kennypavey Posted March 21 Share Posted March 21 Article from Sporttidningen by Agnes Sundström on 2024-03-11 Simon Levin Takes Charge as New National Team Manager: A Surprising Appointment Sparks Optimism In a surprising turn of events, the Swedish Football Association has announced Simon Levin as the new manager for the national team. While not a household name in international football management, Levin brings with him solid experience from his successful coaching spells with Sweden's U21 and U17 teams. Despite initial skepticism surrounding his appointment, there's a cautious optimism brewing among fans as they hope Levin can steer the team towards redemption after Sweden's disappointing run, which saw them miss out on Euro 2024 and get relegated from UEFA Nations League B to UEFA Nations League C. Levin's first test as the head of the national team will come in the form of two upcoming friendlies against Egypt and Slovakia. These matches will provide an early glimpse into Levin's approach and tactics, as well as how he integrates with the existing squad. With Sweden hungry for victories and a resurgence on the international stage, all eyes will be on Levin to deliver results and instill a winning mentality within the team. One of the key questions swirling around Levin's appointment is the future of the older generation of players such as Olsen, Forsberg, Krafth, and Claesson. These veterans have been integral to the team's past successes, but with age catching up, there's uncertainty about their roles under Levin's reign. Will Levin opt for a blend of experience and youth, or will he usher in a new era by placing his faith in the younger talents waiting in the wings? Speaking of young talents, players like Ondrejka, Bardghji, and Bergvall have been knocking on the door for a chance to shine on the international stage. Under Levin's tutelage, they may finally get their opportunity to prove their worth and inject fresh energy into the squad. Furthermore, there's speculation among fans and pundits alike about whether Levin will implement a tactical switch from the traditional defensive 4-4-2 formation to a more attacking style of play, signaling a departure from Sweden's conservative approach in the past. As Simon Levin assumes the mantle of leadership for the Swedish national team, there's a mix of excitement and apprehension among supporters. While the road ahead may be challenging, Levin's appointment signifies a new chapter in Swedish football, one that holds the promise of renewal and resurgence. Only time will tell if Levin can guide Sweden back to its former glory, but for now, fans remain cautiously optimistic about what the future holds under his stewardship. About: This is the first article in Sporttidningen's brand new series in which our own Agnes Sundström follows the inner circle of the new Swedish national management. Agnes Sundström, known for her sports podcast "All about Sweden", provides a combination of news, interviews and opinions as she gives you the latest about or national team. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilhoskins77 Posted March 21 Share Posted March 21 Welcome Kenny, and best of luck with this piece. Certainly looks like an interesting project. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennypavey Posted March 23 Author Share Posted March 23 (edited) Sporttidningen: Simon Levin held his first press conference Agnes Sundström, 2024-03-12 After waiting almost three months for a new national team manager, Simon Levin, aged 32, was finally introduced yesterday. Today, on his first official day, Levin met the press with a big grin, excited to kick off his new job. - "I've been looking forward to this moment," Levin said with enthusiasm. "For me, becoming the Swedish manager is a huge honor, and I can't wait to get started." During his chat with the Swedish media, Levin seemed pretty chill as he talked about his plans for the team. - "I want to create a new style of play that works well with the young players we've got coming up," Levin said. He emphasized that it won't happen overnight, though. - "Managing a national team is tricky because we only get a few breaks each year to work with the players," Levin explained. "So, we need to be able to change our tactics and formations quickly, sticking to some key ideas." Levin's approach might not be revolutionary, but he's not too worried about what the fans think. "I want us to play entertaining football, sure," Levin said, "but I also want us to be smart about it. I'd rather win 1-0 playing on the counter than lose 5-2 because we were too aggressive. But don't worry, we'll still be proactive." Looking ahead to the World Cup 2026, Levin sees the