Hello football fans! The summer transfer window is well upon us, with many exciting moves happening. The Norwegian Eliteserien is yet again being scouted by the bigger European leagues with a few notable departures.
First, fan-favorite Hugo Vetlesen finally departed Aspmyra after 3 seasons and 2 Eliteserien titles won. Club Brugge, under their new Norwegian manager Ronny Delia, formerly of Strømsgodset and Vålerenga, paid a 7M euro fee for Vetlesen’s services, and I believe he will do quite well in the Belgian League. The attacking central midfielder can operate through the middle, or take the ball wide, and will always make good runs into the box to finish off a cut-back.
Second, Christopher Bonsu Baah enjoyed one of the shortest stints in the Eliteserien, departing for KRC Genk this summer for 5.2M after only arriving at Sarpsborg 08 in March. In such a short period of time, Bonsu Baah integrated himself into the team and merited a starting role almost immediately. A creative, agile right-winger who loves to cut inside and can pick a pass or pick out the top corner of the net. Bonsu Baah joins fellow Eliteserien graduate Gift Orban at Genk, and could combine to make quite the attack pair.
Finally, Odin Thiago Holm makes his long awaited departure from the Eliteserien, off to join Brendan Rogers at Celtic after a 3M fee was agreed upon. This is one of the most exciting young Norwegian prospects heading out to the Scottish Premiership to prove himself. Odin Thiago Holm can play anywhere in the midfield, from a defensive #6 to a pure #10. He has the stamina to run all game long, and possesses an elite work-rate to match. I am very excited to see how he progresses while at Celtic. So, now that some more great talents have departed, who are the most interesting prospects to keep an eye on in the Eliteserien?
1. Sivert Mannsverk – The young anchor of Molde’s midfield shows composure and a level of ability beyond his years. He has the potential to go all the way to the very top if he keeps progressing as he has. Also featuring in Norway’s U21 side at the recent U21 Euros, Mannsverk looks to be the future defensive midfielder of the Norwegian national team. Currently valued near 5M euros, I don’t believe it will be long before a club is willing to pay that to secure their future. I could see Mannsverk succeeding in the Belgian, Dutch, or German leagues very easily. (Current market value: 5M)
2. Akor Adams – The 23 year old Nigerian is currently in the midst of a breakout season in the Eliteserien, notching 14 goals and 1 assist in 13 matches so far this season. Adams joined Sogndal in the 2nd division of Norway in 2019, when he had a market value of 50k. 2022 was his first full season in the Eliteserien, where in 23 appearances he was able to record 8 goals and add 2 assists. Now, at the halfway point of this season, he’s already surpassed his best ever season, and there are still games to play. If Akor Adams keeps up this form, you can expect him to follow the path of Gift Orban and Christopher Bonsu Baah, likely moving to Belgium. (Current market value: 4M)
3. Albert Gronbaek – the young Dane has some big shoes to fill in Bodo’s midfield now: Hugo Vetlesen’s. Gronbaek and Vetlesen are similar profile players, both attacking midfielders who enjoy operating in the wide areas as well. Since Vetlesen’s departure, Gronbaek has elevated his game, creating consistent chances for Bodo/Glimt and developing more of an eye for goal. Vetlesen’s departure to Brugge in a way foreshadows Gronbaek’s eventual departure as well, he’s simply too good to stay in Norway forever. (Current market value: 5M)
So there you have it, three great talents departing the Eliteserien, and three great talents who are next up to follow in their footsteps. This league keeps getting more recognition from the rest of Europe, so keep an eye on these players, as the Eliteserien is where you’ll find tomorrow’s superstars, today.
Welcome back football fans, I hope you’re ready to take a trip to Norway! All teams in the Eliteserien have played at least 10 games now, so I’d like to take a look at how the season is shaping up, the biggest surprises (both good and bad), and what might happen in the remaining 20 games. If you’d like to check out my Eliteserien season preview and see where I’ve been proven wrong, here is the link: (https://futbird.com/2023/03/18/2023-norway-eliteserien-preview/).
