With 34 points out of a possible 36, it’s hard to argue with Patrick Van Leven’s decisions and last night there were so many who tried. The announcement of the squad for the game against Hapoel Haifa one hour and twenty-five minutes before the opening whistle, caused an unusual noise around the decisions of the Dutch coach who came to the meeting against Hapoel Haifa with seven changes in the squad, against who was marked by many as the toughest opponent in last week’s three games. Requires a piece of courage. But for the Dutch courage was not the right word, but trust. He believed in his players and for him, his Maccabi Tel Aviv sent a message yesterday: it is first and foremost, one team.
“We talked all last week about the team performance. We started well, we controlled the game, we didn’t win even though we had some great situations and then in the opening of the second half we did it and scored. The dismissal disrupted the game but defensively the players fought like lions. There were 7 changes in the lineup, that’s right , But these are players with a lot of experience in the Premier League and some with a lot of experience in Maccabi Tel Aviv as well, so for me I can not say that there were “a lot of changes”. “We tried to show that we are one team, fighting to achieve the result as one piece and our audience can identify with our spirit after this game,” he clarified. Van Leven.
Maccabi Tel Aviv is very pleased with the work of the Dutchman, who managed to lead the Yellows back to the championship fight but beyond that, for his ability to reunite the team. “See the work and investment, things are done this way because the team works properly “Dor Peretz explained the essence of the change at Maccabi Tel Aviv and in fact also complimented the Dutch coach on the way he worked.
Van Leven in the seven changes he made, as well as the substitutions he made, managed to keep Andre Geralds, Enrique Sborrit, Luis Hernandez, Itai Schechter, Dan Bitton and Dan Glazer in this game and gave them a forced rest while the last two were not on the roster at all. When it comes to Glazer, it is the same abdominal muscle injury that has been very bothering him and the team and causing him to get more rest lately.
The one who stood out very well in this game was Matan Baltexa who is being transferred to the left brake position this season even with a set of only two brakes and Maccabi Tel Aviv wants to see him sign a new contract and stays at the club. Balteksa shows qualities, he is very fast compared to the position he is currently in and improves. A game he gets. For example, against Beer Sheva in the cup, many at Maccabi Tel Aviv thought he was one of the best on the field. Along with Balteksa who received compliments for his performance, Maccabi Tel Aviv marked the second goal in a game achieved after a very impressive pressure move in ten players that led to a goal by Dor Peretz that was excellent once again. Nick Blackman received compliments for the “bowling goal” he scored, with the movement in which he threw The shoulder towards the ball and put the Yellows in the lead.
After the game, Maccabi Tel Aviv joined the call to bring the crowd back to the pitches against the background of the decision made last night that only up to 1,500 spectators can be admitted to Bloomfield, for example. “The crowd must be on the pitches, it’s time,” said Van Leven. Happen soon because the vaccines help protect the audience. I do not know what will happen but I wish, the players, that the audience will return, we need to unite the atmosphere between the players and the spectators and soon, “he added. Dor Peretz.