We're almost there now with less than 48 hours to go to kick off in Copenhagen on Saturday.
Predictions have been rare in coming in the last few weeks given how closely matched most people consider Ireland and Denmark to be but we did get a preview from our panel tonight at the RDS Roadshow with Carlsberg, with Denmark legend Peter Schmeichel, former Ireland manager Brian Kerr and ex-Boys in Green heroes Shay Given and Kenny Cunningham alongside Kevin Kilbane.
Manchester United great Schmeichel had his say on Denmark talisman and Tottenham Hotspur attacking midfielder Christian Eriksen who has been in the spotlight both here and in Denmark since the play World Cup playoff draw was made.
"For all of us who watch the Premier League every week, we know there's no point man-marking Christian Eriksen because he just finds the space," said Schmeichel.
Martin O'Neill keeps getting results, but what goes in to getting the best out of his team? Brian Kerr shared his thoughts at our @carlsberg roadshow #OTBRDS pic.twitter.com/97NhyKJ2PY
— Off The Ball (@offtheball) November 9, 2017
"With the new [Denmark] coach, he's allowed to roam and find whatever space he wants and he plays from there. He wasn't allowed to do that with the previous coach and that's why Christian Eriksen's never really had a big Danis international football career," he said.
"He's great for his clubs but now he's free to roam and yes, by all means, please put two guys on him because we've got other players.
"But he's clever enough to still produce stuff and the thing about Christian is that it's not only about his play from open games, the passes that he's putting in to his strikers, the contribution he makes when they're putting pressure on the ball, the energy that he's got... it's set plays as well. Not many players in the world kick the ball better than he does so his overall contribution is now fantastic.
Right, down to business. It's time for our big match preview at #OTBRDS - will @FAIreland reach the World Cup in Russia? pic.twitter.com/s9f7DBPDZD
— Off The Ball (@offtheball) November 9, 2017
"And this has nothing to do with him being Danish, but I rate him right up there with the best in the world. I think he's fantastic and I think we Danes can thank Pochettino for developing him that way because we never thought when he left Ajax, they were happy for him to leave because they never thought he was going to be anything."