The League Table
Matches Played
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Points
Bodo/Glimt
11
10
1
0
32
9
23
31
Brann
12
6
3
3
24
15
9
21
Viking
11
6
2
3
26
20
6
20
Tromso
10
6
2
2
14
10
4
20
Lillestrom
10
5
2
3
18
16
2
17
Molde
11
5
1
5
24
16
8
16
Sarpsborg
10
4
3
3
12
11
1
15
Stabaek
10
4
3
3
14
17
-3
15
Rosenborg
11
3
4
4
14
15
-1
13
Odd
11
3
4
4
8
11
-3
13
Haugesund
10
3
3
4
10
15
-5
12
Stromsgodset
10
3
2
5
11
14
-3
11
Valerenga
10
3
1
6
14
17
-3
10
Sandefjord
10
2
3
5
12
15
-3
9
HamKam
10
2
1
7
10
26
-16
7
Aalesund
11
1
1
9
7
23
-16
4
Bodø/Glimt, Flying High!
What a start to the season it has been for the yellow flash from the North! 31 points from their opening 11 matches and a +23 goal difference has put Bodø firmly on top of the table with a 10 point lead over Brann in 2nd, who were the one team to take points from Bodø so far. That match required a bit of magic from Amahl Pellegrino to overturn a 0-2 halftime deficit and draw the match 2-2. It is also worth noting that Bodø started several substitutes in that match (and quickly realized their mistake, making changes and getting a point back). Speaking of Pellegrino, the left-winger has been in phenomenal form this season, seemingly scoring goal-of-the-season candidates one after another. “Pelle” as he is affectionately called at the Aspmyra, is leading the Eliteserien in goals… AND assists. With 12G and 5A through 11 games, this inspired form has been the driving catalyst behind Bodø’s early success. Brann’s Bard Finne is the closest competitor, amassing 13 goal contributions in his first 12 matches. New signing Faris Moumbagna has settled in well, notching 8 goals so far this campaign and proving to be the type of physical target forward who can create space for his teammates to score. Finally, the preferred midfield trio of Albert Gronbaek, Patrick Berg, and Hugo Vetlesen is unmatched by any team in the Eliteserien in my opinion, providing an ever-consistent base for the team to build on. The only imperfection this season was going out of the Norwegian Cup to Lillestrøm much earlier than expected, but as a result there will be less fixture congestion for the remainder of the year. Bodø/Glimt have been playing some beautiful football, and are strong favorites for the title this season. Who might be able to stop them?
The Contenders
Surprisingly, my pre-season title contenders have not lived up to expectations this season, Molde sit 15 points back in 6th place, Rosenborg are in 9th, and Vålerenga are flirting with relegation, sitting just one point clear of the playoff place. Accordingly, I owe some more respect to a few squads I had thought would be mid-table this season, but could put together a title challenge. Brann and Tromso are the two teams I believe have a chance to compete with Bodø/Glimt. Brann have proven themselves capable, taking points off of Bodø at Aspmyra, but also have losses to Odd and Sarpsborg which they will not be happy about. Also, a 0-0 draw at home to relegation candidates Sandefjord will not give reason for overconfidence. While I think Brann have showed enough to be considered a contender, they will need to clean up their inconsistencies if they are to keep pace with Bodø/Glimt.
Tromso are the more intriguing side in the race this year. Bodø’s northern rivals, Tromso have more motivation than any other side to prevent Bodø/Glimt from claiming their 3rd Eliteserien title in 4 years. They have also gotten off to a great start, able to move to 2nd in the table and 8 points behind Glimt by winning their next match. Suffering the same fate as their northern rivals in the Norwegian Cup (being knocked out by Lillestrøm), Tromso rebounded with a strong run of league form, only losing to Odd and Bodø/Glimt in their first 10 matches. In their upcoming schedule, we will see them tested: Starting on July 2nd, Tromso go through a run of having to face Lillestrøm twice, Rosenborg, Brann, and Bodø/Glimt all in a span of 6 matches. By the time I’ve written the Matchweek 20 Update, we will know whether Tromso has what it takes to be a contender this season.
Biggest Surprises
Good: Newly Promoted Teams – both of last seasons First Division clubs, Brann and Stabaek, have both performed much better than expected in their first season back in the Eliteserien, sitting in 2nd and 8th respectively at the time of writing. I thought the loss of Gift Orban would hurt Stabaek more than it has, and while their 14 league goals this season isn’t mind-blowing by any means, it is very respectable for a newly promoted side.
