Socceroos great Harry Kewell calls for sensation Daniel Arzani to be unleashed against Denmark

AFTER a first-up loss, every game is basically a knockout for the Socceroos now. And x-factor players decide these sorts of games. So we can’t hold Daniel Arzani back anymore, writes Socceroos great HARRY KEWELL.

KAZAN, RUSSIA - JUNE 12: Daniel Arzani of Australia shoots on goal during an Australia Socceroos training session ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2018 at Stadium Trudovye Rezervy on June 12, 2018 in Kazan, Russia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

I CAN see manager Bert van Marwijk starting with the same team, but boy would I love to see Daniel Arzani unleashed in the Socceroos XI on Thursday night.

Nothing against the attacker that could make way, but throwing Arzani in from the start could catch Denmark off guard.

The x-factor players decide these sorts of games, hence Tom Rogic and Aaron Mooy are vital. But Arzani is young, raw and the most exciting sight on the Australian scene at the moment and this is a do-or-die clash.

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MIXING WITH THE GREATS: Daniel Arzani battles with French star Paul Pogba in the Socceroos’ opening World Cup clash. Pic: AFP

Plenty of youngsters have been hailed as the next big thing, but Arzani could be the real thing. It’s a big call, but why not try it?

Arzani is the youngest player in Russia and would be pleased that he’s made his World Cup debut. But he’s confident and I reckon he wants more.

He’s probably sitting there thinking, ‘Start me, let me show you what I’m capable of doing. Don’t give me 11 minutes’.

Arzani is the youngest player in Russia, but is a special talent. pic: Getty

I’m not a massive believer in easing people into it. I understand if they’re coming back from injury, but with youngsters sometimes you just need to throw them in. We all got thrown in at some stage.

I’d only made my Leeds United debut 26 days before my Socceroos debut in April 1996. Nineteen months later, Leeds had signed Lee Sharpe and I had to wait my turn. So I had made fewer than 10 first-team appearances when Terry Venables threw me in against Iran in 1997.

A fresh-faced Harry Kewell (17) playing for Leeds United in 1996. Soon enough, he was playing for Australia.

It infuriates me when people say a player is not ready for a big game. Ask any great that played, doesn’t matter if there was 100,000 people watching or one man and his dog, there should be no difference.

What’s pressure? It’s part of football and everyday life. It may do funny things to people, but I loved pressure, loved a challenge, and I sense that Arzani would relish it.

I’ve heard Arzani has a cheeky, confident streak, which some view as arrogant. Was I cheeky? Maybe I was, maybe I wasn’t. But people allow you to get away with it if you perform.

If Arzani can’t do it for 90, he will give you 60 or 70 minutes. But the game could be decided in that time.

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Much of Australia’s attack is driven through midfield pair Tom Rogic (L) and Aaron Mooy (R). Pic: AAP

The Danes’ game plan will be around stopping supply to Rogic and Mooy, if it works, who else have we got by way of go-to players?

I know Mile Jedinak can spread the ball wide, but if we can have that bit of trickery, people underestimate how intimidated defenders can be once attackers run at them.

Denmark is there for the taking and the first batch of Group C games tell me the Socceroos are every chance of reaching the knockout phase.

Rogic has got to take more control of the game because he’s got the ability to and we’ve got to look for him more.

They were unlucky against France and I don’t think it was a penalty. But a critical analysis from Bert and his coaching staff would have identified issues in the front third.

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We were very solid in two thirds of the park — comfortable at the back and kept it in midfield.

But the only time we looked dangerous were from set pieces, you can’t just rely on that.

We’ve match up well against Scandinavian teams and when I watched Denmark-Peru, there was nothing that stood out or made me concerned.

Big players usually create special moments and Christian Eriksen is the big Denmark threat, plus young goalscorer Yussuf Poulsen.

For us, there are many positives. If the Socceroos conduct themselves the way they played against France, not take the foot off the pedal, be confident in playing and have more cutting edge with deliveries and set pieces, a result beckons.

Originally published as Socceroos great Harry Kewell calls for sensation Daniel Arzani to be unleashed against Denmark