Sweden =vs= Italy

muffen

I couldn't hold it in anymore, just had to post something about this game
I'm really excited already, I think this is going to be a good game.

I really hope Sweden can win this... but one thing I am sure of, today we will see if Sweden has a chance of continuing!

Here's the starting 11 for Sweden:
Andreas Isaksson
Mikael Nilsson
Olof Mellberg
Andreas Jakobson
Erik Edman
Christian Wilhelmsson
Tobias Linderoth
Anders Svensson
Fredrik Ljungberg
Henrik Larsson
Zlatan Ibrahimovic

They swapped out Lucic for Chippen (Christian Wilhelmsson). They are going to play very offensive, so hopefully there will be more Sweden goals

Anyways, what does everyone think.. whos gonna win and is it going to be a good game (ofcourse I'm biased here, which is why I am interested in other peoples opinion)?

KdjaCL

Would expect italy to win ,Sweden looked dodgy at the back when crosses came in, just bulgaria had noone who could head the ball. Italy dont have that problem with lazy arse Vieri up front. Totti being banned may be a good thing for itlay as it means they playing with a 2nd striker which is a bad thing for Sweden.

Also Sweden didnt impress me in anyway with long ball tactics and hope they get sent home for playing that way as it really annoys me.

Looking forward to<sarcasm> best player ever Larsson</sarcasm> playing against Nesta and Cannavaro 2 decent defenders.

So hopefully a 57-0 win for italy and pasing football

kdjac

Harry2001

If Sweden can defend well I can see them getting a draw out of this

Italy usually only do enough in the group stages and with Bulgaria to come in the last game a draw would do them too

Going for 1-1

thejollyrodger

I see italy getting a result out of this game.

Italy to win by a goal, 2-1 or 1-0.

muffen

Italy's team for tonights match:
Buffon
Panucci
Nesta
Cannavaro
Zambrotta
Gattuso
Pirlo
Perrotta
Del Piero
Vieri
Cassano

There are some rumors that Italy will change to a 4-4-2 formation due to missing Totti.

Pepe LeFrits

Linderoth and Svensson need to play much better against Italy. Italy should win, but they were also expected to beat Sweden's neighbours.

I like Sweden, they are well organised, strong, quick, they have lots of width and 2 very good forwards. Italy seem to lack width, and I think Ljungberg and Wilhelmsson could do well against them, particularily if their fullbacks get forward with them.

eyerer

cassano wasn't impressive against denmark and del piero has been lacking for a long time
i'd say sweden have a decent chance, heres hoping its not another draw

naitkris

Originally posted by muffen

Here's the starting 11 for Sweden:
Andreas Isaksson
Mikael Nilsson
Olof Mellberg
Andreas Jakobson
Erik Edman
Christian Wilhelmsson
Tobias Linderoth
Anders Svensson
Fredrik Ljungberg
Henrik Larsson
Zlatan Ibrahimovic

that's a very good starting 11. Christian Wilhelmsson was really impressive when he come on as a sub and Mikael Nilsson played much better defence then Lucic.

Kim Källström i think should be on instead of Anders Svensson though as i think he is in much better form.

2-0 to Sweden.

phenom

If Sweden play as well against Italy they will win it. 2-1 to Sweden

eirebhoy

Originally posted by muffen
There are some rumors that Italy will change to a 4-4-2 formation due to missing Totti.

It should be a diamond with del Piero behind the front two and Gatusso in the holding role.

I couldn't even predict the score of this match TBH.

muffen

Originally posted by eirebhoy
It should be a diamond with del Piero behind the front two and Gatusso in the holding role.

I couldn't even predict the score of this match TBH.

Yeah, they normally play the diamond (seems to get more and more popular) but with Totti missing, I've seen two reports now (Swedish papers) saying that they believe them to change it to a 4-4-2, they want to put more pressure on Sweden's defense (and in all honesty, it is the weaker part) by bringing up runners on the sides... their 4-3-1-2 system is more a "come from middle" system ... and isn't really designed for siderunners.

PHB

I think tonight we will see if Laurson really is one of the best strikers in Britain

BaZmO*

Originally posted by PHB
I think tonight we will see if Laurson really is one of the best strikers in Britain

Why do people have to keep bringing that up? He is, end of!!

B

mike65

I really fancy Sweden for this on a mad hunch.

2-1

Mike.

BaZmO*

Sweden are the favourites with the bookies.

Sweden 6 - 5

Italy 6 - 4


Denmark 10 - 3

Bulgaria 40 - 1

B.

eirebhoy

A Sweden - Bulgaria double is 16/1. I've just put €5 on it.:)

naitkris

Originally posted by eirebhoy
A Sweden - Bulgaria double is 16/1. I've just put €5 on it.:)

you are much better off with a Sweden - Denmark double followed by a draw in the Denmark v Sweden match.

BaZmO*

Originally posted by eirebhoy
A Sweden - Bulgaria double is 16/1. I've just put €5 on it.:)

Would you not be better off putting your €5 on Bulgaria to win?

That way if Bulgaria win you'd get €200 back.

