Hallo allemaal!

It’s a happy Saturday today. Next week is a school holiday week here in Belgium and my 2 little ones need a little break – so does their dad!

Despite a good start last week we’re only in second position in the league. But it’s still early in the season and I am not too concerned. The Cup and especially the Champions League are the main targets. Last week we suffered a bad loss though at Red Star. Did we already screw our chance for qualification?

Before we start, you may wonder how Baldur (the Gudjohnsen regen) is doing? Believe it or not, but so far he hasn’t played a match yet. What the hell am I doing? I know! But I typically play him as my attacking midfielder and I just cannot throw this guy on the bench, can I? Fear not Baldur, your time will come!

We start today’s blog in Gent, the location of my new employer. Our Austrian friend Artner picks up an early red, but luckily the lads only need a bit of time to get their act together and secure the win.

Eddy is the MAN! At Bernabeu he saves their 4 shots on goal and gets rewarded with the Man of Match award. It’s just 1 point but it gives us renewed hope that making it past the Group Stage is possible!

Poor Oostende. They probably wished they stayed at the seaside. Making sand castles is much more fun than getting your ass kicked in Lier.

The Big Three is back this season! It’s a difficult match at Club Brugge and just when I think it’s a lost cause, there is the Lothar Matthaus regen to get us a point.

Next we travel to Eindhoven for a pivotal match in our attempt to survive the CL Group Stage. Watkin (Mark Hughes) acts like a complete idiot and gets himself sent off after just 18 minutes. Somehow I never realised he has an Aggression of 20. He would be a perfect fit for the CD Dons. But he isn’t the only one that loses his cool: Wijnhard is sent off as well just before the break. We take over in the second half and show we are not to be fooled with.

This is a picture I am not used to seeing: we are leading the Group!

After 4 (!) titles in a row, I believe we are entitled to call ourselves a top team, together with record champions Anderlecht. The “Classico of Belgium” ends in a draw.

I told you so, Baldur, it’s just a matter of time before you get your first start. I wouldn’t exactly call it a success though.

Baldur! You are supposed to be the TOP regen of this game. You cannot do this to me! What must the readers think? He looks at me with his bright blue eyes and I know enough.

That’s our third consecutive draw in the league. Are we losing momentum?

Yes we are. When you travel to Sclessin you need to be at your best. Because if you are not, you end up losing.

Lads, do not fuck this up. It’s actually very simple: do not lose again Real and we qualify. Here is an idea: beat them instead! On Thursday December 14th 2000, the city of Lier wakes up with a hang-over, but proud and very satisfied with their first-ever Champions League Quarter Final spot!

In the Beveren blog we never even got to this stage, so this may very well be the best screenshot I ever took so far *smiles*!

Jesus started well, but started to fade away the last couple of weeks. My simplistic brain has difficulties grasping that. Yes, he is a regen (Miguel Angel Nadal) and yes, regens need time. Maybe I need to be more patient, or why don’t I just move him up a line? Turns out Jesus loves the 6!

For the first round of the Cup we travel again to Gent and return home again with a win. This is good.

No, no, this is not good. This is bad!

The Lilian Striker Combo Part 2. The sequel is better than the original.

It’s already Boxing Day. We go skiing with a good mood.

We have the cash and after a first good half of the season, a few top players express their interest. We have to seize momentum here. Welcome Winston! If worse comes to worse, we use him as a goalkeeper, right Deano?

Now that Jesus is playing a line higher, perhaps signing another defender could be interesting. Is this a good choice? He’s too expensive I am sure. But I am already having my second triple beer, so my decision making skills are getting blurred.

It’s vengeance time against Standard. We earned our Quarter Finals spot! And with that draw our fans will expect nothing less than the Semis!

Laslandes is picking up form and scores another 2 in our win against Charleroi.

He needs to, because after Lokonda we also loose Compan.

We end today’s update in Bruges. Their regen goalie keeps the difference to 1 goal. Hmm, a young Welsh goalkeeper that is difficult to beat? Where did I see that before? Right. In my Beveren blog with Lierse. Funny stuff.

That’s it for today. We claimed back the top spot position, but it’s going to be a tight finish, that’s for sure.

Who will we draw in the CL Quarter Finals? Will we finally have any luck in the Cup? All will be revealed next week, so stay tuned! Have a great weekend all!

Tot volgende week!