USMNT vs. Sweden

[eamonmcg]

I know that the FIFA world rankings dont hold much water, but the USA is currently ranked 11th. I payed close attention to Sweden during Euro 2004, and they seem to be a very talented team. They moved the ball very well, played at a very fast pace, and overall seemed very good. My question is can the USMNT play this type of soccer? Could they honestly play with the likes of Sweden? And finally, should Sweden have a higher rank than the USA?

[voros]

Should Sweden rank higher than the USA?

Probably but not by very much.

My guess is that the two are roughly similar in quality with Sweden a touch better. They need to replace Larsson though.

[CyphaPSU]

A1: Yes
A2: Yes
A3: Yes

[eamonmcg]

How would the US's best players by position compare to Sweden's best by position?

[eamonmcg]

Which US players could start for Sweden's national team? Any?

[Elninho]

Goalkeepers: clear advantage to USA

Defense: center backs are about equal, but Sweden has better outside backs

Midfield: hard to call. Sweden's stronger on the wings, we're deeper in central attacking midfielders. If everyone's healthy, the USA is better, but John O'Brien's never healthy so it's a moot point.

Forwards: advantage to Sweden, we don't have anyone like Larsson. Not a long-term advantage as Sweden doesn't have anyone else like Larsson either. Also in Sweden's favor is the fact that our top forwards all seem to be injury-prone.


Incidentally our all-time record vs. Sweden is actually 2-2:

08/20/1916: Sweden 2:3 USA
02/20/1994: USA 1:3 Sweden
08/16/1995: Sweden 1:0 USA
01/24/1998: USA 1:0 Sweden

[NoSix]

Should Sweden rank higher than the USA?

Probably but not by very much.

My guess is that the two are roughly similar in quality with Sweden a touch better. They need to replace Larsson though.

I agree - Sweden's offense is better; the USA's defense is better - and Sweden's offense is better than the USA's offense by a wider margin than the USA's defense is better than Sweden's defense.

Overall, I would currently rank Sweden 10th and the USA 16th.

[eamonmcg]

do we have a forward as good as Ibrohimovic? not to mention larrson?

[KenC]

I know that the FIFA world rankings dont hold much water, but the USA is currently ranked 11th. I payed close attention to Sweden during Euro 2004, and they seem to be a very talented team. They moved the ball very well, played at a very fast pace, and overall seemed very good. My question is can the USMNT play this type of soccer? Could they honestly play with the likes of Sweden? And finally, should Sweden have a higher rank than the USA?

FIFA world rankings are NOT a measure of talent level, nor an evaluation of quality of play, but a measure of results. Perhaps, not a perfect measure of results, but results-based, nevertheless. Also note that invariably rankings seem odd as the time period measured always seems much longer than its critics would like. If the rankings were based on results only since the summer, then the rankings would look much different than one based on a couple year's results. So, basing your observations on Euro 2004, and applying them to FIFA rankings is bound to show major differences.

[SamsArmySam]

If you believe the betting markets are a more accurate indicator of relative strength than FIFA rankings, then Sweden and the USA are essentially the same, with 67-1 odds to win WC06.

Other nations with 67-1 odds: Turkey, Paraguay, Mexico, Greece, Denmark,
Croatia.

Nations with better odds: Brazil (5.5 to 1), Germany (7), Argentina (8), Holland, France, England (9), Italy (10), Spain (15), Portugal (17), and Czech (21).

http://www.willhill.com/iibs/EN/buildcoupon.asp?couponchoice=FB181155

[Onionsack]

Whoever was right back for Sweden in Euro 2004 was worse than Hedjuk, every team that played Sweden exculsivly attacked that flank and beat him like a red headed step child. Yes I know he was not a fullback but a converted midfielder..so is Hedjuk.

Sweden's central defence is old and not as good as Boca or Pope at the moment.

Donovan, Reyna and Beasley are every bit as good as Ljundberg, Kallstrom and Svensson.

Larsson, Zaltan, and Allback are much better than McBride, Wolff, Ching, or EJ.

Sounds like a push to me on paper. But games are not played on paper they are played inside television sets so who knows.

[SABuffalo786]

But games are not played on paper they are played inside television sets so who knows.



And here I was thinking it was played on grass. :p

[Tmagic77]

do we have a forward as good as Ibrohimovic? not to mention larrson?

No. If Donovan plays forward he's the closest in quality, but still no.

[Shaster]

You guys need to know the soccer is playing with "team" instead of individual players. For example, Portugal may have better players than US on most field positions, but playing as a team, US may have better chance than Portugal in a tornament. The perfect example is Greece on Euro 2004. There are no many teams in the world are more organazed or deciplined and playing as team than US. The only problem for US is to begin producing creative attackers.

[eamonmcg]

You guys need to know the soccer is playing with "team" instead of individual players. For example, Portugal may have better players than US on most field positions, but playing as a team, US may have better chance than Portugal in a tornament. The perfect example is Greece on Euro 2004. There are no many teams in the world are more organazed or deciplined and playing as team than US. The only problem for US is to begin producing creative attackers.


tis why I would like to see more of Martino, he is a very creative attacker.

[voros]

I agree - Sweden's offense is better; the USA's defense is better - and Sweden's offense is better than the USA's offense by a wider margin than the USA's defense is better than Sweden's defense.

Overall, I would currently rank Sweden 10th and the USA 16th.
I would add about 4 onto each (IE, Sweden about 14th, the USA about 20th).

[Femfa]

I have to say, it's amusing to read the objectivity most posters are trying to subject onto their fantasies.

[appoo]

No. If Donovan plays forward he's the closest in quality, but still no.and I'll still take Landon over Ibrahimovic any day. for all of Zlatan wonderful skill and talent he's an ahole who kills team chemistry.

just ask Rafael Van Der Vaart

[appoo]

I would add about 4 onto each (IE, Sweden about 14th, the USA about 20th).
are you ranking our program or our best XI with a healthy JOB?

[velociraptor]

Where does Greece rank compared to US and Sweden?