Vertonghen: 'Gave it away through childish mistakes'

INTERVIEWS For a moment he seemed to become the match-winner with his goal, buthe wasn't. Jan Vertonghen was therefore bitterly disappointed after the match and did not hide his disappointment. "We wanted to make a fresh start and FCSB was the ideal opponent for that. But through childish mistakes we gave it away."


"When you are 2-1 ahead ten minutes before the end, you always have to bring the match in," Vertonghen said for Sporza's micro. "That we controlled the match? Surely that is also a bit too rosy. We must and can do much better, both defensively and offensively. In recent weeks and months we didn't show that either. We just give it away. They got to the goal twice and scored twice."

"With the first goal, the ball fell exactly between Wesley and myself. Two against one, that shouldn't happen. The second goal, we were missing someone in the first zone. In the first half it was there, but then substitutions happen. Then agreements have to be made and that was not done. Whose fault is that? To the player perhaps."

"The adjustment to four at the back was not that difficult. Most guys are used to playing 4-3-3. I'm used to both. The biggest adjustment was playing centrally. This system gives more freedom up front. I hope we can take advantage of that and our boys up front can use their qualities better."

That the fans treated the team to a whistling concert afterwards, Vertongen could understand. "They expect more and that is allowed. Actually, the fans were positive for 82 minutes, but then you give it away again in 10 minutes. Whether I regret coming? It's not quite what I imagined, but I'm here now and I'm going to make the best of it. It has to improve anyway."