What a Start
It was not supposed to be a very good season for Start. In 2005 they came agonisely close to become the team to topple Rosenborg after their 13 consecutive league titles, a controversially disallowed goal ten minutes from time in the last game of the season denying them that historic feat. Two years later they were relegated and while bouncing straight back up the year after, a 8th and 9th place the last two seasons were a fair indication of their current standard. They were also seemingly blessed with a common occurrence in the Norwegian game; an incompetent board. Before this season started, the Start management thought it be appropriate to send out a press release confirming that they had no plans to extend coach Knut Tørum’s contact when it expired at the end of the year. Add to that a squad with no significant improvements, and quite a few observers (ahem) predicted that the southern-most club in Norway might have a relegation fight on their hands.
Four games into their supposedly difficult season, Start is top of the league (goal difference 11-3), selling out their new stadium while still playing the quick and attractive football they have always aspired to. The most impressive display came this week with a 4-0 demolition of one of the pre-season favourites, Viking. While there will still be questions around the depth and quality of the squad, there are aspects to the team that have come together spectacularly.
Espen Hoff used to be an above-average wide attacker, but in his role behind the veteran striker Ole Martin Årst he has excelled, with his clever runs, good technique and accomplished passing creating a lethal partnership with the big, strong and direct Årst. The results are obvious, with each player getting three goals in the first four games.
Kenneth Høie has, at the age of 31, finally grown into the reliable and commanding goalkeeper his talent demanded he’d become. Having played every league game for Start the last two seasons, he now has had the continuity, experience and confidence required to be one of the best keepers in the league. Fredrik Strømstad was an integral part of the 2005 team that finished in 2nd place, but has had a torrid time at Le Mans in France over the last couple of seasons. He’s back on loan with Start until August and in his first start of the season against Viking the busy midfielder showed very encouraging signs that he’s getting back to the level of sharpness and effectiveness that has previously gained him 18 caps for Norway.
A trip away to another team that prefers attack over defence, newly promoted Sarpsborg 08, awaits Start in the next round. With no clear contenders for the title yet to emerge this season, it might not be long before there is talk down south about claiming the title they felt should have been theirs 6 years ago.
Top 4, Where Art Thou?
Start is followed in the league table by newly promoted Fredrikstad and another team that was expected to be comfortably mid-table at best this season, Strømsgodset. Tippeligaen looked a very unpredictable league before the season, the only real consensus among the pundits was that the top four places would be a real dogfight between Vålerenga, Molde, Viking and Rosenborg. While we are still only four weeks into the season, those same four teams are currently occupying 6th, 10th, 14th and 15th place respectively. Even Vålerenga has been overly reliant on a solid defence to get them their seven points so far, their obviously problem being the lack of a proven goal-scorer. Molde seem to have found that player in Davy Claude Angan who has got four goals so far, but with nine conceded it is clear where Ole Gunnar Solskjær most concentrate his efforts, even after he got his first ever win as a senior manager this week. Former national coach Åge Hareide is struggling to find the right formation and balance for his Viking team, although they have the quality and dept to climb the table rapidly if he can crack the tactical code. They surely want to rectify their embarrassing 4-0 loss to Start this weekend, but do face another tricky challenge against Strømsgodset this weekend. Then there is Rosenborg....
Jönsson’s lifeline
It is becoming increasingly difficult to not mention Rosenborg for all the wrong reasons after each round. Following their unbeaten season last year and only one league defeat in the last two seasons, they now have three losses in four games. With Vålerenga awaiting them in the next round it is not implausible that a fourth defeat could follow. The inevitable rumblings about Jan Jönsson’s work and job security have begun, especially as Rosenborg will always have a safety net ready; their legendary coach Nils Arne Eggen, who in a caretaker role steered them to the league championship last season. At the respectable age of 69, it was his 14th league championship in charge of Rosenborg, in addition to the two he won as a player.
But panic sackings are just not Rosenborg’s style, and plenty of the blame has also been divided up and given to sporting director Erik Hoftun, especially for not recruiting players of high enough quality to replace the likes of Anthony Annan, Vadim Demidov and Steffen Iversen. Jönsson is a good, attack-minded coach who will need time to shape the team in his image, and ironically it might be Rosenborg’s almost permanent status as league champions that gives him a life-line. Must Rosenborg fans would gladly trade a 16th league title since 1992 for another entry into the Champions League group stage, which they haven’t achieved since 2007. That qualification don’t start before July, and with another three months work with what is still arguably the best squad in the league, Jönsson’s Rosenborg might then finally have emerged as a the team that are at least the sum of its parts. Norwegian clubs would certainly welcome a good run for Rosenborg in Europe; Norway is currently 22nd in the UEFA co-efficient ranking, behind both Cyprus and Israel.
