Sweden look to put past failures behind them while Greece will be hoping to spring a surprise in their opening Group D match. Listen to the tracks, vote in the poll, and look below the cut for managerial comment, analysis, match reports and previews. Full tournament details here and if you can’t get the FT streams you might try freakytrigger.muxtape.com which has all currently “in play” tracks.
How to vote: Just tick the track you liked most. You have until the morning of April 10th to vote in this match.
Sweden v Greece: Which track do you prefer [ballot]
- Greece: Mikro 70%
- Sweden: Europe 30%
Total Voters: 23
Poll closes: 10 Apr 2008 @ 10:00
Loading ...SWEDEN: Europe – “Superstitious”
The manager says: “Veteran campaigners, big hitters, the safe Bon Jovi. Sweden’s greatest ever band! And check that guitar solo, man, it gives me goose bumps every time I hear it. And, what other band could be more apt for Europop 2008?”
Our analyst says: Sweden are playing a confident, highly physical game, looking to overwhem their opponents in midfield and kill off the game quick with early goals. It’s a big change from their traditional play but their manager will be delighted by how well his side are following his tactical plan.
GREECE: Mikro – “Skotose Me”
The manager says: “Greece’s finest – and possibly only – electropop band, Mikro keep it tight and tuneful. We know we’re not favourites for this one but the boys are just keen to get out and show what they can do and hopefully give the fans back home a little pride.”
Our analyst says: Traditional europop tactics from Greece – a flat back four, direct build-ups in midfield, but you wonder where the flair in the side is coming from. They’ll be hoping to punish any signs of overconfidence from the Swedes, looking to nick a goal on the break or from a set-piece.
Coming next: The final two sides to take a bow in Europop 2008 are Spain and Russia. Spain had a middling Pop World Cup and have taken a punt on manager Ben, new to international management and with a chequered record at club level. Fans are said to be cautious. Russia, though, are full of expectation having appointed native son Mitya manager – “he really understands our national game”, said a spokesman. This opener is expected to be a crucial test for both new bosses, with any winner in an excellent position.
Match Report: Germany 0 Poland 0
Germany looked to grind out a result against their traditional rivals, but looked short on ideas though long on energy. The better chances fell Poland’s way, and though a draw is more or less a fair result, it’s Poland who might be more heartened having salvaged a point from what looked like their toughest game. They face Austria next, with Group B wide open after both opening games were drawn. The Germans are left to bemoan their lack of a cutting edge up front – they’ll hope for more luck against the mercurial Croats.
Match Report: France 1 Romania 1
France needed a controversial equaliser to salvage a point against limited but dogged opponents. Conceding a penalty in the first half, and booed by opposition fans throughout the game, a ragged French side eventually drew level thanks to a goal which looked offside to several observers. Romania will be much the happier side after this game – not one for the neutral – with France needing to regroup quickly before matches against Group C’s two other big names: Holland are next.
We’re anticipating a tighter game here than many have predicted – the Swedes would like you to think they’re tough-tackling hardmen but I bet they’re really a team of preening ponces underneath.
Meanwhile the Greeks will be relying on plucky underdog status and possible complacency from their opponents, plus bags of enthusiasm of course. Still, you can get away without the greatest players in the world if the ones you do have are well-organised, well-drilled and committed. Promises to be an intriguing tie.
I was fond of this Swedish strikeforce 20 years ago but although elements of their game have fallen in the years since only to rise again and be adapted into the modern game, I have decided to stick to a self-imposed ‘last ten years only’ policy when it comes to voting. As it happens I think the Greeks match up on this occasion hurrah but it could be another 0-0…
The Greek coach is quietly confident that the outrageous and disrespectful Swedish display of ball-juggling in the second half will severely backfire!
My views on the use of the older, superstar players beyond their prime is well known, but I don’t think the Greek’s will be phased at all by their opposition. At least Sweden are using an unusual formation, the initial surprise may throw the Greek’s – expecting them to play a different style. But by the Final Countdown, it comes down to some lovely harmonies in the chorus.
