For pretty much anyone who isn’t Belgian, the country’s 5-2 loss to Switzerland on Sunday evening was hugely entertaining.
During the current international break there’s been several really competitive and watchable matches and if the Nations League was meant to produce this then it’s certainly succeeded so far.
Belgium had made no secret of their desire to win the whole competition and when they went 2-0 up against the Swiss, it all looked over. The home side needed to win by two clear goals which would have required them to score four without reply.
They did so, and added another for comfort, with Celtic’s Dedryck Boyata and the rest of Roberto Martinez’s team left shellshocked and out of the competition.
It’s Boyata and the defence who are getting the most criticism.
Belgian newspaper HLN awarded the Celtic player 2/10 for his performance, the lowest mark of the team, and they said: ‘If he got the ball, he would lose it as quickly as possible – usually by aiming at the stands. Defended too far away from his man, very questionable positional play.’
Het Nieuwsblad went for 3/10 and singled out Boyata and Nacer Chadli for the heaviest criticism.
In defence of the Celtic player, the back four consisted of him, Toby Alderweireld, Vincent Kompany and Thomas Meunier… all players far more experienced than him who simply didn’t play to a high enough standard.