long timeline as an opportunity to fine-tune tactics and experiment during Nations League matches. "The World Cup is a big goal for us," Levin remarked. "Having plenty of time to develop our tactics and test them out in Nations League games will be crucial." In selecting the squad, Levin stressed the importance of finding the right mix of key players, emerging talents, and in-form individuals. "It's all about balance," Levin explained. "We need experienced players to lead the team, young up-and-comers to inject energy, and players in form to keep things dynamic." As Levin sets sail on his coaching journey, he's ready to navigate the complexities of managing a national team and lead Sweden to new heights on the global stage. Levin's first challenge will be the upcoming friendlies against Egypt and Slovakia in the end of March. Edited March 23 by kennypavey Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennypavey Posted March 26 Author Share Posted March 26 (edited) 2024-03-14, Press Release: National Team Squad for friendlies against Egypt and Slovakia Below are the 23 selected players for the friendlies against Egypt and Slovakia Goalkeepers Patrik Carlgren | 32 yo | Randers | 1 cap / 0 goals Viktor Johansson | 25 | Rotherham | 0/0 Robin Olsen | 34 | Aston Villa | 71/0 Defenders Ludwig Augustinsson | 29 | Anderlecht | 56/2 Gabriel Gudmundsson | 24 | Lille | 5/0 Isak Hien | 25 | Atalanta | 6/0 Emil Holm | 23 | Atalanta | 6/0 Viktor Lindelöf | 29 | Manchester United | 64/3 Carl Starfelt | 28 | Celta Vigo | 11/0 Linus Wahlqvist | 27 | Pogon | 9/0 Midfielders Pontus Almqvist | 24 | Lecce | 0/0 Jens Cajuste | 24 | Napoli | 18/0 Viktor Claesson | 32 | FC Köpenhamn | 74/13 Anthony Elanga | 21 | Nottingham Forest | 16/4 Emil Forsberg | 32 | New York Red Bulls | 85/21 Jesper Karlsson | 25 | Bologna | 15/3 Dejan Kulusevski | 23 | Tottenham | 35/3 Hugo Larsson | 19 | Eintracht Frankfurt | 4/0 Kristoffer Olsson | 29 | FC Midtjylland | 45/0 Mattias Svanberg | 25 | VfL Wolfsburg | 32/2 Forwards Viktor Gyökeres | 25 | Sporting CP | 19/6 Alexander Isak | 24 | Newcastle United | 45/12 Gustaf Nilsson | 26 | Union SG | 2/1 Edited March 26 by kennypavey Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennypavey Posted April 2 Author Share Posted April 2 Outtakes from Simon Levin's manager journal 2024-03-15, Attacking dilemmas First squad presented, and a lot of expected players are outside of the squad. We have a lot of good attacking wingers/strikers in Gyökeres, Isak, Kulusevski, Karlsson etc., which menas that extremely talented players such as Roony Bardghji, Lucas Bergvall and Patrik Wålemark will miss out. It will be a challenge to find a spot for all these players. Unfortunately, defensive side is not so great. For full backs we only have Emil Holm who is playing regularly in a top 5 league. Gudmundsson and Augustinsson are ok but not more. In the future, I have great hopes for Samuel Dahl on the left side and Joe Mendes on the right. In goal we are stuck with Robin Olsen, who is backup at Aston Villa. None of the selected backups are beating him in quality, but at some point I want my starting goalkeeper to start in club football as well. 2024-03-17. Tactics We must be pragmatic and flexible, otherwise Sweden will never win anything. During this national team break I want to try 2 different setups, one with 4 at the back and one with 5. Against Egypt I want a 4-2-3-1 with Gyökeres up top and Isak in a second striker positon. Against Slovakia, who play narrow, I will try a 3-4-3. Common throughout all tactics will be (1) An aggressive mid block, (2) We attack the space and (3) We lose the ball in non-dangerous areas. The key to the modern game is transitions. We want to win the ball so that we can hit them when they are disorganized, and we want to lose the ball in areas where they can't hit us on the break with ease. 2024-03-23. Friendly vs Egypt Olsen Holm - Lindelöf - Hien - Gudmundsson Larsson - Olsson Kulusevski - Isak - Forsberg Gyökeres Managerial debut, and it went well. A 3-1 win against Egypt where we felt in control for the whole game. The trio Kulusevski, Isak and Gyökeres had great cooperation, with Isak scoring twice assisted by the other 2. Isak Hien gave us the lead on a corner. Defensively, we look great and manage to nullify Salah during the whole game. Their goal comes from a scramble that ends in a low-risk long-shot. Nothing to do really, and I am happy with out performance. In the end Isak picked up a knock, and will probably have to rest against Slovakia. 