Denmark Skuad

 World-Denmark need forwards to fire

COPENHAGEN, May 20 (Reuters) - Having come late to the party at Euro 1992 and walked off with the title, nothing fazes the Danes at major international finals.

With a style and culture like that of Group E opponents the Netherlands, the Danes are confident and technically proficient on the ball. If their forwards find goal-scoring form, the side could go a long way.

The Dutch influence on Danish football should not be underestimated -- many of the players in the Danish squad have played in the Eredivisie, and Danish head coach Morten Olsen had a stint at the helm of Ajax Amsterdam in the 1990s.

The Danes like to get the ball down and pass it but despite an array of riches up front they lack a predatory goal-poacher to make the most of their approach work. The closest to a Gerd Mueller the Danes have is Duisburg's Soren Larsen who has managed 11 goals in 17 games in a career plagued by injury.

Jon Dahl Tomasson could become Denmark's all-time greatest goalscorer in South Africa but he, Jesper Gronkjaer and Dennis Rommedahl are not renowned for their consistency.

With a backline shored up by Liverpool's Daniel Agger and Simon Kjaer of Palermo, the Danes possess both the ability to win the ball and the skill to do something with it.

Goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen is racing against the clock to recover from a dislocated elbow, but Olsen can call on two worthy replacements in Stephan Andersen and Jesper Christiansen.

It will be interesting to see whether Olsen decides to use the talented Christian Eriksen. Though only 18, the playmaker has displayed a maturity far beyond his years since his senior debut for Ajax Amsterdam. Olsen handed the youngster an international debut against Austria in April, and his ability to pick up a pass would be appreciated by the ageing forward line.

Nicklas Bendtner, 22, is the future of that forward line if he can become more consistent in his finishing


Forward thinking

Jon Dahl Tomasson could become Denmark's all-time greatest goal scorer in South Africa, but he and other forwards must elevate their play to ensure a deep run in the World Cup

Trainer
Morten Olsen Played Goals Red Cards Yellow Cards
Goalkeeper
1 Thomas Sørensen
16 Stephan Andersen
22 Jesper Christiansen
Defender
6 Lars Jacobsen
2 Christian Poulsen
13 Per Krøldrup
4 Daniel Agger
5 William Kvist
3 Simon Kjær
23 Patrick Mtiliga
15 Simon Poulsen
Midfielder
7 Daniel Jensen
10 Martin Jørgensen
2 Christian Poulsen
14 Jakob Poulsen
12 Thomas Kahlenberg
5 William Kvist
20 Thomas Enevoldsen
17 Mikkel Beckmann
21 Christian Eriksen
Forward
9 Jon Dahl Tomasson
19 Dennis Rommedahl
10 Martin Jørgensen
8 Jesper Grønkjær
18 Søren Larsen
11 Nicklas Bendtner
17 Mikkel Beckmann

World-Factbox on Denmark

May 20 (Reuters) - Factbox on Denmark who are competing in Group E at the World Cup in South Africa:

Colours: Red shirts, white shorts and red socks

Nicknames: Dansk Dynamit (Danish Dynamite)/Olsen-Banden (the Olsen Gang)

Previous World Cup appearances: 3: 1986, 1998, 2002

Best World Cup performance: Quarter-finals, 1998

Coach: Morten Olsen.

Most capped player: Peter Schmeichel 129.

Top goalscorer: Poul "Tist" Nielsen, 52.

Talking points:

Thomas Sorensen's elbow is the focus of all attention as the goalkeeper attempts to recover from a dislocation in time for the first group game against Netherlands on June 14. If Daniel Agger is not fit enough to partner Simon Kjaer at the centre of the Danish defence, Fiorentina's Per Kroldrup will step in. The inclusion of the erratic Dennis Rommedahl was controversial and the Ajax Amsterdam winger will be desperate to prove his detractors wrong. The finals in South Africa could be the end of the line for several ageing forwards, among them Rommedahl, Jesper Gronkjaer, Jon Dahl Tomasson and Martin Jorgensen.

Players to watch:

Tomasson needs two goals to overtake Poul Nielsen as Denmark's top goalscorer. Arsenal's Nicklas Bendtner will hope to take over from Tomasson as the fulcrum of the Danish attack, and in 18-year-old Ajax playmaker Christian Eriksen, one of the youngest players at the finals, the Danes have someone who could become a cornerstone of the team for years to come. (Writing by Philip O'Connor; Editing by Robert Woodward

Denmark coach Morten Olsen has announced his confirmed 23-man squad for the 2010 World Cup. The Danish gaffer dropped three players from his provisional squad after the 2-0 friendly win against Senegal on Thursday.

Shot stopper Kim Christensen (Goteborg) and midfielders Michael Krohn-Dehli (Brondby) and Michael Silberbauer (Utrecht) didn't survive the cut and won't make it to South Africa.

The exclusion of Christensen and Krohn-Dehli didn't come as much of a surprise, but Silberbauer recently stated that he was confident to make the Danish team for this summer's tournament.

The Danes lock horns with Holland, Cameroon and Japan in the group phase of the 2010 World Cup. Danish Dynamite start the tournament with a match against Holland on June 14.
Goalkeepers -
Thomas Sorensen Stoke City (ENG)
Stephan Andersen Brondby
Jesper Christiansen Copenhagen
Defenders -
William Kvist Copenhagen
Lars Jacobsen Blackburn Rovers (ENG)
Simon Kjaer Palermo (ITA)
Per Kroldrup Fiorentina (ITA)
Daniel Agger Liverpool (ENG)
Patrick Mtiliga Malaga (ESP)
Simon Poulsen AZ (NED)
Midfielders -
Martin Jorgensen Aarhus
Christian Poulsen Juventus (ITA)
Daniel Jensen Werder Bremen (GER)
Jakob Poulsen Aarhus
Thomas Kahlenberg Wolfsburg (GER)
Thomas Enevoldsen Groningen (NED)
Christian Eriksen Ajax (NED)
Mikkel Beckmann Randers
Forwards -
Jon Dahl Tomasson Feyenoord
Soren Larsen Duisburg (GER)
Jesper Gronkjaer Copenhagen
Dennis Rommedahl Ajax (NED)
Nicklas Bendtner Arsenal (ENG)