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Northern Ireland - Sverige


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Alright Irlandos, I know your pumped up about this game. I'm looking forward to this exciting encounter. Northern Ireland has been on fire after there 3-0 home loss to Iceland. I do expect this to be a tough game for us (Sverige), much tougher then the one in Iceland.

May the best team prevail ;)

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Yes of course, vs. Liechtinstien on March 24th

You guys (NI) are currently in 3rd place with 7 pts behind Denmark and SVERIGE.

Denmark faces Spain on March 24th as well, that's a good game too. I would hope Denmark can steal a point or beat Spain to the finish.

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  • 1 month later...

Irlandos, Northern Ireland can't be too depended on Healy, he is surely a goal prediator. He would be missed, there is bound for somebody else to pick up the slack. On the other hand, Sverige is not playing well in 4 friendly matches (3 in South America), mainly because of the use of Scandinavian-based players. :rolleyes:

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There is no one in N. Ireland who could pick up the slack for David Healy!

Btw, there is one thing that has me worried: Will Sweden be bringing Henrik Larsson for the game? As a former Celtic player, he would be given a very hard time at Windsor Park...

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I don't think that "Henkie" will be back for Sweden. Lars Lagerback was trying to lure him back, he made it clear he's done playing for the national side. If it does happen, I'll be taking a piss. :LOL:

Once he finishes playing for Man U (on March 12th), he'll return to the Swedish league with Helsingborg IF.

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Lagerback lacking striking cover

Friday, 2 March 2007

Coach Lars Lagerback will be happy Sweden are leading their UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifying group, but a lack of striking talent could undermine their challenge.

Excellent start

Sweden have begun their campaign with a perfect record. Wins against Latvia, Liechtenstein, Spain and Iceland have given them a five-point advantage in UEFA EURO 2008 Group F, with Lagerback's side in pole position to reach next year's finals in Austria and Switzerland. However, an injury to Marcus Allback has sidelined the FC Kobenhavn forward for six weeks and, with a trip to Northern Ireland looming on 28 March, his attacking options are limited.

Allback setback

Allback has been in exceptional form this term, and with a record of 26 goals from 64 internationals, boasts a goalscoring rate that compares with the best. Fellow frontman Johan Elmander proved last autumn that he too can cope with the demands of the national-team game. Yet, behind the Toulouse FC striker, lurks something of a void.

Out of reach

All the more galling for Lagerback is that Henrik Larsson and Zlatan Ibrahimović, undoubtedly among Europe's finest forwards, have retired from international football. Larsson has shown, during his loan spell at Manchester United FC, that he still passes muster at elite level, but is unlikely to return to the Sweden fold. Ibrahimović, meanwhile, has inspired FC Internazionale Milano to a record sequence of Serie A wins, though the mercurial 25-year-old cannot be persuaded back into the squad.

Forward options

SC Heerenveen's Lasse Nilsson, Markus Rosenberg of Werder Bremen, and Daniel Nannskog of Stabaek IF have all played friendly matches, but the jury is out on them. Closer to home the Allsvenskan goalscoring charts do not suggest immediate contenders. Last year's top marksman, other than Larsson at Helsingborgs IF, was AIK Solna full-back Markus Jonsson with eight. Halmstads BK's Magnus Arvidsson registered seven times but is widely regarded as too slow for the international stage while IFK Goteborg's Stefan Selakovic is yet to dazzle for his country.

Formation change

Lagerback could spring a surprise by giving Malmo FF's 20-year-old Ola Toivonen his first cap, yet so far the coach has tended not to throw unproven talent in at the deep end. The alternative for Lagerback is to opt for a 4-5-1 formation against Northern Ireland, with Elmander the lone striker, but the last time he tried that, Sweden were outclassed 3-0 by Germany at the FIFA World Cup. Seven years into the job and international management is not getting any easier for Lagerback.

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  • 2 weeks later...

YES!!!:tup:

Ibrahimovic set for Sweden return

Wednesday, 14 March 2007

Zlatan Ibrahimović has ended his self-imposed exile from the Sweden squad and returns to face Northern Ireland in UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifying Group F on 28 March.

Blistering form

The FC Internazionale Milano striker had retired from international football after the 1-0 win in Latvia on 2 September, but Sweden coach Lars Lagerback has persuaded the 25-year-old - whose 13 league goals this season have helped his club establish a 16-point cushion at the top of Serie A - back into the fold. FC Kobenhavn pair Tobias Linderoth and Marcus Allback are also included despite struggling with injuries, though Aalborg BK's Rade Prica and FC Twente midfielder Kennedy Bakircioglu are on standby.

Four wins

Lagerback's side won their first four fixtures to open up a five-point lead in the section, although second-placed Denmark have a game in hand. Northern Ireland also have seven points, and are unbeaten in their last three competitive fixtures, so the Sweden coach is taking nothing for granted ahead of the trip to Belfast's Windsor Park. "On paper Northern Ireland's squad may not be impressive, but under Lawrie Sanchez they've steadily climbed the FIFA rankings, so they're definitely a team that is going places," said Lagerback. Sweden will prepare for the game at London Colney, training ground of Arsenal FC.

Sweden squad

Goalkeepers: Andreas Isaksson (Machester City FC), Rami Shaaban (Fredrikstad FK).

Defenders: Petter Hansson (SC Heerenveen), Max von Schleebrugge (RSC Anderlecht), Mikael Nilsson (Panathinaikos FC), Oscar Wendt (FC Kobenhavn), Daniel Majstorovic (FC Basel 1893), Erik Edman (Stade Rennais FC), Olof Mellberg (Aston Villa FC).

Midfielders: Niclas Alexandersson (IFK Goteborg), Daniel Andersson (Malmo FF), Fredrik Ljungberg (Arsenal FC), Kim Kallstrom (Olympique Lyonnais), Tobias Linderoth (FC Kobenhavn), Christian Wilhelmsson (AS Roma), Anders Svensson (IF Elfsborg).

Forwards: Marcus Allback (FC Kobenhavn), Markus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen), Zlatan Ibrahimović (FC Internazionale Milano), Johan Elmander (Toulouse FC).

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Hate to burst your bubbles, but Ibrahimovic didn't play THAT well in Germany. He's coming alive in the Serie A with Inter Milan, that's why Lars recalled him back. Since Larsson is likely NOT to come back, we need Ibrahimovic to step up and ride Sweden's back.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Irlandos - what is your Irish story - you born there?

I ask because my inlaws are from Ireland and my boy is half Irish (49% really :gr: )

I've been to Ireland once and loved it

What is the Greek community like over there?

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No, I wasn't born here.

A pen pal - turned girl friend - turned fiancee, wouldn't come to Atlanta, GA so...I came here nearly 10 years ago.

Your son is 49% Irish? Mine is only 1/4 as his grandmother married an English pen pal before his mother married me.

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