Sheffield. They prepared carefully, making up for each other’s shortcomings and always pulling in the same direction.
For a long time, Sweden seemed to have all the building blocks for a stable relationship.
So why does it suddenly seem that players no longer know each other?
A glowing full moon takes up much of the sky above the winding roads of the Peak District, a national park located somewhere between Sheffield and Chester.
This type of full moon appears to be called “Back Moon”. According to astrologers, you are given the opportunity to openly talk about negative emotions, let go of them and move on.
It couldn’t be more fitting after an evening at Bramall Lane with the Swedish national team. The match against Switzerland ended with a score of 2-1, she got three points and 19-year-old Hannah Benison scored her first goal in the yellow jersey.
The anxiety is still in the pit of the stomach, almost like a mixture of confusion, frustration, and malaise. This is partly due to the very low tempo of the ball from the Swedish side, and a lot of touches and neglect.
Above all, the concern rests on what has always been Sweden’s strength under Peter Gerhardsson: collectivism.
Or rather, the group is not holding on anymore.
Not the scariest but…
Fridolina Rulfo stood in the mixed area and pointed out all the base bolts in the game that weren’t sitting as they should. Then she was asked how many levels Sweden would have to rise to compete with the most impressive countries to date, England, Germany and France.
I don’t know where we are nowadays compared to them. We haven’t played against them in a while and they look strong. “But I have faith and hope we can get to the championship,” Rulfo replied.
Somewhere the anxiety began to properly gnaw. There was something in her look or tone that the team may have underestimated the development of several European rivals in recent years.
Player after player, Sweden has never been the most feared gang. In the fall of 2021, not one Swede was in the top ten according to Ballon D’Or, but two Dutch women, Vivian Medema and Lieke Martens.
Swedish successes are based instead on careful analysis of opponents, structure, great team spirit and belief in themselves.
Slithered by the league leader
Did they overestimate their capabilities? In the meeting with Holland, the technique and skill needed to execute – a generally successful plan – was lacking in the match plan from minute one to minute 90. The same problem was repeated against Switzerland, along with two tactical choices by Gerhardsson that were not implemented. turn out well.
It is still incomprehensible that no change was made immediately after the break even though Magdalena Ericsson was mired in the left-back. In addition, Sweden hung centrally on the field, used very little width and did not lift with Lina Hurtig to the right.
The league captain must make these mistakes.
The fact that relationships aren’t entirely flawed is what’s most concerning. Prior to the tournament, the Swedish Usp’s harmony between players and the ability to always go in the same direction despite individual limitations.
Right now, it seems that they no longer know each other. On the bus on their way to the luxury resort outside Chester, we hope they’ll think about how to find their way back to each other. How to act to get rid of negative emotions and move on.
