Opinion: Ten Hag should regret that he left Ajax

The Manchester United Manager, Erik Ten Hag are clearly struggling to grasp his new club and the challenge, which is ahead of him. The job he has is massive and the others has failed before him. Ever since Alex Ferguson retired, no one has able to contain or build a team at the club. That’s why he won’t have the time or the ability to build much confidence before his saga at the club is over.

Ten Hag has only had two Premier League matches. One home and one Away. Both has ended in disaster. One a loss to Brighton & Hove Albion 1-2 at Old Trafford and today losing 4-0 to Brentford away at Brentford (Gtech) Community Stadium. Certainly the 1-6 in goal difference and zero points is a horrific start of the season. None of these matches was against title contenders or any sort of team that is expected to get to Euro League or anything. No, these are teams that expected to avoid relegation and that’s about it.

The Dutch Manger who has been successful in the Eredivisie. That’s why he built himself a name with FC Utrecht and Ajax. The latter is where he won titles and also did well as reach Semi-Finals in the Champions League, and the Quarter-Finals in the Euro League. So, it’s not like he doesn’t have a track-record and done an amazing job in Ajax. That has been obvious and this is why so many of players was sold to bigger clubs.

However, now where he resides it’s different. Whatever results he had in pre-Season doesn’t matter. The cups or so called titles in practice matches are pointless. The Premier League and the results are the ones that matters the most. The ability to reach Champions League and be a title contender. The Manchester United club isn’t supposed to look this awful.

There is so much expectation and history, which haunts the club. That’s why anybody following Ferguson has fallen off. The club has had Moyes, Mourinho, Solskjær and Rangnick. All of them has been there and later crashed. The club has just hired them and later sacked them. While keeping plenty of players and stars on their pay-roll. This has further made the rot evident and clear.

There big names and supposed wonder-boys who was supposed to shine. However, it hasn’t materialized in years. The people from the academy haven’t brought things up to speed as well. There is no signs of redemption and so much lost time. Hack work and few signings from each who has been there. Now it seems like there is no vision or attitude of how the club wants to be run. They are either trying to get the ones to sell the most T-Shirts or Merchandise, but not the characters that build a functioning team.

Ten Hag has not only very little to no time. The sort of results at Brentford isn’t taken lightly. Neither is the loss to Brighton at home. These sorts of things has to be flukes. It is a reason why OGS was fazed out. Now the Dutch Manager has to revive and build a team. A team that he got no time to build. The results just has to appear and there will be “borrowed” time to fix it or adjust. He just got to find the tools and get the players to follow his paradigm shift. Because, what the world is seeing right now isn’t working.

These days… I wouldn’t feel bad or feel like he betrayed his new club. If Ten Hag said he missed Ajax. That was his wonder years and where he had success. Now his come to place and a league he has no time to grow into. Manchester United is an unforgiving place and a club with huge expectations. These results cannot be prolonged and sooner or later he has to show PlayStation football against an opponent. Because, what we are seeing right now isn’t doing him any good.

Ten Hag era will end in tears. It is just starting and this is looking grim. Peace.

Opinion: Manchester United needs to axe Solskjær

At this point of time the Manchester United Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær, the former caretaker and later hired manager for full-time since 2018. There was at one point of time looking like there was progress and more of a structure in the play. However, those days are now gone.

The United team has been in tatters all of October and November 2021. There only been one victory over Tottenham. The rest have been tragic and humiliating results, which is starting to pile-up on him. After twelve rounds in the league he has 5 losses and 5 victories. That isn’t a sign of strength, but of serious weakness.

OGS after last season was supposed to continue the path of building a strong team. Solskjær was getting new recruits in defence, midfield and attack, which all could boost the team significantly. As a manager with the new signings of Varane, Ronaldo and Sancho. He should have the system and momentum on his side. However, that isn’t evident.

The results are stinking. They are aggravating and the loss to Young Boys seems like a pattern now. OGS should make it look like he has control, but that isn’t how it looks. Instead, it seems like his losing the players and they are talking about their grievances to the press. That shouldn’t happen and with huge egos. The manager needs to show character and a plan forward.

Solskjær seems to be lost. Just like the team is often on the pitch now. He got talented and skilled players, but he doesn’t seem to get them into either a formation or philosophy to win. At United that shouldn’t be the case. He could partly get away with this at Cardiff. The short stint it was in Wales. However, this is just prolonging the agony for everyone now.

OGS should see the writing on the wall. The former team legend and player under Sir Alex Ferguson is now on borrowed time. The Glazers will only save his behind, if their investment is still cashing in. When the buck stops, they will axe him too. At this point in time and with Woodward in control for now. He might survive another day, but he cannot fail much more.

This manager have humiliated the team at City, Liverpool and now Watford. OGS let Watford walk all over the team and mock them. Losing 4-1 away to Watford is a disgraceful thing to do as a United Manager. Yes, the team is at fault, but the manager is the first to blame. He is the man who decides and makes the selection of players. It is his tactics and the manifestation on the pitch isn’t there.

