Bodø/Glimt and Rosenborg

Last years surprise package were definitely Bodø/Glimt, ending their joint best ever season in 2nd place. With their qualification to the Europa League confirmed, it will be the first time they have played European football since being beaten by Besiktas in 2004.

Now the only Eliteserien team in the North of Norway, they will be hoping to use other teams travelling to their advantage, and make Aspmyra Stadion a fortress.

Unfortunately with last years success comes the inevitable loss of their star players. This winter has seen the leagues best player in 2019, and Glimt's top scorer, Håkon Evjen, leaving for AZ Alkmaar.

Also leaving Aspmyra Stadion is their number 1 goalkeeper, Brazilian Ricardo Friedrich, who has moved to Turkey to play for Ankaragucu. Midfielder Vegard Molberg has left to join Silkeborg in Denmark, and first choice right back Erlend Dahl Reitan has returned to Rosenborg after a successful loan spell.

They weren't quite as strong towards the end of the season, after leading Eliteserien at the summer break, they lost striker Amor Layouni, who had scored 10 goals in 21 games, before he left to go t Pyramids FC in Egypt in September.

All these first team starters leaving means that coach of the year from 2019, Kjetil Knudsen will be in for a tough job to repeat second place.


Key Players

Left back Fredrik Andre Bjørkan played every game but one last season, the 21 year old making a big impression as an attacking outlet in his first full season as a Bodø starter. He is quick, comfortable going inside and outside, and was a big part of Glimt's attacking moves.

He contributed 5 assists and 3 goals, which is a nice return for his first season, and now with experience of that I expect him to push on this year and become potentially the best left back in the division.

Jens Petter Hauge

With the two top scorers leaving, it means the goals will have to come from elsewhere of course. They scored 64 last season, seven of them were from Jens Petter Hauge. The 20 year old can play on either wing, and also in an advanced midfield role. 

This season he should be looking to reach double figures in goals, and I think he could be a really crucial player for Glimt. He is comfortable on both feet, so can go inside and outside on both sides, but does most of his best work cutting in. He assists and scores goals, but this season he could well be the main attacking threat, and he is one of the young players who could be looking to earn a move by the end of 2020.

The two other goal threats could come from young Nigerian Victor Boniface, but more likely it will be Danish striker Kasper Junker. He scored 6 in 12 for Stabæk last season, helping to move them safely to mid table after he joined in August. Glimt will be hoping he can continue that form.

Also arriving after a successful loan at Stabæk, is Sammy Skytte. Along with new signing Morten Konradsen from Rosenborg, who is back at the club after two years in Trondheim, these two have added good depth to the midfield, and Bodø/Glimt should be strong in that department

Philip Zinckernagel

The main creative force for Glimt is still at the club, it's 25 year old Dane, Philip Zinckernagel. He usually plays as an advanced midfielder from the right hand side, has very quick feet and can beat players with ease. His delivery from the right hand side, and general unselfishness mean he is a very important part in creating goals and opportunities for others.

No doubt last year they outperformed expectations, and this year will be tougher. But they have made some decent signings, and some of their young stars could well improve again, so they should be looking to finish in the top 4 again, although 2nd place might be tougher this year.

Prediction - 3rd

If Glimt were a positive surprise last season, Rosenborg were completely the opposite. They started the season in awful form, failing to win any of their first eight games and finding themselves in the relegation zone. 

New manager Eirik Horneland struggled early on after arriving in January from Haugesund, but after week eight they found some rhythm, and lost only twice more in the remaining 22 games.

The main problem was a consistent goalscorer, with Alexander Søderlund, now moved on to Hacken in Sweden, top scorer with eight goals.

Other regulars to leave the club are midfielder Mike Jensen, winger David Akintola, and striker Bjørn Maars Johnsen, who Hearts fans might remember from a pretty unimpressive spell in the 2016/2017 season.

Jensen will be a big miss, the main man in midfield, a ball winner but also energetic and a good passer, they will need to replace his importance to the team.

The biggest and most successful club in Norway, from Trondheim in the middle of the country, will be hoping for a far better start to 2020 than 2019.

Samuel Adegbenro

Key Players - The longer the season went on the more Samuel Adegbenro seemed to be the go to player to create on the left wing. It was the 24 year old Nigerians second full season in Trondheim and by far his most impressive.

Short in stature, but strong on the ball and quick off the mark, his direct running usually causes problems for defenders. Although his final ball and finishing is sometimes wayward, and he can be a little selfish, he is a real threat that defenders struggle to deal with on his day.

The man that has been signed to hopefully score goals for Rosenborg is Montenegrin, Dino Islamovic. Although he has 1 cap for Sweden, he recently declared allegiance to Montenegro, and the 26 year old will be hoping to have a big year with RBK. 

The tall, left footed striker has the look of a top striker, but he has never really scored enough goals, so NOK 5 million(£400k) looks like a lot of money for someone who has never been in double figures in a league season.

He is strong, has a decent touch and a very powerful left foot, so he should score more, maybe with more quality around him he can beat the nine he scored for Ostersunds in 2018.

An interesting addition to the team is 20 year old winger Carlo Holse. Coming from FC København, the left footed youngster will be looking to make a big impression.

He loves cutting in on to his left foot and curling shots and crosses towards the far post. He has a good burst of pace too, so can go down the outside if shown too much space.

Used mostly as a substitute this season, he has decided to move to RBK, and the Danish youth international will compete with the extremely talented, but often unfit looking, Pål Andre Helland. 

The players are similar in style, although Helland is stronger and usually shoots with more power. It will be interesting to see who can make the right wing position their own in the first weeks of the season.

Kristoffer Zachariassen

In midfield, regular at Sarpsborg for the last three seasons, Kristoffer Zachariassen has also been signed and looks a good piece of business. 

He likes arriving late into the box, and although he doesn't have the same all round game as Jensen had, he offers energy and attacking intent from the middle of the park.

Defensively they have to be looking to keep more clean sheets than the six in 2019. Gustav Valsvik didn't impress last year, and indeed it was Tore Reginiussen, the 33 year old veteran that was the crucial defender. 

Maybe Valsvik will have a better second season after his move from Eintracht Braunschweig in Germany. Otherwise Reginiussen and Even Hovland, 31 years old, will have to have another year as the main partnership. Both lack pace, and it is a real issue for the defensive unit.

There will be some interest in the young talent at Lerkendal Stadion this year, and one of the interesting positions will be in goals. 

Andre Hansen has been number one choice now for five seasons, but there is a youngster that is being touted as a potential Norwegian goalkeeper of the future, waiting in the wings.

Julian Faye Lund played on loan at Mjøndalen last season and impressed most people, now only 20 years old he has played 3 full seasons, two with Levanger in OBOS-ligaen, and one in the top division with Mjøndalen.

He is likely to start as second choice, but could well be used if Hansen goes through a bad spell, or in cup games in 2020.

Other potential players to keep an eye on for having breakthrough years, are Erik Botheim, Emil Ceide, and Mikael Johnsen.

Of the three, Botheim looks most ready, and the 20 year old will be looking to push Islamovic for a start in the central striker position. He is more of a poacher than the Montenegrin, and looks like he could score goals if given a run in the team.

Rosenborg know they can't have the slow start that they did last year, and their form towards the end of the season suggests they should be challenging Molde this year.

I think they will run the champions close, and this could be a 2 way title race than can go all the way to November. They have the biggest budget in Norway, and the biggest crowd, but I have RBK down to just miss out to Molde in the end.

Prediction - 2nd
First Fixture - Brann (h) 5/4/2020