HOUSTON — Graham Potter has warned Sweden’s World Cup opponents that strike-duo Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres will get better as the tournament progresses.
Sweden face Netherlands in Houston on Saturday, fresh from hammering Tunisia 5-1 in their Group F opener. Both Isak and Gyökeres scored in that game despite it being just the second time the pair have played together in a year, chiefly due to Isak’s long-running fitness problems.
Asked if they were the best strikers at the tournament, Potter said: “The answer is I don’t know. I’ve not seen enough of all the others. It doesn’t really matter.
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“They are the best ones for us, that’s the truth. We are so happy for them. Individually, fantastic players in their own right. Different qualities, different attributes. The challenge is to get the team functioning well, helping them enjoy their football and if they do that, then they are certainly a threat for any team.
“The challenge is we haven’t had them playing together so much. So I think they will get better and better as they do that. In terms of the other night, it was a great start for us.”
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Netherlands currently hold the longest unbeaten run of any country — stretching back 17 games — during World Cup group stage matches, but Ronald Koeman’s side were held to a 2-2 draw by Japan in Dallas.
And Potter said of facing the Dutch: “We know we have to improve if we are going to take anything from this match. Tunisia was a good night for us — a good game and a good victory — but with the greatest respect, we’re playing against a high-level opponent, the best team in the group, one of the favourites for the tournament.
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“At the moment, we’re not in a place to dream. We’re just working, trying to improve every day, trying to make sure the players are ready to play the game. As I said before the first game, we know if we’re not right and not together and not playing to our strengths, we can lose any game of football at this level.
“At the same time, if we play to our strengths and we are together, we have a chance to win and that’s how we have to focus.”