Solskjær seems to fail at this and isn’t able to rise above this crisis. The team was boosted and gotten new manpower. However, that isn’t reflected in the results and instead its getting worse. The manager should have gotten more steady defensively with Varane and the midfield should be more inspiring with Sancho. Nevertheless, OGS haven’t utilised this or other acquisitions in his time. Just like Van Der Beek have been lingering on the bench. While Fred and others have been stinking up the place.

It is a reason why the team is lacking and the manager isn’t able to revitalize the squad. The manager doesn’t have the character or finesse to push them. He is to meek or soft to push these stars into action. In the season 2019/20 he came third in the league and last year came 2^nd placed. Now, his trailing in 7^th place and several points behind the big teams in top four. His soon at the levels of which he became the caretaker in 2018/19. That says it all about his failure to progress the team.

OGS should have stabilized the team and ensure some sort of winning points formula. He has already two seasons behind him. The man should have shown it, but at this moment it is like he cannot grasp what is ahead of him. The sort of steady losses only ensure his possible demise. Nobody will blame the board or the club to sack him now. It would be risky to be another season outside of Champions League. Especially, after getting such huge names and big signings ahead of the season.

Solskjær will not a be a well sought out manager after this either. He was lucky enough to get hired and have these years as a manager in Manchester United. OGS got it because of his legacy and former player at the club. He didn’t get it on merit or acclaimed managerial resume. No, he got it because of his long-foot at the Champions League final many years ago.

OGS is lucky this lasted this long. That he was able to pull of the last two seasons and the caretaker period. That he was able to do that is more than enough. It is just painful to follow him now. Just like it was the months when he was in the dugout at Cardiff. To be blunt, it is even worse now. Because, there he had nothing to loose, but at United he destroys his whole credibility.

Solskjær is lucky if he survives this loss against Watford. He knows that too. There is little to give now and he needed results to keep the job. Now it is just a matter of who takes over and this terrible display cannot continue. There is no saving grace here. Peace.

Opinion: Solskjær is under fire

“Every goal disappoints you to concede. If some team outplays you that’s fine – that’s well done to them. But today the first one we gifted, the second one is a set-play that we should do better. We don’t really get our heads on it, and the blocks. Third one, it’s 10 seconds after we equalised. It shouldn’t happen. It’s just one of those things: deal with it. It’s a long ball from Jonny and we should just deal with it. Then the last goal is a set-play again, which is disappointing. It’s concentration, focus, every time you concede a goal” (Ole Gunnar Solskjær after 2-4 defeat to Leicester on the 16^th October 2021).

The Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær is in real trouble. He has been managing the Red Devils for over 2 and half years. Last year he was so close to titles, but became second in both of those races. In the Premier League and losing to Villareal in the Euro League Finale. So, this season has to prove further progression to secure his role.

However, the last month has been an giant issue. OGS haven’t delivered and seemingly gotten rotten results. The season started splendid with good victories and a mediocre match at Southampton. Nevertheless, since Mid-September the results haven’t been any good. The club is currently with 14 points after 8 matches and if the club had won every match they would have 24 points. Not that you expect the club to win every match in the Premier League and be the invisible. But… you do expect to get close with United, as they are automatically a title contender. If they are not title contenders. OGS and United should always aspire at that. That is expected for them.

Yes, before Ole became the manager there been a long run of seasons of mediocrity. The team wasn’t filled with huge talents and had a plan. There was several of managers picking their players and some youngsters from the academy.. While that made the team fragile and didn’t have the amount of creativity, strong defence or even a 20 goals a season striker.

OGS have gotten several of world-class players. His transfer-kitty have been extensive and given him a lot. That’s why you should expect more than just clinging on to a Champions League spot. The club will most likely be in the range of 3-4th this season. As the results of late is soon sending them to far to reach the title of the Premier League. It is just 5 points up to Liverpool, but this early in the season is worrying. Especially, if this club is supposed to be progressing.

The club should be in a better place. It has Cristiano Ronaldo, Raphael Varane, Edison Cavani, Paul Pogba, Bruno Fernandes and that’s players who should make them a big team. Yes, a team with such players can have lackluster and bonkers matches. However, 1 victory in the 5 latests matches isn’t what you expect of United. No, they are supposed to be on the tail of bigger teams. This team isn’t supposed to fail in Switzerland and look like the B-Team of Young Boys. No, that’s not supposed to happen, but that happen this season.

On the 19^th September was the last victory in Premier League. Yes, United finally won in the Champions League group over Villareal. Since then the team has lost against Aston Villa away, a tie against Everton at home and destroyed away at Leicester today. This isn’t the supposed moving forward is looking like. Especially not when the manager has gotten such player into his team. There should be some sort of move, tactics and ability to use his squad to assemble victories.

Yes, we do know that Ole has been critical about the amount of matches and how it get players injured. That’s why he couldn’t have several of players playing on the team today. Nevertheless, a manager is supposed to sort it out and have other players to squad to cover the others. If not, the team is needs solid tactics. The manager needs to fix that and show his ability to deliver results. Even when his stars are off the pitch. That doesn’t seem possible with Ole. Not that this point at least.

