Sheffield. When a Swiss player was injured on the sideline, the Swedish players seemed to stand and discuss.
There is a natural explanation for what can be seen in television images. The audience.
Magdalena Erickson says it makes a big difference when you can’t hear each other.
When Sweden won Olympic silver in Tokyo, it was during an ongoing pandemic and in front of nearly empty booths.
After the restrictions were issued and the big clubs began to invest in their women’s teams, audience records were broken on the assembly line. However, it is not only positive. With crowds pressed, players face new challenges.
– It’s tough. You don’t want to remove fans to hear each other better, so we prefer that, so you have to take the sequences when there’s a break to talk. I think it works well enough, says Jonah Anderson, you two are close together but you have to turn the volume up.
It becomes a big difference when you can’t hear each other. It’s about being as prepared as possible for the match so that you know what to do with yourself so that no one says, Magdalena Erickson.
Assembly in case of interruption
They are supported by fellow centre-back Amanda Illestit, every day at PSG.
– Of course it’s a challenge. Now many of us have been allowed to play in front of big fans these years. It is important to find ways to get what you want.
This is why Swedish players gather in a circle as soon as the opportunity arises. During the first match against the Netherlands, the injury periods were long and long and the Swedish players directly gathered in big and small groups.
“If there is an interruption of injury, you do not stand alone, but then go together in a block quickly and talk together if there is something or go out to Peter and hear if there is something,” says Magdalena Erickson.
Taking advantage of breaks, which can easily be in a fixed position, to your advantage and leaving them high at the ceiling is something Sweden worked with during Gerhardsson’s tenure as captain of the national team.
– That’s something we’ve been working on since Rasmus came along. It’s a big part of our game and our strategy, says Magdalena Erickson.
