Did Trinidad & Tobago's Defense Outperform Expectations Against Sweden?

[Greg Bernhardt]

Looks like sweden will run this match. I got to root for T&T though!

 

[Anttech]

dont write of Trinidad :) go on shaka

 

[NateTG]

Really, both of these teams are looking better than England did against Paraguay. T&T is showing great pose so far.

 

[Gokul43201]

Holy Cow!

Sweden attacked reasonably well, but failed to finish. Too many times, they played long balls instead of well-built drives. I think they were getting impatient.

Trinidad was lucky to survive the first half unscathed. Second half, though, they put up a tremendous show.

 

[Physics_wiz]

Sweden played horrible.

 

[Anttech]

Well done TT... good result for England...

Really, both of these teams are looking better than England did against Paraguay. T&T is showing great pose so far.

Sure you weren't watching a different game?

 

[siddharth]

If T&T play this way, watch out Beckham and co!

Sweden played horrible.

I don't think so. Sweden played only slightly below par, but T&T were really good. I thought Hislop and Carlos Edwards in particular were fantastic.

 

[Anttech]

Were we watching the same game?

Trinidad had about 30% of the ball, they weren't so good, HISLOP was, he made 7 or 8 (cant remeber) saves, good saves... Sweden just played nowhere near as good as they can, and perhaps they were unlucky too...

Anyway... Roll on tomorrow :)

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Good result for CONCACAF!

 

[-Job-]

That Whilmhelsson is a good player.

 

[BobG]

That was a great game by Hislop, especially being a last minute replacement (how do you injure yourself during warmups?)

That was the peak for T&T. You can't expect to get that lucky in three straight games.

Sweden put itself in a tight spot with that game. If they lose to Paraguay, they're out - and a Paraguay win wouldn't be that big of an upset.

 

[-Job-]

It wasn't only luck, Sweden underperformed in finalization. But they played a very enjoyable game, i liked Ljundberg, Ibrahimovic and Whilmhelsson on the swedish side and Hislop plus the left central defender (whatever his name is ) on the TT side.

 

[Reshma]

Another no-show of yesterday's matches! The Swedes had plenty of goal opportunities but luck did not favour them. It seems there was a severe drought of goals in the 1st two matches.

 

[EL]

Actually I would have felt better to be able to say Sweden s**ked in this game, but fact is we weren't that terrible. 26 finished attacks (or how do you say that in english?) is pretty good. With normal efficiency the game would have ended like 2-0 or 3-0...but of course, that's what it's all about: scoreing goals...

 

[NateTG]

Actually I would have felt better to be able to say Sweden s**ked in this game, but fact is we weren't that terrible. 26 finished attacks (or how do you say that in english?) is pretty good. With normal efficiency the game would have ended like 2-0 or 3-0...but of course, that's what it's all about: scoreing goals...

"Finished attacks" is probably 'shots'. I'd like to say shots on goal, but I don't think that Sweden actually had all 26 of them on target.

Yeah, that's a lot, but it's an issue of quality as well as quantity:
Germany had 24 against Costa Rica, and scored 4.
Last time around Germany had 27 agaist Saudi Arabia and scored 8.

The fact is that T&T played very smart soccer defensively. Always covering space, they almost always had bodies in all of the right places.

 

[EL]

"Finished attacks" is probably 'shots'.

Yeah sure, but we have a nicer word in Swedish, but anyway...

Yeah, that's a lot, but it's an issue of quality as well as quantity

Yup, but we had at least five high quality chances.

The fact is that T&T played very smart soccer defensively. Always covering space, they almost always had bodies in all of the right places.

Agreed!

 

[Anttech]

The fact is that T&T played very smart soccer defensively. Always covering space, they almost always had bodies in all of the right places.
Agreed!

Just goes to show how important the right manager is...

 

[Reshma]

Yes, and besides they had only 10 players...they put up a pretty good defence inspite of that.

 

[BobG]

"Finished attacks" is probably 'shots'. I'd like to say shots on goal, but I don't think that Sweden actually had all 26 of them on target.

Yeah, that's a lot, but it's an issue of quality as well as quantity:
Germany had 24 against Costa Rica, and scored 4.
Last time around Germany had 27 agaist Saudi Arabia and scored 8.

The fact is that T&T played very smart soccer defensively. Always covering space, they almost always had bodies in all of the right places.

Are they counting corner kicks as shots? I think Sweden had about 18 shots with 6 on goal. Only Germany dominated more than Sweden with 21 shots, 10 on goal.

It is more than luck when a goalkeeper has that good of a game - at least they weren't giving up easy shots. But, usually, a great game by the keeper means a loss.