8 more rounds to go in the regular Competition of the Belgian Jupiler Pro League. In these 8 round, it will be decided who will relegate (only 1 club) and who may play for the title.

The top 6 of the regular competition will play Play Off I. Teams will take the points earned in the regular competition to play off I but will see these points halved!

Let’s have a look at the games from the past weekend!

STVV – Genk

Genk did win with 2-3, but it was harder than they would have thought. St Truiden was missing 11 players due to injuries, the Asian Cup or just because they were sold!

Within the first minute St Truiden got an indirect free kick, because the goalie of Genk picked up a backward pass. This resulted in the 0-1 and a very interesting game!

Which was quite remarkable is that the coach of St Truiden decided to give Sander Berger (Defensive Midfielder of Genk) all freedom. When he did had the ball, nobody would attack him until 5 meters before the own penalty area. And Brys was right right. While he will be a premier league defensive midfielder, making the correct choices in attack mode isn’t his best quality!

The games on Saturday weren’t that interesting. Standard won with 2-1 against Kortrijk with the help of the VAR!

Lokeren did loose once more, which did cost the head of the coach. Glen De Boeck will take over now. If he manages to save Lokeren from relegation, he will be the coach of the year. The quality in the team just isn’t good enough. De Boeck is already the third coach this season for Lokeren! What about that.

I did expect more from Waregem against Antwerp but Antwerp won with 1-2. Zulte Waregem did for the moment the best winter transfers of the Jupiler Pro League. Their goal is to get the team safely in the harbor and from then on they will work towards the next season!

Club Brugge vs Charleroi

The first game Club Brugge did lose this season was away at Charleroi. The started the game with the knowledge that Genk did win, and has a 10 point lead before the game. Well the first half was terrible for Club Brugge. No pace, no creativity, no nothing. Almost on own goal out of nothing and a deserved 0-1 for Charleroi!

In the second half Leko did bring in Schrijvers, which did increase the creativity of Brugge, but it was too little too late. Charleroi had a solid defense and while they did give away some chances, they won the game with 0-1. Also here the VAR did make a wrong decision. He called the referee for a faul from Dennis, which always should have resulted in a red card, but after viewing the tackle and viewing it once again, he surprised everybody with only a yellow card! Also another red card could have been giving to Club Brugge!

The interview after the game were also interesting. Club Brugge were claiming that Charleroi didn’t come to play football and were trying to gain some time at every possible occasion! But what they did forget is that Club Brugge did the same when playing in the Champions League in Dortmund! Strange that football players always have such a short memorie!

Gent – Anderlecht

2 teams which are battling it out to get into POI. Before the season started and even after 5 match days, nobody would have doubted that Anderlecht would reside on a place 1 to 3.

The game did end in a 1-0 victory for Gent! It was Rutten his first game as head coach of Anderlecht and of course this is too short of a time to create a miracle! I do wonder if Anderlecht will make some more winter transfers! Anderlecht missing PO I would be a complete shock! Don’t forget that Anderlecht is the record champion in Belgium!

The last game of the round was Mouscron vs Oostende. Mouscron really did need the 3 points, to increase the gap with Lokeren! And the managed to win the game with 2-1.

Standings

8 more rounds to go, so 24 points still can be earned by all teams. Genk has a 18 point lead on number 7, so it is probably save to say that PO I is guaranteed for them. There is also a big possibility that they will start Play Off I as leader of the pack!

Club Brugge and Antwerp (still a surprise) share the second place with already a 10 point GAP on Genk.

I do think that Charleroi, St truiden, Gent and Anderlecht will battle it out for the remaining 2 Play Off I tickets! Gent is trying to buy the playmaker of ST Truiden, which could be another blow for them. Or do they have another unknow Japanse play maker? (The president of St Truiden is a Japanese billionaire)

At the bottom the situation for Lokeren is getting worse after each round. Already 6 points behind Mouscron and Waregem. I am pretty sure that Waregem will not relegate, their winter transfers were just too good for that! If Lokeren looses their next 2 games, it will probably be already game over!

The results of the Nyls

Not exactly the result I was hoping for! Only 1 green market and the rest is pure misery!

Overall there is a little bit more green and some markets which still could turn into green! Let's hope they do! The model based on the current season result can be consider lost :(

Cheers,
Peter