Maccabi Haifa Players Criticize Defense After Heavy Loss
Translated & summarized from N12 by baba
Maccabi Haifa players Itay Shechter and Tal Ben Haim criticized the team's defense after a 4-0 loss to Maccabi Netanya, their third straight defeat. They described the defense as a "catastrophe" and "abandonment," citing individual errors and poor positioning. Ben Haim expressed concern for the next coach, stating the team needs to replace almost its entire defensive line. The players also acknowledged Maccabi Netanya's offensive quality and goalkeeper's performance.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Maccabi Haifa players Itay Shechter and Tal Ben Haim slammed the team's defense after a 4-0 loss.
- The defeat was Maccabi Haifa's third consecutive loss, highlighting defensive issues.
- Players cited individual errors and poor positioning as reasons for the defensive collapse.
- Tal Ben Haim suggested the team needs to replace nearly its entire defensive line.
- Maccabi Netanya's goalkeeper Samo Silva was praised for his stable and effective performance.
Maccabi Haifa players Itay Shechter and Tal Ben Haim have strongly criticized the team's defensive performance following a 4-0 defeat to Maccabi Netanya. The loss marked Maccabi Haifa's third consecutive defeat and occurred just before the team was set to return from the international break with a new coach. Shechter described the defense as a "catastrophe" and "abandonment," stating that players were not stopping opponents effectively and were out of position. He specifically pointed to errors by Wanderson Tsunami, Nigel Lonwijk, Eli Dassa, and Ali Mohamed during the match.
Shechter further elaborated on individual defensive players, noting that Tsunami makes mistakes game after game and is neither a center-back nor a fullback. He described Lonwijk as technically skilled but lacking sufficient defensive ability. Ben Haim expressed sympathy for the next coach, questioning the current defensive squad's ability to improve the team. He highlighted that Maccabi Haifa has conceded nine goals in their last two home halves and five in home games, a stark contrast to their successful championship seasons under former coach Barak Bakhar.
Both players discussed Maccabi Netanya's offensive strengths, with Ben Haim suggesting they perform best against teams that allow space for counter-attacks. He noted Netanya's quality in the final third and their ability to exploit space, as seen in their matches against stronger opponents. Shechter added that the scoreline could have been worse and praised Netanya's goalkeeper, Samo Silva, for his consistent and calm performance, noting his effectiveness when needed. He concluded that Netanya's strong offense punishes teams that concede space.
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