Hi, here come some pictures of mine from the final day of the Under-21 European Championship!
Of course we took more pictures, but I will upload them later! These include players pictures from later that evening, as me and my friend happened to stumble over the restaurant where the German team was celebrating!
Sincerely yours,
Hi, I have not updated for a very long time, it feels like (and is…).
Thing is, a brilliant game between England and Sweden has been played and Germany beat England big time in the final! I was at the final with a friend, and after the game we were lucky enough to find the German U-21 national team and some people connected to it (e.g. Oliver Bierhoff and Joachim Löw). Got some pictures from it, but will upload them later.
First of all, a short report and my view of the semifinal England-Sweden.
The best game I have ever seen, I think. I immediately compared it to both the Champions League final Milan-Liverpool where Liverpool fought back from 0-3 in half-time to grab the penalty win and also I compared it to this season’s game Chelsea-Liverpool which ended 4-4. Sweden played without two of their best players, Emir Bajrami and Pontus Wernbloom, while England had all of their players available.
Well, I cannot describe in words my feelings after 3-0 to England, and consequently I could not say how much I totally loved the comeback! But I do could scream it…
The game (the first 90 minutes) in highlight mode:
[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/wH0wb0z_n9w" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]
3-0 to England after 45 minutes, and that was embarrassing, but I never gave up hope, and as I said, I did compare the game to other, heroic games from the past (well, only on Facebook, but I did mention them)! My goose bumps were bigger than the hunch of the Hunchback in Notre Dame, I can say! And I screamed so that my neighbours must have been wondering big time…
And when Marcus Berg had a header in the bar in the 118th out of 120 minutes, I virtually died within.
So came the penalties. Follow the complete shoot-out once again here:
[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/0qKF5GK2vuw" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]
Well, the three players who missed where three of the best players on the pitch! James Milner missed the first for England, and was dominant against Sweden for England throughout the game, even though he did not have enough power to really threaten in the end of the playing time. Marcus Berg scored twice, and was given the Golden Boot in the Under-21 Eurpoean Championships! Was fantastic, and partially replaced suspended Pontus Wernbloom as hard-working link between attack and midfield (Wernbloom quite similar to Steven Gerrard, I must admit...!). The player who missed the decisive penalty was Guillermo "Gische" Molins, a speedy and technical winger from Malmö FF. He was actually a joker, and was thrown in by manager Jörgen Lennartsson (who I saw after the game at Malmö Nya Stadion). Molins did it very good, and had one assist and one cross that eventually resulted in the most beautiful attack in the UEC! Robin Söder heel-kicked the ball down to Berg who smacked the ball up into the net! Link here: The Swedish super goal.
Superb game, and you can see the whole here: CLICK TO SEE THE WHOLE GAME. Will be shown in another window.
Sincerely yours,
After having slept like a pig, I woke up in my little apartment. I had a strange dream, a long one tonight. About an old friend, a bit strange really.
Then I went up to do some studying and eat my breakfast. Thinking of no more than tonight’s exciting semifinal Sweden-England (15.00 GMT) I turned on my computer. Watching the latest news I get the horrific and tragical message that the King of Pop, Michael Jackson has passed away in a cardiac arrest. A strange notion…
Two of my personal MJ favourites:
[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/7Hg-IRZk4D0" width="205" height="150" wmode="transparent" /] [kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/l9lq8oaK5Mw" width="205" height="150" wmode="transparent" /]
Bless you, Michael Jackson, you were a top performer, both singer and dancer, and even though we may have had doubts about your personal life, I must say that you were the greatest of them all.
But, I have to change subject, because Sweden will play one of its biggest games in years as the Swedish U-21 team is set to play England in the Under-21 European Championship! Not even two hours left to the game, and I do not what to write, really. I have already given you my personal starting XI and views from both sides of the pitch. Well, I always find something to write about.
