Denmark’s national team coach, Brian Riemer, is under immense pressure ahead of the upcoming UEFA Nations League match against Wales this Sunday.
Following a disappointing failure to qualify for the World Cup and a recent 3-2 defeat to Norway in Oslo, his job is hanging by a thread. Experts and football media outlets now unanimously agree that he could well be fired if the Danes lose the crucial match against the Welsh.
Leading up to the clash, there has been plenty of turmoil in the Danish camp, with captain Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg publicly criticising Riemer’s midfield system. Hojbjerg has called the fact that he and Morten Hjulmand are too similar the “elephant in the room,” and states bluntly that the current setup is not working.
The Danish defence is also in disarray under the leadership of the embattled national team coach. Statistics show that Denmark has conceded at least three goals in four of the five defeats the team has suffered under Riemer’s leadership.
Despite the Danish crisis, most experts expect the Danes to comfortably beat Wales in front of a sold-out Parken Stadium in Copenhagen on Sunday, but that could be a tall order against a Welsh side that showed plenty of promise in their tough Nations League opener against Portugal in Lisbon, says Flashscore features writer Jason Pettigrove.
“It might be a cliche, but anything can happen in football and, with respect, Wales were close enough to getting a draw in Portugal to not necessarily be worried about facing Denmark,” says Pettigrove.
“The visitors will arguably draw upon the experience of previous encounters, because whilst they’ve lost seven games against the Danes, they’ve also won four – even if their last victory was in a friendly way back in 2008.”
“On that occasion, it was current Wales manager Craig Bellamy who hit the winner in a 1-0 victory in Copenhagen. He manages as he played, and will insist on the same commitment and effort throughout the 90 minutes that he showed during his playing career.”
Wales will arrive in the Danish capital with a host of players missing from the squad, and that could be the chance for Riemer and his men to record their first competitive win since their 4-0 victory against North Macedonia in a World Cup qualifier on 26 March this year.
“Unfortunately for Wales, their major weakness going into this game is not being able to field their strongest XI. At present, Bellamy is unable to call upon Harry Wilson, Nathan Broadhead, Karl Darlow, Joe Rodon, Dylan Lawlor, Rubin Colwill, and Isaak Davies due to injury, and many of them would arguably have started this match if fit,” says Pettigrove, who underlines that Wales’ biggest weakness is in defence.
“Ben Davies generally leads by example; however, there’s not normally a game that goes by where one defender or other will not make a costly error. If the likes of Rasmus Hojlund can be in the right place to profit, then Denmark should find some easy pickings.”
During Wales’ opening Nations League encounter in Lisbon, Bellamy’s outfit caused many problems for the Portuguese favourites in midfield thanks to their physical strength as the likes of Ethan Ampadu, Josh Sheehan and Neco Williams overshadowed the silky passing skills of Vitinha, Bruno Fernandes and Joao Neves. And the physicality of the Welsh could easily pose a challenge for the Danes in Copenhagen, says Pettigrove.
“The issue for Denmark isn’t only that Wales’ physicality could be a problem, but the Dragons will chase down every ball and lost cause. If Riemer hasn’t drilled into his side that they not only have to outpass, outthink and outfight their opponents, but also match their efforts at the very least, then the Danes are going to get a very rude awakening indeed.”
While the days Wales could count on the services of Gareth Bale to cause chaos in any defence are gone, Wales still have players who will worry a Danish defensive rearguard short on speed.
“Though he didn’t have too many touches after coming on as a sub against Portugal, Dan James is likely to start from the beginning of this game, and his lightning-fast pace is bound to cause problems for his former Leeds United club colleague, Rasmus Kristensen, and Oliver Provstgaard,” ends Pettigrove.
Follow Denmark vs Wales with Flashscore here.
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