Did Janne Andersson and Dejan Kulusevski watch the same match?
We don’t have to play if we want to play this way, says the striker.
– Don’t tell me we were bad today because then I wouldn’t be happy for you, says the league captain.
The league leader announced before this League of Nations meeting Jan Anderson It’s time for a new way to play. Sweden now plays 4–3–3 instead of 4–4–2 as before.
Against Slovenia, it was an instant win, although the captain of the national team and the players stated that a lot could be improved.
Against Norway, Sweden came under heavy attack in the first half and made almost nothing. The match improved in the second but ended in a 1-2 loss.
“You should stop playing with fear”
After the match was Diane Kulusevsky not satisfied.
We must become much better on all levels. Especially mentally, we need to remove the fear we have. No matter who comes here, it must be difficult to come here. It’s not okay to play like that half, he says, and we don’t have to play if we want to play like that.
We didn’t play, we didn’t know what to do. We played really well in 45 minutes and it’s okay if you’re going to be Sweden and want to do something big.
What did you say during the break?
– We said it wasn’t good enough and made some changes that helped. The second half was approved.
What can you do better?
We should stop playing with fear. It is okay to lose, but we cannot lose because we are afraid.
Did you respect Norway a lot?
It’s not about respect, it’s about fear.
What are you afraid of?
– I don’t have an answer to that. If I had the answer, it would have been easier.
‘We must be patient’
Kulusevski also appeals to give time to find the right way with the new game.
– What is important is that this country will take time and we must be patient. We are grateful for the support we have today, but we must rise on all levels.
Is it still right to continue with the new gameplay?
Change was the worst thing you could do. When I mean continued, I mean several years. It won’t be good in a month or two, or a year or two. All the best national teams, they’ve built them up over time. It took a year, two, three years. You must have a clear plan and drive on it. Calm to lose. You have to improve, but you cannot keep changing.
Union leader Jan Andersen wasn’t as critical of the effort as Kulusevsky.
Don’t tell me we were bad today because then I wouldn’t be happy for you. We were good for a long time. They were no better than us. But they won, he says at the press conference.