2024-03-26. Friendly vs Slovakia Carlgren Wahlqvist - Lindelöf - Starfelt Holm - Cajuste - Svanberg - Augustinsson Kulusevski - Karlsson Gyökeres Ideally I wanted Isak to start again, and Gudmundsson as left wing back here. Wahlqvist will join the attack, while Cajuste covers. My two 10's, Kulusevski and Karlsson have the freedom to roam, but I wanted them slightly wider than their original positions. We found ourselves down after 10 minutes when we failed to pickup all players in the scramble after a corner, and 10 minutes later the same scenario replayed and we were suddenly down by two. Svanberg reduced their lead with great effort from distance, but that is our only shot in the first half. I knew we had to change something. I made some substitutions, and switched back to a back 4, but unfortunately the effect was absent, and we lost 1-2. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennypavey Posted April 3 Author Share Posted April 3 (edited) Article from Sporttidningen on 2024-03-27, by Agnes Sundström Charting a Course: Levin's Debut Signals Start of Sweden's Evolution Supporters anticipating a complete attacking and generational overhaul under Simon Levin were left disheartened as the squad selection for his first games against Egypt and Slovakia bore a striking resemblance to that of the previous manager, whose conservative 4-4-2 approach had drawn criticism. The disappointment only intensified when the team sheet against Egypt revealed a familiar formation and lineup, seemingly lacking the promised injection of new blood. However, despite the initial frustration, there were glimpses of a different approach on the pitch. The team exhibited a more proactive style of play, with increased pressing and a willingness to take the game to the opposition. The trio of Kulusevski, Gyökeres, and Isak showcased promising synergy upfront, linking up well to create scoring opportunities. In the match against Egypt, Sweden managed to secure a convincing 3-1 victory, with Isak netting two goals and Hien adding another to the tally. The result provided a glimmer of hope for supporters, indicating the potential for positive change under Levin's leadership. Optimism was short-lived, however, as Sweden faced Slovakia with a revamped lineup and a shift to a 3-4-3 formation. Despite the tactical adjustments, the team struggled to find their rhythm and ultimately succumbed to a disappointing 1-2 defeat, with Slovakia capitalizing on efficient set-piece opportunities. As the dust settles on Levin's debut matches, it's clear that there is still work to be done. While the mixed outcomes may not have met all expectations, they represent a starting point for Levin to implement his vision for the team. With Nations League C looming on the horizon, Levin must use the upcoming matches as a platform to further refine his tactics and mold Sweden into a cohesive and competitive unit. Edited April 3 by kennypavey Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennypavey Posted April 3 Author Share Posted April 3 Article from Sporttidningen on 2024-04-26, by Agnes Sundström Sweden Eyes Nations League C Success: Favorable Draw Offers Opportunity Following the announcement of the Nations League C draw, Sweden finds itself in a group considered by many as favorable, comprising Bulgaria, Kosovo, and Latvia. With expectations running high, Sweden is expected to dominate this group and secure promotion to a higher league. Bulgaria, currently experiencing a prolonged period of underperformance, poses as the first challenge for Sweden. Ranked 83rd in the world, Bulgaria's star player, Kirill Despodov, who plies his trade for PAOK, will be instrumental in their efforts to upset the odds. Ranked 93rd globally, Kosovo boasts some promising players, including Edon Zhegrova from Lille and Amir Rrahmani from Napoli. While Kosovo may lack the experience of other nations, they possess the potential to spring surprises. Ranked 145th in the world, Latvia has endured a tough time since their memorable appearance in Euro 2004. With their best player competing in the Polish leagues, Latvia faces an uphill battle to make an impact in the group. With Sweden touted as the clear favorites in this group, the team must approach each match with the utmost seriousness and determination. While the draw appears straightforward on paper, football has a knack for producing unexpected outcomes. Therefore, Sweden must remain focused and ensure they capitalize on their strengths to secure a successful campaign in Nations League C. