Genk pulling away in Belgian Pro League title race

DATE_FORMAT_LC5 891

With eight matchdays played in the Belgian Pro League, Genk have begun to pull away from the rest of the pack.

The Smurfs have taken 19 points from 24 on offer and, so far, have exhibited a consistency that the rest of the division has not.

Five teams are within six points of Genk in the title race. Yet, all five of those teams (Royal Antwerp, Gent, Club Brugge, Sporting Charleroi, and Anderlecht) have struggled to show the same consistency of Genk, dropping points sporadically.

Genk are the highest scoring side in the Pro League with 18 goals for. While the team has allowed 10 goals to opponents, the offence has done enough to win matches and distract from some of the defensive weaknesses.

Coach Thorsten Fink took charge of Genk in the offseason for Domenico Olivieri. Fink has been around the block a few times. He coached Sint-Truiden last season and led the unfancied team to ninth place.

The Smurfs were able to spend plenty of money in the offseason courtesy of selling several players, including Mike Penders to Chelsea, Mike Tresor to Burnley, and Bilal El Khannouss to Leicester City. Genk made over €58 million on those sales alone.

Playing a 4-2-3-1 formation, Genka have tallied the Pro League’s best possession rate, with 57.4%. The Smurfs are the league’s leading scorers and their average of 18.5 shots per game shows how attack-minded they are.

Tolu Arokodare leads Genk in scoring with six goals. In fact, Arokodare is the joint-top scorer in the Pro League. The forward has accounted for 33% of Genk’s goals in the division. Jarne Steuckers has added three goals of his own.

While Genk lead the league with 19 points, six more than the chasing pack, it must be remembered that the Pro League is not a straightforward format.

The Pro League features a playoff after the 30-game regular season. If Genk finishes in the top six, they will then play a 10-game championship round. It is a unique part of the Pro League, which adds plenty of excitement to it.

At the end of the regular season, points will be halved, meaning Genk need to tally as many points as possible before the championship round.

Last season, Union Saint-Gilloise finished first in the Pro League only to lose the title in the championship playoffs. Club Brugge ended the season in fourth but improved their play to win the title.

Finishing first won’t guarantee Genk the title. There is a long way to go, but for now, the Smurfs are the best team in the Pro League.