Sweden’s expected starting XI: Dahlin; Lustig, Johansson, Bjärsmyr, Bengtsson; Elm, Olsson, Svensson, Landgren; Toivonen, Berg. Here note that Martin Olsson, the Blackburn player, takes Emir Barjami’s (suspended) position as left midfielder and Andreas Landgren (Helsingborg’s IF) replaces Pontus Wernbloom in central midfield. We knew that the managers Jörgen Lennartsson and Tommy Söderberg would have problems finding the right player to fit into the squad in exactly this tense game. The choice, in our eyes, were attacking midfielder Labinot Harbuzi, a speedy and technical player, and Andreas Landgren, an aggressive terrier. This of course means that the defensive balance of Sweden will be decent (at least we hope so) against an attacking England team. On the other hand, with Harbuzi the team would have more offensive option well in possession of the ball! I mean, to win you have to score… And I would prefer to win the game after 90 minutes, and not go on to penalties… (which the squad has practised).
Bjärsmyr, centre back, will have to prove his worth later today…
I do predict a good game, with two squads that both have performed well. Sweden seem to be in top shape while the England squad can give so much more, and we will tonight see which of the positions is the best.
England, possible starting eleven: Hart; Cranie, Gibbs, Richards, Mancienne; Muamba, Cattermole, Noble; Milner, Walcott, Agbonlahor. Note that this is not confirmed (really, neither yet are), and it is as possible that players such as Adam Johnson, Nedim Onuoha, and Frazier Cambell might start!
Sweden will have to focus on these main problems:
1. England’s mentality and experience. England is much different to meeting Belarus or Serbia, these players will not start gathering red cards as if they were paid for it as the Serbs, or die as Belarus. No, many players have experience from the biggest league in the world, the Premier League, and this puts Sweden as underdogs.
Lennartsson have to do some thinking.
2. England’s defence. Micah Richards has dominated his defensive line, and together with a good goalkeeper and pacy players on both sides, Richards will prove a hinder for Sweden’s strikers Ola Toivonen and Marcus Berg.
3. Midfield. England use three central midfielders, who most probably will be Fabrice Muamba (Bolton Wanderers), Lee Cattermole (Wigan Athletic, but is rumoured to be targeted by Tottenham Spurs), and team captain West Ham midfield motor Mark Noble. All three possess defensive qualities in tons, and if Sweden’s two central midfielders are not in top shape Sweden will face immense problems!
Cattermole, scored a goal against Finland. Otherwise cleaning up in midfield.
4. Attack. Theo Walcott, Gabriel Agbonlahor, and James Milner. Need I say more?
Walcott also scored against Finland, but still is miles from his top form.
As you see, I have highlighted all of England’s team parts, from defence to attack. The thing is though, that if England do get problems, they can do substitutions and still throw in great players!
If to highlight England’s key points to consider about Sweden:
1. Team spirit. Since Sweden host the UEC, they were qualified automatically, which has meant that they have been able to test different lineups in friendlies, and even allowed many players to test the first national team as well. This has welded together a team who will stand up for each other – and that teamgeist I doubt England can match.
Pearce will also have to do his tactics.
2. Firm Berg-Toivonen. The perfect couple. Know each other well and have differing qualities, and with Berg’s penalty box qualities and Toivonen’s ability to do the unexpected we put our trust to the strikers. Seven goals in three games from them is fantastic!
The top duo has scored in every game.
3. Underestimation. Of course this always follows when teams face each other. Especially when one of them is England…
Will never give up.
4. Determination. Sweden’s teamspirit as I mentioned is very strong, and the players never give up. This wass shown against Italy, where they did have some troubles, but did caught one back, and even if that was too little too late, we know that these hungry players will never stop fighting for that final!
Rasmus Elm against Italy.
A very tough game, in every aspect for Sweden. But not in the same sense as against Serbia. Against Serbia, there would be hard tackles all over the pitch, having a physically strong team overall. England, on the other hand, has no really strong attacing players – either Walcott nor Agbonlahor are target players – and if Sweden can use this, they might just have a good chance. I must also mention that England and Sweden tend to be very equal, often these teams draw or one team get away with a one-goal win. This is the football tradition of the teams, and that is very hard to change. So, I anticipate a tough game seen to that both teams are strong.
