Djurgården has signed in Albin Ekdal, who has extensive experience playing in the national team and in Serie A, and also Samuel Leach Holm, who impressed in Brommapojkarna. Two central midfielders. In a position where you already have Magnus Eriksson, Rasmus Schüller, Besard Sabovic and Lucas Bergvall (who last week signed for Tottenham, where he is moving this summer).
In Friday’s practice, the day before the meeting with Viking, Leach Holm, Schüller and Bergvall played together in what looked like an intended starting eleven. In the other team were Ekdal, Eriksson and Sabovic.
– It must be competition. Then it happens sometimes, it is Bosse (Andersson, sporting director) who builds a squad in the long term. We are part of that process. That’s how it happens sometimes. Sometimes it becomes a more heavily loaded part of the team… like now when Albin came home and who is a great player who comes in, it’s clear that we are very happy that he wants to come to Djurgården and wants to play, and then maybe it became a bonus midfielder every now and then we become someone more, and maybe that’s how it is sometimes, says Thomas Lagerlöf.
Most of the central midfielders are very experienced – is there a challenge for you that everyone might not be able to start and that these players might not be too happy sitting on the bench?
– That’s how it is – and that’s how it should be in football. It’s about performing as well as possible in training and when you get the chance, and if you don’t start every game, so there must be competition in every place.
Djurgården has played three practice matches this year – without scoring a goal.
– It’s obviously not good. It’s all about scoring goals. So of course we are not happy with that, says Lagerlöf.
What has been lacking in the attacking play?
– We have had goalscoring chances in all matches, but it is clear that we have to put the chances there. But we haven’t had enough scoring chances.
– There have been different types of matches. Against BP it was the first match and then it was time to get started, everyone had to play a half each. Against Västerås, it looked a little more organized. That game was suspended, but we didn’t create a lot of scoring chances. There have been too few goalscoring chances, but we should have put someone there. But it comes down to scoring goals so we are not satisfied.
Samuel Dahl and Rami Kaib are left backs in Djurgården’s squad. Against Mjällby, Dahl was injured and then perhaps some thought that Kaib would be allowed to start. But not. Instead, central midfielder Rasmus Schüller was left-back.
Lagerlöf explains the choice.
– We play in slightly different ways. Most recently against Mjällby, we played 3-4-3 with three central midfielders and three backs with Rasmus (Schüller), Miro (Tenho) and “Mackan” (Marcus Danielson) backs and then Piotr (Johansson) and Oskar (Fallenius) wide on each edge, and so we had four central midfielders. It’s pre-season and then you want to try a little. Besides, Rasmus was by far the best, or clearly the best player in our team. So he handled himself very well in that position.
One who has impressed in the pre-season is Theo Bergvall, older brother of Lucas.
– It’s great to see Theo. He had a tougher time competing last year. He took steps during the autumn and has continued now and even though we were dissatisfied with periods in the match against Mjällby, Theo was definitely a joy, he was great when he came in, and he has also been good in training after that. It is fun.
How do you see Lucas after everything with Tottenham he signed for and Barcelona also wanting him?
– It has been a lot for him. You can tell he’s back and focused on being here. You understand that there was a lot going on in his head before, but now that he came back and everything is clear, it feels like he has landed in it and is secure in his situation. Really hope he continues that way.
The interview was done before the 3-1 loss against Viking on Saturday.
