Potter selects inexperienced Sweden squad for crucial World Cup playoff matches

Graham Potter has selected Sweden's squad for the World Cup playoffs, according to official sources. The squad announcement comes with significant absences, as Alexander Isak and Dejan Kulusevski are missing due to injury, and both are key players racing against time to be fit for the playoff semifinal against Ukraine. Sweden will face Ukraine in a playoff semifinal in Valencia on March 26, in what multiple reports describe as the most important match for Swedish football in many years.

The winner advances to a decisive qualifier final against either Poland or Albania, with Sweden potentially facing Poland in a playoff final for a World Cup spot, according to sources. 5 competitive matches, according to major media reports. Victor Nilsson Lindelöf is the most experienced player in the squad with 73 caps and 58 competitive matches, and only nine players remain from Jon Dahl Tomasson's first squad two years ago.

Potter did not select experienced players like Robin Olsen and Emil Forsberg, and the squad includes newcomers such as Mjällby AIF's Elliot Stroud, Williot Swedberg of Celta Vigo, and goalkeepers Melker Ellborg, Kristoffer Nordfeldt, and Noel Törnqvist. Melker Ellborg and Elliot Stroud are called up to the Swedish national team for the first time, and Potter chose Elliot Stroud over Samuel Dahl for the squad. Mjällby AIF has produced several Swedish national team players in the past year, including Noel Törnqvist, Axel Norén, Herman Johansson, and Elliot Stroud, according to reports.

Injury concerns loom large, with several key players like Viktor Johansson, Jacob Widell Zetterström, Emil Holm, Emil Krafth, Dejan Kulusevski, and Alexander Isak missing from Sweden's squad due to injuries or lack of recent play, according to Potter. Dejan Kulusevski has been recovering from patella surgery after a knee injury last April, has not played a single World Cup qualifier match, and did not train with Tottenham, making him unlikely to be in the playoff squad, according to sources. Lucas Bergvall is included in the Swedish squad for the playoff, but he and Viktor Johansson are also dealing with injuries, though Bergvall returned to training with Tottenham and could be available, exceeding recovery expectations, according to reports.

Viktor Gyökeres and Alexander Isak had long moves during the summer that partly led to vacancies in offensive positions and they failed to hit form when available, according to analysis. Potter has been the Swedish national team coach for five months, according to official sources, and was installed swiftly, initially until March, based on research. He started his journey to the top with Östersunds FK and has recently coached clubs like Brighton, Chelsea, and West Ham United in the Premier League, according to reports.

Sebastian Larsson continues as assistant coach under Potter, having been retained from Tomasson's staff, and played a key role in Sweden's playoff victory against Italy in 2017, according to sources. Potter changed the formation to a five-back system against Ukraine, according to Gabriel Gudmundsson, but he announced Sweden would play a variation of 4-4-2 during a training camp in Marbella, according to reports. 5 years and not beating a higher-ranked team in a competitive match in nearly five years, according to data.

The atmosphere in the Swedish team is upbeat ahead of the playoff final against Poland, and Potter gave players almost a day off after the Ukraine match to spend time with family and friends, with players allowed to sleep at home instead of the team hotel, according to sources. Sweden need three points and a favour from Slovenia against Kosovo to keep alive the race for second and a potentially crucial place among the playoff seeds, according to analysis. Gustav Lundgren and Besfort Zeneli came on as substitutes and contributed to Sweden's third goal in the playoff final against Poland, according to reports.

Team management has focused on morale, as Potter organized a surprise video greeting from family and friends for all players before the playoff, and he explained that Eric Smith provides flexibility as he can play both midfielder and defender, according to sources. Sweden had a good final training session ahead of the match against Poland, with everyone ready and expectant except Eric Smith who went home, according to official sources. Herman Johansson made his starting debut for Sweden against Ukraine and dealt with jetlag from traveling from the USA, according to reports.

Player-specific updates include Mattias Svanberg, who was close to leaving Wolfsburg in winter, which caused Potter to cancel a planned visit, according to sources. Svanberg is now fit and ready to play after recent minor injury concerns, according to reports. Roony Bardghji was left out of the squad for the playoff final against Poland due to selection decisions, not injury, and Potter will select the squad for the Ukraine match on March 18, according to sources.

Opponent analysis reveals that Poland has not lost a match since Jan Urban took over as coach, with seven matches played, five wins and two draws, according to major media reports. Poland's last win in Sweden was 96 years ago, in 1930, with 11 away matches since then resulting in nine losses and two draws, according to historical data. The implications of these playoffs are profound for Swedish football, with qualification for the World Cup at stake after a period of struggle.

The exact severity and recovery timelines for Alexander Isak's and Dejan Kulusevski's injuries remain unclear, as does whether Sweden will ultimately qualify. The specific reasons behind Potter's exclusion of certain experienced players like Robin Olsen and Emil Forsberg are not fully detailed, and the financial and sporting impact on Swedish football if they fail to qualify is unknown. How Poland's coach Jan Urban plans to counter Sweden's tactics in a potential playoff final is also uncertain.