Danish women’s team is a fragile size purely mentally.
that’s How it has been for a number of years, and how it still is.
It is the overriding conclusion, we are left with after Denmark’s defeat to Norway in the first match in mellemrunden.
Yes, there are signs that we are better times in the meeting – as we saw in Friday’s make or break match against France, where the national team withstood a huge pressure and avoided a looming failure.
Against Norway entered the national team though down on the earth again. With a bang of the kind you can feel in no time.
Not that a defeat of three goals to Norway in isolation is something that triggers the raised eyebrows in many places. Although Norway provides tremendously weakened up to the WORLD cup, has kobjældefolket still a very good handball team.
But it was the way it happened on, which provides food for thought.
Denmark had a unique opportunity to beat the big sister for the first time in 17 years in a major match at a championship. A drømmestart with a lead of 5-0 and a bunch of shook the norwegians gave the ultimate impetus to debunk the complex.
Anyway ended the danes to throw it all on the floor.
And it can they most of all thank themselves for. For it was a sea of mistakes and bad decisions, who invited Norway in the match and eventually made it impossible for Denmark to get points.
no matter how good the defense and Sandra Toft accomplished, so it was mission impossible with a Danish attacking, which at times looked to be the game blindfolded.
The most important thing at all, when playing against Norway, which has the world’s most well-oiled kontrafase, is to avoid technical mistakes and silly endings. Otherwise, they will be punished promptly.
Yet it was exactly what Denmark is delivered in droves after the impressive opening of the purge.
Particularly with Stine Jørgensen and Louise Burgaard was the major culprits in this phase, which ended with to turn the match on its head, and I can’t believe that two such experienced players not acting with greater coolness, stability and wisdom.
And it spread to the rest of the fight, where the Danish attacking was hugely uncertain. It is actually only Mie Højlund, which can be satisfied with his efforts on the offensive.
There is nothing to say, if Sandra Toft stood and looked at angrebsspillet and thought ‘Bother In well take you along’.
After the match, talked national coach and the players themselves on the lack of fire in your eyes, that you play backwards, go half-hearted against targets and many other such things, which indicates a lack of mental readiness.
of course, It is not good enough. And although the national team even articulate the great mental progress, the team has undergone, we can safely determine that there is still a lot to work with for Klavs Bruun, when it is all about what is going on between the ears of the players.
Yes, it was impressive against France. And also quite sensible against Brazil. We should keep in mind. But now we have seen the great mental diatribe against south Korea, Germany and Norway, and it would be frivolous to ignore.
Now, it should not be so black-white that we just pull ’mentally unstable’card out of the sleeve, when Denmark lose. It is of course much more nuanced than that.
My clear sense is just that Klavs Bruun’s troops have not yet put points against a team at this WORLD cup, which was clearly better than the danes.
on the Contrary, it matches that the national team could have won if only you had been sharper clean mentally and had some more coolness.
so we are back to the beginning of this comment: the Potential for the national team, is definitely present – but there are some mental problems which need to be addressed before it can be really good.
Søren Paca
Håndboldkommentator on BT Sport. Is also the author of the book ‘the golden age – 25 years of Danish håndboldhistorie’. I’ve covered the Danish and international handball since 2009. Born and raised in the midwest, but live in the day in Frederiksberg. According to my birth certificate I am 34 years old.
