Listen to the 11 Friends podcast’s travelogue from the road to the Hooters’ match in Wales! Matti Härkönen, Jussi Vainikka and Antti Pohja discussed topics during the match. Huhkaji defender Richard Jensen in an interview.
1) How will Huuhkajat play in Cardiff?
There are only two days until the big match against Wales. The team has gathered on the English side in Bristol, which is about an hour’s drive from Cardiff.
Preparation takes place at the Bristol Rovers training centre. Answers to the burning question are created in the doorways – how will Finland play against Wales?
Last years Markku Kanervan the team’s grouping and game plan have changed a lot in different matches. Sports expert Antti Pohja says that Wales’ playing, on the other hand, has been very recognizable in previous matches, which creates an interesting starting point for the match.
– Wales has certainly been able to focus on the details of their own way of playing. Finland, on the other hand, is thinking about how to play this time, and who will play there, says Pohja in the 11 friends podcast.
Pohja believes that Huuhkajat will be able to hold the ball a lot against Wales without much pressure, even though it can be expected from time to time in the central area. The essential question is what Finland can do with the ball.
– It’s really important. On the other hand, the question of how Finland prepares to defend when the ball is still in their possession. Finland has long been strong in fast attacks Teemu Pukin in the lead, but I don’t think that in a 0-0 situation Finland will get them terribly. Then the choices with the ball are highlighted, says Pohja.
– The Welsh players have to be lured from a tight defensive formation into the wrong places and then they have to strike. That’s when the players who are able to create something in tighter spaces are highlighted.
Playing on the wing will play a big role on Thursday. Wales is traditionally strong on the wing, but Pohja also sees threats there for them.
– We are on the brink of big things when the Welsh players make the decision to press harder. An attractive pass lifts the players up and after that the utilization of the space – Robin Lod there is absolutely cream in that Finnish team.
The line-up of the Huhkajis will appear on the board on Thursday at around 20:45 Finnish time. That moment has rarely attracted as much interest as it does now.
– I wouldn’t really stare at the grouping, as long as the team can be role-played correctly, says Pohja.
2) Can Joel Pohjanpalo be ignored from the opening?
When going to Cardiff, there is no question about which of the Finnish field players is in the strongest mood in their club team. Joel Pohjanpalo has forged ten goals in the previous eight matches in Serie B Venezia and leads the league in goals.
Last Friday, Pohjanpalo hit Palermo’s net twice on the away field. The latter goal came brazenly on the outside.
Purely from the point of view of the game, Pohjanpalo would be a clear choice for the starting line-up, but Markku Kanerva has often sacrificed Pohjanpalo since its opening to implement various groupings and game plans. Could it happen now?
– In my papers, Pohjanpalo is currently the number one basket choice. After him comes everyone else. Not even Teemu Pukki is in the same basket at the moment. I think Pohjanpalo should play, you can’t leave such a player on the bench, says Pohja.
In the ten matches of the EC qualifying group, Pohjanpalo started six times, but on the other hand started two high-stakes games against Denmark at home and against Slovenia away from the bench. Kanerva has also relied on Pohjanpalo in big games, for example, in the summer 2021 European Championships, Pohjanpalo opened all three matches.
– For certain games, he is better suited to the opening than others. As a type of player, he is suitable for such a game as an opening. He doesn’t need to rush against Wales. The defense obligation is probably relatively small, Pohja states.
Head coach Kanerva answered a listener’s question about Pohjanpalo’s opening position on the 11 friends podcast last week.
– Of course, it’s great that “Jolle” is on fire. I hope Venezia gets promoted to the main league. We always think about what type of forwards we need against anyone and also the forward pairings, whether we play with two or three. I hope he continues to score. Of course, I’m not going to tell you whether he’s in the opening. Let’s leave something suspenseful for the viewers, Kanerva said.
3) Marcus Forss’ injury
by Robert Taylor the decision to leave Huuhkajie’s team has made the biggest headlines in the beginning of the week, but in the same Palloliitto’s press release, it was told about the likely absence from the Huuhkajie’s point of view of the Wales match.
In Middlesbrough, got into a great scoring mood Marcus Forss injured his back at the weekend in the English Championship and had to leave the field. The attacker underwent further tests on Monday, and his playing condition has not yet been announced in more detail. Regardless of the quality of the injury, it is almost certain that Forss will not be fit to play in the European Championship qualifiers.
Pohja sees that Forssi would have found a role in Huuhkaj against Wales. Especially in the event of a possible penalty shootout, Forss would have been very useful. He has scored on every one Transfermarkt website for his 11 penalty kicks.
– He probably would have started as a substitute, but depending on the progress of the game, he could have played a big role from substitute to situation. He is a hard-working player, but also a goal-scorer. In the penalty shootout, he would have been high on the papers to shoot, says Pohja.
Forss has scored five goals in the Championship this year. Middlesbrough is tenth in the league.
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will follow the EC qualifying game Wales-Finland on Thursday on its website moment by moment and will show the game live on TV2 and Areena. The broadcast starts at 21:00 in the advance studio. The game starts at 21:45.