Tackling today’s 10-point outlook with no chronological significance for Group D’s closing ceremony at the European Championships (analyzation of each follows the point in bold):
1. Both teams need the win flat-out, though there’s little denying Russia has the benefit of having to crave it so much more in terms of trying to crystalize its reputation throughout Europe and beyond. That urgency was pretty apparent on the field in the Russian win, not to say that the Swedes just horded this one over. Think about it, though, and how much really do the likes of Ibrahomovic, Larsson, Ljunjberg, Mellberg, Wilhemsson, etc. stand to gain significantly from another second-place group showing and early exit in the quarterfinals, especially with the club commitments all have that promise more? It isn’t the case with a Russian program that is yet to be revered as a slam dunk to make these types of tournaments every time out.
2. The Swedes weren’t the popular choice as the No. 2 in Group D until battling the Spanish far tougher than the Russians were able to, which doesn’t prove much considering playing up to a higher level of competition is merely a prerequisite for simply being a respectable ballclub. Indeed, both teams’ performances against Spain were perfectly disposable in the approach to this match. Context, context, context matters (as usual) when comparing and contrasting both. Russia got the Spanish first — when they were rearing to go and eager as ever to flex some serious muscle while Russia likely had the nerves jangling. The Swedes actually had a chance to scout and scrutinize Aragones’ tournament lineup and make adjustments accordingly to their cause since they also had a game under their belt to go off of. It’s also reasonable to believe Spain was a bit tired for Sweden — remember, Aragones didn’t change his starting 11 a single bit and lost Puyol in the opening minutes — and not nearly as fresh as the opening rout of Russia. It’s probably closer than the 2-0 score indicated, but Russia proved to be the worthy winner over Sweden in the race for that No. 2 group spot in the quarters.
3. Bear in mind that while Spain have the luxury of resting the regulars for the massive Italy quarterfinal forthcoming, there’s an excellent warm-up opportunity awaiting for the team’s starters with the similar challenge Greece poses defensively. Opportunity schmoppurtunity. It’s the 21st century and kids need the rest these days, apparently. Aragones cleaned his bench spick and span. He saw no need to close the one-day advantage the Italians have to enact full preparations for this weekend’s big matchup.
4. The name Denis Kolodin gets a whole lot more meaningful to all tournament viewers — he’s the 6-foot-2 Russian defender with the stature considered paramount toward dealing with the sizable, savvy Swedish front attack. The lack of tangible Kolodin activity other than his yellow card illustrates the way the Swedes failed to pressure the Russians significantly. Russia was out-posessioned 56-44 yet had just as many shots on goal (six) as Sweden and also held a 12-4 advantage in corners. And those set-piece plays right there were where Kolodin was really going to be crucial.
5. Hey, what do you know, Pepe Reina is likely to get an international sniff in goal with the Spanish. It’s conceivable this will be only one among less than a handful of World Cup/European Championships starts for Reina in the decade to come. He is really looking more and more like a Jens Lehmann dead ringer — a pillar in the plans of a powerhouse club team and still only a pauper internationally. Since 2005, he has made 109 appearances for Liverpool and the start against Greece was just his 10th for Spain in that same span. It’s a predicament you’ll find everywhere at the highest club levels where sturdily-built teams are often stacked with three or four potential starters on their roster while the minnows at the bottom of the standings are having to make due with a washed-up sort or wide-eyed virgin gelding.
6. Sweden have been nothing close to the bastion of offensive pressure, garnering five shots on goal against Greece in what was the team’s tournament high, in a match where the Swedes had a whopping 52-48 advantage in possession no less.Going over the shortfall again isn’t going to make the Swedish an offensive machine all of a sudden. It seems like there are some weapons to use but that Lars Lagerback’s notoriously mellow style doesn’t call for them to be brandished. Will be interesting to see if the Swedish FA’s patience is any thinner about the matter.
7. Maybe, just maybe, the Greeks will give everyone ammunition for something nice to say other than, ‘Don’t let the door hit you on the way out!’ (and there’s a ‘Mwuahaha’ in there somewhere) Everyone can exhale, the Greeks are (officially) no longer a threat to crash the knockout party. They got skunked in Group D. That, however, should lend more praise to the accomplishment of 2004, still quite possibly the most unheralded sports surprise by an underdog in recorded history.
8. Freddie Ljungberg is such the factor in the Swedish script that he gets a touch-counter for this mega match against the Russians. Ljungberg ended up with 25 touches, 13 in the first half and 12 in the second. It confirms the reason for putting him on the touch-counter … he just doesn’t seem to be valued as the lightning rod for Sweden that people credit him to be. It was interesting in the beginning of the match how he was looking more like a forward on a rapid possession toward goal for the Swedes. Still, it wasn’t until the 43rd minute and on his 13th and final touch of the first half that he put a firm shot on goal. You figured his pace and ability advance through defenses individually would be valuable to the stagnant Swede attack but it was an uneventful tournament for the 31-year-old watching his international role diminish slowly.
9. It’s a contest so steeped in balanced matchups and tough-to-find advantages that the two unheralded goalkeepers, Andreas Isaakson and Igor Akinfeev, will get the opportunity to make a career out of it with the right type of individual showing. Afinkeev got the win but his bigger fish to fry is around the corner. It’s probably good he wasn’t too pressed for the Russians, who are bound to be under siege by the Dutch offense eager to sink its teeth into another victim.
10. Guus Hiddink found himself in the same situation with Australia at the 2006 World Cup in the Group F finale against Croatia — a scenario that saw the Socceroos battle for a 2-2 draw and get the knockout breakthrough — although a draw in this case wouldn’t be quite as beneficial for Hiddink and the Russians. The Guus is still loose. A draw would have put the Russians out of the tournament and Hiddink’s squad didn’t let it happen by taking a swift and purposeful lead. But here’s the the thing about Hiddink, just to play devil’s advocate here … ever wonder if maybe the guy just has a divine sense of where to pick his spots? His last three projects — South Korea, Australia and now the Russians — all had players mined for talent by the biggest European leagues after Hiddink’s success in each program. Is it conceivable to believe Hiddink alone made these prospects who they are, or brought the recognition their way with his stature in the game? It’s kind of the ol’ Phil Jackson conundrum. But he wins, therefore he conquers. You just wonder how far Hiddink is willing to go to test his limits, like what he might be able to do with the United States squad if Bradley doesn’t fully pan out.
