The barren defense of the owls is looking for new heroes, one of whom may be Miro Tenho – change also offers new possibilities

The Finnish men’s national football team will face Bosnia and Herzegovina on Saturday, June 4, in the League of Nations. The broadcast will be available on TV2 and Areena from 18.00. The match itself will start on ‘s channels at 7 p.m.

The line-up has increased since last year’s European Championships.

The average age of the Owners was the fourth highest in the European Championships (28.1 years), but the average age of the players in the League of Nations now involved is 26.7 years.

Changes have taken place in the topper department in particular. Have been on the journey of the Owls for a long time Joona Toivio (34 years) and Paulus Arajuuri (33) ended their national team careers after the World Cup qualifiers that ended in November.

Over the past couple of years, responsibility has been taken Daniel O’Shaughnessy (27), Robert Ivanov (27) and Leo Väisänen (24). Now, as the League of Nations begins, they are being blackmailed Miro Tenho (27), Sauli Väisänen (27) and for the first time Richard Jensen (26).

At last summer’s European Championships, the Head Coach Markku Kanerva played three O’Shaughnessy, Arajuuri and Toivio. Of the younger toppers, O’Shaugnessy in particular seems to have established himself. “DOS” is still on the national team.

Head coach of the Helsinki Football Club Toni Koskela raises his left leg to the strength of his former coach O’Shaughnessy. He says there are no oversized left-footed toppers in any market.

– Above all, the impact on the attack is big. The left-footed player in the first line, especially when playing with three toppers, gives a lot of different options, from opening the game to creating goal situations from the middle and side lanes, Koskela tells Urheilu.

In addition to Toivio and Arajuure, the captain has ended his national team career Tim Sparvoperating in the midfield. Among other things, their and the goalkeeper Lukas Hradeckyn Under his leadership, Finland advanced to the final tournament, winning six matches in the European Championship qualifiers – all without scoring a goal.

The cup candidates are not included in the composition of the League of Nations either Juhani Ojala (32) or Jukka Raitala (33).

In March of this year, the brilliant Tenho played at HJK for the first 90 minutes against Iceland. Tenho thinks the young toppers may have brought more ball skills to Huuhkaji.

– It shows up in the opening game, for example, so that you don’t need so many players to bring the ball up. As a result, we also have more players in the attack area, which makes it easier to attack, Tenho estimates the national team’s change to Sport.

HJK pilot Koskela has coached three of the six central defenders involved in Huuhkajä; O’Shaughnessya and Tenhoa at HJK, Leo Väisa from both Club 04 and Rovaniemi Ball Club.

Koskela also believes that the young players who come to the national team will have the strength of the ball.

– It should not be generalized, because there are always different player profiles, but players born in the corners of the mid-1990s are already in part breeders of a different game culture. They have grown up with changed spherical performances, Koskela says.

According to him, with the development of the game, coaches have been increasingly waiting for central defenders in recent years.

– Topparin must be able to pass in tight spaces, transport the ball close to the opponent’s top line and bring an advantage to the team with the ball as well.

Although last year’s World Cup qualifiers ended in disappointment, the younger central defenders gained important experience in national team matches.

In addition to Toivio and Arajuure, four toppers were seen in the opening line-up, one of which was the missing Raitala. The last two qualifiers started with the well-established national team players: O’Shaughnessy-L. Väisänen – Ivanov.

– If, for example, “Roba” (Ivanov) makes a certain move, I know how to react. No need to think too much to help because everything on the ground is happening so fast. If this isn’t automatic, mistakes will happen, O’Shaughnessy describes the trio’s interplay.

Neither Tenho nor O’Shaughnessy are concerned about the grouping, but say they are ready to play with both two and three central defenders. They won the Finnish championship in HJK last season. A common history may still help them take off in Huuhkaji as well.

The grouping used by head coach Kanerva has mostly been 5–3–2. In support of the three central defenders in the defense, so-called “wing-backs” play on the edge, as Jere Uronen and Nikolai Alho.

Since the beginning of 2021, Kanerva has played nine of the 17 matches in the 5-3-2 group. In addition, he has played a slightly more offensive line-up in five games, 3–5–2. Kanerva’s most offensive stance has been the traditional 4–4–2, with three matches.

Kanerva clearly wants to play with the tactics of three central defenders. In competitive matches, the European Championships and the World Cup qualifiers, it has once been played with two central defenders. Different grouping variations have been tried in practice matches.

Thus, it is likely that three toppers will start on the field against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Saturday. Based on the minutes of the game, O’Shaughnessy, Ivanov and Leo Väisänen can be expected to start.

Owls will play four matches in the League of Nations in eleven days. If Kanerva plays a 5-3 group, one of the central defenders may have to rest from one of the matches.

There may even be a screen space for everyone. According to O’Shaughnessy and Tenho, there is a tough competition going on for playing time. HJK’s Toni Koskela believes that Tenho will struggle for playing time, especially with Väisänen and Ivanov.

– Where he could bring extra is defending his own box and playing wrestling, Koskela says.

In Tenho, he sees similarities with Arajuuree. According to Koskela, Tenho has the desire and ability to defend in a way where his own body is ruthlessly put in the way of shots.

Tenho tells Urheilu that he is aiming for a permanent place in the opening line-up of the Owners. In addition, there is a “companion trick” from the Veikkausliiga to another series. Koskela sees no obstacles to Tenho’s plans.

– I can’t say because the transfer would happen. There are always so many variables that when and what happens. If Miro continues in the same way, it will definitely happen at some point, Koskela says.