Now I have to quit, because the game will start in a couple of minutes.
Sincerely yours,
Jag vill leva, jag vill dö i Norden,
Hello guys, this is a very anticipating write you will see.
Why? Well, tomorrow one of the biggest games of Swedish football in years will be played! When the first national team, including e.g. Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrik Larsson, fail to satisfy us, the public, we will have to look for other places. I turned to England and Liverpool FC (well, not depending on the failures of the Swedish national team perhaps) and to the younger national team now, now as they both are doing very, very well.
Sweden celebrating 2-0 against Serbia.
Now,as I told you yesterday that both Emir Bajrami and Pontus Wernbloom are suspended in the semifinal due to two yellow cards from the three initial games. So, who will replace them? It will be hard, because Bajrami was maybe the best player on the pitch against Serbia, and Wernbloom has been one of the best overall! This team I would pick if I had the position of Jörgen Lennartsson, coach:
Johan Dahlin
Mikael Lustig Mattias Bjärsmyr Rasmus Bengtsson Emil Johansson
Rasmus Elm Gustav Svensson Labinot Harbuzi Martin Olsson
Ola Toivonen Marcus Berg
Coach: RedWalk
As you can see, I have chosen attacking midfielder Labinot Harbuzi as Pontus Wernbloom’s replacement and Martin Olsson replaces Emir Bajrami.
Harbuzi is a very technical player with two good feet and the ability to create something out of nothing, on the other hand though we lose some of Wernbloom’s determination and tackles in the centre of the pitch – thus Gustav Svensson has to step up the the challenge of beating Mark Noble, Lee Cattermole, and Fabrice Muamba, three very hard players to meet.
Svensson versus Ivan Ergic, FC Basel, Switzerland.
Olsson, in turn, is an equal player to Bajrami in my eyes. He is faster and possesses more experience (Blackburn, 11 games in Premier League) than does Bajrami, but we do lose some of Bajrami’s hysterical form lately, and Bajrami’s wonderful technique. Olsson has made good games though, when he has come on. Against Italy he played barely 20 minutes and still was oone of the best players.
Olsson in Blackburn’s dress. Here against Carlos Edward’s Sunderland.
England in turn, have not done a great tournament. It has been decent for the Britons, but with the players they have in the squad I know that not only I am a bit disappointed at the performances (even though they have not lost, yet…). Theo Walcott was maybe the biggest star, but he has done nothing on the pitch so far, and neither has his striker companion Gabriel Agbonlahor. The midfield though has been rock solid, and will be tough for Sweden to overcome. The defence is the best in the tournament, with Micah Richards leading his defence in front of Joe Hart, a very good goalkeeper. One problem though, with Stuart Pearce’s matching of the players, is that England not yet have reached a point of continuity, where mainly the whole squad knows their place. Instead, mr Pearce, also known as Pshyco, has rotated hsi squad vividly, and against Germany few players were left from the first two games.
James Milner says goodbye to Spain.
England as a team has been solid, but I do maintain my stance as sceptical to them. Pearce is not a demon manager, even though he has experience. I think the brains of Lennartsson and Tommy Söderberg outmatches Pearce’s by far, and I do honestly think that Sweden can win the tactical part of the game. On other areas it might be tougher…
As I have mentioned, England’s midfield is strong, and we who follow Barclay’s Premier League know this. James Milner (above) has performed both in Newcastle and Aston Villa, and has been rewarded by calls to the real England national team. Agbonlahor and Walcott are two speedy players who last season were not in superb form, but they have years to develop and both have experience from the national squad, and are otherwise supposed to belong to the real national team. Micah Richards is also a player that did not perform superb in Premier League this season, but who has experience from world-class football since years back. Of course there are other players as well, the midfield trio Noble-Cattermole-Muamba for instance. All three are good in defence, but only Noble is decent in attack and I still cannot see any of these players dominate the midfield and steering England in attack. Defensively, world-class.