Bad: Last Season’s Success Stories – last season Odd and Valerenga finished in 5th and 6th place, 1 point apart. This year, Odd has plummeted to 10th place after their inconsistent start. Having beaten Brann, Tromso, and Molde this year, it is confusing to also see big losses to Sandefjord and Sarpsborg. In their wins, Odd are showing why they finished 5th last season, but when they play the worse teams in the league, their performance level has dropped catastrophically. (Sandefjord have scored 12 goals this season. 4 of them came in one game vs Odd).
Meanwhile Vålerenga is in an even worse place: 1 point from the relegation playoff. It has been an abysmal start for Vålerenga, who have only beaten Rosenborg, HamKam, and Aalesund; the latter two clubs being in the bottom 2 places on the table. The main issue for Vålerenga is their lack of scoring. No player has more than 3 goals so far this season, and their best chance creator has a combined xG + xA of 4.9 through 10 matches. When your statistically best player is creating around half of an expected team goal per match, your attack will struggle. For comparison, league leaders Bodø/Glimt have 4 players who have created as much or more xG + xA. If Vålerenga cannot turn around one of their worst starts in years, they may find themselves in trouble by the business end of the season.
Conclusion
If your eyes haven’t opened enough yet to read the whole article, here’s a quick summary: this year’s Eliteserien is Bodø/Glimt’s to lose, led by Amahl Pellegrino in the form of his life. Brann and Stabaek are overachieving so far, while Rosenborg, Odd, and Vålerenga are the biggest disappointments. The next 10 games will be crucial to determine how the league will shape up this season, so tune in! As always, thanks for stopping by.
Hello football fans from wherever in the world you are reading this! Since my Eliteserien season preview seemed to provide some unique content that was not covered elsewhere, I’ve decided to carry on with providing regular updates throughout the Eliteserien season, giving all readers the in-depth coverage in English that you would miss out on if you do not speak Norwegian. With that said, let’s take a look at how the matches played out in week 1!
The four teams I labelled as title contenders pre-season: Bodo/Glimt, Rosenborg, Molde, and Vålerenga, had few surprises. In the first game of the season, Rosenborg hosted Viking FK, and were lucky to escape with 3 points off a 1-0 victory, who’s scoreline did not reflect the pattern of play. Viking produced almost 3 times the amount of xG as Rosenborg, but were unable to convert any of their 4 shots on target, while Rosenborg scored their only shot on target. These are the kinds of wins you need to secure to fight for the title. Elsewhere, Vålerenga and Bodo/Glimt picked up away wins, 1-0 at Aalesund, and 2-0 at Sarpsborg, respectively. Molde was our only title contender to not win their first match, losing 0-1 away to Tromso. It looks more like an anomaly result than a cause for concern, with Molde amassing an impressive 3.48xG on 24 shots (6 on target) to Tromso’s 0.98xG. What makes this more impressive, is that Tromso missed a penalty, which accounted for 0.79/0.98xG. Somehow, through Vegard Ostraat Erlien, Tromso got their goal from 0.19 open play xG, and defended well enough to get the 3 points. Molde should rebound well in their next match.
A projected mid-table match between Brann and FK Haugesund at the Brann Stadion ended in a dominant 3-0 victory for the home side Bard Finne bagged a brace, and the match never looked in question.
In a battle of two teams I projected to be fighting their way out of the relegation places this year, HamKam won a dominant 2-0 victory over Sandefjord at home, producing significanly more chances and deserving their win. As the Lillestrom/Stromsgodset game was postponed, the final game of the week was a 0-0 draw between Stabaek and Odd. Odd have their keeper, Leopold Wahlstedt (a player I bought on my FM save), to thank for the point, as he made 8 saves in the match.
Here’s a look at the league table after the first week.
A great first week for our northernmost clubs, seeing Tromso, Bodo/Glimt, and Rosenborg all picking up wins, while Molde failing to make their many chances count was the biggest surprise of the week. The Eliteserien will start Matchweek 2 on Saturday, April 15 with Viking FK hosting Lillestrøm. Molde will have a tough test to try and avoid starting their season with back-to-back losses as they host Rosenborg.