People are even questioning if the players are following a certain philosophy or strategy. Maybe, Ole has been saved by the general star-power. That the team has certain individuals who can change the matches on their own. OGS knows this, but who has seen significant style or playing style in the last two years?

People are questioning that… and it’s natural after this long time without a victory in the league. While the results earlier in the season should be proof that there was something on the way. Now, people are naturally questioning it all.

OGS should show it and prove that he can carry this weight. He is not in “transition” anymore. That train is sort of over. He has had over 2 years to build and the results should start to come now. The instability and uncertainty should be over. However, that is never ending.

Ole is asked to be sacked by plenty of people now. That’s natural even if the place in the League isn’t all out of order and it’s still easy to get into top 4. However, that was Wenger’s plan for Arsenal and was mocked years ago by United fans and everyone else. Especially now that United club has invested and gotten new players ahead of this season. You would thinks was looking more rosy. However, they are not and now everything is point at the manager.

OGS needs results and quickly. He needs to prove the early start of the season wasn’t fluke. The good results of 4 and 5 goals and not really concede a lot goals. Now, that is backfiring and the team isn’t delivering.

After all this time and transfer windows… shouldn’t this project look better and show signs of progress?

Yes, a team and squads have periods and dip of form. That is natural, but the team shouldn’t make it look so dire as today. The choices of the manager should be questioned. The recent results aren’t just speculation, but adding pressure. Right now OGS cannot go much longer without delivering. He needs a lot of victories in a row. That’s what he needs and what United needs as well. Especially, if the club isn’t planning to fall behind the top 4, which could easily happen if this continues.

Ronaldo cannot play all matches, neither can anyone else. That’s why he needs a steady rotation and have a back-up plan. That doesn’t seem viable today and maybe that’s not on the program tomorrow. However, that is needed quickly and he needs to prove he has this. People shouldn’t be able to question him and his style of play. That should be instilled into the players and be visible to the crowds, which isn’t happening now.

Ole do you want this job or are you clueless these days? What is happening? Or was the stint at Cardiff a warning of what is ahead for United? Peace.

Premier League 2013/2014: My review!

There many out there, but this is mine. How I have seen this season and my thoughts on the madness called Barclay’s Premier League with all its magic and thunder! I will do every team with max 5 sentences which entails the thoughts I have about it and after how it ended first to last.

 

 

Number one: Manchester City

With Pellegrini in charge, the one manager who hasn’t won a title in Europe wasn’t supposed to surpass the former manager Mancini. The team won the League Cup over Sunderland in 2^nd of March. They were having fewer matches and never really on the top, Pellegrini also had a tough spell on the away matches in the start of the season. Nevertheless, with a world-class squad which got better with the players as Negredo, Fernandinho, Jovetic and Demichelis. With a 102 scored goals, controlled play where they achieved victory even with a mismatch’s in the start of the season, then also the important loss at 13. April 2014 this ended 3-2 to Liverpool.

Number two: Liverpool

Brendan Rodgers team which seemed weak compared to other title runner in the Premiership. Getting Sterling, Sturridge and Suarez playing world-class attacking football and at the same time having Henderson to be engine together with the general Gerrard in the midfield of the team. The weakness of the defense with the players who wasn’t up to par with the rest of the Premiership: Kolo Toure, Skretel and Cissokho they got a second place, but also let in 50 goals and scored the magnificent 101! On the 8^th February 20 minutes of top class destruction of Arsenal 4-0 and the match ended 5-1, also with the highest class of attacking football of the league this campaign.

Number three: Chelsea

Jose Mourinho in charge of the greatness and succession, Jose became the happy one this time around. A team who is so great that they has no need for the player of the year for two seasons Juan Mata and got Hazard/Willian/Shurrle to play awesome. Mourinho called Wenger a manager of failure, karma hit him and he got not a cup title, league nor further then semi-final in the Champions League. Wonder if Eto’o, Ba and Torres is sure not happy about the happy one, not even Lukaku will return to Stamford Bridge, sure some of the other will leave as well in the next transfer window. I am sure Chelsea will go after Diego Costa and others to secure a title next year.

Number four: Arsenal

Wenger has gotten the team to Champions League yet again. Today they secured the FA Cup with a 3-2 victory over Hull City. The thing missing was a new striker to be a favored guy besides Giroud – Bendtner is the cloth for the Premiership. ὂzil came from Spanish football and his vision made a difference together with fast moving mid-field and the rise of Ramsey made matches like 19^th October 2013 Arsenal – Norwich showed class an won 4-1. Looking like contenders before the injuries of Walcott and Ramsey hurt the campaign. Congrats Wenger!

