Match 43: Denmark v. Japan :: Pre-match discussion

Whoever scores first will still keep staying in South Africa. If Japan strikes first, they will control the flow of the game until the end. Japan has played pretty good defense and done a good job of pressuring opponents on the midfield.

If Denmark does it, it will be a disaster for Japan. They will have to push their backline forward to equalize but don't have any threat to score 2 or more goals. Being as a underdog, constant push up front will eventually result in another goals conceded.

 

Denmark's defensive mistakes against Cameroun and Holland will likely be corrected, and Japan is very poor going forward. With their conservative (and boring) 4-1-4-1 they will do their best to defend and try to hit Denmark on the counter.

I expect Denmark to control this game, much like Holland did against Japan. However, since Japan will be happy with a tie, they do have a slight advantage in that they can afford to sit back. The press are already pointing to Bendtner and Rommedahl as key figures of the match, and they will either be man marked or have 2 men covering them. For us to win, we need the central midfield to get into shape and for Tomasson to find his goalscoring form again, and not blow obvious goalscoring chances like he did against Cameroun.

We will likely also see Soeren Larsen in this game, as the aerial game is Denmark's best weapon against the Japanese defense.

Can't make any predictions myself, and unfortunately I'll miss this game. But I hope that Denmark can score at least 2, because I figure we'll give up one stupid goal. Good luck to both teams.

 

Japan just needs a draw to go through. Denmark needs the win to advance and this may just play into Japan's hands as I feel they'll be playing a very counter heavy match.

If it doesn't end up 1-1, I can see Japan snagging a goal and hanging on for a 1-0.

 

Japan's tactics are too conservative, and is weak at best. There is a lack of dynamics I've seen in 2002 when Japan excelled in group stage. Okada will have to toughen up its defense at first half and prepare for harder offense at later half.

 

I love how these newbies are all of a sudden football experts. Don't post crap if you won't support it without any evidence.

Japan just needs to maintain a draw and then they will progress. Like someone before said, the first goal is probably the deciding goal as if Denmark scores then they will likely shell up as a turtle. If Japan scores first, the momentum goes with them and Denmark will constantly try to attack, leaving defense open and eventually self destructing.

To be honest, I can't make out a clear winner though the loss of Kjaer is big, whether you say he was match fit or not. If Okada doesn't screw up and plays the same formation he did against the Dutch, I can see Japan cruising. Anything else implies Japan turning into a Danish tart.

 

Fully agree with you. I don't predict Japan will play too defensively because they learned in pre-worldcup friendly matches that they can't lock the goal all through the match by only defensing. They are very eager to score first, maybe more eager than Datch players because they don't have any other game plan to beat Denmark rather than scoring the first goal.

 

Clearly Japan is hoping for a bore draw. 0-0 at best. They will play the game if (when) Denmark get the first goal, hoping to kill the game and eventually hit Denmark on the counter as we get frustrated.

Denmark should be firm favorites to win this game though. Key is defintely set plays, and using the wingers getting behind defensive line, and of course take the chances at some point.

Look out for young and perhaps one of the most talented youngsters Denmark have produced since Michael Laudrup, Christian Eriksen, to make an impact. Either as substitute or as a starter. He will do us well in this kind of match, and Japan might not be prepared for this quick dribbler, he should be able to slice through a solid defensive line.

As someone said, Søren Larsen, might be fielded, he is out of form because of injuries, but is strong in the box, specifically with his head (or only with his head)

John Dahl might start as well, although I see no point using him in his current shape, in a match where Japan will leave the match for us to create and counter.

Simon Kjaer is not a big blow in this match. There are no real physical threats from Japan, Krøldrup is weaker physically and one on one, but reads the game really well, great technique for a central defender, and is more experienced.

Bendtner, Kjaer, Jon Dahl, Søren Larsen, Patrick Mtiliga, Jakob Poulsen, Martin Jørgensen, Daniel Jensen, Thomas Sørensen, came to South Africa semi-injured and out of form, I believe. I really had my doubts on how ready the team was, but what the danish squad lacked in fitness and form, they made up for in fighting spirit and team moral, by coming back from 1-0 down, good for team mentality.

Lineup, with some doubts: Thomas Sørensen, Lars Jacobsen, Per Krøldrup, Dagger, Simon Poulsen/or Patrick Mtiliga; Christian Eriksen/or Jesper Grønkjær, Martin Jørgensen, Christian Poulsen, Dennis Rommedahl; Søren Larsen/ or Jon Dahl, Bendtner (if his groin can take it)

Rommedahl usually wont do well in a match where there isnt space he can run in, so I would like him on the bench, and used as sub. if Denmark gets ahead, but wont. Keys, as said before, wingers, where I would like the youngster Eriksen to start, both fullbacks need to get forward, and Bendtner and Søren Larsen will eventually bag a goal. But thats my picks

HT 0-0, FT 2-0. 63' Søren Larsen, 86' Bendtner

 

Hard to say this favors Denmark at all when Japan can just draw and go through... if they both needed a win then I might place my money on the Danes. Japan has been one of the tightest teams defensively and will not give that much opportunity with only 1 GA in two games. A 0-0 or 1-1 scoreline is a likely scenario IMO.

 

I'm personally very confident that Denmark will beat Japan on Thursday. We have a very organized squad and aggressive forwards. Our performance against the Dutch in the 1st half was world class.. Cameroon, we were a bit sloppy, gave too much time and space, but we converted our chances. We will beat Japan to get into the knockout rounds.

 

Converted our chances? I saw a HUGE number of 100% chances wasted by Denmark. Luckily Cameroun also wasted chances. Should have been 5-3 to Denmark.
Anyway,there won't be that many chances against Japan. They will stress the danish build up, and try for the counter. I would really like a solid danish defence, sending long high balls over the Japanese midfield pressure directly to the japanese penalty box, where Søren Larsen and Bendtner can use there height to their advantage. Any fall down balls could be exploited by Rommedahl or Jon Dahl.
This match really calls for Norweigian style of play.

 

The best chances Cameroun had were the ones that were created by the Danish midfielders (Poulsen, Joergensen). Emana had one shot on goal that was saved, and one header that would have gone over but that Soerensen got his hands onto to be sure.

What Cameroun did well was to pressure the Danish midfield, and overpopulate their left side, with a lopsided 4-3-1-2. Unfortunately, that created too much space for Rommedahl to take advantage of. Japan will not make the same mistake.

This game will be Denmark's to win or lose -- we have to "create" the game, while Japan can sit back and kill it on the counter. In other circumstances I'd have us as favorites, but because of injuries and terrible form of several midfielders and strikers (Kahlenberg, J. Poulsen, D. Jensen, S. Larsen) it will be difficult to get forward.

I don't agree that whoever scores the first goal will be sitting pretty as Denmark showed a lot of resilience most recently against Cameroun, winning after being outplayed for the first 20-30 minutes. But I don't think Japan will go for a win -- judging from their last 5-6 games, that's just not how Okada rolls. In any case, I fear that this game will be a boring affair -- with Japan not needing to do much, but Denmark being unable to create the necessary chances.