The OH Leuven Thread 2020/21

[Bonanza]

13 minutes ago, moore_94 said:

Full Time 3-0!

 

Brilliant win, back up to 4th and just 3 points from 1st

 

Honestly see no reason why they can't get one of the 4 champion play off positions

Top 4 will be to high for us, but I'm starting to believe we can get a top 8 finish. 

 

The top 4 will play for the championship, while teams 5, 6, 7 and 8 play for the last remaining ticket for the Europa League (2nd qualifying round)

[davieG]

1 minute ago, Bonanza said:

Top 4 will be to high for us, but I'm starting to believe we can get a top 8 finish. 

 

The top 4 will play for the championship, while teams 5, 6, 7 and 8 play for the last remaining ticket for the Europa League (2nd qualifying round)

What happens to the 4 competing for the CL? is it one for CL and 3 for the EL?

[sacreblueits442]

3 minutes ago, Bonanza said:

Top 4 will be to high for us, but I'm starting to believe we can get a top 8 finish. 

 

The top 4 will play for the championship, while teams 5, 6, 7 and 8 play for the last remaining ticket for the Europa League (2nd qualifying round)

...not sure why you would be putting a ceiling on what you can achieve!!!

Anything is possible!!

[leuven]

9 minutes ago, davieG said:

What happens to the 4 competing for the CL? is it one for CL and 3 for the EL?

1 in CL and 1 in preliminary rounds of CL if I'm correct.

[leuven]

1 minute ago, sacreblueits442 said:

...not sure why you would be putting a ceiling on what you can achieve!!!

Anything is possible!!

I'm getting the feeling we will be able to become the Leicester of Belgium position wise in the coming years. They will try to add some quality each year. Let's not forget we did not have a real transfer window this season and yet we managed to improve a lot. The new coach made a big difference also.

[Dorkingfox]

Was a good game, better than the Manchester bore draw!!!

[Lambert09]

We’re leuven the bookies favourites for relegation? Where have we heard of a king power team flipping the script before? 

[Ric Flair]

Sowah was class again, Henry looks a ruthless finisher.

[Bonanza]

Just now, davieG said:

What happens to the 4 competing for the CL? is it one for CL and 3 for the EL?

2 tickets for the Champions League and 2 tickets for the Europa League.

 

[OntarioFox]

Just took a peek at the table. Remarkable start for the boys in the (significantly expanded, but still strong) top flight.

[KlaaZ]

2 hours ago, Bonanza said:

Top 4 will be to high for us, but I'm starting to believe we can get a top 8 finish. 

 

The top 4 will play for the championship, while teams 5, 6, 7 and 8 play for the last remaining ticket for the Europa League (2nd qualifying round)

I think we could go really close though. There's an amazing drive on the pitch right now, we're a machine. And I've got a feeling that our defensive problems are less prominent now with Jemelka in the side. Very happy that we have an option to sign him permanently because that guy is pure class. 

[Lizhang]

3 hours ago, tetly said:

Gwaaan Leuven. Any chance you guys can challenge for the title?

Well, anything goes in covid times, but i would say no. If one of Sowah, Mercier or Henry get injured, we will lose a lot and won't be nearly as prolific.

 

31 minutes ago, KlaaZ said:

I think we could go really close though. There's an amazing drive on the pitch right now, we're a machine. And I've got a feeling that our defensive problems are less prominent now with Jemelka in the side. Very happy that we have an option to sign him permanently because that guy is pure class. 

He's steadily improving, but he's still some ways removed from Robson greatness.

 

2 hours ago, Lambert09 said:

We’re leuven the bookies favourites for relegation? Where have we heard of a king power team flipping the script before? 

No, that were Waasland Beveren and Mouscron. They had us figured for a lower-mid spot in the ranking.