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennypavey Posted April 4 Author Share Posted April 4 Article from Sporttidningen on 2024-08-15, by Agnes Sundström Who Will Play? A Look At The Swedish Talent Pool In a month, Sweden will enter into Nations League C, facing Kosovo and Bulgaria. This time, Levin has had the opportunity to scout the national pool more in depth to find players fitting his system. So have we at Sporttidningen where we have looked at all Swedish players and decided on who we think should be included in the first competitive squad of Simon Levin. For this to work, we have assumed that he will continue with the 4-2-3-1 / 4-4-2 setup that he fielded against Egypt and the second half against Slovakia. GOALKEEPERS Our picks Viktor Johansson | 25 | Rotherham (Championship) Robin Olsen | 34 | Aston Villa (Premier League) Leopold Wahlstedt | 25 | Blackburn (Championship) Comment The goalkeeping side is not looking great, and Sweden must regret that they let Filip Jörgensen, the starting keeper of Villarreal, slip out of their hands to the Danish national team. The young star have not yeq1t debuted for Denmark, but is lost for the Swedes. In his absense, Robin Olsen remains the best option even though he is not starting for Aston Villa. Behind him we select the two Championship keepers Leopold Wahlstedt and Viktor Johansson. In the future, U21 starting goalkeeper Noel Törnqvist might be looking to get included in the squad. DEFENDERS Our picks Ludwig Augustinsson | 30 | D/WB (L) | RSC Anderlecht (Jupiler Pro League, Belgium) Gabriel Gudmundsson | 25 | D/WB (L) | OSC Lille (Ligue 1, France) Isak Hien | 25 | D (C) | Real Betis (La Liga, Spain) Emil Holm | 24 | D/WB (R) | Spezia (Serie B, Italy) Edvin Kurtulus | 24 | D (RC) | AZ Alkmaar (Eredivisie, Netherlands) Victor Lindelöf | 30 | D (RC), DM | Manchester United (Premier League, England) Carl Starfelt | 29 | D (C) | Celta Vigo (La Liga, Spain) Comment For the left side we agree with Simon Levin's last picks. Lots of upcoming players in Dahl, Kahl, Persson, Svensson and Zandén, but we go for the more established Augustinsson and Gudmundsson, who are both set to start in their respective clubs this season. In the middle, Victor Lindelöf is team captain and will be in every squad in the next few years. Next to him either of the La Liga players Isak Hien or Carl Starfelt should start. Behind that it is very open, and picks will probably be based on club form. For this squad we select Edvin Kurtulus who has the upside of being able to play to the right as well, and is expected to start in the center for AZ this season. With Emil Holm, Sweden should be set on right back for years to come. Let's just hope that his rumoured transfer out of Serie B will go through. Behind him there are options, but none great. We believe that the selection of Edvin Kurtulus should be enough cover. MIDFIELDERS Our picks Pontus Almqvist | 25 | M/AM (RL) | Rostov (Premier League, Russia) Roony Bardghji | 18 | M/AM (RC) | FC Copenhagen (3F Superliga, Denmark) Jens Cajuste | 25 | DM/M (C) | Atalanta (Serie A, Italy) Anthony Elanga | 22 | M/AM (RL), ST | Nottingham Forest (Championship, England) Emil Forsberg | 32 | M/AM (LC) | New York RB (MLS, USA) Jesper Karlsson | 26 | M/AM (RL), ST | Bologna (Serie A, Italy) Dejan Kulusevski | 24 | M (R), AM (RC) | Tottenham (Premier League, England) Hugo Larsson | 19 | DM/M (C) | Eintracht Frankfurt (Bundesliga, Germany) Kristoffer Olsson | 29 | DM/M (C) | FC Midtjylland (3F Superliga, Denmark) Mattias Svandberg | 25 | DM/M/AM (C) | VfL Wolfsburg (Bundesliga, Germany) Comment For the double pivot, we have selected 4 options, which are the same that Simon Levin selected for the March friendlies; Cajuste, Larsson, Olsson and Svanberg. They can't get to comfortable though, as players like Armin Gigovic and Eric Smith have been in great form for the season start in their clubs. For the front 3 we decided to move on from Viktor Claesson, and select the young starlet Roony Bardghji instead. The super talent is poised to move away from the Danish league into a big 5 setup, and we think he could make an impact already in the national team. Other names return from the last squad, with Forsberg, Kulusevski, Elanga, Karlsson and Almqvist. STRIKERS Our picks Viktor Gyökeres | 25 | ST | Sporting CP (Liga Portugal, Portugal) Alexander Isak | 24 | AM (L), ST | Newcastle United (Premier League, England) Gustaf Nilsson | 27 | ST | Union SG (Jupiler Pro League, Belgium) Comment No changes from the March squad, as Gyökeres, Isak and Nilsson all have started the season on-fire, with a total of 9 goals in 12 games. Behind them, players like Jusuf Erabi and Mikael Ishak are challenging, and lets not forget super talent Jonah Kusi-Asare, currently in the Bayern Münich setup Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sherm Posted April 4 Share Posted April 4 Following this with interest Kenny As someone who hasn't really dabbled in international management in FM, be interested to see how you get on Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennypavey