Zlatan Ibrahimovic likley to miss rest of World Cup

[SectionX]

Swedish paper says Ibrahimovic is likley to miss rest of world cup because of a nagging groin injury :(

[Tsigalko]

Allbäck ain't exactly crap. Good pace and plays well together with Larsson. It's Larsson who is my main worry.

[SectionX]

Allbäck ain't exactly crap. Good pace and plays well together with Larsson. It's Larsson who is my main worry.

Allbäck missed 2 clear chances, and should had scored. imo he is not good enough for World Cup.

[Tsigalko]

Zlatan's scoring form hasn't exactly been golden either. Allbäck atleast is in the right spot at ther right time and HOPEFULLY he can start hitting the net.

Elmander look good in the right wing, a much more physical presence then Wilhelmsson who can't hit a proper cross for his life.

+ You never know. It's to early to truely know the extent of Zlatans injury this early. I'm enjoying the victory and I'll start worrying tommorow.

[ExpatSwede]

I hope its not too bad... Because Allbäck is missing chances left and right! :mad: (today and against T&T).

I'd like to see Larsson paired with Elmander or Rosenberg vs. England.

[LarsSon]

Allbäck did good, he had bad luck with the referee. Give allbäck a break. He'll score goals for us.

[SectionX]

more news. Zlatan said he got injured at the warm up, and that it worse the longer the match went.

http://expressen.se/expressen/jsp/polopoly.jsp?a=611603

[glennaldo_sf]

Swedish paper says Ibrahimovic is likley to miss rest of world cup because of a nagging groin injury :(

Sorry... didn't realize it that he was playing in the first place. ;)

[catenaccio_L'pool]

more news. Zlatan said he got injured at the warm up, and that it worse the longer the match went.
He did look sluggish today, not pressuring PAR defenders when they were on the ball, nor running after the midfielders when they were just few feet away from him...I thought he was just a lazy superstar;)
Hope he gets better for England

[frenil]

Considering the way he's been playing for the past two games, with the exception of a few flashes of his former self, he could do with some rest.

[ExpatSwede]

He said in an interview that he started feeling some pain during the warm-up.

It would certainly explain why he was standing still so much, and failed to get any decent shot off when he was free with the keeper. (Zlatan even in his current poor form should have buried that in the net)

[Dune]

Zlatans injury can actually be a blessing in disguise.
The poor form he has showed for Juventus all season has evolved to even worse for the national team at the moment. Yet there is no way Lagerbäck who already has frosty relations to the Swedish media would have the guts to bench the team’s biggest star and having to face a potential outrage from the media and the public.
Zlatans injury makes way for Marcus Allbäck who at the moment looks like the best striker in the team (Henrik Larsson has been almost as invisible as Zlatan so far). Allbäck has missed a lot but he did a brilliant set up for Ljungbergs goal and at least he get in position to miss chances, with less playing time he alone has had more then twice as many scoring opportunities as Ibrahimovic and Larsson combined so far.
It should be noted that I am not saying Allbäck is a better player then Zlatan because he surely is not, but right now is he a better alternative to partner Larsson then an injured/out of form Ibrahimovic.

[SectionX]

why are people saying allbäck is better than zlatan? Right now Allbäck hasn't scored a single goal despite many many chances.

[Ceres]

who is to replace Ibrahimovic ?

Henrik Larsson 91 caps, 35 goals
Marcus Allbäck 58 caps, 23 goals
Zlatan Ibrahimovic 40 caps, 18 goals
Johan Elmander, 19 caps, 7 goals
Markus Rosenberg 8 caps, 3 goals

My vote goes to Allbäck.... He may have missed some opportunities, but unlike Larsson, then Allbäck seem to be in the right place at the right time to get the opportunity to score the goals needed... He simply look like the most dangerous of the Swedish forwards at the moment...and then his goal ratio for Sweden is really not bad at all...

Johan Elmander is more of an attacking midfielder than a striker, but he did look good the minutes he got to play, also providing the cross to Allbäck's assist. as for Rosenberg then he is simply not experienced enough at this level, in my opinion..
.

[Dune]

why are people saying allbäck is better than zlatan? Right now Allbäck hasn't scored a single goal despite many many chances.
But at least he puts himself in scoring positions and does not give up trying despite his misses. If Allbäck keeps on going like he does at the moment the goals will come.
Zlatan and Larsson on the other hand does not even get to scoring opportunities. Larsson at least works hard and creates room for other players but Zlatan has contributed very little in the games he has played so far.
It is not a question who is a better player because everyone knows that Zlatan is a class above Allbäck but form beats class and Zlatan is not even close to his best at the moment.
Sweden is not Brazil who can carry a passenger for the opening games and hope he finds his form.

Henrik Larsson 91 caps, 35 goals
Marcus Allbäck 58 caps, 23 goals
Zlatan Ibrahimovic 40 caps, 18 goals
Johan Elmander, 19 caps, 7 goals
Markus Rosenberg 8 caps, 3 goals

It should be noted that a lot of Allbäcks caps has been games where he has come on as a sub (and a lot of those substitions has been very late ones).
If one would look to goals/minutes played Allbäcks statistics would look a lot better.

[LarsSon]

My choice was Allbäck to begin with if Zlatan could not play. Ceres, No question Henke is one reason why we control the game. He win everything in the air. Something Zlatan and Allbäck(to some extent) can't do. He creates very much. And it will get better as times goes by. Larssons Freekicks are really dangerous. He gets them on goal every time now and i don't think anyone else could do them better on our team.

Markus Rosenberg is not going to play one minute, he doesnt bring anything that we dont already have.

Allbäck is a clear favorite. He has experience and work very well with Larsson. He is powerful infront of goal and thats what we need. Im truly pissed that the referee called for offside when he was free. He would have left the game as the hero.

[Kukilon]

Allbäck would be our best goal scorer if measured by goals per minutes by far.

[Ceres]

Allbäck would be our best goal scorer if measured by goals per minutes by far.

How about Elmander ?... (19 caps, 7 goals) also a rather good goals per minutes ratio I'm sure ...

[LarsSon]

How about Elmander ?... (19 caps, 7 goals) also a rather good goals per minutes ratio I'm sure ...
He runs more and work harder than Zlatan but he also misses open goal equally as much.

[Tsigalko]

Doctor said it was just a minor injury. Will probably miss England match but should be able to play in the next round if Sweden qualify.