Number five: Everton

Roberto Martinez took over the team after a David Moyes who run the club for 10 years. The team loaned Garth Barry (Manchester City) and Roman Lukaku (Chelsea) they both played important roles for the successful campaign, also Stones and Barkley made great progress an did well considering it all. Everton played better then under Moyes and he made his promise making Everton end over Manchester United, though the well-structured defense with Baines, Jagielka and Distin is maybe the best in the league. Martinez did a fantastic job, enough said!!! The losses in the end of season were the reason why the team didn’t beat Arsenal for the last spot to Champions League.

Number sixth: Tottenham

Andre Villas-Boas (AVB) started as manager after the sale of Gareth Bale to Real Madrid during the summer bought a new squad for 100 million £. The team played so insane at times, the defense was so unorganized that it could have been a team who deserved to be in the drop zone. The chairman cut the cord and hired Tim Sherwood, the lead to Adebayor to settle again in grace and leaving the new guy Soldado to the bricks. The match losses to Liverpool (0-6, 0-5), Manchester City (1-5, 0-6) and Chelsea (0-4), the surprise in this campaign was win over Manchester United at Old Traffod 2-1. Daniel Levy is now shopping his tenth manager for the mighty Spurs, the question is who is next to be axed by Levy?

Number seven: Manchester United

Old Trafford wasn’t the same, the team wasn’t the same, the transfer windows wasn’t the same, nothing was the same Alex Ferguson retired, but David Moyes was the chosen one! Fellaini and Mata was the signings, one magnificent the other one tragic! Old Trafford became a place not to fear anymore; even Swansea beat them there in the FA Cup! Manchester United played with possession for no reason no tiki-taka Barcelona, but the play from 16^th meter yard back to the goalie is a total waste of time and talent! The sacking of Moyes had to come, the one who takes over has to buy a new defense and get them to play attacking football again!

Number eight: Southampton

Pochettino the Argentinian who took the team to new heights with using youth players regularly like Shaw, Clyne, Ward-Prowse, Cork, Chambers and Gallagher! The rise of Lallana and Rodriguez is also astonishing, so well playing is the team that players is now in the zone being sold for a tiny fortune. Pochettino is also on the way to Spurs if he doesn’t get assurance of the mission of a building an amazing squad. Southampton has had an amazing season and can be proud!

Number nine: Stoke

Mark Hughes has taken over after Tony Pulis, because the club wanted to play in more attractive way then long-passes to Kenwyne Jones which got exchange for Odiemwingie and also Assidi (On loan from Liverpool). Adam a former Liverpool player either tackled the opponents, If not he played diligently and proved his place in the team. Stoke did not score a lot of goals, but they did get points and play more possession based as wished by both the fans and board. Stoke made a top ten position something Tony Pulis never achieved, big props to Hughes and his ways with nearly the same players change it and made a great difference.

Number ten: Newcastle

The team under Pardew before Christmas was a team looking like a stellar top six. After Christmas without Cabaye they lost nearly everything except the Cardiff match on 3^rd of May where they won 3-0 and even when Pardew Glasgow-kissed Hull City player Meyler they won 4-1 at KC Stadium and got a 7 games ban. The also fallout of Ben Arfa who would have been the best player since the sale of Cabaye, but didn’t play squat in the end of the season! NeuCastle didn’t become the stellar candidate and gotten all the way Europe, they got the top ten, but not in a way that made the fans see with pride. So even if they get some new singings and end the loans of Loic Remy (QPR) and Luuk De Jong (Boruissa Møchengladback), need a new striker and a creative midfielder. The defense needs also new energy since Taylor and Coluccini is rumored to be out and has also been out of form.

Number eleven: Crystal Palace

Getting up from Championship and started badly in the premiership with Ian Holloway in charge. They lost 7 matches and won 1 in mid-October was at 19^th place. The board didn’t see any structure in the play and hired Tony Pulis, he cleared the squad which was added with 16 new players before the campaign. Pulis in his window got Ledley (Celtic), Dann (Blackburn) and loaned Tom Ince (Blackpool), they all played to part except for Ince. The Palace team got to be a well-structured defense and a team who not only won matches, but surprised Chelsea (1-0) and Liverpool (3-3) which made a difference for the title race, congrats Pulis!

Number twelve: Swansea

A team which played in Euro-League with a limited squad wasn’t up to part in the league at the same time. Michu injured much of the time, but the signing of Wilfried Bony was a great striker who had class both with speed and cold finisher in the box. Michael Laudrup got fired for having too lenient with the squad and except for beating Manchester United at Old Trafford in the League Cup, he didn’t play up to level of last year. Therefore Swansea hired the player Gary Monk to be the intermit manager for the rest of the season and salvage it. The swans picked up the pace and played more than just possession based tiki-taka play, but also win matches.

Number thirteen: West Ham

Sam Allardyce has secured the London team without any issues kept them out the relegation zone. The team didn’t play a fantastic way, Rat was a mistake, Ravel Morrison never got into the team and headed back to QPR. The need for Andy Carroll, Kevin Nolan, Mark Nobel and Downing was showed this year! Hammers didn’t have a real hammer time, but made it well enough and beat Tottenham 3 times this year! The fans are just worried for the slow pace and play of the team when they need more speed and technic to fill the new Olympic stadium in a few year.

