Norwegian Football Thread #3

[Cilpot]

Previous threads: Norwegian Football Thread #1 | Norwegian Football Thread #2

The new season is upon us. Fans eagerly awaits the kick-off tomorrow afternoon as the whistle for the start of the Norwegian Elite division's 2005 season blows.

And the expectations for this season has never been higher. Never before has so many season tickets been sold, never before have one expected the league to be this even.

Four major clubs seem to be in competition for the title this season: Rosenborg, Brann, Vålerenga and Viking. These clubs all have loads of money, very good squads and, most important of all, hordes of enthusiastic fans. It's really hard to guess wich one of these will win, but that it's one of them everybody take for granted.

The rest of the clubs will be impossible to give a qualified guess on. I believe that Lillestrøm, Tromsø and Start probably will be fighting under the top four, but really anything can happen.

My prediction:

1. Rosenborg
2. Vålerenga
3. Brann
4. Viking
5. Lillestrøm
6. Tromsø
7. Start
8. Ham-Kam
9. Fredrikstad
10. Lyn
11. Aalesund
12. Molde
13. Odd Grenland
14. Bodø/Glimt

 

[Dell19]

Rosenborg again?

Thought I would add a reply even though my knowledge of Norwegian football is basically limited to these threads.

 

[Cheetah]

So it's the night before monday, and the results of the first round is here:

Lyn - Fredrikstad: 1 - 1
Odd Grenland - Tromsø: 1 - 1
Rosenborg - Aalesund: 2 - 2
Start - Lillestrøm: 3 - 1
Viking - Bodø/Glimt: 2 - 1
Ham-Kam - Vålerenga: 3 - 1

Now how about you give Viking some better bets?

 

[Cilpot]

Viking should beat Bodø/Glimt at home if they are to run for the title. The two surprises here clearly are Ham-Kam - VIF 3-1 and Rosenborg - Aalesund 2-2. Though it's too early to tell, it may seem as if the top contenders can be a bit overrated..

@Dell: Well, Rosenborg is the only club in Norway currently with 'unlimited' resources. No other club comes near them regarding finances. Hell, even if they were in the English Premiership they would be considered a rich club. That being said, more and more of the other clubs are becoming financially stable while Rosenborg have stagnated a bit. They're not doing well in the Champions League anymore, and last year's season ended with a Rosenborg victory by goal difference over Vålerenga.

The biggest norwegian newspaper guesses that Vålerenga will win, btw.

 

[Volum]

I dont think Odd Grenland will finish last, they have Oliver Ocean, and AFAIK they havent finished lowert then 8th since they returned to the top division. And i dont understand why so many say that Viking is going to be so god this year, they where crap last season. And i think Rosenborg will get it again, mostly because Eggen is back, but i still think they will struggle a little because they have to many old players. I think they should stop calling it routine now and just say plain old!

 

[thetrooper]

Great performance by FFK yesterday! WTH happened at Briskeby?

 

[Cilpot]

Yesterday's result: Brann-Molde 2 - 0

Nice win by Brann, the only team of the 'super three' who did well in the first round.

The table:

Ham-Kam   	1	1	0	0	3-1	3	
Start		1	1	0	0	3-1	3	
Brann		1	1	0	0	2-0	3	
Viking		1	1	0	0	2-1	3	
Aalesund	1	0	1	0	2-2	1	
Rosenborg	1	0	1	0	2-2	1	
Fredrikstad	1	0	1	0	1-1	1	
Lyn		1	0	1	0	1-1	1	
Odd Grenland	1	0	1	0	1-1	1	
Tromsø		1	0	1	0	1-1	1	
Bodø/Glimt	1	0	0	1	1-2	0	
Lillestrøm	1	0	0	1	1-3	0
Vålerenga	1	0	0	1	1-3	0	
Molde		1	0	0	1	0-2	0

Next round:

Saturday 16/4 (2nd round)
Aalesund - Odd Grenland (19:05)

Sunday 17/4 (2nd round)
Lillestrøm - Lyn (18:00)
Tromsø - Ham-Kam (18:00)
Vålerenga - Brann (20:05)
Molde - Start (18:00)
Bodø/Glimt - Rosenborg (18:00)

Monday 18/4 (2nd round)
Fredrikstad - Viking (19:00)

Obviously Vålerenga - Brann is going to be the BIG game this round. I think I'll see the match live as I espect it to be quite an atmosphere

 

[Volum]

Ålesund beat Odd 2-1 today, this was also the first match on their new stadium. Odd took the lead after 41 minutes when Oliver Ocean headed in a goal after a good cross from Bent Inge Johnsen.