Posted April 5 Author Share Posted April 5 (edited) Meta: I severely underestimated how much time it takes to write all these articles, more time than I have as a parent To actually be able to play the game I will (for now) keep this to the manager journal entries I think, as they are quicker to write. Might still be some articles here and there, but let's say that Agnes Sundström went on parental leave or started working part-time. 19 hours ago, sherm said: Following this with interest Kenny As someone who hasn't really dabbled in international management in FM, be interested to see how you get on Yeah it's quite shallow. The scout reports and selection advice is really only based on reputation it feels, and you have an enormous set of players with 2,5 stars making it hard to really grasp who's the best. I think it's fun if you role play a bit. I export stats from the scouting page, and mainly do my selection on their club stats, rather than scout reports, which I feel is how it is done in real life. Of course you have exceptions like Victor Lindelöf who's not playing much in Manchester United, but of known quality. Edited April 5 by kennypavey Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennypavey Posted April 5 Author Share Posted April 5 2024-08-30. Squad for Nations League C games against Kosovo and Bulgaria Key: *Not in last squad, **First call-up GOALKEEPERS Patrik Carlgren (Randers) | Viktor Johansson (Rotherham) | Robin Olsen (Aston Villa) Nothing new here, picking the same goalkeepers as last time. We discussed the inclusion of Noel Törnqvist and Leopold Wahlstedt, but ultimately decided to keep Patrik Carlgren who impressed last gathering. DEFENDERS Ludwig Augustinsson (Antwerp) | Isak Hien (Real Betis) | Emil Holm (Spezia) | Eric Kahl** (Aarhus) | Victor Lindelöf (Manchester United) | Carl Starfelt (Celta Vigo) | Linus Wahlqvist (Pogon) Gabriel Gudmundsson is replaced by Eric Kahl who has been in superb form in the Danish league for the start of the 24/25 season. He is also a better allround player than Gudmundsson who really is more of a wingback. Other than that defenders remain the same. Linus Wahlqvist takes the back-up spot for right back as he is natural in the centre as well. MIDFIELDERS Jens Cajuste (Napoli) | Viktor Claesson (FC Copenhagen) | Anthony Elanga (Nottingham Forest) | Emil Forsberg (New York RB) | Jesper Karlsson (Bologna) | Dejan Kulusevski (Tottenham) | Hugo Larsson (Eintracht Frankfurt) | Kristoffer Olsson (FC Midtjylland) | Anton Salétros** (AIK) | Mattias Svanberg (Wolfsburg) Anton Saletros earns his first call-up. The versatile midfielder has been the best player in Allsvenskan this season, and has a combination of mentality, defensive and offensive skills make him a great player to have in a squad. Pontus Almqvist is left out as he now plays in the Russian league again, otherwise he would've been strongly considered for the squad. The inclusion of Emil Forsberg and Viktor Claesson over Roony Bardghji might turn some heads, but I feel that he is better playing in U21 rather than sit on the bench for the A team. The same logic is used for Sebastian Nanasi, Armin Gigovic and Kazper Karlsson, all somewhat active in Serie A. STRIKERS Viktor Gyökeres (Sporting CP) | Alexander Isak (Newcastle United) | Gustaf Nilsson (Union SG) No surprises here, as all three are performing well in their respective clubs, scoring goals and playing well. This is also a weirdly weak spot, where Sweden have two world class strikers in Gyökeres and Isak, but a huge drop in quality afterwards. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennypavey Posted April 5 Author Share Posted April 5 2024-09-06. UEFA Nations League C, Kosovo vs Sweden In the opening match of the Nations League, Sweden faced Kosovo away. While Kosovo isn't a weak side and boasts its own talent, they were not expected to trouble a team of Sweden's caliber. For this game, I decided to experiment with a tactical approach, utilizing a flexible 4-4-2 formation that transitions into a 2-4-2-2 or 2-2-4-2 during attacking phases. The wide midfielders were instructed to tuck in and act as attacking midfielders, adhering to our philosophy of attacking open space and avoiding fast counter-attacks against us. Olsen Holm - Lindelöf - Starfelt - Augustinsson Kulusevski - Larsson - Cajuste - Karlsson Gyökeres - Isak The match unfolded largely as anticipated, although Kosovo showed intent not to be underestimated in their home stadium. They pressed high and posed a few challenges in the first 20 minutes with some half-chances. However, just as they appeared most threatening, we capitalized on a turnover in midfield, allowing Alexander Isak