Number fourth-teen: Sunderland

A team that was seen as a dead fish in the water with Di Canio in charge and all the new singnings who didn’t show up at any level in the start of the campaign. It got so bad that they hired Gus Poyet to achieve a miracle ending and he did deliver, he got the team to League Cup final where they lost and saved the team from relegation. They had amazing results over 2-1 over Chelsea in April, victory at Old Trafford 1-0 over Manchester United and 2-0 over WBA. Victories that saved the team and the Black Cats, also the run of Wickham in the end of the season was figure that scored the important goals. Poyet made a miracle happen!

Number fifth-teen: Aston Villa

Ricky Lambert former Norwich manager was supposed to make a difference in the team with the new low budgets. Last year the team got saved by Benteke, this year Delp and whatshisname. Back home they played like it was dangerous and havoc place where they would be lost sheep. Whatshisname is Agboniahor and Westwood made sometimes the games interesting, rest of the time played very badly and a reason why they lost 20 matches. If Lambert keeps the job, he has to create magic next year!

Number sixth-teen: Hull City

The team that got promoted last year with Steve Bruce was doomed from the get go. Defense and attacking was made in a way to fit his opponents, either 5 in defense or 3 depending on how it would affect his play. Also the play with two strikers Sagbo and Boyd, the midfielders of Livermore (on-loan from Tottenham) and buying of Huddlestone (Tottenham) made the difference, in the January transfer-window getting Jelavic (Everton) and Long (WBA). Even with the late defeat in the FA Cup against Arsenal, Steve Bruce has achieved something great with this campaign! Salute to Brucey!

Number seventh-teen: West Bromwich Albion

The Birmingham club has delivered reasonable results during recent years, this year it fall a bit apart with the losing strikers like Odiemwingie, Lukuku and Long. Steven Clark got new players but none of them could match the former strikers this was Berahino and Anichebe couldn’t deliver the same kind of force. So Clark had to go and they hired Pepe Mel! The Spaniard didn’t change much and they just made enough ruckus and points to secure the positions and some strange pre-match interviews… Under Clark they one on Old Trafford though 2-1.

Number eight-teen: Norwich

The big buying hoopla with getting Ricky Van Wolfesvinkel and Gary Hooper, Hooper got injured and didn’t fit for the season; Van Wolfesvinkel was the greatest flop of this season. The amazing and great Chris Hughton got fired right before the end of the season when there was no return, and the team didn’t change anything. They had a terrifying end of it all with high end stakes matches and also losing with those close on the table. Neil Adams didn’t make a difference. Alexander Tettey had the goal of the year for this team, but it didn’t save them from the awful relegation and championship to come!

Number nine-teen: Fulham

This year Mohamed Al Fayed got sold to Shahid Khan, first manager of the year was Martin Jol who didn’t make a cut this start of the season, second manager Rene Meulensteen got 75 days, then then the unlucky funny looking German manager Felix Magath got hired to save the team from relegation. Lewis Holtby (on loan from Tottenham), the defender Johnny Heitinga(who wasn’t a worth the free transfer), Kvist, Dempsey(on loan from Seattle Sounders) and the striker Kostantinos Mitroglou (Olympiacos Piraeus) who didn’t even play and he was supposed to be the one take the spot after Berbatov(went to Monaco). Losing 6-0 at KC Stadium with Hull City in 28^th December 2013, then also losing 5-0 against Manchester City at Ethiad Stadium in 22th March 2014 and was March the only points winning over Newcastle 1-0. So there was no question if they we’re going down, there was never plan in the play and without Hangeland in the middle of defense and also weakness in the midfield play were horrible even with some greatness of Sidwell and Dejagah. So bye bye and good luck in the championship!

Number twenty: Cardiff City

The welsh team that went up from the championship with Matt Malkay who tried to defensive and secure the tenure in the premiership they we’re on safe ground the owner Tan couldn’t handle his ways! So he fired Malkay who got Caulker, Bellemy, Mutch, Noone and sure got Marshall there! Ole Gunnar Solskjær got hired and didn’t make a change. First playing aggressive and possession based while just being over the relegation zone. The players bought in January weren’t making much except for Dæhli the talent who nobody expected. The loaned players like Zaha and so on didn’t make a change and Kenwyn Jones(Stoke) didn’t do anything, so Cardiff deserved to go down, good luck in the championship in the red color whose supposed blue!

Peace!

Analyse av Tippeligaen anno 20-13 – Før “Sommerpausen”:

Det har vært en spesiell start på sesongen. De fleste som tippet før starten av sesongen ville ha satt ett klart Molde lag blant topp 3 uten stress etter 12 spilte kamper. Av alle ting de ligger de på femtende plass med 10 poeng. 2 hjemmeseire.. Som ikke er imponerende. De ligger på 15. plass.