This looked to be the result until the 89. minute, when Ålesund got 2 corners in a row without Odd managing to get it out, Lasse Olsen managed to score by placing the ball in the top right corner.

1 minute later Doulaye M'Baye sends the ball forward to Erik Hoseth who sends the ball under Odd keeper Erik Holtan and makes it 2-1, and suddenly Ålesund had turned it around.

A good performance by Ålesund who now has 4 points after the impressive tie with Rosenborg last round, this may turn out to be vital points as Ålesund are on of the relegation favorites this year.

 

[thetrooper]

FFK - Viking 2-1. Hoås scored his first for FFK. Great performance by FFK - another relegation favourite this year (to quote Volum above).

 

[Cilpot]

Yesterday round two of the Norwegian Elite Division came to a close. The results:

Saturday:
Aalesund - Odd Grenland 2-1

Sunday:
Lillestrøm - Lyn 1-0
Tromsø - Ham-Kam 1-0
Vålerenga - Brann 2-1
Molde - Start 0-1
Bodø/Glimt - Rosenborg 0-1

Monday:
Fredrikstad - Viking 2-1


Not many big surprises this round. I was back home in Tromsø and watched the match against Ham-Kam. It was a really good match with lots of chances and excitement until the end. They are currently expanding their stadium so the capacity was seriously hampered, but it should be somewhat finished by mid-May.

I am surprised that our 'new big teams', Fredrikstad, Start and Aalesund continue to impress and are now in the top three positions of the table. Rosenborg got lucky against Glimt, but that's a part of the game.. The clubs with the 'winning culture' tend to be the lucky ones.

 

[Cilpot]

The table after round two:

Start		2	2	0	0	4-1	6	
Aalesund	2	1	1	0	4-3	4	
Fredrikstad	2	1	1	0	3-2	4	
Rosenborg	2	1	1	0	3-2	4	
Tromsø		2	1	1	0	2-1	4	
Brann		2	1	0	1	3-2	3	
Ham-Kam		2	1	0	1	3-2	3	
Viking		2	1	0	1	3-3	3	
Vålerenga	2	1	0	1	3-4	3	
Lillestrøm	2	1	0	1	2-3	3	
Odd Grenland	2	0	1	1	2-3	1	
Lyn		2	0	1	1	1-2	1	
Bodø/Glimt	2	0	0	2	1-3	0	
Molde		2	0	0	2	0-3	0

Next round:

Sunday 24/4 (round 3)
Ham-Kam - Aalesund
Molde - Vålerenga
Odd Grenland - Bodø/Glimt
Rosenborg - Fredrikstad
Lyn - Start
Viking - Lillestrøm


Monday 25/4 (round 3)
Brann - Tromsø

Vålerenga, Rosenborg and Brann() should win their matches this round. Ham-Kam will redeem themself and silence the over-enthusiastic 'Sunnmørings', and Viking should do well against Lillestrøm. The other matches are too open for me to guess.

 

[Cilpot]

FFK - Viking 2-1. Hoås scored his first for FFK. Great performance by FFK - another relegation favourite this year (to quote Volum above).

Not a bad match at all! It was fun to see Drillo again, of course he had to point out the negative... Even after a win

 

[WickedSmurf]

Neighbours, which Swedish player in your league would you say is the best?

 

[thetrooper]

Neighbours, which Swedish player in your league would you say is the best?

Markus Ringberg (Fredrikstad) of course. I am not biased

 

[thetrooper]

It was fun to see Drillo again, of course he had to point out the negative... Even after a win

Drillo in a nutshell

 

[WickedSmurf]

Markus Ringberg (Fredrikstad) of course. I am not biased

Never heard of the bugger, he's probably a very prominent footballer...

 

[thetrooper]

Never heard of the bugger, he's probably a very prominent footballer...

Former clubs: Mjellby, GAIS, Hessleholm, Bromølla. No wonder you haven't heard of him.

 

[thetrooper]

Rosenborg - Fredrikstad 0-1!

The Drillo effect?

 

[Cilpot]

Good win by Fredrikstad, your keeper is truly world class!

But I must admit that in parts of the second half Rosenborg played the best football I have seen from them in a couple of years. But that doesnt matter if you cant score.

 

[thetrooper]

Exactly! But former Rosenborg players can score (Blixt, pen.)

I must admit that it was robbery...

About the keeper - yeah he lost 7 kg pre-season