Hibs Europa League challenge analysed as Danes harness old-fashioned threat in pursuit of 'two-goal' advantage
Revealed: The simple ploy central to Midtjylland’s swagger
Long throw-ins and a solid 4-4-2 formation? Nobody said Hibs would be coming up against the Danish version of big Sam Allardyce in their first Europa League encounter …
Cheap laughs aside, it’s clear that Thomas Thomasberg’s FC Midtjylland side boast a healthy dash of pragmatism in the purist principles that continue to drive last season’s Danish Superliga runners-up. David Gray will have been well warned over what to expect.
“Yes, of course, our long throws are a big threat,” admitted Kevin Mbabu, the one-time Rangers loanee who, along with Midtjylland captain Mads Bech Sorensen, provides a twin threat with the simplest of set-piece deliveries. Speaking at this club’s training ground yesterday, he pointed out: “We almost scored, I think, two goals this weekend. Of course, it's our aim to have a long throw, to create opportunities.
Former Rangers loanee part of dangerous duo
“Whenever we have one around the box, we aim to take it like a corner. Hopefully, we'll get a couple tomorrow to put pressure on the team.
“There is also on the other side our captain that has very long throws as well. So it will come from both sides.”
There is more to Midtjylland than merely hurling the ball into the box, of course. Although they have been known to adopt that as a tactic from just about anywhere inside the opposition half.
The skill and swashbuckling sense of adventure brought to the starting XI by top scorer Franculino Dju represents the other side of the Thomasberg blueprint. Still just 21, the Guinea-Bissau forward is already coveted by a number of major clubs – and Midtjylland have stuck a price tag of around 15 million Euros on their prize asset.
“There's no doubt he's amazing,” said club captain Mads Bech Sorensen, the centre-half adding: “When he's at his best he's unbelievable, and right now he's doing very good for us, and he can change the game out of nothing; he's incredible.”
15 million Euro striker is danger man
Supported by strike partner Adam Buksa, Franculino brings real invention to the Midtjylland attack. He scored twice in the disappointing weekend draw with newly-promoted Odense Boldklub – and had another goal disallowed.
Watch enough footage of the youngster and you’ll recognise a footballer who can do more than just one thing very, very well. This versatility makes him Midtjylland’s most dangerous player, clearly.
As a unit, they operate an effective press form the front. Helped by a formation that, while oft derided, covers the pitch with enormous efficiency; done well, a 4-4-2 is still extremely difficult to break down, although it does ask a lot of players.
Don’t expect Midtjylland to vary too much for this game. Thomasberg believes he has the better team – and won’t be doing much tinkering to accommodate Hibs. That may be a mistake … but don’t expect Gray to interrupt an opponent veering towards just the slightest hint of complacency.
Home side chasing two-goal cushion from first leg
Mbabu, asked about his team’s ambition for tonight’s Europa League second qualifying round first leg here in Herning, said simply: “It's to win. Ideally, with a two-goal gap, so we can go in Edinburgh with a bit more of a cushion.
“Of course, anything can happen in football. We could win maybe 3-0 tomorrow and lose 4-0 in Scotland, but ideally we want to win and put pressure in Hibs from the start.
"We definitely want to score as early as possible and to take at least a two-goal lead to Scotland. That's our plan - but it never really goes as planned.
“Last year we played in the Europa League until the play-off against Real Sociedad and then we lost against them. Our goal is to go to the group stage and go through the group stage.
“This season we have a more experienced team, and the team is improving. I see the young players that are getting better week after week. We have to try and show that against Hibs.”