Check in again soon for more updates from Norway, and other places around the footballing world!
One of my favorite competitions in football begins in less than two weeks, Norway’s top flight, the Eliteserien. This is where one of my favorite teams, Bodø/Glimt, call home; which is why I have had the pleasure of watching this league for several seasons now. As many football fans do not know much about the Eliteserien, allow me to give you an introduction.
Eliteserien: The Beginning
Norway founded the “Norgesserien” (The League of Norway) in 1937, with the 1937-1938 season being its first, and Frederikstad winning the inaugural season. The format of the league was very different from the standard we see today, with clubs divided into eleven groups. The league would be decided through a knockout tournament or a final between the winners of the groups. The choice to separate teams into groups based on their regional district makes sense, and can be seen in early origins of many other national leagues. By the time of World War II, it had become a general consensus to merge the league into a single national competition, removing the regional group format. In 1948, the “Hovedserien” (The Main League), was created, formed by the 16 top clubs from the district leagues, who were split into two groups of 8, with group winners contesting a two-legged final for the league title. This formation remained until 1961, when the transition was made to a single group of 16 teams: the format we see today. The name of the league changed several times over the years before settling on “Eliteserien” in 2017.
For the 2023 Season, these are the teams competing in the Eliteserien, sorted by their finishing position in 2022. Note that Brann and Stabaek were promoted from the Norweigan First Division (the 2nd tier of Norweigan football):
Club
Position in 2022
Points in 2022
Molde FK
1st
78
FK Bodø/Glimt
2nd
60
Rosenborg BK
3rd
56
Lillestrøm SK
4th
53
Odd BK
5th
45
Vålerenga
6th
44
Tromsø IL
7th
43
Sarpsborg 08
8th
41
Aalesund FK
9th
39
FK Haugesund
10th
38
Viking FK
11th
35
Strømsgodset IF
12th
33
Hamerkameratene (HamKam)
13th
31
Sandefjord
14th
24
Brann
1st (First Div.)
81 (First Div.)
Stabaek
2nd (First Div.)
58 (First Div.)
Tiers of Teams:
To use the English Premier League as an example, there are your top 6-type of clubs, your challengers for continental competition places, mid-table teams, and those that could be battling relegation. Since most of the readers will not have watched much Norwegian football, it is my hope that separating the teams into three tiers can help explain the power balances within Norwegian football.
Tier 1: Title Contenders
I have four clubs on my list with the potential to win the Eliteserien title this year if things go their way: Molde, Bodø/Glimt, Rosenborg, and Vålerenga.
While Vålerenga may seem like underdogs, I’ve really liked their transfer window and see them poised to improve a few places from their 6th place finish in 2022. Henrik Heggheim, an U21-capped Norwegian international centre-back was brought back from Sweden, as well as managing to sign a young Palmeiras U20 winger in Vitinha. This will be a energetic, exciting team that will be able to give any other title contenders here a fantastic match.
Molde and Bodø/Glimt have been the dominant force in Norwegian football for the past 4 years. Since 2019, Bodø/Glimt and Molde have each won the league with the other in 2nd, two times. Molde are coming into the season having sold their best striker, David Datro Fofana, to Chelsea for 12M euros. They’ve replaced Datro Fofana with Veton Berisha, a veteran Norwegian centre-forward with 10 caps for his country coming back to the Eliteserien after a year in Sweden. Berisha has most recently scored 38 goals in 56 appearances over his last two seasons in Norway, and shouldn’t need long to adapt back to the league. Aside from Berisha, Molde haven’t used the money Chelsea paid them to improve their squad, leaving me thinking that it will be unlikely that they repeat their 78 point total from 2022.
Bodø were more active in the transfer market, although it was due to necessity. Several starters the last time Bodø won the Eliteserien in 2021 moved on free transfers. Faris Pemi, the Cameroonian centre-forward, was purchased from relegated Kristiansund after managing 7 goal contributions in 14 games on a struggling side. The defensive line and midfield were also bolstered with several signings. The biggest question mark for Bodø will be at striker, regarding who will take the majority of minutes. The performance of the Bodø/Glimt centre-forward will directly decide the team’s title chances.
