The big game of the 21st round of the Premier League in football brings together two big clubs, and although in recent years they have gone in completely different directions in terms of achievements, budgets and management - this season in particular there are many launch points between them.
Betar Jerusalem and Maccabi Tel Aviv started the season with a Dutch coach and many question marks around him, and with an Israeli professional manager whose powers are unclear.
They both come to the game with a temporary coach who was part of the system, they are both far from where they want to be, both fans are disappointed, and there is a big drop in the amount of spectators coming to the games.
And yes, in both it is not clear how much the owner wants to get the group out of this situation (only here, as is well known, there is a big difference in the circumstances).
Barak Itzhaki.
Will be happy to return to the position of professional manager quickly, Photo: Maor Elkelsi
Betar is immersed in a big mess, professionally and managerially. The staff was built from the threshing floor and from the winery without too much thought, which created an imbalance in the quality of the players between squads. Without a team to surround him, what has been proven in the past has passed as a sure recipe for failure.
In the loss game to Bnei Sakhnin, Betar started with three brakes, none of which is a natural brake (two knots and a left defender). In addition, Betar also has problems in the front, mainly tactically and as a team.
Cohen has a collection of players who love the ball, but less like working on defense to earn it, which often makes the team look like they are playing as two separate entities - a defensive team and an attacking team.
Eli Ohana.
The group is deep in the mud, Photo: Alan Shiver
Cohen will try to find the balance, and also find a way to get Jordan Shua to work properly tactically and as a team (even if it's for a few games).
He will also have to make a decision about the lineup that will adorn the players' material, and especially make them forget for a moment about the troubles around them and crystallize into the common goal throughout the minutes of the game, or at least most of it.
40 days without a coach
Maccabi Tel Aviv arrives at one of its low points in the Mitch Goldhaar era. These are not just the ability, the poor accumulation of points and the fact that it has absorbed almost every league game this season (kept a clean sheet only once, in front of the table lock). Managed, and it is not clear how much it matters to the owner residing in Canada.
On the day of the game, Maccabi Tel Aviv has been counting for 40 days without a head coach, with the professional manager standing on the lines telling anyone who is willing to hear that he is not really interested in staying in this position. More than its big rivals to the top (Hapoel B'Shlosha and Maccabi Haifa), and the low came on Wednesday, in a game against newcomer Hapoel Nof Galil, with an awkward 1: 1 against sparse stands in Bloomfield. Note: 8,000 subscribers voted with their feet and stayed at home.
Jordan Shua.
Will Yossi Mizrahi soon guide him on the lines ?, Photo: Danny Maron
So far Yitzhaki has not found a way to get the team out of the fix van Patrick van Leven.
Changing the lineup to three brakes is less appropriate for the squad, as the wing defender's role is less suitable for Andre Geralds, who does not find himself in line 4 this season either, and on the opposite side there is no player who can fill the role defensively and offensively.
The link is much less powerful than before, probably when Dan Glazer is injured and the attack seems fixed and untrained.
Yitzhaki is unable to give offensive ideas in 3: 3: 4, and the team is based net on stationary situations and personal ability, which is not enough over time.
Marko Jankovic in front of Guerrero in the previous meeting.
Betar's connection removed, Photo: Alan Shiver
The last time these two teams met when two Israeli coaches stood on the lines was nine years ago, when Nir Levin coached Maccabi Tel Aviv and Barak Yitzhaki was the team captain. So it ended in a goalless draw. I have a feeling this time the game will look different.
The weak defensive play of both teams, and the fact that both coaches know they have nothing to lose, may not provide us with quality tactical play - but it does play at a good pace, with large distances between squads, allowing attacking players to reach enough conquest situations.
So if there is no quality and no permanent coaches, at least we will enjoy a lot of goals.
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