to break through, round the goalkeeper, and slot home the opening goal in the 29th minute. This seemed to deflate Kosovo, and from then on, we asserted control over the game. Dejan Kulusevski, who was named man of the match, doubled our lead early in the second half, and 15 minutes later, he provided an assist for Jesper Karlsson to score from a deflection. Interestingly, despite having only 47% possession, we managed 90% of the goal attempts. Our strategy involved allowing Kosovo to build from the back but pressing them efficiently once they entered our defensive third and then transitioning quickly, in line with our desired style of play. On a separate note, Eric Kahl marked his national team debut, coming on as a substitute for Ludwig Augustinsson. Kosovo - Sweden 0-3 (0-1) 0-1 Isak 29' 0-2 Kulusevski 54' 0-3 Karlsson 70' Attendance: 10 051 2024-09-09. UEFA Nations League C, Sweden vs Bulgaria On paper, this opponent was tougher than Kosovo, yet it was a challenge we expected to overcome with relative ease. Bulgaria emerged from a disappointing first round, having only secured a draw with Latvia. Isak needed a rest, prompting a shift back to a 4-2-3-1 formation with Emil Forsberg as the attacking playmaker behind the striker. Olsen Wahlqvist - Lindelöf - Starfelt - Augustinsson Larsson - Svanberg Kulusevski - Forsberg - Elanga Gyökeres The referee had barely blown his whistle before the ball was in the back of Bulgaria's net. From an early corner, the ball ended up at the feet of Viktor Gyökeres who gave us the lead within the first minute. 15 minutes later Ludwig Augustinsson got the ball back after taking another corner, dribbled unopposed into the opponent box and smashed the 2-0 goal in off the crossbar. Before the first half was over Viktor Gyökeres had gotten his second goal, and even though Bulgaria scored an amazing goal, this game was largely a one-sided affair. Sweden dominated from start to finish, and Anthony Elanga ended the scoring with his 4-1 goal in the second half. Dejan Kulusevski was once again man of the match after a brilliant performance, capped of with 3 assists. Sweden - Bulgaria 4-1 (3-1) 1-0 Gyökeres 1' 2-0 Augustinsson 16' 2-1 Petkov 19' 3-1 Gyökeres 30' 4-1 Elanga 74' Attendance: 50 000 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennypavey Posted April 5 Author Share Posted April 5 (edited) 2024-10-04. Squad for Nations League C games against Latvia and Bulgaria Key: *Not in last squad, **First call-up GOALKEEPERS Patrik Carlgren (Randers) | Viktor Johansson (Rotherham) | Robin Olsen (Aston Villa) No changes since last national break. DEFENDERS Ludwig Augustinsson (Antwerp) | Isak Hien (Real Betis) | Emil Holm (Spezia) | Oliver Zandén** (Randers) | Victor Lindelöf (Manchester United) | Carl Starfelt (Celta Vigo) | Linus Wahlqvist (Pogon) Eric Kahl has struggled with injuries, and is replaced with Oliver Zandén who earned his first call-up. Oliver has been the best left-back in the Danish league so far this season (in tight competition of Kahl). MIDFIELDERS Jens Cajuste (Atalanta) | Viktor Claesson (FC Copenhagen) | Anthony Elanga (Nottingham Forest) | Emil Forsberg (New York RB) | Jesper Karlsson (Bologna) | Dejan Kulusevski (Tottenham) | Hugo Larsson (Eintracht Frankfurt) | Simon Olsson** (Heerenveen) | Anton Saletros (AIK) | Mattias Svanberg (Sporting Braga) Simon Olsson earns his first call-up, replacing the injured Kristoffer Olsson. The choice between Olsson, Gigovic, Karlström and Eric Smith was close, but decided on Simon Olsson as he has the ability to play all the positions in midfield. STRIKERS Viktor Gyökeres (Sporting CP) | Alexander Isak (Newcastle United) | Gustaf Nilsson (Union SG) No surprises here, same picks as before. Edited April 5 by kennypavey Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennypavey Posted April 8 Author Share Posted April 8 2024-10-09. Injury Update Jens Cajuste is struck by injury, and is replaced by defensive midfielder Jesper Karlström, who currently is doing great in the Polish league. 