VIK Support as usual much better than the product delivered on the ice. ARCHIVE PHOTO
VIK fell 1-2 after overtime at home against bottom team Tingsryd on Wednesday evening. VIK created a little more, but what good is it when several of Niklas Johansson‘s new acquisitions, after 25% of the series, can neither shoot, play nor defend as intended? No coach in the world can compensate for such holes in a team building.
Again a tough start against Tingsryd without real pressure or speed from down the backfield. But 1-0 when Komarek finally fired a direct shot in PP. However, actually 5-7 chances for Tingsryd in a 5-on-5 game, Korhonen very good, except for some return.
Started right away with several small misses in the first changes. Zether created a chance for Fransén, but it was a poor hit.
Jansson almost the best in VIK today and hit the post from blue. Very good exchange by quick-thinking Ekström gave several dangerous shots from outside. Taif didn’t create a first 10, but then free position green, Korhonen, however, was sharp after the bounce puck.
Folin then hit a puckout undisturbed, but finally better BP after good Malmström & Co. Komarek and Ekström were behind a great chance for Rosdahl, but it refuses to let go and the Skåne looks to have problems with his motor skills. Maybe Rosdahl underestimated HA and has managed the training accordingly, or is the outsider simply not better?
1-0 in the PP after a nice pass Flood and finally Komarek clapped directly for a class goal in the first cross. #67 should shoot much more directly as he is such a fine shooter.
But Taif continued to create and dangerous double chance at the end. VIK once again needed to start playing more physically, not a tackle I first. Also some control games actually as you don’t seem to want to forecheck all the time.
Slightly better in 2nd and 6-2 chances 5-on-5. Direct, however, unfortunate tripping in the attack zone by Komarek, but BP a little better, but not direct class opposition. Then good pressure VIK as Hayhurst woke up and created a chance for himself. Folin and Flood set up good position Engstrand but miss.
Rosdahl and Ekström also missed good chances. Gradin also continued to miss quickly-arising chances.
Kvist worked his way to a half free position for Jakobsson. Engstrand burned the garbage on a free position, so the goalscorer refuses to let go despite some good results. Korhonen released a dangerous but VIK defense finally more alert.
Fransén some good actions in the defensive and really has the physicality to be sharp even without the puck. Jansson very active and driven this evening. But overall, it doesn’t really feel like the team is together yet, a bit scattered and not coordinated. But how can a sports director like Daniel Stolt constantly build good teams quickly, see and learn from how Kalmar builds teams and manages long-term relationships. More on that below.
The third started with small misses by Flood and Kvist and was dangerous. Hayhurst was then responsible for a good pass to Gradin, but another boom and it is simply true that intended goalscorers are so weak in shooting.
Then Ekström and Komarek showed up for Rosdahl, but (excuse the replay) it is simply true that intended goal scorers are so weak in shooting. For some reason, Folin got into a lot of good shooting positions, a bit of a wrong distribution of roles there.
Komarek was then responsible for another good preparatory work, but another fumble by the angular Rosdahl and another missed opportunity. Ekström did well again when Jansson hit the crossbar.
Engstrand again through for a half-chance, but another relatively expensive player who finds it extremely difficult to place pucks in the net. Which, after all, the sport goes for a little.
Then young Olle Norberg was invented too easily in the stands and 1-1 late. 1-2 after overtime.
SUMMARY
It’s a tough companion that expensive or supposed producing forwards like Rosdahl, Gradin and Engstrand constantly miss almost everything and now have four goals together in 39 games this season.
It’s shaping up to be a huge flop for NJ’s investment there, unless something dramatic happens both game-wise and goal-wise. How did the scouting actually go there?
There were certain warning signs when I just asked around a bit in Hockey Sweden. It would probably have been smarter to bring in, for example, Lukas Zetterberg, who is a proven 15-25 goal scorer season after season in HA. Z appears to be a clearly better and more controlled shooter than both Gradin and Rosdahl who often feel rough and angular.
And again VIK fell to a weak defensive intervention by a back. Of course, Olle Norberg is promising in several ways, but according to my sources on the inside in Almtuna, Norberg is also a more offensive back who, for example, did not place in the AIS box play. And not at all Norberg’s fault that he may have been given the wrong role and expectations here, has shown glimpses of brilliance.
But one can ask what the thought and scouting was when NJ believed that Norberg is first and foremost a defensive back when he was presented? So now VIK is sitting there with far too many defensively questionable or unproven defenders. How did the scouting go there?
And how did the scouting go when NJ was recruited? As said. See and learn how a sports director like Daniel Stolt in Kalmar constantly, instead of finding excuses, builds good teams. See and learn how Kalmar builds teams and manages long-term relationships. The VIK management can probably study and learn this very quickly.
Because otherwise this was a match VIK could have won as they still won the chances with 16-11 in a 5-on-5 game, even if the team does not feel well composed.
It is so easy to focus on coaches and players, but we also sometimes have to be able to raise our eyes higher regarding how plays ended up here. I hope the management can think long-term and are already thinking about the best long-term solutions as this VIK is heading for another weak season, and it’s not the coaches’ fault…
But maybe I’ll have to eat all of this now if players suddenly start being able to shoot and defend. However, I am worried about the overall situation in VIK, and that goes beyond a silly match like this one tonight. Although the match was symptomatic of what does not work in the way the team is built…
PUCKLIGAN
5 Konstantin Republic
4 Jimmie Jansson
3 Svante Sjödin
2 Elias Ekström
1 Henrik Malmström
