Euro 2012 
/ Tobias Gourlay / 28 March 2011 / Leave a Comment 
Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Johan Elmander must work through their poor form together
"Sweden coach Erik Hamren could be without the entire back four that started his country’s previous home qualifier"
Tobias Gourlay explains why it might be a good time for Moldova to be visiting Sweden
Sweden coach Erik Hamren will be without the entire back four that started his country's previous home qualifier, if fullback Mikael Lustig does not recover from a swollen knee in time.
Can Moldova take advantage? The market thinks not and makes the hosts firm favourites, even though the visitors have scored in four competitive away games in a row - their best run as an independent nation.
Moldova have, however, lost 32/41 away qualifiers in their relatively short history. Gabi Balint's current side might be slightly better than their predecessors, but the coach has only 18 fit players to take to Solna, including just three strikers.
Hamren took charge of Sweden in 2009 and promised attacking football. At full strength and in better form, the team would be good enough to win by two clear goals, as they have done in 16/19 home wins since the turn of the millennium, and Sweden -1.5 on the Asian Handicap would be the bet at [1.8].
As it is, Zlatan Ibrahimovic is in his least productive spell as an AC Milan player, scoring once in his last nine starts, while Johan Elmander has the same return from 11 recent starts for Bolton Wanderers.
With their best defenders absent and their best forwards out of form, perhaps a small lay of Sweden at [1.2]?
Top Stat: Moldova have scored in each of their last four competitive away matches
Best Bet: Lay Sweden @ [1.2]
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