At Sandnes Ulf ligger sist med 10 poeng. De klarte å holde seg i Tippeligaen i fjor etter god avsluttning med spissen Grytekjær som har gått til Haugesund. De har fått noen særlig erstatter. De er helt avhengig at Høiland og Helle har en god dag. De ligger på 16. plass.

Odd Grenland og Fagermo som før sesongen mistet Børven til Vålerenga. De har den eldste stallen i Tippeligaen med Fevang og Johnsen. Har de enormt med erfaring. Likevel ser du ut som uten Lekven og Børven har angrepet til Odd stagnert litt. Til og med for ett par runder siden kommenterte Fagermo med at i år ville kampen bli å holde seg i divisjonen å ikke rykke ned i Adecco. De ligger på 14. plass.

Start som er nyopprykket med Mons Ivar Mjelde som trener. På Sør Arena som er en klubb som ikke eier direkte stadioen. Stadioen har gått konkurs igjen. Å mest sannsynlig må Sparebanken Sør og Kristiansand kommune komme med nye middler til denne. Start har vært kloke med å skaffe nye tilskudd til klubben. Da tenker jeg på spisser som islandske Vihjalmsson og Castro. De ligger på en 13. plass og skal virkelig kjempe om å holde seg i ligaen. Må forbedre spillet i forsvar for hjemmekampen mot Godset var forfedelig! Start har sluppet inn 23 mål. Dette burde bedres i resterende del av sesongen. Noe annet vil være katastrofe for Mjeldes menn.

Vålerenga ligger på 12. plass med Kjetil Rekdal som trener for klubben for andre gang etter å blitt sparket i Aalesund. Etter mange raseri utfall og angrep i media. Måtte han gå. Dette samtidig som alle visste at Martin Andresens tid i klubben var over. Dette ledet Rekdal tilbake til klubben. Som i år ikke har spilt overbevisende. De har til tider spilt ok, men ikke det som naturligvis forventes av Vålerenga. Dette skal være ett topplag i ligaen. Rekdal har selv påstått at klubben er i oppbygging av et nytt lag. Denne sesongen skal være en ny start. Etter en tredel av sesongen burde klubben ha mer 13 poeng. Hjemmetap mot Hønefoss, Strømsgodset og Rosenborg er ikke ett vakkert syn så tidlig i sesongen.

Hønefoss ligger på 11. plass, Leif Gunnar Smerud. Som har hatt lang fartstid i Lillestrøm og tidligere hovedtrener i Mandalskameratene. Dette er klubb med lite ressurser. Som har måtte bygge lag klokt. Spillere som Aleksander Solli og Riku Riski er viktige spillere. Dette laget er forventet å ligge her. Mange hadde regnet med tragedie fra starten av. Det som har vært bra var å vinne borte mot Vålerenga. Det som burde skremme Smerud er resultater som 3-4 mot Aalesund og 2-3 mot Start.

Sarpsborg08 som ligger på 10. plass med 14 poeng. De har både fått Brian Deane til trener før sesongen. Som var en overraskelse og berikelse for Tippeligaen. Ikke minst også fått franskmannen Jeremy Berthod fra tidligere Lyon, Monaco og Auxerre. Laget har sluppet inn 24 mål og scoret 16 mål. Mohamed Elyounoussi, Wiig og Sylling Olsen viser hvor sterkt og spennende angrepsfotball klubben kan ha. Med dette kan de være farlige for de fleste i ligaen.

Lillestrøm ligger på 9. plass med 15 poeng. De har kjøpt enormt mange spiller de siste årene under Haglund. De har skaffet spillere som Vaagan Moen og Helstad- solide spillere med erfaringer. Likevel har de det verste resultatet borte i ligaen i år. Med 7 -1 Aalesund. Samtidig med spillere som Erik Mjelde og Bjørn Helge Riise. Burde de ha stallen til å ligge høyere enn 9 plass. De trenger bare mer stabilitet. Fordi på det beste er de farlige og på verste kan de spille i Adeccoligaen.

Sogndal ligger på 8. plass med 16 poeng. Noe som er imponerende. Jonas Olsson har gjort en god innsats med de midler og muligheter som ligger i saftbygda. At klubben har kapret Azar Karadas og Malick Mane viser dyktighet samtidig som de får fram talenter i Ulrik Flo, Ørjan Hopen og Per Egil Flo. Songdal har scoret 15 mål og sluppet inn 19. 3 uavgjort hjemme er likevel urovekkende. Spesielt med tanke på hvor få poeng de får borte. Derfor må laget forsette å valse over motstandere hjemme slik de gjorde mot Brann. Da kan de forsette å ligge der de ligger. Noe som vil være imponerende!

Tromsø ligger på 7. plass med 16 poeng. Laget har ligget blant toppen av ligaen de siste årene. Nå som Agnar Christensen har tatt over for Høgmo. Skal de i teorien blir kontiunitet for laget. Laget har beholdt viktige spillere i alle lagdeler. De har vært ustabile. Det værste er tapet hjemme mot Sandnes Ulf. Det beste er 5-0 over Sarpsborg08. Remi Johansen styrer midtbanen og Ondrasek regne med forsette å score for klubben. De er forventet høyt oppe blant topp fem. Det blir spennende å se om Christensen klarer å levere slik som Høgmo gjorde.