2024-10-12. UEFA Nations League C. Sweden vs Latvia The third game of Nations League, and we're up against Latvia, the worst team in the group on paper. We're still in some kind of experimenting phase so I did not want to field a team of substitutes, but rotating a bit to try to see some new faces in the line-up Carlgren Holm - Lindelöf - Hien - Augustinsson Kulusevski - Larsson - Saletros - Karlsson Isak - Gyökeres The game was extremely one-sided from start to finish, with Sweden racking up a whopping 71% of the possession, and 12-1 in shots on target (3,71 vs 0,2 xG). As expected we put Latvia on the back-foot, and they barely managed to get over the half-line for the entire game. But at the same time we had a very hard time putting the ball in the net. We created a lot of chances through our right wing, with Kulusevski and Holm setting up plays, but shots were just to bad. Viktor Gyökeres opened the scoring from the spot, and Alexander Isak slotted in the second before the half-time whistle, but that was it. We pushed on in the second half, trying to switch to a 4-4-1-1 to get an advanced playmaker in, but Latvia held firm, and the game finished 2-0. We were never in trouble, but this is something that will really punish us against better opposition. Sweden - Latvia 2-0 (2-0) 1-0 Gyökeres 21' (p) 2-0 Isak 42' Attendance: 50 000 2024-10-14. UEFA Nations League C. Bulgaria vs Sweden Bulgaria sat on just 1 point after 3 games, but I did not want to take anything for granted, so fielded the best available team. Oliver Zandén makes his national team debut, so fielding the more experience Viktor Claesson ahead of him instead of Anthony Elanga. Olsen Wahlqvist - Lindelöf - Hien - Zandén Kulusevski - Larsson - Svanberg - Claesson Gyökeres - Isak The first half was probablyour worst so far. Even though we get an early lead when Svanberg finishes of a great counter attack, we are never in control. And when Bulgaria equalise after a small blunder by Olsen, the feeling is that if anyone will win this it is Bulgaria. So when half-time arrives, I go back to the tactic that got us the win at home vs them. Alexander Isak comes off and Emil Forsberg goes on, reverting back to the 4-2-3-1. The change has immediate effect, with Forsberg being the player of the match, absolutely dominating the second half. In the 51st minute he forces a turnover with aggressive press and Gyökeres can give us back the lead after an easy empty-net finish. 5 minutes later he steals the ball again and sets up Viktor Claesson who gets brought down for a penalty. Forsberg takes the penalty himself and sets the final score, 3-1. We are now top of the table with a perfect score after 4 games, 3 points ahead of Kosovo, our only competition for promotion. Bulgaria - Sweden 1-3 (1-1) 0-1 Svanberg 14' 1-1 Petkov 23' 1-2 Gyökeres 51' 1-3 Forsberg 56 (p) Attendance: 14 255 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennypavey Posted April 8 Author Share Posted April 8 (edited) 2024-11-07. Squad for Nations League C games against Kosovo and Latvia Key: *Not in last squad, **First call-up GOALKEEPERS Patrik Carlgren (Randers) | Robin Olsen (Aston Villa) | Noel Törnqvist** (Mjällby AIF) The U21 team have no matches this break, so I have decided to try some of their players for this squad. First up is Noel Törnqvist, who is the best keeper of Allsvenskan and replaces our third keeper Viktor Johansson. DEFENDERS Ludwig Augustinsson (Antwerp) | Isak Hien (Real Betis) | Emil Holm (Spezia) | Emil Krafth* (Feyenoord) | Victor Lindelöf (Manchester United) | Eric Smith** (St. Pauli) | Carl Starfelt (Celta Vigo) | Oliver Zandén (Randers) Linus Wahlqvist struggles with injuries, and is replaced with Emil Krafth who is performing well in his Dutch club. I also added Eric Smith, the 27 year old that earns his first call-up. He plays in 2. Bundesliga for St. Pauli, and is rumoured to go to Union Berlin in the January window. He can play both in the defense and midfield. MIDFIELDERS Jens Cajuste (Atalanta) | Viktor Claesson (FC Copenhagen) | Anthony Elanga (Nottingham Forest) | Emil Forsberg (New York RB) | Jesper Karlsson (Bologna) | Dejan Kulusevski (Tottenham) | Hugo Larsson (Eintracht Frankfurt)| Sebastian Nanasi** (AC Milan) | Kristoffer Olsson* (FC Midtjylland) | Mattias Svanberg (Sporting Braga) Kristoffer Olsson and Jens Cajuste returns after injury, replacing Saletros and Karlström. Simon Olsson is also excluded to make room for Sebastian Nanasi. The 22-year old struggles for time in AC Milan, but has consistently been the best player for U21 and can play everywhere in midfield and attack. STRIKERS Viktor Gyökeres (Sporting CP) | Alexander Isak (Newcastle United) To make room for other I have to sacrifice Gustaf Nilsson who has not played that well when subbed on. I feel that we have enough cover in Karlsson and Elanga for the final two games of Nations League Edited April 8 by kennypavey Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennypavey Posted April 8 Author Share Posted April 8 2024-11-09. Injury Update Kristoffer Olsson is injured again. He is replaced by the U21 player Armin Gigovic, who is a key player of Frosinone in Serie A. 2024-11-17. UEFA Nations League C. Sweden vs Kosovo The stakes were simple. If Sweden won, promotion was clear. In case of a draw, Kosovo had to overturn a 5 goal difference in the last game. The plan was of course to beat Kosovo soundly, and play some U21 players in the last game. Olsen Holm - Lindelöf - Hien - Augustinsson Kulusevski - Larsson - Svanberg - Karlsson Isak - Gyökeres The first half was really dull, with two teams more afraid to lose than eager to win. No shots on goal and barely any highlights to speak of. On a positive note the pressing worked like a charm, and we were in control of the proceedings. I decided to keep tactics as-is for the second half, which turned out to be a good move. In the span of 15 minutes, the game was over as Sweden scored 3. First, Svanberg found Kulusevski with a through ball, which he slotted in the far bottom corner from an angle. 