Waiting for Zlatan to hit the Swede spot

NICE — If there is a disadvantage to having a genuinely world-class player in your squad, it is perhaps that there is an unavoidable tendency to wait on him to win you games.

And without a shot on target in two Euro 2016 games so far — unprecedented since statistics began at the finals in 1980 — Sweden are well and truly waiting on Zlatan Ibrahimovic to provide them with some inspiration.

The Swedes do have one goal and one point to their name in Group E, thanks to an own goal in the opening draw with Ireland. But their loss to Italy means they must beat Belgium in Nice tomorrow morning (3am Singapore time) to reach the last 16.

“Time to make yourself visible, Zlatan!” was a headline in Sunday’s edition of Stockholm daily Svenska Dagbladet while columnists in tabloids Expressen and Aftonbladet both said Ibrahimovic was spending too much time on the field away from the opposition box.

Johan Esk, a columnist with Stockholm daily Dagens Nyheter, even dared to suggest that Ibrahimovic, on the highest stage, was just not as good as some people think —probably including himself.

“Perhaps it’s as simple as the fact that he struggles in certain extreme matches when everything is at stake,” said Esk.

“Just look at how he’s been in the Champions League the longer the championship has progressed.”

Ibrahimovic has won league titles in Holland, Italy, Spain and France but has never triumphed in Europe’s elite club competition and has rarely featured at the business end of the tournament, reaching the semi-finals only once.

Adding to his frustration is that former clubs Inter Milan and Barcelona both won the trophy shortly after his departure — though proving a link here between cause and effect is impossible.

Undeniably though, in a team game, no one player can win games single-handedly and Ibrahimovic’s Euro 2016 performances have been defended by coach Erik Hamren.

“He’s done what he should do during the two matches,” said Hamren.

“He had a tough challenge against three strong defenders (against Italy). We had difficulty creating pressure, which he needs. A forward needs support.”

Now 34, Ibrahimovic has been a mainstay in the Sweden side since he was a youngster. In truth though, the problem may be less with Ibrahimovic himself than the declining ability of those around him.

Euro 2016 is Ibrahimovic’s fourth with his country. But at his first, back in 2004, he was part of an attack which included Henrik Larsson, Fredrik Ljungberg and Christian Wilhelmsson.

Glancing through the current squad sees players representing a variety of solid clubs throughout Europe but the likes of strikers Marcus Berg and John Guidetti are simply not at the same level as those of the previous generation.

The midfield consists mainly of workmanlike professionals rather than flair or creativity, though more could have been expected from Emil Forsberg who earned promotion to the Bundesliga with RB Leipzig domestically.

Ibrahimovic, unsurprisingly, is refusing to panic.

“During the first match, we didn’t play well and picked up one point,” he said.

“We’ve got one match left and if we win, we can advance.”

And Belgium coach Marc Wilmots was also under no illusions as to who was the main danger to his side in the upcoming contest.

“They have got a great player up front, Zlatan. He can score from a deflection, from a free-kick, from anything and I respect Zlatan very much,” he said. DPA

SWEDEN’S PROBLEMS

* They have failed to muster a single shot on target in their first two games, despite having Zlatan Ibrahimovic in their attack.

* Their only goal so far was scored for them by Ireland’s Ciaran Clark in a 1-1 draw but they have singularly failed to exploit Ibrahimovic’s presence and are now in danger of a second successive group stage exit.

* One of Sweden’s problems has been that Ibrahimovic has often dropped back into midfield so that he is no longer available to receive the ball in attack.

* Midfielder Kim Kallstrom’s performances have suggested that, at 33, his role as a box-to-box midfielder is a little ambitious. The Swiss-based player has performed his defensive duties well but has had little to offer in attack.

* Winger Emil Forsberg has been largely anonymous against Ireland and Italy who managed to close him down completely.

* Sweden are also searching for a suitable partner for Ibrahimovic after neither John Guidetti, who started alongside him against Italy, nor Berg himself, against Ireland, performed the role effectively. REUTERS

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