The 0–0 that became 5–6
AIK 5–6 Brommapojkarna at Strawberry Arena on 10 October. Eleven goals in the second half, the most goal-heavy half in Allsvenskan history (1)(26). Nothing before the break. Then BP led 5–1 with twenty minutes left and AIK supporters started leaving (14). The home side dragged it back to 5–5 in the 98th minute. Mads Hansen scored the winner in the ninth minute of stoppage time (10)(13). BP had never beaten AIK before that. Some afternoons are simply a scoreboard on fire.
Riveiro takes it on himself
José Riveiro did not hide behind anything. "Andra halvlek är svår att prata om ur ett taktiskt perspektiv. Det här är mitt ansvar, det är mitt fel. Det är totalt på mig," he said (3)(4). Right instinct, and also the easy part. AIK have been counter-attacked apart at home before this season and Riveiro said as much himself (25). Captain Kristoffer Nordfeldt was sharper: this loss should be allowed to cost something (24). Six goals conceded to BP is not one bad afternoon. It is what happens to a team that cannot hold its shape once a game opens up.
A season drifting
Ninth of sixteen, 33 points from 23 games, goal difference minus four. The last five league results: draw, loss, draw, loss, loss. Bringing Taha Ayari, Diogo Tomas and Bergquist back from the injury list for the BP game (5) changed nothing, because the problem was never who was available. Sixten Gustafsson, who did not hide either, called it: "Alltihop är för dåligt" (1). BP's captain Simon Strand gave the away view, that AIK do not have a very good team (2)(30). When the opposition says that and the scoreboard agrees, the table stops being noise. Ninth is where this squad has been all autumn.
What to watch
IFK Göteborg at Strawberry Arena on Saturday 17 October, 17:30 CEST, then IK Sirius away on 24 October. Riveiro has one week to decide whether 5–1 was a personnel problem or a structural one, and that decision sets the team for the rest of the season. The supporters who walked out at 5–1 will be watching how this side starts against Göteborg.