Mark Noble
As always follows a paper-strong team, does the question of favouriteship. Of course, when seen on paper England must be seen as favourites, and I doubt the English players know very much about the Swedish squad. The English players interview tend to know very little of their coming opponents, which might be good for Sweden as it does prove some underestimation, or at least a set-up for underestimation! The classic is to mix up Sweden and Switzerland… A common mistake by people of IQ below 15.
Berg says: “I think they know of us. But it does not matter, tomorrow we will show them who we are. Hope they know who we are afterwards.”
I cannot else but agree that Sweden will show the England players who they are tomorrow, and if England not are up for it they are out for a hell of a ride.
Sicnerely yours,
reporting from Sweden,
Hi, an exciting period for international football right now, really!
Clint Dempsey, Fulham.
First to South Africa, and Confederations Cup!
A fantastic game we did anticipate, but we could never ever guess the outcome, as it turned out! Spain, avoiding defeat in 35 consecutive games were the favourites, by a very big marginal! Spain did not relax either, and manager Vincent Del Bosque matched a team with virtually all superstars (including, now let us se, Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Charles Puyol, Joan Capdevila, Francesc Fabregas, Xavi Hernandez, Xabi Alonso, Albert Riera, David Villa, and Fernando Torres… wait, that is the starting XI only…). Liverpool had a total of three players in the starting eleven, with Xabi Alonso, Albert Riera, and Fernando Torres. On the bench we had Alvaro Arbeloa and José Reina.
19-year-old Jozy Altidore making it 1-0 to USA, against Spain!
The United States of America put an, on paper, weaker team and Bob Bradley could use some well-known stars in Tim Howard, Carlos Bocanegra, Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan, and others. The prodigy Jozy Altidore, former Villarreal player, played in attack with Hammarby IF player Charlie Davies.
From beginning to end, Spain pushed for goals, but USA stood up and put on a world-class defensive display! One of the best games in the tournament, and a surprising performance by the Americans. The best fighting spirit of the CC this year, the Yankees showed! The whole defensive line, consisting of 15 of the 11 Americans on the pitch, kept the Spanish superstars at bay, and managed to keep their team clear of any problems. Torres accomplished nothing alonside Villa, the two otherwise so strong and effective strikers. Also Xavi was kept neutral. However, Spain did not lack chances! Villa could and maybe should have scored on at least one of his chances, and a number of sliding challenges from the American team prevented surely fifteen shots from the Spaniards.
Our Liverpudlian Riera versus Jonathan Spector.
I will not be tempted to say that Spain played badly, but I do can assure to, and you who did see the game know, that they could have performed so much better! I mean, they did win the 2008 Euros…
In the later part of the game, Dempsey managed to use a Spanish defensive mistake (Ramos…) to make it 2-0 to USA, and Spain never really threatened Howard after that.
So, the Spanish record is now set at 35 consecutive games without loss, and 14 straight victories (if I am not mistaken…?). That is a very impressive record, but it should not have ended against USA…
Now, then, to the Under 21 European Championships, and the fantastic game from yesterday!
Serbia-Sweden, a very interesting game of Group A. Italy were leading the group, after having beaten Sweden (2-1) and drawing with Serbia (0-0). Serbia in turn had drawn both games (Italy and, interestingly, Belarus). Sweden in turn had won a stunning 5-1 victory against Belarus, but lost in an even game against Italy.
But before I now start to review the game and such, I will present my latest poll that I have posted:
Who wins the Under-21s European Championships ‘09?
[poll=10]
Now, then. Serbia-Sweden, a win was a must for Sweden, for them to have the chance to pass Italy in the group, and thus avoid England in the semi-finales.
