Power Rankings GW 3

Artikelserie på engelska där vår skribent Dániel Sebestyén rankar de allsvenska lagen efter deras senaste prestationer och potential i kommande omgångar.

Posted by: Dániel Sebestyén (@sebestyendaniel on Twitter)

Now that life has started to go back as it was before the outbreak of the pandemic, we return with a new series which can be familiar for those who have been following the american sports. Hopefully, the schedule in the future won’t be this loaded as it was in the first 3 gameweeks and then we will be able to come out with the ranking after every round. It is important to mention that this ranking is based on the results, form, injuries and many other factors, but it is a subjective list of mine (though, I don’t have a reason to favour any of the teams) and if you disagree with it, feel free to comment or DM me.

1. IFK Norrköping

Who else should be on the first place if not them. They started the season with three wins with a 9-2 goal difference and did beat easily two of their rivals (AIK and Djurgården) and a good-looking Kalmar. Lauritsen (6.6), Haksabanovic (10.2) and Thern (7.3) played superbly and even though the team lost a few key players since the previous season, they seem a serious title-contender.

2. Malmö FF

Christiansen (10.0) gives, but he also takes away. He had a big role in defeating Mjällby in the first round as he scored two goals, but his red card heavily influenced the draw against Varberg. Maybe they started a bit slowly, but the depth of their squad is enormous and I am sure they will wake up after two clashes against AIK within 3 days.

3. AIK

It is a bit surprising for me to put them this high on the list, especially with the meltdown against Norrköping (1-4) from a week ago, but they bounced back with a convincing win against Hammarby with a really young starting XI. Tihi (4.5), Hussein (5.0), Abraham (4.6), Strannegård (4.5) and Ylätupa (6.4) are all younger than 21 and they have a bright future ahead of them.

4. Hammarby IF

They started the season where they left off last year and tried with 36 shots in the first two rounds. Then they lost at home against an AIK which was easily smashed by Norrköping a few days earlier. Abdul Khalili (7.4) and Paulinho (10.5) – the two biggest signings - haven’t made an impact yet, and the team have to deal with plenty of injuries.

5. Kalmar FF

Two wins in a row combined with two clean sheets. It is not a bad sign, even though one of them was against a catastrophic Helsingborg. They definitely look better than last year and seem really massive. The real test is coming now as they will meet with Djurgården, who seems more beatable than ever. It is hard to highlight one player, but Ingelsson (6.5) has been putting down decent performances.

6. IF Elfsborg

The renovated defense looks really good with Väisänen (4.5) and Larsson (5.5), which is showed by the two clean sheets against Göteborg and Helsingborg. They are one of the four undefeated teams in the league, and their goal can’t be anything else then finishing in the top half of the table.

7. Djurgårdens IF

Danielson’s and Buya Turay’s departure seem to have a huge impact on the team, especially the former. The defense - which was the trademark of the team in 2019 - has not been working well as they let a lot of chances to their opponents, and they already got two losses against Örebro (at home) and Norrköping. Holmberg (8.9) and Kujovic (10.0) should find some form to revitalise the attack as well.

8. BK Häcken

They started with three draws and against beatable teams (Falkenberg and Sirius), except Malmö. They not just didn’t win, but couldn’t dominate those matches and conceded at least a goal on each matches. Irandust (8.6) is the only bright spot amongst the attackers, so there is a big need for Söderlund (8.4) to being fit again.

9. IFK Göteborg

It seemed that Göteborg got the easiest schedule of all teams, but they couldn’t live with it and collected only four points against the Elfsborg (0-1), Varberg (2-1) and Mjällby (2-2) trio. They have to deal with plenty of injuries (including the team’s most important player Kharaishvili (9.9)) beside a suspension and on top of that, Söder (9.4) looks really out of form with 0 shots from the first two matches.

10. IK Sirius

Sirius has been playing in a brave and attacking style and they are definitely one of the biggest surprises so far. Even though they got only one point against Djurgården and Häcken, it can be said that played better on those matches. Björnström (4.7) plays in the form of his life and they have favourable fixtures ahead of them.

11. Varbergs BoIS

Started the season with an impressive win against a struggling Helsingborg, but it came together with a huge sacrifice: Selmani (6.2) - who scored twice and gave an assist - suffered an injury and missed the last two matches. They were still able to draw against Malmö, although they had Christiansen being sent off in the first half.

12. Falkenbergs FF

They look much more massive than last year and will have two easier-looking matches against Varberg and Sirius in the upcoming rounds. They got a draw against Häcken, did beat Mjällby and got beaten by an in-form Kalmar. Kizito (5.9) - who they expected a lot from - is already done for the season due to a knee injury, but the team wasn’t known for its attacking potential anyway.

13. Örebro SK

The team has been playing hectic and unpredictable. An expected loss against AIK, followed by an upsetting win against Djurgården, and then a goalless draw with Östersund. Besara’s (8.5) return looks like a real deal so far as he is arguably the best player in the squad, but on the other hand there is Larsson (7.0) who is one of the biggest disappointment.

14. Östersunds FK

One single point against the aforementioned Örebro, and although the loss against Hammarby was something what we could have easily expected, but the loss against Sirius wasn’t nessecarily in the books. They haven’t scored a goal yet and the best player of the pre-season, Kadiri (6.9) is still searching for his goal-scoring boot and an in-form Norrköping is not the most ideal opponent to break the pattern...

15. Mjällby AIF

Two easy losses at the beginning against Malmö and Falkenberg (without scoring) and a promising 2-2 against Göteborg, with having the chance to win it until the very end. The ideal starting line-up is still under searching, but Löfquist (5.0) and Bergström (5.0) could be viable options if the team gets itself together.

16. Helsingborgs IF

Injuries, chaos and hopelessness - these three words are perfectly describe the situation at the club, where a lot of players are forced to play out of position in order to being able to deal with the injuries. They haven’t scored a goal yet and it seems now that they never will (3 shots on target in total). Got beaten by Varberg (3-0) and Kalmar (4-0) easily, and a hungry Häcken is coming up next. The only bright spot (if I had to name one) might be Widell (4.0), who looks promising at the back.