Socceroos v Denmark: Stopping Spurs star Christian Eriksen the key for Australia
TO beat Denmark the Socceroos must pull off a feat that has eluded some of the Premier League’s best clubs and individual players over the past five years.
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STOP Christian Eriksen, stop Denmark.
Sounds simple, but the Socceroos will attempt to do what some of the Premier League’s best clubs and individuals have failed to do in the past five years.
Denmark, despite having a batch of players in Europe’s top leagues, makes no apologies for directing most of their attacks via the Tottenham magician.
Unlike Spurs — who have Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Son Heung-Min to lean on — Denmark don’t have a plan B according to most analysts.
Technical director of Chinese giants Shanghai SIPG, Danish-born Mads Davidsen, said Eriksen has enjoyed more freedom since a coaching change.
“In qualification he (Eriksen) was involved in (around) 70 per cent of the goals and he has a lot of offensive freedom. Can you take him out? That’s like taking out 70 per cent of the team. The question for the coach is what do you do if he gets injured?”
“Age Heirede was brought in two years ago and he found out that it was an advantage to be less systematic and more pragmatic and build the team by its strengths. And that has one word — Christian Eriksen.
“It’s more pragmatic. It’s worked and Christian has finally showed the same level in the national team as he did in the Premier League.”
Huddersfield Town’s Aaron Mooy duelled Eriksen this season and said it would a collective effort to thwart him.
“He’s an excellent player and probably Denmark’s most dangerous,” Mooy said.
“We have to keep a close eye on him, and try and stop the supply to him. We have to do it as a team.”
Thomas Sorensen, who was Eriksen’s roommate at South Africa 2010, said there is a heavy reliance but their depth was underlined when he was asked about their second most important player.
“(Kasper) Schmeichel or (Simon) Kjaer. Kasper has got that leadership and for Denmark to do well he has to play well and he’s got that X-factor. He can win games, got that drive that maybe Eriksen hasn’t got — that persona,’’ Sorensen said.
“They are (too reliant of Eriksen) to some extent but they’re better equipped now and they’ve got a better team than what people give them (credit for).
“A bit like Australia, they’re lacking goalscorers and players in form.”
Originally published as Socceroos v Denmark: Stopping Spurs star Christian Eriksen the key for Australia
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