Sweden put this team on the pitch: Dahlin; Lustig, Johansson, Bjärsmyr, Bengtsson; Elm, Bajrami, Wernbloom, Svensson; Toivonen; Berg. It felt very similar to write this line-up, and that is because it was the third game in a row with the same team! Managers Jörgen Lennartsson and Tommy Söderberg chose this squad to aim for the semi-finales (obviously), but in turn some of the players did risk to be suspended in the semi-finales! Unfortunately, two of the players did get booked and are thus set to miss the next game (oh, yes, Sweden did advance…).
Sweden scoring, once again! Nine scored goals in three group games!
We did know on beforehand that it would be a very tough game, as I warned. And so it went! Sweden started in a very high tempo, and already in the seventh minute it paid off! Rasmus Elm got the ball on the edge of the penalty area, played a ball out to the left wing where Emir Bajrami (who I have criticised, and did not even vote should start…) put a fantastic through ball in to Marcus Berg, who scored his fourth goal of the tournament by a low, hard piledriver that, with a bit of luck, passed the Serbian goalkeeper, Zeljko Brkic. Bajrami literarily screamed out all the hardships he faced in the beginning of the tournament, and the scream turned into a shout of joy and merry!
Berg celebrating 2-0 with a special gesture!
A great goal! The same Bajrami that provided Berg with the cross came on a breakthrough in the 14th minute, chasing a trhough ball from Ola Toivonen, Bajrami was pulled down by Nemad Tomovic, on the edge of the penalty area. The referee chose to give Sweden the penalty, and booked Tomovic. Berg stepped up and waited for the keeper to chose side. Brkic chose his right, and Berg then just went for his right and 2-0!
Happy Swedish players after Berg’s 2-0 penalty!
Then, Serbia fought back! Even though the team as a whole showed no real spirit or quality, Gojko Kacar (Herta Berlin) managed to score on for the Serbs on a corner in the 28th minute, where the Swedish goalkeeper Johan Dahlin made a misfortunate mistake, trying to punch the ball on the first post, but the ball went on and landed in the middle, where Kacar promptly kneed the ball into an open goal – and it was match again! Note that this was the first Serbian goal of the tournament (and would show to be the only, as well).
Kacar barely celebrating his goal, knowing Serbia needed to win!
A psychologically important goal for the Serbs, to score so quickly after Sweden’s 2-0. However, Sweden managed to score and countermand Serbia’s goal! In the 29th minute, Elm managed to get a weak through ball towards Toivonen, who seemed to lose the ball to the Serbian defenders. However, the defender nearest to the ball slipped, and gave Toivonen 20 metres of free space, which he used perfectly by a brilliant little chip to neutralise Brkic and two defenders! Classy finish from the PSV striker. A decisive goal! A great goal!
Toivonen and Mikael Lustig (right back) celebrates 3-1 to Sweden!
Then, for the rest of the game, Sweden had no problems keeping Serbia at bay. In the 45th minute Tomovic, who caused the penalty, managed to get himself booked for the second time after once again pulling Bajrami to the ground! Some minor fighting followed, and then both Bajrami and Pontus Wernbloom (also known as WernbloomBOOM) both got a yellow card each, which meant they will be suspended in the semi-finales. This was a really bad sequence for us, where we saw how two of the best players (Bajrami was runner-up to my man-of-the-match in this game) in the squad misses out on the next game! Luckily, for both teams, the half-time whistle soon sounded and prevented any further trouble on the pitch. However, it was rumoured that there were quarrels inside as well, when the players walked to their dressing rooms.
In the second half one could clearly see that the Serbian players lost their heads and did not keep the calmity they would have needed to defeat Sweden. Instead, another red card dropped in as Nikola Petkovic aimed a sharp elbow against Toivonen in an aerial duell. Straight red card, and bye bye to Petkovic. After this, Serbia never could threaten the confident 11-men Swedish team. Instead, the Serbs seemed to aim at injuring our star striker, Berg. Berg got some evil knocks also in the beginning of the game, and was stitched together in half-time.
