Rosenborg and Molde are still going strong, but NFN takes time out to salute the efforts of this years promoted teams, who have all been superb so far. Other notable events this weekend include the continuing struggles of Stabæk, Viking possibly turning some kind of corner and renewed calls for Mad Martin to go away.
For the second week running Start was the team to watch, their 3-2 win over Vålerenga was superbly entertaining stuff. The continued excellence of Christian Bolanos, a perfectly good goal that wasn’t given, a last minute winner, Erik Mykland looking rather useful, Kristoffer Hæstad getting some serious abuse, Mad Martin edging ever closer to his inevitable sacking, it’s hard to know where to start really. The feel good story of the game was certainly Bolanos, who first suffered the injustice of having a goal ignored by the officials but then found some sort of redemption when he scored Start’s winner in extra time. It’s also impressive to see Erik Mykland’s tender tendons holding up as he was kicked around big time by the Vålerenga midfield, but as it turns out the Jesus look-alike and former druggie can make a contribution to the cause after all. Slightly less impressive were Start’s fans, who have inexplicably made their former player Kristoffer Hæstad a target for abuse, even though his staggeringly overpriced transfer to Vålerenga (10million NOK? What on earth were you thinking Martin?) must have been an almighty help for the poor souls who try to keep Start’s perennially buggered finances from killing the club entirely.
On the subject of Mad Martin Andresen, it’s been a question of when rather than if for a long time now, and when that’s the case you have to wonder just what it is that the Vålerenga board are waiting for.
Derbies are funny things. Ahead of the clash between Aalesund and Molde, Molde-manager Kjell Jonevret played down the idea that the game meant something extra. After his team had won 2-0, the same Jonevret told the press that it felt particularly good to beat Aalesund, while AaFK-forward Tor Hogne Aarøy when asked about Molde’s chances in the league opined that he didn’t much care about Molde (thoug he used rather more colorful language). What a difference a result can make. All that nonsense aside, the game was memorable mostly for Magne Hoseth’s sublime second half strike. The metrosexual midfielder came on to a shower of abuse from those charming AaFK-fans, and responded by putting the game to bed with a superbly executed left-foot strike.
Speaking of wonder-strikers, how about this one? Bizarrely, Viking-midfielder Andre Danielsen has scored only twice in 89 appearances for his club, and both have been against Bodø/Glimt. Even though it ended 3-2, the Northerners never really looked like getting anything from the game and the freebie-loving folk at Viking stadion were treated to a far less inept performance than what we’ve come to expect from Viking this season. Much of the reason for that was the inclusion of Tommy Høiland, who unlike Peter Ijeh runs around quite a lot and unlike Mame Niang can control the ball. The sight of a striker capable of doing both these things, often at the same time, whipped the Viking-faithful into a bit of a frenzy, and with him being vaguely homegrown and all they are more than ready to ignore the fact that he keeps diving. At the moment Høiland is, essentially, a 20 year old turbo-charged version of Bernt Hulsker. That may sound like an insult, but as Hulsker’s five goals in six games for Start shows it can be more than enough in the Tippeliga.
And now it’s time for a huge tip of the hat to the two other promoted teams, Odd Grenland and Sandefjord. Odd managed a 1-1 draw up North against Tromsø and Sandefjord beat Strømsgodset at home, and that leaves them 6th and 4th respectively. With Start in 3rd, this means that seven games in all three promoted sides are sitting firmly in the fashionable end of the table, a hugely impressive achievement for all of them. You still get the feeling that Sandefjord could do a Hull City and struggle once the wave of positive emotions they are currently surfing breaks, but Odd and Start have both showed that they have a lot of quality about them and unless their squads are crippled by injuries (or in Starts case the transfer-window) they should both stay up comfortably.
Rosenborg did their thing again, beating Fredrikstad 1-0 without really impressing. To be fair, they looked very good indeed for the first 20 minutes or so, but that was probably more down to FFK being awful than anything else. Where FFK last season were much more than the sum of their parts they are now slightly less, and a combination of injuries and loss of form to their key players has left them looking like a really rather poor team.
Lastly, well, yet again, Stabæk are stuttering. They created enough chances to win their game against Lyn, but as has so often been the case this season they didn’t put any of them away. Having said that, Lyn had plenty of chances of their own and the 0-0 draw was probably a pretty fair result. Ten points behind Rosenborg and nine behind Molde, even if they do get their act together Stabæk are probably too far behind to involve themselves in the title-fight this season.
May 4th, 2009 at 7:17 pm
I find it harsh the way doffen has been treated by the Start supporters. Of course the club have to sell their best players when they go down and it was inevitable Kristofer Hæstad and Fredrik Strømstad were going to be sold.. the surprise is doffen’s choice of club. I thought he would go abroad, maybe his experience in England turned off potential suitors. He seems to be getting back to his best and it is no coincedence that he plays well now Andreasen is not playing alongside him.