[Bonanza]

Results and standings after week 16:

 

Anderlecht	1-0	KRC Genk
Excel Moeskroen	3-1	Beerschot
Cercle Brugge	0-1	KV Oostende
KV Kortrijk	0-3	OH Leuven
STVV	1-2	Charleroi
Antwerp	0-2	Club Brugge
KAS Eupen	PP	Zulte Waregem
KAA Gent	2-1	Standard
KV Mechelen	2-3	Waasland-Beveren

 

		Ploeg	PTN	M	M+	M-	M=	D+	D-	D+/-
1		Club Brugge	33	16	10	3	3	32	11	21
2		KRC Genk	31	16	9	3	4	35	21	14
3		Beerschot	28	16	9	6	1	39	37	2
4		OH Leuven	28	16	8	4	4	30	25	5
5		Charleroi	27	16	8	5	3	24	17	7
6		Anderlecht	26	16	6	2	8	26	20	6
7		Antwerp	25	16	7	5	4	28	25	3
8		Standard	25	16	6	3	7	20	16	4
9		KV Oostende	22	16	6	6	4	21	19	2
10		KV Kortrijk	20	16	5	6	5	21	24	-3
11		KAS Eupen	20	15	4	3	8	18	21	-3
12		KAA Gent	19	16	6	9	1	24	26	-2
13		Cercle Brugge	18	16	6	10	0	22	28	-6
14		Waasland-Beveren	18	16	5	8	3	24	32	-8
15		Zulte Waregem	15	15	4	8	3	21	30	-9
16		KV Mechelen	14	16	3	8	5	24	31	-7
17		Excel Moeskroen	13	16	3	9	4	12	26	-14
18		STVV	11	16	2	9	5	18	30	-12

Fixtures of week 17:

 

Tuesday 12/15:

 

Cercle Brugge	-	Charleroi
Excel Moeskroen	-	OH Leuven
STVV	-	Beerschot
Anderlecht	-	KV Oostende

 

Wednesday 12/16:

 

KAS Eupen	-	KRC Genk
Antwerp	-	Zulte Waregem
KV Kortrijk	-	Standard
KAA Gent	-	Waasland-Beveren

 

Thursday 12/17:

 

KV Mechelen

-

Club Brugge

[Bonanza]

 

[shen]

25 minutes ago, Bonanza said:

 

Mercier is looking unreal this season. Amazing vision and execution as well as a goal threat himself. Wonder if any of the big Belgian clubs are sniffing right now, especially the struggling Gent or Standard... 

OHL made KVK look like relegation candidates judging by those highlights. Just one big chance for KVK as well. If the defence is as tight for the rest of the season (and Henry and Mercier stay injury-free), there's no reason OHL cannot stay top 4 surely. 

[KlaaZ]

30 minutes ago, shen said:

Mercier is looking unreal this season. Amazing vision and execution as well as a goal threat himself. Wonder if any of the big Belgian clubs are sniffing right now, especially the struggling Gent or Standard... 

OHL made KVK look like relegation candidates judging by those highlights. Just one big chance for KVK as well. If the defence is as tight for the rest of the season (and Henry and Mercier stay injury-free), there's no reason OHL cannot stay top 4 surely. 

I'm fairly sure they can't afford him. The same goes for Henry, probably financially impossible to get for any of the big clubs now, with the exception of Club Brugge perhaps. 

[UniFox21]

2 minutes ago, KlaaZ said:

I'm fairly sure they can't afford him. The same goes for Henry, probably financially impossible to get for any of the big clubs now, with the exception of Club Brugge perhaps. 

Why is that the case? Just OHL doesn't need nor want to say?

[KlaaZ]

1 minute ago, UniFox21 said:

Why is that the case? Just OHL doesn't need nor want to say?

If they go, they'll go for relatively big amounts. Standard has serious financial issues, and considering Gent heavily invested in their squad during the summer break I'm fairly sure money's tight there as well (although they did sell David for a huge amount). That said, I think they both know they're in a really good place right now, in a squad where they fit perfectly and that plays in a way that has them perform to the best of their ability. 

Mercier's 31 already by the way, I think it's too late for him to try and make the step up to a top club now. Henry will get there in a few years I'm sure.