Oh, I feel this post grew very quickly! Maybe I should stop, for this time. But, in the next post you might read about the next Confederations Cup game, and of course, of course, you will find much more about the fantastic Swedish Under-21 national team!
Mentioned Bajrami as the second man-of-the-match, but the winner of RedWalk’s MoM is Gustav Svensson, the defensive midfielder who acted cleaner against the technically skilled Serbian team!
Sincerely yours,
Oh, finally! The so far most exciting game for Swedish on-lookers: Serbia-Sweden at 19.45 GMT. With Sweden possessing the second place behind Italy in Group A, Serbia hunts Sweden, having Belarus last. The group, with two games played:
Group A
Italy 4 p
Sweden 3 p
Serbia 1 p
Belarus 0 p
As you see, Sweden (having better goal difference than do Italy) can pass Italy in the group under these circumstances:
1. Sweden draw with Serbia and Italy lose against Belarus
2. Sweden win against Serbia and Italy draw against Belarus
3. Sweden win against Serbia and Italy lose against Belarus
Further note that Serbia can pass Sweden only by a victory, and that Italy cannot miss out on the semi-finales.
I personally doubt, though, that Italy will draw or lose against Belarus, and knowing they might have to win to secure the first position of the group (thus avoiding England in the semi-finales). But, who knows? I mean, in the Confederations Cup USA managed to grab the running-up position behind Spain and thus sending both Egypt and Italy home (even though USA had zero points prior to that game!).
Now, the following line-up has been chosen by the managers Jörgen Lennartsson and Tommy Söderberg to fight the Serbs: Dahlin; Lustig, Johansson, Bjärsmyr (C), Bengtsson; Elm, Bajrami, Wernbloom, Svensson; Toivonen, Berg. Note that this is the third game out of three where the same team is matched.
Personally I am disappointed to not see Martin Olsson on the pitch, he came in against Italy and created a lot on his left wing.
Further on, we can note that Rasmus Elm’s booking against Italy was deleted after a protest by the Swedish football federation, since Elm was not the player to be booked but Pontus Wernbloom if any! Note that Wernbloom has not received a post-game warning.
Elm, by the way, is rumoured to be targeted by a series of large clubs: Bayern Munich, Valencia, Marseille, Sevilla, Fulham, and Paris Saint-Germain. If these rumours are true, Elm surely sails up as one of the tournament’s hottest players on the market!
I am very unsure about Serbia’s starting eleven, and I know the Swedish team is too! But this is a possible line-up: Brkic; Petkovic, Pejcinovic, Vukovic, Tomic; Kacar, Smiljanic, Obradovic; Tosic, Suljemani; Veljovic. Note that this is a 4-3-2-1 system, having Miralem Sulemanji and Zoran Tosic (two of Serbia’s many stars, Ajax FC and Manchester United respectively) on the flanks, being able to switch with each other during the game. Sweden have to watch out for Herta Berlin’s super-midfielder Gojko Kacar, who has shown real class in the U-21 European Championship so far. Also, RCD Espanyol’s Milan Smiljanic, the midfield dynamo. Note that Smiljanic actually is born in Sweden, in Kalmar, where Rasmus Elm plays at club level!
Now, I predict a very tough game with two physically strong teams. But I also think chances will come in piles, since the teams not only are strong but also technical and speedy. We have the important duelles between Mikael Lustig/Emil Johansson versus Tosic/Sulemanji and Wernbloom/Gustav Svensson versus Kacar/Smiljanic. The Serbian centre-backs will have to keep Marcus Berg and Ola Toivonen (the Swedish strikers) in close watch, and be very vary in the deep. Respectively, Mattias Bjärsmyr and Rasmus Bengtsson in Sweden’s central defence must be on their toes during the whole game, having Kacar, Tosic and Sulemanji threatening Johan Dahlin’s goal.
A very, very, very exciting game, truly! And I am so anticipating the game!
Oh, now it has started! Bye!
Sincerely yours,
RedWalk
drevinho