May 4th, 2009 at 9:54 pm
Absolutely, I can see how they’d prefer him to go abroad but to invoke the Judas thing shows a staggering lack of perspective and, dare I say, supporter-culture. Luis Figo was a Judas, Sol Campbell was a Judas, Kristoffer Hæstad leaving Start for Vålerenga after Start got themselves relegated, that’s just perfectly normal transfer. Some (I understand Start-fans are split on this) Start fans really need to get over themselves.
May 5th, 2009 at 3:07 am
If the Start fans were pissed when Haestad left they will be crushed when Bolanos is sold in August and couple of other favorites could also be bought from bigger clubs.
May 5th, 2009 at 8:47 am
About the signs and the boos…there is a small group of Start-supporters who are extremely pissed at Hæstad because
- he’s a local lad who played most of his junior and all of his senior career with Start before the transfer
- the past 10 years or so Vålerenga has been the team Start-supporters love to hate more than any other (and especially after 2005 and the personal rivalry between then-coached Tom Nordlie and Kjetil Rekdal)
- a few weeks before he was sold to Vålerenga Hæstad claimed he would never play for another Norwegian club than Start. Fredrik Strømstad made a similar claim, but unlike Hæstad he refused transfers to both Rosenborg and Start, preferring to go down to the Adecco with Start before ending up abroad.
- when he went to Vålerenga Hæstad said he would never have such loyalty and feelings for them like he had for Start; a few months later he told Klanen how much he loved Vålerenga and kissed the club log when he scored a goal.
For most sensible people these are not significant things, and for me Hæstad is now just another opponent. Some hardcore fans, however, don’t see it that way…
May 5th, 2009 at 8:54 am
About the signs and the boos…there is a small group of Start-supporters who are extremely pissed at Hæstad because
- he’s a local lad who played most of his junior and all of his senior career with Start before the transfer
- the past 10 years or so Vålerenga has been the team Start-supporters love to hate more than any other (and especially after 2005 and the personal rivalry between then-coaches Tom Nordlie and Kjetil Rekdal)
- a few weeks before he was sold to Vålerenga Hæstad claimed he would never play for another Norwegian club than Start. Fredrik Strømstad made a similar claim, but unlike Hæstad he refused transfers to both Rosenborg and Brann, preferring to go down to the Adecco with Start before ending up abroad.
- when he went to Vålerenga Hæstad said he would never have such loyalty and feelings for them like he had for Start; a few months later he told Klanen how much he loved Vålerenga and kissed the club log when he scored a goal.
For most sensible people these are not significant things, and for me Hæstad is now just another opponent. Some hardcore fans, however, don’t see it that way…
May 5th, 2009 at 8:55 am
sorry about the double-post – I guess I can’t edit my comments to hide the typos…
May 5th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
When Valerenga won the Norwegian Cup last year Haestad’s younger brother who now plays for Start went up to Oslo to support him at the match. He had on a cap with the Valerenga crest and the Start fans wet nuts and wanted him out of the club. It was crazy and a fan with some sense asked if Goodson did the same thing would they want him out? Of course not because they want to win and will over look these things for a great player. If Bolanos sported his old clubs colors I am certain everything would be just fine. Start fans are being unreasonable about the Haestad situation.
May 5th, 2009 at 6:15 pm
I agree that the Start fans should support their team and not spend so much time harassing a “visiting” player. But, be glad you have fans with passion. I’m in the U.S. Our top league (MLS) is drawing on average less than 10,000 per game. My local team (FC Dallas) is averaging less in attendance (approx 6,000) than a couple of the women’s pro teams. Fans need to behave themselves. Yes. I’m just glad Start’s supporters are there to be talked about.
My main point is about Rosenberg. I think their run to the title may be like this year’s Inter Milan in Italy. Inter has not been very exciting very, but effective. They have gotten the points they need. And unless there is a train wreck in the offing, they will coast into the scudetto. I think Rosenberg will do the same. The others will be fighting for a medal spot.
May 6th, 2009 at 8:37 am
Christian Bolaños is playing great, makes me remember their goals in The Clubs World Cup at Japan. If he keeps scoring like this, we won’t be staying in Norway too much. Viva Saprissa!!! #2 Christian Bolaños.
May 6th, 2009 at 4:35 pm
Bolanos has been fantastic and I’m pretty sure you’ll see him in a bigger league pretty soon, douglasac.
Al: I take your point, but I just think they’re being particularly silly in this case. Start’s “rivalry” with Vålerenga is quite new, and as the guy said, something the fans have cooked up themselves for no obvious reason, so I can’t see why they expect the players to care about it, for them Vålerenga is just another club.
..and DAMN YOU for making that Inter Milan-connection, I was going to write that myself after their inevitable win against Lyn tonight. Great minds eh? I think you are absolutely spot on about that. The only thing that could possibly trouble Rosenborg is if Skjelbred, Sapara, Annan and Tettey all hand in transfer-requests this summer (which is unikely but not impossible).