TBF I watched the two matches before he got benched, before this run, and he did look poor to me. Genk can play very nice ball, but when the field gets stretched the D can have to defend players running at them with a lot of speed and space very often. It can get hectic, and it‘s tough. He lost his mark and made a few poor decisions that definitely cost the team. Still, if he can come through this it will only make him stronger. I‘ve watched quite a bit of Vines and Antwerp, and boy when the game opens up, it freaking opens up. These players have a lot of defending to do. If both can pull off solid seasons next year we should be real happy, and moves are possible. We shall see.
Starts: Onze 11 starters 💙 #krcgenk #mijnploeg #gnkkvm pic.twitter.com/K2UFnznuza— KRC Genk (@KRCGenkofficial) April 29, 2022
Genk wins 4-2. Exciting game. Back and forth. Genk took the lead on a FK in like the 88th. Genk looked good overall, much better than they have looked in the recent past. McKenzie played fine. Seemed to be a RCB in a 3 man backline. Overall did not stand out. Had a few nice long balls that found his teammates only for them to lose it. Was beat by a half a step on the first goal and let his man send in a cross from the endline that was eventually banged in. Had a nervy moment late in the game, like the 90th, hesitated on a ball on the edge of his box expecting the GK to take it. The GK was not there, so McKenzie had to perform an emergency header and it bounced over his late arriving GK before it was eventually cleared. They never showed the replay so I couldn't see the full context but it wasn't great. But a nice and what will definitely be overlooked play was very late in the game he was able to take down a clearance calmly and instead of booking it upfield like his team was doing, he played it forward to the RB and a few seconds later it was in the net for an insurance goal.
Starts: Onze startende 𝐗𝐈. #krcgenk #mijnploeg #chagnk pic.twitter.com/tE3RlQvqhD— KRC Genk (@KRCGenkofficial) May 6, 2022
Other team scores before the half. A totally open header between the two CBs. Hard to tell who is more at fault because the attacker was just all alone in the middle of the box. It looks like McKenzie was floating far post and covering an attacker at that position at least. Lucumi was in no mans land - not even sure what he was doing, he was way too far away from the center of the box.
The Jupiler has seen something uncommon this season: a newly promoted club that dominates the top league in a country. Royal Union got promoted from the First B last season and now has a solid shot to top the league, 3 points ahead of Brugge in the Championship Group (winner goes straight to the Champions League group stage). Genk is in the second playoff group, with the #5-#8 teams, fighting for a ticket to the Europe Conference, their only chance of continental football next season. So far they're out of it, with three more games to go after this one.
This is what I as afraid of. I know 1.5 season isn't a long time but at this point I don't know if I have faith in Genk to develop him anymore. I'm starting to think he may need to consider moving on. I forgot to update this thread, but the late goal they gave up last game was from an attacker McKenzie was covering. It was a good pass into the striker who was in line with McKenzie. Striker dribbles into the box, McKenzie is on him, half a step behind but trying to body him up. But the striker pushes through the challenge and scores. Not a horrible terrible play or anything, was just beat by a good striker who was giving him AND Lucumi trouble all game. Something that happens to all CBs anywhere. But if Genk won't even have in in the squad in the next game - assuming it is because of this, to be clear maybe McKenzie is injured or something in which case I will edit this - then that shows me Genk has no interest in letting McKenzie work through bad plays and develop and grow better. And how is a CB supposed to get better? First edit: I just saw the lineup and even Lucumi has been benched. This is kind of hilarious. So Cuesta and Sadick are starting instead. I legit never saw a team rotate their CBs as much as Genk since I started following them. Its feels kind of crazy to me, how in the world are you supposed to develop chemistry and faith in your players like that.
Just to expand: Genk has played 38 league games. The team has 4 CBs with 20+ appearances, another with 12. McKenzie has been subbed into games 2x, subbed out 3x. Sadick subbed in 2x, out 1x. Lucumí subbed in 4x, out 1x. Cuesta subbed in 6x, out 1x. Very different approach— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) May 10, 2022 4 CBs with 20+ appearances in 38 league games is crazy.
Hopefully next season he can cement himself as an outright starter as the team rebuilds for better things.
WOW - 🇧🇪 en Eleven Sports 📺 dicen que 🇨🇴 Jhon Janer Lucumí le ha pedido a la JD de Racing Genk ser transferido este verano"Este verano quiero dar un paso más alto, pero por ahora estoy concentrado en los últimos partidos de la temporada", declaró antes del juego vs. Charleroi pic.twitter.com/WaREc0VJLa— Mauricio Andrés Luna Aroztegui (@MauricioAndrsL6) May 6, 2022 odds are it will be his job to lose next year
On the bench: Onze startende 1️⃣1️⃣. #krcgenk #mijnploeg #gnkgnt pic.twitter.com/1x3tY1KbE4— KRC Genk (@KRCGenkofficial) May 15, 2022 Trailing 1-0 at the half.
Starts: Onze startende 𝟭𝟭. 💪#krcgenk #mijnploeg #kvmgnk pic.twitter.com/zlzUCU0jqj— KRC Genk (@KRCGenkofficial) May 21, 2022
Also I am just now learning that apparently Genk is going to get another new coach? I couldn't find any articles but their fans are talking like their current coach has announced he will leave soon. So that's another round of upheaval at the club...
It's a shame he's played himself out of a spot with the NT but I still feel he has a chance in the pool in the years ahead.
The Colombian CB's at Genk were suppose to be sold last summer.. Looks like the offers never came in for them though and now with Lucumi's deal running down a newly promoted team will take him on a cut rate price. Hopefully it helps with PT for McKenzie.
Is he? I have watched enough of this team to say I am a bit disappointed in Mark, my opinion, but none of the other guys are all that great. I know Lucumi had Sevilla? interest when Mark got there, but I have seen nothing to suggest he is a sure LaLiga player. With money short it’s not worth the gamble anymore.