Haugesund ligger på 6. plass med 17 poeng. Laget har under Jostein Grindhaug gjort det enormt bra. Det forsetter med denne sesongen. Selv om laget begynte med 3 bortekamper. Fikk de 4 poeng på disse tre. Samtidig er stallen fokusert på gode angrepsspillere som Søderlund og Grytekjær. Fevang og Bamberg viser styrken på midtbanen. Selv om de to siste kampene har endt med tap. Så kan man ikke undervurdere Haugesund, men å tape mot Sarpsborg08 og Sogndal hjemme er uvanlig. Det har vært ofte 100 % seire på hjemmebane. Frykter likevel ikke for Grindhaugs menn. De er solide allerede og vil ende blant de 8 i ligaen.

Aalesund ligger på 5. plass med 20 poeng. Jan Jönsson som tok over for Rekdal etter kontrakten endte med Rosenborg. En klubb han vant ingenting med. Nå ligger han godt an. Sesongen starte forykende med 4 solide seire. Selv om 4-3 hjemme over Sarpsborg08 var helt vilt. I hele mai har de enten vunnet en kamp eller tapt. Varierende resultater og masse mål. Solide 7-1 over Lillestrøm viser hvor bra laget er på det beste- samtidig er laget avhengig av Barrantes er en playmaker på midtbanen. Fuhre har vært en skygge til nå i år. Uansett så har Aalesund vist styrke og med positiv angrepsfotball. God start av Aalesund!

Brann ligger på 4. plass med 21 poeng. Skarsfjord har fått tid til å bygge laget som han vil med Askar, Huseklepp og Pusic. Etter å ha mistet Ojo hadde man tenkt at laget ville slite med å score, de har scoret 16 og sluppet 15. Det som er ett særpreg for klubben er at de ikke klarer å vinne kamper borte. Alle poengene og seirene tatt på Brann stadioen. Badji er en spennende signering fra Sogndal. Lurer på om han vil ta av på høst sesongen og når vil Brann ta poeng borte? At de ligger på 4 plass uten poeng borte er jo mirakel og forteller om hvor jevn ligaen er!

Viking ligger på 3. plass med 23 poeng. Kjell Jonevret er en kynisk og dyktig trener som har fått Trond Olsen til å blomstre i Viking drakten. Laget har vært kompakt og til tider har klubbene leverte gode resultater. Scoret 15 mål og sluppet inn 11 mål forteller nok. I mai har de vært solide utenom bortetapet mot Strømsgodset ellers så har Viking gått 5 kamper uten tap. Med slik form og resultater kan sesongen ende lett i topp i 5. Kanskje til å med topp 3. Bare spent om de kan holde ut med å score lite, men de er tette.

Rosenborg ligger på 2. plass med 24 poeng. Perry er ny trener etter å ha ledet U21 til sluttspill. Laget har vært solide i Mai uten tap. Det verste resultatet er 0-1 mot Sandnes Ulf hjemme. Laget har forserket med Reginiussen og Nicki Bille. Samtidig som Tarik Elyounoussi er viktig for angrepsspillet, sesongen startet med 3 serie og 9-0 i målforskjell. Tror Perry kan være farlige og sannsynlig vinne tippeligaen i år.

Strømsgodset ligger på 1. med 29 poeng. Ronny Deila’s lag har imponert. De låg i fjor med 26 poeng samme tid. Da endte det med andre plass. Nå er Konradsen og Kamara solgt til utlandet. Strømsgodset på verste har tapt borte mot Hønefoss og på det beste vunnet 6-0 over Start på Sør Arena. Strømsgodset har ikke tapt siden andre kampen. Altså 10 kamper uten tap. Selv om de spilte helt forferdelig mot Aalesund hjemme hvor de vant 2-1. Imponerende med å vinne borte mot Vålerenga, Molde og Start. Laget kan ende opp blant topp tre. Noen snakke om seriemesterskap. Noe jeg syntes er for tidlig. Uansett. Jeg er fan av laget og har alltid vært det. Derimot vil jeg si at de har imponert meg i år med stabilitet. Håper det holder på høst sesongen. Ikke at jeg forventer dette. Fordi jeg vil ikke bli skuffet. Har opplevd nok nedrykk og harde sesonger til å ta av. Jeg tror ikke på seier i ligaen før nest siste runde og 5 poeng over neste laget. Altfor tidlig. Men at det er moro som supporter nå om dagen!

