Lagerbäck set to pick tough, attacking side

Let’s sort the details out first. Sweden meet England in the clash for Group B’s top spot this evening. With both teams undefeated, the winners will top the group and go on to face the second placed team in Group A – either Ecuador or Germany.

If the match between the two European sides is a draw, England will top the group and Sweden will go through as Group B runners up to play the top team in Group A, again either Ecuador or Germany.

If Sweden, however, lose the match, Trinidad & Tobago can seize second spot by defeating Paraguay by two goals in their clash in Kaiserslautern.

The clash between Group A leaders Ecuador and Germany is scheduled to finish in Berlin just hours before England and Sweden kick-off in Cologne. Although Ecuador have set the tournament on fire, scoring five goals and conceding none in their victories over Poland and Costa Rica, Sweden would probably rather face the South Americans in the last 16 rather than host nation Germany who are a much bigger threat.

If Ecuador win or draw the match in the capital, then they will win Group A with Germany as runners up, however a German win will see the host nation finish top.

There is a strong possibility that Sweden could meet Germany in the second round. This would be a massive match for Lagerbäck’s band of merry men as, despite their recent poor form, the Germans have looked solid playing at home and with the support of the home crowd.

Over the last twenty years Sweden and England have played each other 10 times, with Sweden remarkably having never lost, winning four of the 10 matches and drawing six. NOt bad, eh, for a bunch of vikings from the north!

When quizzed as to whether he would like to avoid playing Germany in the second round, England coach Sven Göran Eriksson made it quite clear there are advantages to finishing top of Group B.

“You have one more day off than your opponents all the way through to the final. So we want to win the group.”

“Before leaving this job I should like to beat Sweden,” Eriksson added, the cheeky prankster.

Originally from the Värmland region of Sweden, Eriksson confirmed (14:00 CET) Shrek-lookalike Wayne Rooney will start against Sweden alongside Michael Owen.

“We are a different team with Rooney,” Eriksson said, perhaps overstating the obvious.

Eriksson is also expected to rest Liverpool’s captain mavel, Steven Gerrard, who is on a yellow card and would miss out in the next round if he picks up a card.  Bayern Munich midfielder Owen Hargreaves is expected to start in his place while Livepool defender Jamie Carragher will play at right back for the injured Gary Neville.

Hargreaves won’t both us as he’s not nearly as classy as Gerrard. It’s almost like Svennis had decided to play more cautiously than Lagerbäck who is set to pick a very combative midfield with Chippen Willhelmsson set to be rested and Matias Jonson playing instead. Jonsson is better defensively and I’m sure hell be more creative in midfield.

There’s no doubt we will be looking for the win to ensure place in the second round even though a draw might do it. The bad news is that Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who was crocked whilst warming up for Sweden’s previous match against Paraguay, won’t play. The lanky striker has been in poor form of late and is widely expected to be replaced by the more robust Marcus Allbäck, who plays for FC Copenhagen in Denmark.

As for Anders Svensson, he’s expected to start on the bench again, no doubt with a bottle of milk and some cookies to stop him from sulking.

I’m predicting Sweden will win 3-1 with Anders Svensson coming off the bench to score a hat-rick in the last ten minutes! Then again, perhaps not.

Let’s have your predicitions then!