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

Hi

 

@Hayaka @Ceres @condor11 @Toque de Barrio @vico - It's do or die time: the greatest festival in the Milky Way....predictions?

 

I find amusing some ideas Hareide and Denmark's press spread all around: Denmark will defeat Peru because they're (much) taller.

No football strategy nor tactics: Just being taller. When this all began and others in Group C knew they'd play Peru, they were chanting and dancing (literally), because Peru is an old team (?), no Peruvians play in the better European clubs, and as Peru didn't qualify for 3 decades, it was assumed Peruvians didn't know the ball is round.

Peru had no international success for long because some of its players stopped behaving as a team, and not because they couldn't play good football. This has stopped for some years now, and the results can be seen.

On Denmark, yes, being taller gives them an advantage in set pieces and probably on some moves of direct play. But what about the rest of the game? They have slow legs for one–on–one confrontations ("marcan mal") and their passing is slow and imprecise (for South American standards). They will lose the ball constantly, and that opens the door for 3 Peruvians who can send 50 meter passes to the foot, if Denmark is on Peru's half of the pitch, or taking advantage of a disorganized defense, if Peru is on Denmark's half.

I believe Denmark's best chance is to play as it has since early 2017: Take control of the center of the pitch, and keep the lines closer to avoid passes between lines. If they don't, they'll likely lose. If they do, then Eriksen will have support and the match will be open for both.

I suppose this last is the reason why Gareca is testing different formations including Farfán. Normally, with Guerrero on the pitch there's no room for Farfán, as Flores, Cueva and Carrillo are more flexible both in attack as on defense. But if Peru is seeking to play on the counter (thus leaving the center to Denmark), then Farfán is way more dangerous than Carrillo.

 

If Peruvians think that Denmark will underestimate Peru and have no strategy or tactics for this match then they can think again ... the debate about being taller, is only about which strikers the NT coach is going to use in the game against Peru and nothing else ...

 

It's not about what we think or not, but what your press keeps repeating.

For what is worth, even your reply doesn't include a strategy nor tactics.

 

What I find particulary interesting in this match is that both Danmark and Peru have a long streak with no losses. 15 must be a record for Denmark.

I live in Copenhagen, Danmark. Here, Peru is most associated with the flute players in the centre of the city.

People who knows a litte bit of football also knows this key match would be a tough challenge. Older people, like me, admire Peru for their fantastic teams in the 1970’s. As far as I remember there was a player named Teofilio Cubillas.
A world class player. Peru back then was candy for the eyes.

I look forward to the match, albeit Denmark is my country, but “Landsholdet” - the national team - is not my favorite team. It’s Seleção ever since 1962.

 

Denmark will play no diffrent than the present strategy which is a very tight defense and midfield, that will leave little space for the Peruvian players and then with the 3 players up front putting some high pressure on the Peruvian defenders and keeper when they have the ball ...

 

Aye, that makes sense.

Anyways, most take for granted that France will defeat anybody else, or at least take the first position in the group. Those of us who have seen and played Argentina, know that finishing second in the group, grants a fourth match... and that's it. While France... I don't trust its defensive lines.

Then France is the side to defeat for both Denmark and Peru, should they wish to advance in the WC. Those are the real games in Group C. And I believe it's within their reach to get the results.

 

The strenght of the Danish central midifield is that it has one strictly defensive midfielder and two very hard working box-to-box midfielders including Eriksen who inspite actually being box-to-box also make lots of assists and goals due to his speed and World class passing and finishing skills ... this is also why Eriksen is such a key player because he is able to be a kind of box-to-box attacking midfielder and striker at the same time, who links up the whole team so well ...

 

You know @Ceres, every time you bring up Eriksen's technical skills it sounds as a Peruvian mentioning the tall players in its squad.

Eriksen is indeed very good, but such technical precision is not unseen in Conmebol's NTs. Thing is, most Conmebol's NTs have 3–6 players with such passing skills, and defensive lines trained to deal with them.

Now, Eriksen has an excellent accuracy in long shots. That's not common, and should worry any side.

