Odds Ballklubb, formerly known as Odd Grenland, are based in the city of Skien, about two hours south west from Oslo. They play home games in the 12'000 capacity Skagerak Arena, which was built in 1923, but renovated almost completely in 2008.
Last season was a solid season for Odd, finishing 4th in the league, although they had led up until gameweek 13, falling away a little in the Autumn.
It was their home form that was especially strong, going unbeaten all season, only Molde winning more games at home, as they won 12 out of 15 games scoring 31 of their 45 total goals at Skagerak Arena.
This season they will need to improve their away form, but the big issue they have is with star striker, and Eliteserien top scorer from 2019, Torgeir Børven.
Børven, 28, scored 21 league goals last season for the club, a real breakthrough year. He had never previously scored in double figures for any league campaign, so this was a standout year. On the back of it there appears to be interest from Turkey, and with his contract running out in July, it looks like he will be gone before the season really gets going in Norway.
He was so full of confidence in 2019, scoring all types of goals, and was a real threat in the air in particular. How they will replace his goals in 2020 could determine where they end up this season.
They have also lost one of their potential future stars, with Filip Delaveris joining Vitesse in the winter, the 19 year old looking like a very decent prospect from the Odd system.
Replacing those two, who could have combined for a lot of goals this season will be tough.
The other big loss is long time coach Dag-Eilev Fagermo, who has moved to Vålerenga. The 53 year old had been head coach at Odd since 2007, and a real tough act to follow.
Stepping in to his shoes will be former player and assistant to Fagermo, Jan Frode Nornes. He steps up after being assistant for 12 years, and it will be interesting to see how that works.
Getting the respect of the players as a manager will be important, and he will have to shape the side into what he wants, if he has his own ideas after so long under Fagermo.
Key Players
Kosovan international Elba Rashani is a real star in this Odd side. There is interest in the 27 year old winger, but at the moment he remains an Odd player, and they are hoping he is at least there for the 2020 season.Only three league goals last term wasn't a great return for the winger, although he did chip in with 7 assists. The left footed forward has good close control, is very sharp on the ball and was a good foil for Børven last season.
Expect Rashani to play a bigger role this season in terms of goalscoring, with Børven leaving he will need to be more prolific than the three last year.
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| Birk Risa |
He came through the ranks at FC Koln in Germany, making a couple of appearances in the Bundesliga, before signing for Odd in 2018. A regular for the youth teams of Norway, two good seasons with Odd behind him, he could well be close to the senior team.
IK Start are based in Kristiansand in the south of Norway and play games at the 14'563 capacity Sør Arena, which opened in 2007. Since then they have been a bit of a yo-yo team, being relegated and promoted the following season four times now.
Given that Start will be likely at the bottom half of the league, they will be looking to rely on the best goalkeeper in OBOS last year, German, Jonas Deumeland.
He is strong defensively, and also a threat in the opposition box from set pieces. Very comfortable coming forward on his left foot, with another years experience behind him, look for him to be one of the standout left backs in the league.
The man that has been brought in to potentially score some of the goals that Børven will leave behind, is Onyekachi Ugwuadu, or Kachi, as he is known. The 23 year old Nigerian striker scored 10 goals in OBOS last season with Sandnes Ulf, and will be hoping he can step up this time to Eliteserien.
Quick and strong, he isn't the natural finisher that Børven is, so it will be interesting to see how he is used in the Odd system. I'd be surprised if he became a regular goalscorer at Odd, but he has assets that are often successful in Eliteserien.
Last season Odd won a lot of games by, well, the odd goal. So I think this season they won't be as competitive from the start of the season. With Børven leaving, he might not play before his contract runs out, his goals will be hard to replace.
They still have quality in attacking areas, and lots of experience in defense, so they should finish in the top half again, although a top 4 position is likely to be out of reach this time around, and potentially it could be a tough year for Odd.
Prediction - 8th
IK Start were the final team confirmed in Eliteserien 2020 as they won the playoffs, relegating Lillestrøm. After winning the first leg 2-1, Start found themselves 4-0 behind in Lillestrøm four days later, with 15 minutes to go. A seven minute hattrick from Martin Ramsland turned the tie on its head in an incredible spell, and Start were promoted to the shock of Lillestrøm, and the surprise of everyone watching.
IK Start are based in Kristiansand in the south of Norway and play games at the 14'563 capacity Sør Arena, which opened in 2007. Since then they have been a bit of a yo-yo team, being relegated and promoted the following season four times now.
They have history in the top flight, with two titles in 1978 and 1980, however recently they have struggled to cement their place, and this year will be tough as well, especially with star man from 2019, Aron Sigurdarson, leaving to join Union in Belgium.
Sigurdarson was top scorer and top assister for Start last season, 13 and 10 respectively. He will be sorely missed, although the rest of the team remains the same from the third best team in OBOS last year.
Icelandic manager Joey Hardarson was in his first season as head coach last year, the former Start midfielder will be tasked with keeping Start in Eliteserien for longer than one year this time around.
Key Players
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| Jonas Deumeland |
The 32 year old keeper has been at Start for two years and has been a consistent shot stopper in that time.
He has been joined at the club however by 23 year old Amund Wichne. Wichne is one of four quadruplet brothers from Oslo, and joins one them, Eirik, at Start after a spell as number two keeper with Viking.
Last seasons playoff hero, Martin Ramsland will be the one tasked with scoring the goals to keep Start in the division. His hattrick against Lillestrøm took him to 8 goals in the half season he had at Start in 2019, after his summer move from Sogndal.
Wichne will be looking to push Deumeland for that number one jersey, but the experience of Deumeland will be crucial for Start as they make the step up.
Amund's brother Eirik Wichne has been at the club since 2015, and the young right back has been a regular for four years now. Last season however he really stepped up his consistency, proving to be the best right back in the division.
Quick and very attacking from full back he is a good technical player and is a threat down the right hand side. With over 100 games behind him for Start, he will be looking for another strong season in the top flight this time, and potentially earning himself a move to a bigger club.
Last seasons playoff hero, Martin Ramsland will be the one tasked with scoring the goals to keep Start in the division. His hattrick against Lillestrøm took him to 8 goals in the half season he had at Start in 2019, after his summer move from Sogndal.
He had missed the whole 2018 season with a groin injury, so it was nice to see him back in the goals in 2019, and Start were happy to take a chance on his goals with a summer move.
His two previous seasons in the top league with Sogndal resulted in 5 and then 7 goals, so he will be looking for double figures with Start. He plays on the shoulder of defenders and his movement his decent. With confidence high after 2019, he could well be on for a strong 2020.
One final name to look out for amongst the goals, is Mathias Bringaker. The 23 year old got 5 goals as a 21 year old in the 2018 season with Start, adding another 7 last year. He could well be a decent option in attack with another years playing time behind him.
In 2018 Start scored only 30 goals, conceding 54 and having the worst goal difference in the league. It's difficult to see that they have improved enough since 2019 to suggest they will be strong enough for Eliteserien.
There are a number of players around 23-27 years old however that could well step up and improve again, so with games against Strømsgodset and Sandefjord to start the season, before a home game against Molde, we should know more by then.
An interesting development with Start is that agent Stig Lillejord has alligned himself with club, and despite criticism that an agent should not be associated with a club, he is likely to be able to help Start bring in some of his many clients.
If they have a poor start to the season, the 1st July could be interesting to see who Start have lined up to come in, no doubt a few names on Lillejord's books.
Prediction - 14th
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