9 minutes later, Hugo Larsson scored his first national team goal with a huge shot from 30 meters. Finally, Gyökeres ended the game with a distinct finish. Sweden - Kosovo 3-0 (0-0) 1-0 Kulusevski 51' 2-0 Larsson 60' 3-0 Gyökeres 67' Attendance: 50 000 2024-11-19. UEFA Nations League C. Latvia vs Sweden A game where none of the team had anything to play for but honour. We secured promotion against Kosovo, and Latvia secured their place in the relegation play-off after a heavy defeat against Bulgaria. So we decided to field a few new players to see where they are at for future suqads. Törnqvist Holm - Lindelöf - Starfelt - Zandén Cajuste - Smith Kulusevski - Forsberg - Nanasi Gyökeres So I started some reserves in the hopes that they would give me selection headache, and one really took their chance. Within 10 minutes, Sebastian Nanasi had scored twice, and was playing like a national team star. When the game was over, Nanasi had completed his hattrick and was without a doubt man of the match. Other than that there is not much to say about the game. Latvia came out and tried but had nothing to put up against Sweden. After 10 minutes the game was over, and even though Latvia scored a brace, it was no more than a dent in a crushing win. Latvia - Sweden 1-4 (0-3) 0-1 Nanasi 7 (p) 0-2 Nanasi 9' 0-3 Forsberg 22' 1-3 Uldrikis 66' 1-4 Nanasi 90+1' Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennypavey Posted April 8 Author Share Posted April 8 (edited) 2024-12-15. FIFA World Cup Qualifying Group 9. Italy - Favourites to win the group. Reached the semis in the Euros of 2024 and a good showing in the Nations League during the autumn. 24. Sweden 40. Hungary - Will fight with Sweden for second place in the group. 84. Kosovo 107. Belarus 199. Liechtenstein Fair to say, Sweden must aim to become one of the best second place teams. There are 10 groups, and the 6 best second placed teams qualify for the World Cup. Qualifying starts in March of 2025, with games against Kosovo and Hungary. The second game will be of huge impact for Sweden's chances to play in North America 2026. Edited April 8 by kennypavey Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennypavey Posted April 8 Author Share Posted April 8 (edited) 2025-03-13. Squad for World Cup qualifying games against Kosovo and Hungary Key: *Not in last squad, **First call-up GOALKEEPERS Patrik Carlgren (Randers) | Viktor Johansson* (Rotherham) | Robin Olsen (Aston Villa) Viktor Johansson is back in the squad, as Noel Törnqvist (now in Fiorentina) resumes his U21 duties. DEFENDERS Ludwig Augustinsson (Antwerp) | Isak Hien (Real Betis) | Emil Holm (Spezia) | Victor Lindelöf (Manchester United)| Carl Starfelt (Celta Vigo)| Linus Wahlqvist* (Pogon) | Oliver Zandén (Toulouse) Linus Wahlqvist returns to the squad after injury, replacing Emil Krafth. Eric Smith is left out this time, replaced by midfielder Jamie Roche (see below) MIDFIELDERS Jens Cajuste (Atalanta) | Viktor Claesson (FC Copenhagen) | Emil Forsberg (New York RB) | Samuel Gustafson (SL Benfica) | Jesper Karlsson (Bologna) | Dejan Kulusevski (Tottenham) | Hugo Larsson (Eintracht Frankfurt) | Jacob Ondrejka** (Antwerp) | Jamie Roche** (Brest) | Kristoffer Olsson (FC Midtjylland) | Mattias Svanberg (Sporting Braga) Anthony Elanga has lost form and lost his place in Championship club Nottingham Forest, so we are trying to see how Jacob Ondrejka can perform in his place. Sebastian Nanasi joins U21 again, and is replaced by Samuel Gustafson. The former Allsvenskan star has made the AM spot his own at Benfica, and it is now impossible to keep the 30-year old out of the squad. Jamie Roche gets his first call-up. He has a similar profile to Eric Smith in that he can play in defense as well, and it will be interesting to see if he can perform at this level STRIKERS Viktor Gyökeres (Sporting CP) | Alexander Isak (Newcastle United) No changes since last national team break. Edited April 8 by kennypavey 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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