With eight rounds left, Djurgården, AIK and Malmö FF top the Allsvenskan. After that, Elfsborg and IFK Norrköping are on the same point, and two points behind that duo are Kalmar FF.
Last year, Kalmar finished in fourteenth place and qualified in the Allsvenskan. So it’s an impressive lift that the team has made this year.
And there are many who are impressed with the team’s transformation.
– Kalmar plays fantastic football. We played 1-1 against Kalmar and we scored in the end. Then people say: “how can you not win against Kalmar?”, But it really looked the same on Friends only that then we won 2-0. But then people did not talk about it as much, but even then Kalmar had an advantage in possession. It is a good football team, says AIK’s midfielder Alexander Milosevic.
Milosevic’s AIK is second in the Allsvenskan as they have a worse goal difference than one Djurgården. On Monday, Djurgården plays at home against Elfsborg, and team captain Magnus Eriksson is tagged before the final sprint.
– Fun and motivating. There are probably four matches left until the next national team break and then there are four more matches after. Now the teams at the top are starting to meet each other, so it feels like it could be a trio that makes up for it. But if the top trio does not succeed with it, there may be four or five teams that will make up for it all the way in. It is clear that this restart is extremely important, that you have the right flow in things and that you get into the right swing, says Eriksson.
Who will it be between?
– I think it is us, Malmö, AIK and Norrköping. Then you should not exclude Elfsborg and Kalmar.
What do you think your game schedule looks like?
– It’s pretty tough. Of course, we do not have Malmö or AIK away, but we will go to Norrköping, and then we have Elfsborg and Kalmar, who are two extremely skilled teams. Kalmar plays a football that is completely brutal. And Elfsborg plays good pass-oriented football. So there will be something to bite into.
Norrköping has crept up now and is, as you say, five points behind – how do you see it?
– That’s right, Norrköping is sneaking. Then you have Kalmar there who are a few points behind and who play a very good football.
It sounds like you are impressed with Kalmar, is Kalmar the team that has impressed the most this year?
– Yes indeed. I would say that. “Henke” (Rydström) has done something good there. You play a very nice and good football and are very loyal to your idea. So it’s probably a good candidate for this year’s surprise.
Eriksson’s teammate Hjalmar Ekdal is also impressed with Kalmar FF. But for him, it is no big surprise that the team has lifted this year.
– I am not surprised considering Rydström that I had in Sirius last year. An incredibly skilled coach. He is clear and he really implements that game idea to 100 percent in the squad, and all players are completely in agreement on what to do and how to solve each given situation. Kalmar are extremely ball-skilled and have really changed their DNA from before when they were not a pass-oriented team. So I’m very impressed with what he’s done. But I’m actually not that surprised, says Ekdal.
Do you think it is strong to change the game idea and make it work in such a short time?
– Really. It’s quite similar to player squad as well. So he has done very well.
How do you view the Allsvenskan final sprint?
– It will be tight all the way in. There are quite a few teams that have a knack for it. Norrköping and Elfsborg are five points behind, then it is us, Malmö and AIK who are ahead. So it lives to a very high degree and I think it will do all the way in, Ekdal continues.
Who is it between?
– It’s too early to say. There are 24 points to play for, that’s a lot.
Norrköping has crept up now and is, as you say, five points behind – how do you see it?
– Yes, Norrköping has had a good form lately and taken their victories. That’s a bit what I mean by it’s too early to talk about a segment at the top that will only stick there, there will always be someone or some who lose points and if Norrköping goes clean now in five or six matches then you are all of a sudden up there.
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