Mike Roberts

Archive for the ‘Swedish Allsvenskan’ Category

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Power Rankings For The Allsvenskan Going Into Round 11

In Swedish Allsvenskan on June 9, 2011 at 4:23 pm

It’s been a month since I last looked at the Allsvenskan, which makes the latest rankings more interesting from a long tem point of view. In that period, the biggest improvers have been GAIS; AIK and Häcken have dropped off the pace a little.

One thing I’m going to clarify straight away is that I’m discounting the games that were abandoned due to crowd disturbances, so the list below is based on matches that have actually taken place.

1. Gefle

Have continued their impressive start to the season, although they’d be doing even better if they could convert draws into wins: looks as if teams who park the bus at Strömvallen can nick a point. Still, this is an impressive turnround from a team that only stayed in the Allsvenskan after beating GIF Sundsvall in the relegation playoff.

2. GAIS

3. Kalmar

4. AIK

5. Elfsborg

Current top scorers in Sweden – have scored in all their home games this season and have only failed to score twice on the road.

6. Helsingborg

Haven’t won the title since 1999 but are on course to win it this season – the only team to average over two points a game and the only team from last season’s top three to be performing at even remotely at the same level in 2011.

7. IFK Göteborg

Tobias Hysen has taken over as top scorer in the competition, but Göteborg are the model of consistency – a mid table team that seems to be stuck in a rut.

8. Trelleborg

The team to watch if you like goals – an average of three goals per game.

9. Häcken

10. Örebro

11. Malmö

It’s looking increasingly likely that they won’t repeat last season’s success, especially as their hooligan element basically handed Helsingborg three points when their game was abandoned at the end of last month. In case you’d forgotten, Malmö only won last year’s title by two points.

12. Mjällby

One for the punters: in only one of their ten games this season have both teams scored.

13. Halmstad

Worst defence in the division so it should hardly be surprising that they also have the worst goal difference. Four of their eleven points have come when they’ve kept clean sheets. Already looking up against it.

14. Djurgården

Biggest regression since 2010; appeared to have a mini revival in mid May, but it didn’t last long and they’re bottom for a reason.

The promoted sides have had changes in fortune over the last month – Norköpping have lost four of their last five games but Syrianska seem to have worked out how to win in the Allsvenskan after a poor start.

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Power Rankings For The AllSvenskan After Week 7

In Swedish Allsvenskan on May 10, 2011 at 11:12 am

Updated after last night’s games.

1. AIK (-)

Comprehensively beaten at Häcken, who could even afford the luxury of a Mattias Ranégie own goal.

2. Gefle (-)

May not be in this position much longer: 3-0 defeat at Helsingborg may be an indication of things to come.

3. Kalmar (+2)

Jumped another two places with a 2-1 win at Örebro

4. Helsingborg (-)

Third clean sheet in four home games and already have a four point lead at the top of the league.

5. GAIS (-2)

Took an early lead but lost at Göteborg on Monday night

6. Häcken (-)

7. Elfsborg (-)

8. Trelleborg (+1)

Quietly improving: have won three of the last four games

9. Göteborg (+3)

The week’s big movers following  a come from behind win against GAIS.

10. Örebro (-2)

Second home defeat this season indicates that 2011 won’t be the year they win the title

11. Malmö (-1)

Have now failed to score in three games – not really looking like title winners at the moment.

12. Mjällby (-)

Is it too early to say dull?

13. Djurgården (+1)

May have turned the corner after beating Halmstad.

13. Halmstad (-1)

Had their Spanish goalkeeper sent off in the defeat at Djurgården and are beginning to look as if they’re going to be in a relegation battle with Syrianska.

Overall, Helsingborg deserve to be at the top of the table at this stage of the season, but the other team to look out for is AIK who have played one game less after their game at Syrianska was abandoned. However they are already doing much better than last season; Gefle (who are lucky to be in the Allsvenskan this season) and Kalmar are also going in the right direction.

At the bottom, Syrianska and Halmstad already look as if they’re going to be up against it this season, but in terms of declining performance compared to last season, it’s interesting to see that Malmö are in the same group as Djurgården and Halmstad. They may not be able to defend their title successfully in 2011.

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Power Rankings For The Allsvenskan After Week 6

In Swedish Allsvenskan on May 2, 2011 at 11:05 pm

It’s been a couple of weeks since I updated these – the figures in brackets indicate the changes in position.

1. AIK (+1)

The 2009 champions are undefeated and haven’t conceded at home, but haven’t won away yet either.

2. Gefle (+1)

Haven’t lost away from home, which is where the big improvement in performance is. The trip to Helsingborg next Monday will reveal a lot about the promising start

3. GAIS (-2)

4. Helsingborg (-)

Undefeated with a strong defensive start to the competition. Got off to a good start but seem to be slowing down: have drawn last two games.