Whereas the way that you've done it two teams have to win and you only get a €80 return.

B.

PHB

The reason people keep bringing it up is because he has never shown that he is consistantly good at a top level

eirebhoy

Originally posted by BaZmO*
Would you not be better off putting your €5 on Bulgaria to win?

That way if Bulgaria win you'd get €200 back.

Whereas the way that you've done it two teams have to win and you only get a €80 return.

B.

No, because I don't think Bulgaria will win the group (Bulgaria are 40/1 to win the group). I have a Bulgaria-Sweden double in todays matches at 16/1.

muffen

35min to kickoff... got my Sweden shirt on and my beers ready ...

thejollyrodger

An important game for the Italians tonight, I think they are a better side without Totti and will defend well and get a result of this match. Sweden’s 5 goal win doesn’t look so hot after watching the Bulgarians again and their porous defence. I cant see Sweden scoring ½ that amount tonight.

muffen

Originally posted by thejollyrodger
An important game for the Italians tonight, I think they are a better side without Totti and will defend well and get a result of this match. Sweden’s 5 goal win doesn’t look so hot after watching the Bulgarians again and their porous defence. I cant see Sweden scoring ½ that amount tonight.

Don't think anyone believes Sweden are going to beat Italy with 5 - 0, and personally, I'm happy with one goal... as long as we dont let the italians score... its all good

... although, I woldn't be unhappy if it did end 5 - 0

Raskolnikov

Originally posted by eirebhoy
No, because I don't think Bulgaria will win the group (Bulgaria are 40/1 to win the group). I have a Bulgaria-Sweden double in todays matches at 16/1.

LOL

You'll be feeling a wee bit aggreived tonight so!

This game is hard to call, it'll all depend on how Sweden play. If they try to contain Italy and defend then Italy to win. If they go at Italy then they've an awesome chance at winning. Hopefully we can see a nice open match after that mess of a Denmark-Bulgaria game.

KdjaCL

Italy looking quite good atm.
Sweden making sure there half of the ptich is ok before they venture out.,ohh Del P hits post a goal is coming for italy and they looking quite scary....

kdjac

thejollyrodger

ja, solid performance at the back so far by italia. Plenty of support from the players at the back. Creating chances and look like scoring.

Sweden look good when they do go forward, its going to be an intresting match

KdjaCL

1-0 Cassano well worth it atm.
Del peiro is outstanding reminds me of years gone by really playing well.

kdjac

thejollyrodger

1-0, only what italy deserve. A more postive performance tonight and look like scoring again. Clearly the better side. Totti not playing is a plus

Harry2001

Originally posted by thejollyrodger
1-0, only what italy deserve. A more postive performance tonight and look like scoring again. Clearly the better side. Totti not playing is a plus

yep, as the commentator on ITV just said: "Francesco who??"

Italy looking very good tonight, Sweden not in it yet

KdjaCL

Last 5 minutes was a lesson in football for sweden, italy stepped up a gear hope they keep it up 2nd half ,but you know they good enough to run out 1-0 winers.


I want a mini Gattuso giving out to ball boys for getting ball quick enough ...LOL

kdjac

therecklessone

First chance I've had to watch Cassano play in ages, he looks quality.

Italy have easily been the better team,plenty of chances and if Vieri was on form they'd be 3-0 up.

I can't see Sweden getting back into this to be honest, though I do have a fiver on a 3-2 Italy win @ 28-1, so here's hoping...;)

thejollyrodger

looks like italia have reverted to form and are going to defend this 1-0 lead after that subsitution

therecklessone

Betting in running rules!

€5 on the draw with 12 minutes to go @ 5-1...

€15 up on the night instead of €15 down.

mike65

Holy Smoke! What a goal. 1-1

Mike.

Pepe LeFrits

Super finish by Ibrahimovic!

Harry2001

Fair play to the Swedes they are never beaten, great goal!!

Italy blew it though

therecklessone

Italy got what they deserved. Coasting at 70 minutes, they took off their three best players (Cassano, Del Piero and an injured Gattuso) and let the Swedes back in. I can't belive they thought they had the game in the bag at 1-0, jaysus this is the Euros!!! Greta finish by Zlatan, a great footballer as us Champ Man players know.

thejollyrodger

italy lost the game, the coach is an idiot. Italy were well in control and the raft of subtituions make a complete dogs dinner of the match.. im disgusted with the fool.

Fair play to the sweds they kept battling

naitkris

Sweden need to vastly improve their defence, Olof Mellberg was the only defender that kept the Italians out, followed by Jakobsson who wasn't too bad but could do better. Edman was ok, but as a unit they seemed very much off it.

Italy should have lost at the end there, sure they played better first 60 or so minutes but that's because they held the ball more (Sweden lost possesion way too much too) and had a bigger and better defence keeping the Swedes out when the Swedes got their chances near goal. Up front Italy weren't near as good as Larsson and Ibrahimovic, but you wouldn't be able to say that based on the fact that the Italian forwards got more chances, while the Swedish attacking pair were always kept out by a top Italian defence.

