In a pre-game press conference, Estonia head coach Jürgen Henn has made it clear that his side will not settle for a draw in Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier against Moldova – even if a single point would likely see Estonia finish above their opponents in the group standings.
“The plan is more or less in place,” Henn said. “In broad terms, yes. As always, the final decisions on the line-up and small details come after the last training session – who’s sharpest, who’s most focused. At the moment, everyone is available.”
Whether Estonia start with a four-man defence, as they did in the first half against Italy, or revert to the back five used later in that match, Henn would not be drawn. “I’ve made up my mind,” he said, noting that the tactical shift in the Italy game had proven valuable. “It gave us versatility and caught the opponent off guard, which was the idea. The players adapted naturally, even though we hadn’t prepared for it long.”
Henn added that the team had “done thorough theoretical preparation” and would finalise key details in training: “With just two days between games, you have to make the most of it.”
Fresh opponent, new context
The coach warned against reading too much into March’s meeting in Chişinău, when Estonia dominated early to win 2-3. “Different coach, different day,” he said. “It’s hard to predict what to expect – two teams that both want to win. We’ve drawn lessons from the last game and have a clear picture of the opponent. Hopefully the home crowd pushes us on.”
Asked whether a draw would be acceptable, Henn was unequivocal. “No, I don’t believe in playing for a draw. This isn’t the time or place for that. We go out to play to our maximum. Every team should aim to perform as well as it can, not just based on what the table says. The goal is to play as close to our potential as possible.”
And if the game is level in the closing minutes? “Good question,” he smiled. “It depends on the flow of the match. But if the team feels there’s a chance to take three points, I certainly won’t be the one pulling the handbrake.”
Lessons from Italy
Though Estonia’s defeat to Italy was heavier than June’s loss to Norway, Henn saw positives. “Performance-wise, they were comparable. We made some mistakes, but we didn’t let Italy have many touches in our box. The result colours the emotions, but there were encouraging signs,” he said.
How bold will Estonia be? “Against Italy, some positions were chosen with defence in mind,” Henn explained. “Tomorrow we can be more flexible – the balance between attack and defence will be different. Moldova will also want to attack, so getting that balance right will be key.”
Estonia host Moldova at A. Le Coq Arena on Tuesday evening, kick-off 19:00.
Source: https://soccernet.ee/artikkel/henn-ei-usu-viigi-peale-mangimisse-kui-meeskond-tunneb-et-siit-saab-kolm-punkti-siis-mina-pidurit-ei-tomba
