Trend setter

Ljungberg making waves, on and off pitch

LONDON (AP) -- When it comes to setting hairstyle trends in the Premier League, Freddie Ljungberg has a head up even on David Beckham.

These days Ljungberg is sporting a red stripe down the middle and looks more like a punk-rocker. But he's getting noticed for more than his hair -- he's Arsenal's hottest scorer going into Saturday F.A. Cup final against Chelsea in Cardiff.

The Swedish forward has 16 goals this season -- six in the last five games -- and will be a key player as the Gunners try to complete their second league-cup double in four years.

The 25-year-old Ljungberg has worn his hair blond, in a crewcut, greased back, in a mullet -- and even shaved it all off. He's also famous for his cutting-edge dress sense.

"Listen, I want to put one thing straight," Ljungberg said. "I don't dress like this and dye my hair to attract attention. I don't do it to make people look at me on the street or on the pitch.

"I've been dyeing my hair since I was a 14-year-old kid in Sweden. It's just something I do."

Ljungberg, like Norway's Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, had been used primarily as a super-substitute. But he got his chance for more starts when French winger Robert Pires' season ended last month with a knee injury.

The Swede has no illusions about being a striker, and at 5-9 (1.75 meters) he knows he's too small to battle around the goal mouth.

"My form feels OK and I have been lucky to score some goals recently," Ljungberg said. "I never really wanted to be a striker as I preferred to play behind the front two."

"I do not like playing with my back to goal as much as I do making runs from midfield toward the goal. I am pretty small and a big center back might find it too easy to move me out of the way because I have my back to him."

Ljungberg joined Arsenal in September 1998 from Swedish side Halmstads and has been converted into a wide player by French manager Arsene Wenger.

"I have been here 3 1/2-years and I hope I have improved," Ljungberg said. "I have trained with world class players in that time and there would be something wrong with me if I had not improved at Arsenal."

Wenger is equally fully of praise for the Swede. He signed him just days after Sweden beat England 2-1 in a qualifying game for Euro 2000.

"Freddie has improved tremendously," said Wenger. "He's a winner and he wants to improve. His attitude is that of a top-level football player.

"I remember that when I bought him, there was a lot of skepticism about him in Sweden, but if you compare that player to the player he is now, he can be proud. He deserves the credit as he has worked very hard and is never happy with what he does.

"When I watched him on the television I was scared that someone else would take him. I saw him on the Saturday playing against England and I bought him five days later. I knew there were other people watching him."

 

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