Italy have the best defence in the tournament having watched every match so far and that is their main advantage as a team.

it sucks that the last set of matches in each group are all at 19:45 - NET2 have opted to show the Italy v Bulgaria game as opposed to the Denmark v Sweden one which is going to be the more interesting game imo (although a biased opinion as a Swede).

jk2001

Just noticed on ITV that they are showing Denmark-Sweden on Tuesday... this surely will be the deciding game of the group

Sorry naitkris, on Tuesday I will not be supporting your team

-jayo

muffen

My throat is hurting from screaming after the goal, and my pulse is still a little high I think... those last 20min almost killed me...

I think that was the best game I have seen... I just love the Swedish spirit of never giving up .. even when things looked really bad they didn't stop trying.. and Zlatan.. well.. the guy is just brilliant

Very very good game, Italy looked the better side, but Sweden just never gave up, and I think the score was fair.
If Sweden can close that gap on the side, we should do really good in this tournament.

mr_angry

I've been very impressed with Sweeden so far. They deserved their point from this game. Its hard to pick out an area where they're lacking anything - possibly creativity in central midfield.

Not a bad outside bet for the tournament at the moment. It'll be interesting to see who they get paired with in the quarter finals (assuming they make it). One of either Germany / Holland / Czech Republic by the looks of things.

Dewey

Italy threw it away. They were fine for most of the match then Trapatti made the subsuatiutions(sp) which invited Sweden to attack and they did and what a goal for Sweden. It will be one of the goals of the tourament. Italy will find it hard to get threw to the next round. They are depending on Sweden to beat Denmark or Denmark to beat Sweden and that match has the making of a Draw.

JippoKelly

A great goal from Zlatan. He's got some great tricks and flicks.

I'd expect Sweden to get out of the group (they should get at least a draw against Denmark) and they could go all the way. They're a solid team with a decent defence and their attacking trio of Ljungberg, Zlatan and Larsson are pure quality.

I just don't get how anyone can doubt Larsson's quality. He's shown his quality at international level (anyone remember him in USA '94? He was electric).

naitkris

Originally posted by muffen
My throat is hurting from screaming after the goal, and my pulse is still a little high I think... those last 20min almost killed me...

i was exactly the same when that goal came - i made so much noise i think every house nearby heard me...

all Sweden needs is a draw against Denmark to guarantee their place in the quarter finals, a win will mean topping the group for sure (they can still top the group with a draw against Denmark providing Italy score less than 5 difference in goals against Bulgaria). i know Sweden are more than capable of winning against Denmark. both teams are very organised and talented sides, but Sweden has a much better attack then Denmark with Larsson and Ibrahimovic and i can see Denmark having lots of problems with that duo up front against their defence which isn't as strong as Italy's defence from today's match which was the best defence i have seen in the tournament so far.

Zlatan has more than made up for his blunder of World Cup 2002 where he went for a shot on goal rather than passing to an unmarked Larsson in front of goal and he ended up missing in doing so and Sweden ended by losing the match and exiting the tournament.

the goal Ibrahimovic scored today and also Larsson's flying header from a beautiful cross by Edman against Bulgaria are the two best goals of the tournament so far, both very worthy of nomination for goal of the tournament.

have both Larsson and Ibrahimovic for top scorer of Euro 2004 and so far they are both at 2 goals each making them joint top scorers with Zidane and Rooney (if Rooney's 2nd goal is counted that is).

Big Ears

Today Rooney's goal was credited to him by FIFA/UEFA .

now thats all well and good but if he is credited with a goal that wouldnt have gone in had it have not hit the keepers head , then how come Zidane is credited with the goal that hit Tudor's leg on the way in . Zidane's most likely would have gone in anyway , Rooney's would not .

PHB

Maybe I'm wrong but aren't Italy now on two points?
With Denmark on 3 and Sweden on 4 no matter what if Italy win they get through right?

jk2001

Denmark have 4 points - draw against Italy and 2-0 win over Bulgaria. That leaves Sweden and Denmark on 4 points each. Very interesting Tuesday ahead, as none of the teams are guaranteed to go through.

TwoShedsJackson

If the Sweden Denmark game is a draw Italy must beat Bulgaria by two clear goals or they'll be out.

phenom

Italy must beat Bulgaria by two clear goals or they'll be out.

Well I Can See that happening. Sweden can beat them by five goals Italy can win by 2.

muffen

Originally posted by phenom
Well I Can See that happening. Sweden can beat them by five goals Italy can win by 2.

I wouldn't bet money on it.

Bulgaria now have no chance of continuing, so there is nothing to loose for them.

Italy does not have a histroy of scoring lots of goals. Infact, I cannot remember the last time Italy won a game with more than 2 goals scored (I actually don't think it has ever happen in a euro-final match, but I might be wrong here).

Finally, Bulgaria have been horrible.. and they might just want to finish it better... just to show the world that they aren't all that bad...

Ofcourse, it could go the other direction, they could decide that there is nothing to play for, and play even worse than they did against Denmark... and end up loosing with even more than 5 goals ...

Anyways, point is, you never know... it is far from over yet, and bulgaria might still have a vital part to play, although it won't be for themselves.