Defensive core has been the key to Danish success
Wembley task may just prove beyond Kasper Hjulmand's underdogs
This game against England means a lot to Denmark. This has been a special tournament for them because of how it started and the way the team has rallied and got themselves out of a group in a dramatic manner.
The trauma of the first match and the medical emergency with Christian Eriksen has created a stronger bond and a stronger empathy between the people and the team than we would normally see – I think it’s had a tangible effect.
Playing England at Wembley is special as well because Scandinavian interest in English football predates its global spread by a long time.
There is an awareness this is a different kettle of fish for Denmark – this is a huge challenge for them.
Denmark have had the third-most shots in the tournament but the main strength is the defensive core of the team.
Kasper Schmeichel is a tremendous goalkeeper - a potential match-winner - and the centre-backs Andreas Christensen, Simon Kjaer and Jannik Vestergaard are very good.
Then there is the midfield two of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Thomas Delaney - that defensive six is really difficult to play against. There are a lot of big, strong men who will make life difficult.
Striker Kasper Dolberg lost his way a little at Ajax and this year his move to Nice hasn't been a big success. He's had health issues but now he looks as though he's found a scoring touch for Denmark.
In this game it will be a question of what happens down the flanks as that is where a lot of Denmark's attacks come from.
Joakim Maehle has been a revelation at left wing-back – it feels bizarre but we’re in the semi-finals and you can actually say out loud that Denmark’s left-back has been possibly the player of the tournament’ without looking ridiculous.
The key battleground, as it often is when a team plays 3-4-3 as Denmark do, will be the space behind the wing backs – that is a problem without an obvious solution in this formation.
We know Denmark are flexible – against Wales when Dan James and Gareth Bale started to threaten, they changed formation and turned it into a 4-3-3 - and that was an indication that coach Kasper Hjulmand has a lot about him.
He has proved a lot of people wrong – Denmark have always seen themselves as the Brazilians of the Nordics and the country that plays good football. Hjulmand taking over was a step in the right direction as he likes Johan Cruyff and Pep Guardiola and is a bit of a dreamer.
This tournament for him has been more about man-management though, and it will be interesting how he approaches the game with England, who have terrifyingly good players.
I think England will go through – they are the better team and Denmark will face opponents who are stronger than what they have faced before - but England will also face some things they haven’t come up against as well.
Denmark can get a goal from somewhere - it could be from a set-piece as the three centre-backs can all handle themselves in the air as can Thomas Delaney.
I wouldn’t be surprised if it went to extra time or penalties – I can see a 2-1 win for England in extra-time.
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Published on 6 July 2021inEuro tips
Last updated 16:26, 6 July 2021
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