PBP Thread: Denmark vs Australia, 21 June 2018 [R]

In.

 

This looks like it may end up being the key match of the group.

 

One of my favorite posters here is Hyaka, but I really hope Australia beat Denmark. The Danes aren't anything special and the AFC needs some good results.

 

No team has scored against Denmark in 2018, but Denmark is no better than Sweden, when Eriksen is not playing ... as we also saw in the 0-0 away friendly in Sweden around 2 weeks ago, but even when he has an off-day, like against Peru, he is most surely still going to make an assist or score and most often do both on a good day, like he did against Mexico in the last friendly ... and the 15 game unbeaten streak is exactly due to this combination of a team (and keeper) able to keep the opponents from scoring and a player like Eriksen who is always going to show up, even if it's only for a few minutes... and mainly in the 2nd half of a match, when the opponents perhaps get a bit more tired and careless...

 

If you mean on target, then no other than the penalty Australia didn't have any shots on target. The only save Lloris made was from his own defender. They had a handful of shots off target though.

 

Didn't show up for the friendly match we tied with you guys at your own home.....

 

They got a very pretty good one today .....

 

As also written above, he usually show up in the 2nd half of a match but they had made an agreement that he would only play around the first 60 or so minutes in the friendly against Chile, which is also what happened .. if you look at the last 2-0 friendly win against Mexico he made the assist in the 71th minute and scored in the 74th minute ...the assist against Peru was in the 59th minute ...

 

Australia looked defensively well organised against France but we'll need to change our approach and control possession of the ball to win. Don't know if we can do enough to beat Denmark.

 

Australia had a strong performance against France but this Danish team knows how to get results.

 

I watched the Australian games through WC qualification and noticed that we were very weak in attack, even against even weaker opposition.

We don't have a Cahill, Kewell or viduka type in the wings that can threaten up front.

Doesn't surprise me that we had no shots on target against France. We'll only score with a set piece, or a penalty if one is awarded.

Doubt we'll get any points in this WC.

 

Ireland managed an early goal at home, but this only woke up Eriksen early on... Australia need to be able to create opportunities and actual attempts on target, if they are to score any goals ... they only managed one attempt on target against France and this will surely not do it against Denmark ...just ask the Peruvian players ..

 

I'm sure he will miss one eventually.

 

So you are saying that getting a penalty is what Australia is really going to pin their hopes on ?

 

I think a big reason why the Aussies were so ineffective going forward against the French was two fold. One, they were playing to minimise the damage, so sat deep and probably didn't go into the game with much expectation to attack (I was surprised with how much possession they had in the game). Two, Kante neutralised Rogic. When the team sits so deep it is important that Rogic acts as the link up player for Australia, as we don't have an out an out striker to play long balls to when sitting so deep. Kante man-marked Rogic ... I think this showed how much the French realised they needed to do that to stop counters.

If Denmark sit deep (well I'd imagine they'll sit deeper than the French) and let Rogic have space he'll give it a crack from distance (and can score outside the box). This then means it opens up the Danish defense as they'll have to shut down the top of box, which should mean more space behind / between the lines for crosses and runs.

The Aussies really need to try to get an early goal I feel to be a chance. Nothing short of 3 points is good enough for the Aussies IMO (going to be very hard though ... heart says Australia, head has big doubts).

 

1-0 Denmark and bundled out in straight sets is what I'm expecting.

I just prey that it isn't a dodgy decision that does us in (e.g. Kewells red card in '10).

 

Should Arzani start? Or just give him 30 mins at the end of the game. It will actually be interesting to see how BVM approaches this.
I would assume the backline stays the same.
Maybe we can afford now to replace Jedinak with Luongo. Will Rogic hold his spot or will Irvine come in? And who will start up front. I don't think we need Nabbout for his defensive abilities in this game, but the other 3 aren't filling me with confidence either. Can we rely on Cahill to save us again or is he just to old now?