Siste analyse:

Som man kan se. Så har det vært overraskende resultater. De fleste lag kan slå hverandre. Det som tells er dagsformen og ønsket om å vinne. Lagene har personer med ferdigheter som kan snu kamper. Trenere med erfaring og drømmer om å gjøre det beste ut av stallen. Tabellen på enden av sesongen vil definitivt være annerledes enn den er før pausen på 4 uker. Det som tells er salget av spillere når overgangsvinduet i Europa åpner. Klubbene er avhengig å selge. For å skaffe midler til å forsterke lagene og komme enten unna bunnen eller prøve å komme til Europa. Rosenborg og Strømsgodset hvis de forsetter med stabiliteten vil det være vanskelig for andre å ta igjen. Molde er ikke friskmeldt. De har en jobb som man ikke trodde var eller skulle skje for en klubb som har vunnet to år på rad. Sogndal og Hønefoss viser muskler selv om folk har kanskje undervurdert disse stallene. Viking, Brann og Aalesund trenger bare bedre resultater borte og være konger hjemme slik som de er. Da vil kunne gjøre det stort. Odd, Start og Sandnes Ulf vil kjempe og alle tre kan forsatt sikre seg kontrakt i ligaen. Om dette blir lett, tror ikke dette, men de har nok talent til å ordne det. Selv om den klubben som har skremt meg mest i år er Odd. Sarpsborg08 kan også ende opp blant de 4 siste. Må bare forsette å rulle opp med angrepsfotball samtidg få litt kynisk forsvarsspill.

Sesongen videre kan bli spennende. Forsatt 18 runder igjen. Ingenting er fastsatt. Selv om det begynner å bli lengre i mellom topp og bunn. Så vil likevel ligaen bli uforutsigbar. Forutsigbarhet har det sjeldent vært i Tippeligaen. Det er derfor vi ser Lyn kjemper seg opp i systemet. Stabæk er i år i Adeccoligaen, det er ikke mange år siden de vant ligaen. Derfor kan vanskelig beregne alt nå. Altfor mange poeng å dele mellom lagene. Peace.

Molde. Hva har skjedd med Molde?

Idag, 28. april 2013. Sitter man i sjokk. Veldig i sjokk. Fordi de to siste sesongene etter Ole Gunnar Solskjær ble manager i klubben og med rike Aker millioner, tatt kontroll over Tippeligaen. Man skulle i allefall tro det. Istedenfor etter to sesonger med stål kontroll. Selv om det var en seig start første sesongen tap mot Sarpsborg08. Det er idag vi er i sjokk.  6 kamper uten seier og et lusent poeng. Altså en uavgjort. 1-2 mot mitt kjære Strømsgodset. Hvem hadde trodd det.

Molde har solgt Vegard Forren og spissen Angan. Kjøpt inn unggutter og talenter. Satset videre på talenter. Gjort det motsatte av Lillestrøm som har plukket alle mulige ferdig foredlete spiller. Krigere og kamphaner. Helstad, Mjelde og Vaagan Moen. De kommer til å være trygge i år. Selv om de til tider kommer til å være ustabile.

Hva skjer med Molde og Ole Gunnar Solskjær. Laget  har vært på vinnersporet helt siden han kom til Aker stadioen. Helt til nå. Nå er den en saga blott. Som dugg for solen. Ikke at alt er tapt. Bare stabiliteten og marginene. De fikk et offiside mål i mot idag. Mest sannsynlig. Samtidig som Hovland scorte, men det var annulert. Så Ole Gunnar er ikke helt heldig.

Jo Inget Berget syntes kanskje det er litt surt idag at han ble solgt fra Udinese til Molde, etter en perfekt låneperiode i Strømsgodset. Nå som plutselig Godset er et stabilt topplag i ligaen. Men, en person som meg skjønner ikke hvordan dette kan skje!

Jeg er blitt fortalt, mange ganger og husker selv at «fotballen» er en mental sport. Det mentale spiller inn. Når man først er i form og får resultater. Bikker det mentale inn og skaper resultater. Hvis du opplever dårlige resultater og må snu trenden blir alt vanskelig. Passninger blir tyngre, tacklinger blir forferdelig, ballen er ikke rund nok og banen er som asfalt!

Det må være det som har skjedd med Molde. Fordi de har forsatt en talentfull stall. Hovland, Chima, Simonsen, Rindarøy, Berg Hestad, Wollf Eikrem, Hoseth, Berget, Gatt og Bugge Pettersen. Med en slik stall burde man forvente noe i Tippeligaen. Samtidig som de med erfaring i stallen, burde tilføre alle talentene Ole Gunnar Solskjær har samlet inn. Både denne sesongen og de før.

Selv om jeg er Godset fan, så ønsker jeg forsatt Molde i serien. Mer enn Hønefoss, Odd og Sandnes Ulf. Selv om livet uten Tommy Høiland vil være litt mer kjedelig, men det er vel meg om det. Uansett blir det for meg spennende sesong, og Deila viser seg som en klok trener og lagbygger. Håper han blir ved roret. Fordi han er mye bedre enn det Fagermo var for laget.

Uansett, Molde må snu trenden og hva som skjedde siden ifjor høst. Kan bare de i rosenes by vite. Å jeg lover. Neste blogg vil ikke omhandle fotball. Peace.