training base https://t.co/QxX31PlxDh
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) June 17, 2016
Belgium coach Marc Wilmots has come in for criticism over his tactics and training methods, so much so Thibaut Courtois said that against Italy, “tactically, technically and organisationally we came up short.”
With such apparent disharmony amongst the squad, and a tactically questionable manager in charge, the Republic of Ireland will probably never have a better chance to beat such a talented team.
This incident from Belgian training last week should give Irish fans further hope ahead of Saturday’s game in Bordeaux.
According to football writer Jonathan Wilson:
“Last Friday Wilmots had his first XI take on the other squad members, whom he arranged in a 3-5-2 formation in a rough approximation of the shape Italy took up on Monday. His first team lost 4-0. That is not a particularly unusual occurrence in training matches – reserve players are often more committed, even if that is only subconscious – but it did suggest work needed to be done. The next day, there was another training game but this time the reserves were given no specific tactical instructions. That now looks like the grossest negligence.”
Although this incident doesn’t exactly make Ireland favourites for the Group E clash, it is further evidence of the problems plaguing Belgium.