[shen]

4 hours ago, KlaaZ said:

If they go, they'll go for relatively big amounts. Standard has serious financial issues, and considering Gent heavily invested in their squad during the summer break I'm fairly sure money's tight there as well (although they did sell David for a huge amount). That said, I think they both know they're in a really good place right now, in a squad where they fit perfectly and that plays in a way that has them perform to the best of their ability. 

Mercier's 31 already by the way, I think it's too late for him to try and make the step up to a top club now. Henry will get there in a few years I'm sure.

Are there any key players whose contracts are up at the end of this season or next season? 

[sacreblueits442]

1 minute ago, shen said:

Are there any key players whose contracts are up at the end of this season or next season? 

...if there are, I am sure we have it covered!!!

[shen]

27 minutes ago, sacreblueits442 said:

...if there are, I am sure we have it covered!!!

I don't know, some players might have other ideas. There are many scouts watching the Belgian first division. It's not just the big clubs in Belgium that will notice OHLs performances.

[sacreblueits442]

4 minutes ago, shen said:

I don't know, some players might have other ideas. There are many scouts watching the Belgian first division. It's not just the big clubs in Belgium that will notice OHLs performances.

...just to be clear, what I meant was should we lose some of our players, we will replace with equal or better quality!!!

  This is not owners who takes backward steps, the are always pushing to go forwards. The start of the evolution was getting the manager on a long term contract, everything flows from there.

[KlaaZ]

Mercier is actually end of contract in the summer, but I'm sure he'll sign for an additional season and if not, we can find a suitable replacement. I'm amazed by how he's performing but I also haven't forgotten the fact that his performances last season were really average to say the least.

[shen]

9 minutes ago, KlaaZ said:

Mercier is actually end of contract in the summer, but I'm sure he'll sign for an additional season and if not, we can find a suitable replacement. I'm amazed by how he's performing but I also haven't forgotten the fact that his performances last season were really average to say the least.

Surely it's better than the other way around, i.e. great last season, average this one. Staying up will be priority this season, but I'd say it's very important you have a proven midfielder who can help you consolidate and to be a consistent top 4 challenger for the next years. 12 assists already is a ridiculous stat - that's something even KDB would be pleased with if he was playing in the Belgian Pro League.

[Lizhang]

5 hours ago, shen said:

Mercier is looking unreal this season. Amazing vision and execution as well as a goal threat himself. Wonder if any of the big Belgian clubs are sniffing right now, especially the struggling Gent or Standard... 

OHL made KVK look like relegation candidates judging by those highlights. Just one big chance for KVK as well. If the defence is as tight for the rest of the season (and Henry and Mercier stay injury-free), there's no reason OHL cannot stay top 4 surely. 

Have to agree with Klaaz here. Mercier has been roaming the Belgian league for years and years, going from one lower-mid tier club to another. He's 31 already. Everybody knows him, they've all scouted him in the past and faced him a dozen times. For him to play like this for the first time, means the pieces of the puzzle need to fit perfectly, or he would have had performances like this in the past. It would also mean they have to acknowledge to be blind to not have seen what was right in front of their eyes all these years. Is he going to earn more at those clubs? I think he has better chances at getting an improved contract at OHL, than earn more at Anderlecht or Gent. Basically the only club with money to spend is Club Brugge. Then he needs to think about whether he would rather like to sit on the bench in a "big" club while most of those big clubs are currently in financial trouble or are playing like crap. There is also a history in Belgium of big teams going after "small team stars" with little success, because they don't consider the way in which the other team plays or functions and assume that player will fit into their squad and be equally effective, which usually isn't the case.

Also, considering what happened last month, a "big team" tried to poach our coach, and the club offered him a better deal and assurances for the future. Mercier stands to lose more than he has to gain. OHL also doesn't fit the mold of traditional small teams that have to sell off their best players at the moment. I could see them coming after Henry, but if the club and King Power can persuade the coach to stay for the long haul, they could do the same with Henry. Keeping this team together at least until the end of the season, is more important than selling a player for a few million.