 

I agree. One could also note that Thomas Delaney now is a Dortmund player. Goes without saying that a team who has not lost in 15 matches is hard to break down.

I see three weaknesses:
1. Our forwards have problems with the goalscoring issue. They have to step up, and we know they can.
2. William Kvist is a clever guy. But does he have the durability at this level?
3. If a team succeds in taking Eriksen out, Denmark would be in dire straits. However, Eriksen is very hard to mark out of a game.

My preliminary conclusion is that Denmark is in good shape and capable of making good results in all group matches.

 

Eriksen is absolutely World class and he is doing the precision passing and finishing at English PL speed, which people often do not really take into account ... it's one thing to be able to pass the ball to perfection and just at the right time, but doing it in a very fast moving game like the English PL is what makes him World class, he is just able to think and pass the ball that bit quicker than the rest ...

 

Well, Eriksen might be world class. However, compared to the top notch players, the Modrics, The Coutinhos, the Tony Kroos’, he is overmatched.

And then there is the problem with his lack of attitude. The difference in attitude compared to Kasper Schmeichel is paramount.

 

You could be surprised, as Deschamps has been kinda forced to change a bit his defense due to current forms and injuries.
Against Australia, the defense line will apparently be Pavard, Varane, Umtiti, Hernandez. Pavard and Hernandez are muuuch better defensively than our usual Sidibé and Mendy. They proved it during preparation matches. Now we will see how they do in the real thing pretty soon!

Now talking about this match, I’m very excited xD I just hope it’s gonna be a tight match and that no one will trash the other, but anyway I predict a draw: 1-1.

 

If by attitude you mean killer instinct or fighting spirit I disagree. Schmeicel is an extrovert so it's easier to spot. Eriksen is the type of player that leaves the training facilities last and the type of player that runs the longest distance during a match.

 

Then I payed attention to the wrong matches

But it doesn't change the fact that if Denmark and Peru wish to advance any farther than the 4th Matchday, then France has to be beaten.

 

Not necessarily you paid attention to the wrong matches, but since Sidibé and Mendy were coming back from injuries and were supposed to be our starters, Deschamps gave them more play time
But all french have seen that when they played, Pavard and Hernandez were much better.

The stupid goal conceeded against USA came from a bad control of Sidibé.

 

Good point, mr. Eriksen for sure excells in that department. Furthermore, we must accept, that some people are more introvert than others. Still, I would like to se more attitude on the pitch from Eriksen.

 

France also seems to have an attitude problem. A coach with no visions. Still, France often displays arrogance towards smaller nations. Even if the FIFA rankings tell otherwise, I betcha they’ gonna underrate Denmark and Peru.

 

That is not really true.
Back to the early 21st century, due to latest results, yes, french were arrogant, I was part of them
But with all the desillusions we have got since, actually most of french people do think our best chances would be quarter/semifinal and that this group is going to be very difficult.

Just as an example I’m watching a french channel called L’Équipe 21 (from the newspaper l’Équipe) that sets up debates every evening talking about all football stuff, well these past days they kept underlining how difficult this group is and that our guys need to be on top against Australia if we don’t wanna crash out.

So nope, french are not arrogant these past years mate

 

Eriksen is not a bad player. But people often forget that Peru plays against South American teams in the qualifiers. We play against Messi, Neymar, James, Suarez, Sanchez, Cavani, etc. So we know that we need to step it up on defense against good players... How has the Danish team fare against "world class talent"?

 

Peru mostly got defeats : lost both matches vs. Neymar and lost both matches vs. Sanchez; lost away to Cavani and Suarez, lost away to James.
Against James, at home, only got a draw. In the match away, which Peru lost, James did not play.
Against Messi, they only played against him, away, getting a draw. As at home, Messi did not play (which was also a draw).

Only defeated Cavani and Suarez at home, which also happens to be the only time in the 2 last years when Peru actually defeated a south american top 20 team of the world, as their sole other win against another top 20 team of the world, happened recently against Croatia.

 

Why, are you so sure, Argentina will get the first position in its group?