Sweden should qualify for World Cup 2026 whereas Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyokeres are of their prime, says Jonas Olsson

It’s crunch time for Sweden.

They’ve performed 4 World Cup qualifying matches, however have only one level to their identify. Direct qualification is already out of the query – Switzerland or Kosovo will take that.

On October 14, Jon Dahl Tomasson was sacked as head coach. “Football is results-based and we have reached a point where results are not enough,” mentioned Kim Kallstrom, the nation’s Head of Soccer.

Now, to have any likelihood of securing a spot within the play-offs in March, they have to win each of their matches throughout the following week towards the Swiss and Slovenia.

“At the beginning of the campaign, there was such a positive sense about Swedish football,” former Sweden defender Jonas Olsson tells Sky Sports activities.

“Now we have most likely one of the best staff since Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Freddie Ljungberg, with Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyokeres, Dejan Kulusevski, Anthony Elanga. The staff, player-for-player, is superb.

“They’ve tried to go a special means with Swedish soccer; usually it has been very 4-4-2, with a really organised, very defensive method.

“Now, they would like to play a bit more attacking football. The problem has been they have been too open and a bit too naive, I think.”

Concerningly, the Swedes have scored simply two targets throughout these 4 qualifying video games.

Olsson believes within the change of method, however questions the timing of its implementation.

“It’s valid to change it because of the players they have available, but I think you have to take small steps into it,” he says.

“Looking at the first four games, they were too open and they got punished too easily.

“It’s important to have these ambitions with the gamers you could have obtainable. These gamers I discussed are the power of the staff and it is best to play to the power of your largest gamers.

“I also think they have defenders who are more suited to playing high up the pitch, with Isak Hien, who plays for Atalanta, and with Victor Lindelof. The generation before had defenders – like me, like Olof Mellberg – who were comfortable sitting deep, defending the box.

“They undoubtedly ought to go that means, however they must do it with a steadiness.”

The 2 November fixtures are additionally the primary with new head coach Graham Potter in cost.

The 50-year-old was appointed on a short-term contract on October 20, simply over three weeks after he was sacked by West Ham.

“I feel it was the plain appointment when Potter declared, earlier than he was approached by the Swedish FA, that he needed the job and that the wage wasn’t a problem,” Olsson continues.

“That’s normally the issue when the Swedish FA are due to appoint a manager as the salary isn’t the highest, so they can’t really go for the biggest names.

“Potter’s hyperlink with Swedish soccer is large due to what he did at Ostersunds, but in addition due to his teaching workers; his assistant Bjorn Hamberg has been with him at Brighton and Chelsea.

“Swedish supporters kind of see him as one of their own, so it’s an easy appointment to sell and, in terms of getting the balance right, his leadership qualities show he can build a good group of players and a sense of harmony.

“However the Swedish nationwide staff is at some extent the place they do not have the posh to see the long-term perspective. They should carry out now, within the two video games developing.

“It’s going to be all about just getting as prepared as possible for those two games and whatever comes after that, you deal with then.”

On Thursday, Potter confirmed Liverpool striker Isak was “fit and available for selection”, however Gyokeres is absent from this month’s squad with a muscular situation.

If the duo are match and firing, most would fancy Sweden’s possibilities.

“It’s about getting them involved in the game, putting him in good positions as often as possible. That wasn’t the case with the former manager,” Olsson says.

“He wanted to play a high-pressing line, but they didn’t manage to do it. The amount of times Isak or Gyokeres was on the ball was very limited.

“Potter has to discover a strategy to get them extra concerned, whether or not that be urgent excessive or whether or not that be being higher in transition.

“Another issue was with the formation the former manager played, with one striker. It was a 3-4-2-1 formation, with Isak as a dropping striker, but I think they will play with two strikers now.

“The chemistry between them hasn’t been good in any respect within the nationwide staff, not in these 4 video games or the video games in the summertime, in order that’s one thing to work on when Gyokeres is again, however I do assume a change of formation will probably be a primary step in the direction of that.”

Sweden haven’t certified for 3 of the final 4 World Cups – and Olsson says it could be a disgrace for gamers of their prime to overlook out.

“It would be very disappointing to not qualify again. When we got drawn into that group, with all due respect to Switzerland, Slovenia and Kosovo, everyone felt this was a good draw and we should be able to get, if not first place, then second place and go to the play-offs.

“In that context, it could be an enormous disappointment, but in addition, trying on the major gamers, Gyokeres is 26, Isak is 25, Kulusevski is 25 as effectively. That is their prime; the following World Cup, they are going to be nearer to 30 and who is aware of the place they are going to be then.

“For all those reasons, it’s vital Sweden qualify for this one.”