PBP Thread: Match #6, Peru vs Denmark, 16 June 2018 [R]

This is not entirely correct ... Peru created 8 attempts (4 on target) against Croatia, and 14 attempts (4 on target) against iceland, while it was 17 attempts (6 on target ) against Denmark, though The Guardian has it as 6 off and 7 on target and 13 in all, probably depending on what you would consider to be an actual attempt but then they also count that Denmark had 5 off and 6 on target :
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/jun/16/peru-denmark-world-cup-match-report

But then you do not get the exact truth by looking at these kind of statistics, because it does not take the quality of goalkeeping and defending into account ... I mean, if you are easilly able to get past a defender and get one-on-one with the keeper, the opportunity is obviously way bigger than if you are under more pressure from the defenders when you make your attempt ...and generally speaking, then the Danish central defense and keeper did quite a good job ...

 

Huge mistake however in assigning Cueva for the ok. You need a man to take this responsibility, had to be Farfan.

 

Sure ... but Peru had trouble with the Danish central defense and was not able to get the ball past the keeper by shooting from outside the box... the best Peruvia attempt was actually that back-heel from Guerrero ... the goals against Croatia and Iceland were more or less all due do poor central defending ...

 

Must be that European soil

 

You laugh, but UEFA teams are now 8-1-2 against other confederations. After 14 matches in the 2014 World Cup they were 2-3 (a lot of intra-UEFA matchups), and in 2010 they were 3-2-4.

So Ceres was probably right. Playing on the home continent does seem to be giving UEFA a boost.

 

Agree that Danes exploit its chance very well.

But, also the individual mistakes you noticed from GK and DFs, but it's ironically that two of the best players (Carrillo and Advincula) started the mistake that ended in danish goal.

 

UEFA national teams, outside the Top Three or so, are like the mythical giant Antaeus, who was invincible so far he was in contact with his mother (that is, the ground, Earth). Herakles killed him by lifting him in a bear hug so he couldn't touch the soil under him.

Of course, that cannot be done in soccer.

 

Not for lack of trying.

 

It helps when the VAR guidelines say only intervene for a European team

 

You say that on this thread? lol

 

You serious? You think Guerrero's attempt was the best one? Peru worked Denmark's defense and lost. Schmeichel was the man of the match and played amazing. Even your coach and players attribute some luck to the win, but Denmark DID win, and that should be enough for you. Stop trying to justify everything. Hopefully Peru can perform a miracle and win these next two games.
BTW best attempt for Peru was Edison Flores' shot. Schmeichel just made an amazing reaction save.

 

It's not really about me being right or wrong ... to me this issue is really all about simple statistics and nothing else ... and it seems that the statistics are going to repeat itself again this year, just as in the past ... As earlier written, then another statistic show that Denmark has never lost to Mexico .... or to any South American team besides Brazil in any important game at the WC's, Confederation Cup or at the Olympics ... perhaps Argentina will once more get the chance if Denmark progress ...

The reason why I have seemed a bit "overconfident" about this specific Danish NT, inspite of them not always playing the most impressive or polished football, is also based on statistics ... because there has surely been better skilled and better playing Danish NT's in the past (though the Euro-92 winners surely were not among them), but never in the very long history of the Danish NT has Denmark even been close to produce an unbeaten streak of 16 games in a row like it is the case right now .

.. and not even an absolutely World class Peter Schmeichel was ever able to produce as many clean sheets in a row as his son has done this year, though his son is not quite as good, but then the defense obviously must have been better at keeping their opponents from scoring ... so just call me silly ... but there is highly solid statistical evidence behind why I have seemed so confident in this Danish NT .. and it has nothing to do with my personal view or expectations .. personally I liked the Danish NT of the 80's and their style of play way better because they were playing much better football ... but I have to admit that this specific NT actually produce better results in general ... at least so far ...

 

Statistics not backed up by quality. All Uefa's teams facing Conmebol's went into full defense, like little teams.

And that's not World Class display. Bolivia does that every time and no one thinks of them as World Class.

 

Denmark is not yet assured a place in the round of 16, Peru made them look like minnows for most of the match, unfortunately they choked at the moment of scoring. Australia looked better against France, despite the loss, and they are the type of physical side that can frustrate Denmark, who don't have the heft of France to pull off a tough win.

 

It's expected for them to do so against Brazil and Argentina, but it was really surprising how Peru dominated Denmark. This coming round, expect both Croatia and Serbia to bunker against the South Americans, let's hope this time luck is not so much on their side.

 

I will give to you that your team knows how to handle the game... they were outplayed for most of the 90 minutes but looked calm the whole time and made few mistakes with the ball, mostly short passes... shows a lot of emotional control. I wouldn't say you looked particularly skilled in attack or defense, other than a few players like Eriksen, Poulsen and Christensen, your fullbacks were easily outrun and Jorgensen is a toothless forward.

 

They made lots of mistakes. That's the reason to put the 11 players next to the own goal: There's someone else to cover the space after the mistake.

 

Well, not heavy mistakes... they didn't give away dangerous FKs or too many corners that weren't forced mistakes by Peru's pressing, and made a lot of tactical fouls... They did lose a lot of 1on1s and aerial balls, despite the height difference, but that's what I meant by being outplayed.

 

I saw, repeatedly, two or three Danish defensive lines being broken by inferior numbers. Otherwise we wouldn't have seen that many shots on goal inside the box.

Thing is not every mistake ends in a goal when there's back up behind the broken line, but it's still a mistake. That's why no one expects such defensive teams to go farther, as at some point –of the match or competition– they will have to advance, and there will be no back up.

 

Luck? Nah, it was our fault not to convert, same as Brazil and Argentina's. That's why I said: They won (or draw) fair and square.

But is a whole different story to open the mouth when such poor football display, backed up on the result only. Such results give the points, but not bragging rights.