Defence looks like the best attack
It took 28 games until the first goalless draw of a season that has been characterised by offensive football and at times very suspect defending. 3.4 goals per game in the first 4 rounds indicates value for money for the paying supporters, especially Lillestrøm fans who so far this season has witnessed an average of 5.3 goals per game. But for all the entertainment it seems that, as usual, it is still defensive prowess that will lead to success. Of the pre-season contenders who are actually performing to a reasonable standard, it is Tromsø and Vålerenga – with 2 and 1.8 goals per game respectively – who are looking like the most credible challengers at this early stage. After the four expected contenders (see above), another solid season was expected from Tromsø after their 3rd place last season. That they were involved in that first 0-0 game of the season against newly promoted Sogndal was no surprise, and their disciplined defence should take them far this season. With offensive players that has the quality and experience to get a decent return of goals as well, they are still looking like a very credible candidate for the title.
Big crowds and loyal fans
Vålerenga – Lillestrøm at Ullevaal is always guaranteed to be one of the highest attended games of any season. The derby between the so-called ‘urbanities’ of Vålerenga and ‘country bumpkins’ of Lillestrøm (the latter a small commuting town that can be reached in 15 minutes on the express train from Oslo Central Station, the former famously filled with supporters from outside Oslo) is perhaps the biggest grudge match in Norwegian football. But 20 003 was the highest league attendance of the season by nearly 4000, and had not a large part of the population already set of for their cabins for Easter week, it would have been even more emphatic season record. We will probably not see such a big crowd until Rosenborg visit Ullevaal in late September, especially if the title is still a realistic prospect for Vålerenga.
But if Vålerenga can bring in the big crowds on big occasions, the title of the most loyal fans are currently claimed (loudly, as always) in Bergen. Rosenborg only drew 11 717 supporters to their game against Lillestrøm in round three, stopping at 116 home games in a row with an attendance over 12 000, a streak going back to 2002. Brann, who has had far less success in that period – except for their long awaited title in 2007- currently stand on 85 games home games in a row with a +12 000 crowd. They would love surpass their intense rivals in Trondheim, and can now do that in the early stages of the 2013 season. Vålerenga fans has to cast their eyes a lot further into the future. They currently only have 7 games in a row with an attendance above 12 000....
Week 4 – Stats
Results:
Haugesund 3-3 Brann
Sørum 8,9 Mjelde 1
Mæland 26 Ojo 35 (pen)
Guastavino 39
Attn: 5 000
Start 4-0 Viking
Hoff 3
Årst 33, 39
Kleiven 78
Attn: 11 419
Molde 3-2 Stabæk
Angan 32 Gunnarsson 70, 75
Diouf 45
Thioune 71
Attn: 9 112
Odd Grenland 2-2 Aalesund
Johnsen 58, 88 Phillips 25
Orry Larsen 81
Attn: 5 577
Sogndal 0–0 Tromsø
Attn: 2 806
Strømsgodset 5-2 Sarpsborg 08
Aas 26, 30 Hoås 53
Konradsen 40 Matland 56
Kamara 78, 89
Attn: 5 900
Vålerenga 1-1 Lillestrøm
Boakye 81 Kundtzon 53
Attn: 20 003
Fredrikstad 2-0 Rosenborg
Elyounoussi 21
Jabbie 62
Attn: 11 872
Player of the week: Tarik Elyounoussi, Fredrikstad
Top Scorers
5 goals: Anthony Ujah, Lillestrøm
4 goals: Rade Prica, Rosenborg
Ola Kamara, Strømsgodset
Davy Claude Angan
3 goals: Sigurd Rushfeldt, Tromsø
Nosa Igiebor, Lillestrøm
Espen Hoff, Start
Kim Ojo, Brann
Jo Nymo Matland, Sarpsborg 08
Demar Phillips, Aalesund
Ole Martin Årst, Start
Thomas Sørum, Haugesund
Frode Johnsen, Odd Grenland
Alexander Aas, Strømsgodset
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