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By Luke Bissett
The Blue Ones sit top of this season’s Allsvenskan table with 53 points after 24 games, eight points ahead of second-placed Djurgården. It has been pure dominance from Malmö, who have held pole position since their MD3 victory over IFK Värnamo in April, 165 days ago. Indeed, Henrik Rydström’s side have occupied top spot for a remarkable 178 days this season – already their most across a single campaign since 2017 (233 days).
Rydström has completely transformed the Swedish side over the last two years, having taken charge following a seventh-placed finish in 2022 – Malmö’s lowest league finish in over 10 years. The manager’s arrival had an immediate impact, as he guided them to the title in his first season. And they’ve carried on this year in much the same vein.
Malmö have made their best start to an Allsvenskan season since 2016 (54 points), while the last side to record a higher points tally after 24 games in the division was AIK in 2018 (57). They also claimed the Svenska Cupen for just the second time this century earlier this year.
Rydström, who has a master’s degree in literary studies and wrote music reviews in magazines, has gained many admirers during his two-year spell at the Eleda Stadion, implementing an extraordinary style of play. The Swedish side employ an extremely unorthodox system, which many have recognised as an adaptation of ‘relationism’ – most notably used by Copa Libertadores-winning and temporary Brazil manager Fernando Diniz.
Malmö place a huge emphasis on possession and look to exert pressure on the opposition through control of the ball – averaging the greatest possession share in the Swedish top-flight this season (63.7%). In fact, it is the second-highest average on full record (since 2016) in a single Allsvenskan campaign, behind only their own figure from last term (64.6%).
Rydström typically deploys a 4-2-3-1 formation, though it is far from conventional. The system affords the players license to improvise and combine through neat interchanges. The Blue Ones have had 430 open-play sequences comprising of 10 or more passes, the most in the division. Their relentless dominance of the ball is aided by positional freedom, with continuous rotations then causing confusion amongst the opposition. This flexibility results in them being able to regularly manipulate opposition pressing structures.
One of the most consistent features of Malmö’s playing style is their insistence on building from the back, and it’s an approach that has provided them with great success. Rydström’s charges have attempted the most build up attacks in the Allsvenskan this year (103), alongside averaging the most passes per sequence in the competition (4.55). The side maintain a clear philosophy in seeking to provide progression through fluid passing, and having the highest percentage of short passes in the league certainly underlines that fact (92.6%).
The Allsvenskan league leaders are supremely effective in possession and average the longest sequence time in the league this season (11.8s). Their lopsided attacks have become an all-too common sight over the last two seasons under Rydström’s guidance, with their overloads proving to be rewarding when slicing through opponents. Indeed, they have made the most progressive passes in the Swedish top-flight in 2024 (887).
However, the Blue Ones do not keep hold of the ball just for possession’s sake. Rydström’s side display a real impetus in possession, looking to advance via free-flowing combinations. There is little doubt that the league leaders are deadly when breaking into the final third, boasting the most fast breaks (36), the most shots from fast breaks (30) and the most goals from fast breaks (seven) in the league this year.
Malmö are also the Allsvenskan’s emphatic top scorers, having netted 57 times this season. In fact, no side have managed to score more goals after 24 games of a Swedish top-flight campaign across the last 30 years. Under Rydström, Malmö have displayed their credentials as one of the most potent attacking forces on the continent, consistently creating a huge volume of chances. Opposition back-lines are often extremely unprepared when attempting to deal with their intricate passing moves – something which enables them to unlock defences at ease.
The Blue Ones rank top for shots (446), shots on target (162), expected goals (45.43) and touches in the opposition box (898) across the Allsvenskan this term. While even more impressively, their average of 18.6 shots per game is the second highest of any side among the last nine seasons in the Swedish top-flight.
Rydström’s side are equally impressive within the defensive aspects of the game. One of the biggest benefits of their players being in close proximity of one another is that when they lose the ball, they are able to utilise their numerical superiority and counter-press aggressively. And they waste very little time at all in attempting to regain possession.
They have recorded the highest duel success rate in the Allsvenskan this term (52.6% – 1189/2259), while they also allow the fewest opposition passes per defensive action (PPDA) in the competition with an average of just 9.2. The Blue Ones boast one of the most watertight defences in Sweden, conceding the fewest goals (19) and having kept the most clean sheets in the division across 2024 (13).
Malmö’s transformation over the last two years has been nothing short of remarkable. And as the Blue Ones look to embark on a Europa League campaign, alongside contesting the run-in to the Allsvenskan season, former-music reviewer Rydström will hope his side continue to hit all the right notes.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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