Greece by a long way I think.
I’m tempted to give NEITHER side a vote, both these songs are kind of terrible. GRE are more deserving though: awful galumphing vocals may ruin barely-passable music, but it’s preferable to SWE: there is nothing good about naff hair metal, nothing at all. I barely made it half a minute in.
There is another vocalist in the band (she comes on as a substitute here!) who is better but the songs she’s on are worse.
I’d rather have a less-good song done by a better vocalist than a better song ruined by a bad vocalist!
btw how come GER-POL was a 0-0 draw and the other draws were all 1-1?
In the PWC and League Of Pop I worked hard to try and make sure the ‘scorelines’ reflected the balance of voting etc etc. This time I can’t be bothered, beyond win/lose/draw: they don’t actually matter, so your 0-0 was kind of arbitrary. (Ties in the rankings will be decided on vote difference not goal difference)
The match reports are designed to reflect the balance of reader comments within the metaphorical ‘football game’ structure.
Interestingly no team has yet tried packing the midfield and playing NO VOCALIST AT ALL.
Hmmm. Sweden. I like the whole guitar-rock-becomes-hair-pomp-disco thing, and “Final Countdown” was as good at synth flourishes as anything ever. This one, I’m liking but not loving the song, in fact prefer the guitar riffs to the main melody, and like the guitar going violinish in the solo. Greece discovers robots, teaches them to sing. Perhaps they were better not singing, since they were excellent ça planning their moi at the start but became watery when the melody intruded.
This will come down to the Background Music Test, I think. Leaning Greece.
I heartily concur with the three ties that have been revealed so far, and would have preferred a tie in the Turkey-Portugal bout as well. My fave songs have been from Austria, “Croatia,” Turkey, and Portugal in that order.
I quite like the Greek song, it’s kinda like all those Elefant records bands that I like, but of course I am voting for Sweden. It’s Death Metal or crappy indie next time around I think. I’m going to send myself to the stands.
‘It’s Death Metal or crappy indie next time around I think.’
None more threatening!
‘The match reports are designed to reflect the balance of reader comments within the metaphorical ‘football game’ structure.’
i like this btw – fewer votes (and fewer comments too perhaps) = fewer goals basically?
That is no mere ball-juggling from Sweden, it’s four stepovers, a flick up and then bouncing the ball off the nose while running away from the defender. Then hacked down by the Greeks’ solid, physical, eight-men-behind-the-ball electropop reducer.
Unfortunately the Greeks are too solid, too physical, some would say a bit cumbersome. I keep wanting the beat to be more limber, the bassline to be a bit more propulsive, hell, is a bit of flair too much to ask? This sounds a bit like how the Greek Doves or Snow Patrol would sound, trying to make an electropop record. And then the Greek Enya comes on as a sub, but I’m afraid the Swedes are running rings round them by now.
Sweden! How could you?!?!?!? The only team the Dutch fear, and you give us a Foreigner imitation? (Truly, that’s who I thought it was!)
The Greek thing is very 80s (and nothing wrong with that) and has a certain awkward charm. It gets my vote.
have to concur with AlanDC here Gary, the greeks are solid across midfield, but let down by that striker, i don’t think he could hit a cow’s arse with a banjo to be fair. think the swedes could sneak this one despite their old school tactics…
Young, fearless greeks beats the hell out of experienced (but safe-playing) swedish eleven.
24 hours left to vote in this one, if you haven’t.
what’s a greek urn? 3 points
It’s the first major upset of the tournament, Maniche!
I can sympathise with the Swedish manager but rules are rules: his player was certainly timewasting and it was a second bookable solo. My Greek boys did their best and it turned out to be enough: not the most elegant of goals but they all count.
PAH! My players will certainly be looking for revenge. The lads are angry about the refereeing decisions, and the hostility of the crowd. I wouldn’t want to be our next opponents.
over 1000 downloads here too