Christiansen says the dialogue is good
Anders Christiansen has confirmed contract talks with Malmö FF, and both sides want to keep going. "Ja, det stämmer. Det var en bra dialog. Bägge parterna vill fortsätta samarbeta," the 36-year-old said (3)(5). His deal runs out in January (6). That is the news of the week, and it arrived two days after he spent the final quarter of an hour at Borås Arena in a shouting match with Elfsborg's coach Björn Hamberg (8)(14).
Hamberg called the challenge premeditated. Christiansen's answer was short: "Det som händer på planen stannar på planen" (14). Fine. The interesting part is that on the same week MFF's most experienced midfielder is fighting for a new deal, his manager is telling anyone who listens that too many changes to the eleven have cost the team its sharpness (15).
Elfsborg 0–0, and the attack is the problem
Three shots on target in total in Borås (7). Elfsborg 0–0 Malmö FF is the fifth straight home clean sheet for Elfsborg (7), and Robin Olsen had to rescue a point after the home fans got on his back (23). Busanello was man of the match (18). Left-back as best player away from home tells you where the goals were not coming from.
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No Malmö FF forward has scored this autumn (8). Diego García says the blame covers the whole team, not the front line: "Ansvaret ligger på hela laget" (8). Gaute Helstrup defends García and Daniel Gudjohnsen anyway, pointing at García's minutes-per-goal rate (26). The number underneath that defence is that MFF sold Erik Botheim in the summer and have not replaced the goals.
Seven points from five games, seventh in Allsvenskan, 37 points from 25 played (11). The form reads W L W L D. This is a club that beats what is in front of it and loses the games that matter. Örgryte beating Djurgården with a stoppage-time equaliser did not help the margin either (29).
Two smarter weeks elsewhere
The women's side did what the first team could not: Kristianstads DFF 1–2 Malmö FF in OBOS Damallsvenskan, Hlin Eiriksdottir on 32 minutes and Larkin Russell on 61, with Viktoria Persson pulling one back for Kristianstad on 89 (13). Three points that put the Malmö FF women in strong position for a European spot (13).
The P19s went to Stockholm, fell behind AIK and won 1–3. Their sixth straight win, and the series title is close (4). Sixth league in a row is a run. The first team's is a rut.
What to watch at Halmstad
Halmstads BK away on Wednesday 28 October, 19:00, then Hammarby at home on 1 November. Halmstad just beat Västerås (11), so the trip is not a free three points. Dahlin, 40, says he is discussing another year and calls the season turbulent (10)(22). Whether Helstrup stops rotating is the only tactical question that matters before Hammarby arrive.
