'Sweden are a one-man team & Zlatan is past it'

Even the most optimistic poster would acknowledge that we very well could come away with 0 points from our 2nd and 3rd games. But taking off the green-tinted glasses here as much as i can, i do think overall we are a significantly better side than they are. Most of the previews of the tournament done so far have placed Ireland ahead of Sweden in the group predictions as well.

Of course Sweden's unpredictability factor is Zlatan and he could win them any game on his day, but i genuinely do think that man for man this is a team we should be beating, and i'm fairly confident that we will. Could say 'we are just building ourselves up like 2012 again' but I think this team is in significantly better shape than the 2012 team, and that Croatia side would absolutely decimate this Sweden one. We're a better team than Sweden I think, and i'd back us to show it. Zlatan certainly isn't past it yet but Sweden are a one-man team, with the next best being a couple of decent pros like Wernbloom and Larsson

Edited by OnTheOneRoad - 20 Apr 2016 at 3:16pm

No thank you Turkish......I'm sweet enough

I would strongly fancy us to beat Sweden

Pied Piper to: Baldrick, Brendan 88, 9Fingers, Borussia and more...

97.6% chance this post will be replied to by Baldrick (source: PWC)

We are better team now than Sweden,just hope we can go out and show it. Thumbs Up

Bitored wrote:

lassassinblanc wrote:

BrendanD88 wrote:

Far from past it, having one of his best season's in his entire career.

But in a piss poor league

I love how this argument is never used to describe the MLS.
Of course, Robbie Keane up near the top of their goal scoring charts has nothing to do with it.

Well if it wasn't widely acknowledged as a piss poor league there'd be absolute outrage whenever Robbie doesn't start

No thank you Turkish......I'm sweet enough

valo88 wrote:

Zlatan is far from sh*te, or past it.

But he does rely on others to be feed the balls in. The quality of the PSG midfield allows it all game long. Sweden not so much. They've a 34 year old Kallstrum and an out of form bench warmer at Sunderland.

To stop Zlatan, stop their midfield.

Both are proven performers for Sweden though, with around 200 odd caps between them. Seb has missed a lot of the season due to injury, but on Saturday he set up a goal at the weekend when he came on and will more than likely start vs Arsenal this weekend coming!

I'd also expect Sweden to start with more energy in midfield with Ekdal to start, they've also a very good winger in Durmaz who is a speed merchant on the wing. Zengin is also a nice option for them too!

On a side note they have slowly but surely decreased the average age of their team due to the emergence of the under 21 European Championship winning side. We saw Victor Lindeolf play against Bayern last week in the CL last 8. Hijlemark earned a move to Serie A on the back of winning the European Championship (haven't seen much of this season but was a good player for PSV)!

I have a bit of an obsession with Sweden Embarrassed

Basically whenever they're playing I'll watch them over any other side (bar Ireland) and they are more dangerous than people are giving them credit for.

We shouldn't be in awe of them mind or fear them at the same time.

"He drives two Ferraris; I think he's a very lucky lad to have 50 caps for Ireland,"

Eamonn Dunphy on Glenn Whelan

pre Madonna wrote:

If he doesn't score at least two when playing an English club he is past it. He is blamed, bizarrely, for the European defeats of every club he has played for

Unfortunately a lot of blinkered EPL fans think this way. I work with a fella (Life long Liverpool "supporter" who is in his 50s and never once been to Anfield) who for years has maintained Zlatan is sh*te because there were a couple of times he played Liverpool and didn't score. This was evidence that he "never performs in the big games"

Edited by DangerHere - 19 Apr 2016 at 9:51am

Far from past it, having one of his best season's in his entire career.

Cue Zlatan to get a hat trick against us!

He knows it's most likely his last major tournament before he heads off to the great retirement home in America.
He'll definitely be out to have a good one.

I won the Player of the Century award thanks to the people.Pele was second.He also came second behind Aryton Senna as Brazil's greatest sportsman.The award FIFA gave Pele isn't worth sh*t - Maradona

Sono wrote:

32 goals in 27 league games for Zlatan this season, wouldn't mind having a player that's past it of that nature in our side.

His stats are still outrageous and he is a match winner and will be hard to keep quiet in June.

+1

Can't see any reason to suggest "he's past it" , he could beat us on his own if he's in the mood.

Granted his powers in his overall play may not be what they used to be, but all he needs is one chance to punish any side in world football.

"He drives two Ferraris; I think he's a very lucky lad to have 50 caps for Ireland,"

Eamonn Dunphy on Glenn Whelan