5. Kalmar (+2)

Unbeaten at home, but haven’t won away yet and and have also yet to score on their travels.

6. Häcken (+2)

As long as Mattias Ranégie is banging then Gothenburg’s ‘other’ team will be fine.

7. Elfsborg (+2)

Unbeaten at home; Lasse Nilsson could be this season’s penalty king.

8. Örebro (-2)

Have a decent away defence; only defeat away from home was at AIK.

9. Trelleborg (+1)

Got off to a slow start  with two home defeats but seem to have turned it around – unbeaten in last three games

10. Malmö (-5)

Failed to score in last two games and lost both but defending a title isn’t easy in Sweden. An improvement in Yago Fernandez’ disciplinary record might help.

11. Mjällby (-)

12. Göteborg (+2)

13. Halmstad (-2)

Haven’t won yet and their away goal difference is worse than Syrianska‘s. Could be in for a long season.

14. Djurgården (-1)

Awful start. Have lost five straight.

Couple of things to remember: this ranking is based largely on past performance, although I do make comparisons from season to season. Both Syrianska and IFK Norrköping (who were promoted last season) are missing from these rankings because their current performance in the Allsvenskan cannot be compared with their performances in last season’s Superettan.

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Power Rankings For The Allsvenskan After Week 4

In Swedish Allsvenskan on April 23, 2011 at 9:36 pm

A very quick round up as Week 5 starts on Sunday – I’ve left Syrianska and Norrköping out as they’ve just been promoted. These rankings are not based on the league table, but on improvement from last season then on a percentage rating that measures rewards avoiding defeat – basically (wins + draws/matches played)

1. GAIS

Conceded less than one goal per game, currently the most improved team since last season. Both home games so far have been over 2.5 goals

2. AIK

Unbeaten and haven’t conceded at home yet. Have drawn both away games so far.

3. Gefle

4. Helsingborg

Unbeaten, conceded less that one goal per game – haven’t conceded at home yet.

5. Malmö

Unbeaten, conceded less than one goal per game. Defending champions have got off to a perfect start.

6. Örebro

Have won both away games

7. Kalmar

Both home games so far have been over 2.5 goals, haven’t scored on the road yet

8. Häcken

All four games so far have been over 2.5 goals

9. Elfsborg

Both home games so far have been over 2.5 goals, have lost both away games

10. Trelleborg

Both home games so far have been over 2.5 goals

11. Mjällby

Have lost both away games without scoring a goal

12. Halmstad

Haven’t won yet, have lost both away games.

13. Djurgården

Haven’t won yet, have lost both away games so far. Look as if they might be defensively frail on the road.

14. IFK Göteborg

Haven’t won yet – a very poor start. Not as bad as Rosenborg’s decline in the Norwegian Tippeligaen, but both of these clubs are currently shadows of their former selves.

Of the promoted teams, Norrköping are off to a good start but there are signs that Syrianska may be out of their depth.

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Can Malmo Win The Allsvenskan Again?

In Swedish Allsvenskan on March 26, 2011 at 8:58 pm

The 2011 Allsvenskan could be very competitive this season – any team from the top half of last season’s final table could be in with a chance of winning the title, but Malmö fans expecting their club to repeat their 2010 success might be disappointed.

Last season’s competition turned into a two horse race between Malmö and Helsingborgs, with the Himmelsblått eventually winning the title for the first time since 2004. Djurgården were the last club to win consecutive Allsvenskans almost ten seasons ago, so although another title for reigning champions isn’t out of the question it’s not exactly nailed on either.

So which teams are likely to challenge Malmö in 2011? Well, although Trelleborg, Mjällby, Häcken and Örebro all finished in the top half of the table last season, none of those clubs have ever won the Allsvenskan. Mjällby’s sixth place finish last season was their best ever placing in the championship and given Häcken’s recent history in the Allsvenskan they’ll probably be happy to avoid relegation.

Örebro finished in third place in 2011 and their success was based on a stingy defence – fourteen clean sheets in 30 games – but they struggled to score away from home and only earned one point from the fifteen available against other top six sides in 2010.

If Helsingborg can repeat last season’s form then they could win the title for the first time since 1999 but it’ll be interesting to see how both Elfsborg (winners in 2006) and IFK Göteborg (2007 champions) respond this season. Elfsborg have finished in the top four in the last five seasons but drew too many away games in 2010: the last time IFK Göteborg finished outside the top five they won the title the following season.

The two promoted clubs have taken very different paths to the Allsvenskan: twelve times title winners Norrköping return to the top flight after two seasons in the Superettan but Syrianska FC are making their debut, having been promoted twice in the last three seasons.