Last but not least, Rosenborg rounds out the title contenders. The most historically successful team in Norway football history, Rosenborg have won a record 26 Norwegian League titles with heavy dominance from the 1980’s to the early 2000’s. Most recently, they have been crowned champions 4 consecutive times between 2014 and 2018. Their squad changes include the sale of top goalscorer Casper Tengstedt to Benfica, who had 15 goals and 9 assists in 14 games last season. Rosenborg did not spend much of the 7M fee from Benfica, signing Canadian national team left winger Jayden Nelson from Toronto FC for 1M, and Norweigan Oscar Aga from the Allsvenskan for 500k. The lack of spending to replace such an integral part of the offence could be concerning, but Rosenborg has the quality in their squad to challenge for the top this season.
Tier 2: Mid-Table
In a 16-team league with 4 European spots up for grabs, if you aren’t a title contender or in a relegation battle, you’ll be mid-table. These are the teams that should not be worried about relegation, nor will they have dreams of the title. For me these teams are Lillestrøm, Odd, Tromsø, Viking, Aalesunds, Brann, Haugesund, and Sarpsborg. Of these teams Lillestrøm has the squad worth the most according to Transfermarkt.com, yet this is still less than half of the estimated value of the Bodø/Glimt and Molde squads. This is an example of a dropoff in power as we go down the league table. (Note: Vålerenga’s squad is estimated to be worth similar to Lillestrøm, even though I have them in Tier 1.) Teams like Tromsø and Aalesunds are working with much smaller budgets than most of the league, as regularly qualifying for UEFA competitions is the main reason Bodø/Glimt, Molde, and Rosenborg have higher financial power than the rest of the league. The highest points total from one of these mid-table teams should be around 50 points from 30 league games, while the mid-table teams closer to relegation will likely return 25-35 points over the season.
Tier 3: Relegation Concerns
In the Eliteserien, the bottom 2 teams are automatically relegated, and the team in 14th place (3rd last), plays against the team who finished 3rd in the second-tier for the final spot. Last season, Kristiansund and Jerv were automatically relegated with 23 and 20 points, respectively. Jerv lost 20 of their 30 matches. This season, I predict Strømsgodset, HamKam, Sandefjord, and newly promoted Stabaek to be fighting for 13th place and safety.
Stabaek has sold their top striker, Gift Orban, to Gent in Belgium, and have not replaced him with anyone nearly as inspiring. The signing of Danish CB Andreas Skovgaard from Brann is a pragmatic one which should help their cause. I don’t think the transfer activity has improved the team enough to survive in the Eliteserien, and I believe Stabaek are likely to go down again. This team finished 31 points behind Brann in the First Division last season and look to be fielding a similar roster to 2022.
HamKam and Sandefjord barely avoided relegation last season, with Sandefjord winning the relegation playoff, and HamKam finishing in 13th, 7 points clear of the relegation zone. HamKam’s transfer activity is not inspiring, adding 3 players from relegation-zone teams, with 2 signings from Vålerenga providing the most incoming quality. I have HamKam finishing 14th in the Relegation Playoff place, ahead of Sandefjord.
Sandefjord had a tough time last season, but managed to end it on a high(er) note, winning the relegation playoff and remaining in the Eliteserien. However, their challenge has not gotten any easier. Having the least valuable squad (according to Transfermarkt.com) in the league is not a competition one wants to win, and Sandefjord may well be looking for Brad Pitt to star in a “Moneyball” sequel in a few years’ time if they can stay in the top-flight with their limited budget. One team had to have the dishonor of being predicted to finish last, and for me, it is Sandefjord. I’m sorry :(.
Conclusion:
Photo Credit: BILDBYRÅN NORWAY
After one of their most successful seasons winning the domestic double, can Molde repeat as Norwegian champions? Or will the yellow shirts from the North put together a season truly worth remembering to win their 3rd title in 4 years? Perhaps Rosenborg find inspiration from their incredible historical success, or Vålerenga show the league that money isn’t everything. Regardless of the outcome, it will be a wonderful season full of excitement and suspense.
For anyone that’s made it this far, I truly appreciate you taking the time to read this story. If I can help just one person become more interested in Norwegian football, then it’s all worth it. This league will continue to produce prospects that flood Europe’s top clubs and warrants keeping an eye on it.
futbird 