As Eliteserien gets towards the midpoint of the season, Glimt are still unbeaten, but Molde have been dropping points. At the bottom, Aalesund are deep in trouble, Start look it too. Mjøndalen got an important win last weekend, but it is 8 more fixtures on Friday, Saturday and Sunday this weekend.
Friday 15th August
Sarpsborg v Molde (Away Win)
Molde lost again last Monday, a 2-1 defeat at home to Brann, their first home defeat in two years. In truth Brann were a little lucky, and Molde had a stonewall penalty turned down as well as hitting the woodwork late on.
Injuries have been an issue for Molde, defensively especially they haven't had their first choice first back 4 all season really. It is still the same for this week, but Leke James is probably back from illness, as well as Eikrem should be back fit enough to start.
Sarpsborg fell victim to Rosenborg's best performance of the season in a 5-1 defeat at Lerkendal on Sunday, and their up and down season continues. They beat Aalesund the previous week 4-0, their home form is better than away, winning 3 at home and only once away from home so far.
I personally think Molde should win this one, but a caution is that they have struggled at Sarpsborg in the past few years. They haven't won here in the last 4 attempts, but I still would back them over any another result.
Molde have scored in every game this season, but they have been struggling a little defensively with the injuries, although 4 clean sheets is not terrible. They have averaged over 3 goals a game away from home so far, and I can see them getting a least a couple here, but also conceding against Sarpsborg who are unbeaten in the last 4 home games.
One thing potentially to look at as well is corners. Molde have conceded at least 4 corners in every game except 1, so the home team to get 4 corners could be worth looking at as part of a bet builder.
Sarpsborg were really poor against RBK, and well beaten, but Coulibaly continues to show he is one of the best talents in the league in central midfield with another goal, look for him to show off his talents again on Saturday.
One thing to note is that Molde play Champions League qualifier on Tuesday, so they might rest some players, but honestly they have so much depth in forward areas I think whoever plays will score goals and cause problems.
Bet Builder: Molde 2+ goals, Molde to win either half (2.00)
Goalscorers to add to Bet Builder: James(2.10), Eikrem(2.40) or Strand Larsen(3.20)
Sunday 16th August
Brann v Mjøndalen (Home win)
Brann start life with new manager Kåre Ingebritsen in charge at home to Mjøndalen this weekend. He watched on as they beat Molde on Monday, goals from Pedersen and Tveita giving them the 2-1 win. They conceded plenty chances but got the win, despite Daouda Bamba refusing to pass on several occasions as he searches a goal for the first time since gameweek 3.
Mjøndalen picked up a much needed win after 7 straight defeats. They beat Haugesund 1-0 in an unsurprisingly tight game, and it was Ibrahim that was back in the goals picking up his 5th of the season.
Brann will be looking to make it two wins a row against a side that have lost their last 4 away games, although Brann haven't won themselves at home in the previous 3.
I think having the grass pitch will help them against Mjøndalen who aren't so accustomed to playing on it. They will set up with the usual back 5 and try and frustrate Brann, so I could see a tight game in this one.
Koomson and Taylor will be the go to men for Brann as they try and create chances, and last week they were dangerous from set pieces as well, getting their winner from a corner. They defended like their life depended on it last week, and I wonder if that was just for Molde or something they can keep up.
It is a game that I am not expecting goals, Mjøndalen games generally are tight, only 2 games this season have had 4 or more goals in them. Brann as well are similar, last week was the first time in 10 games they have scored more than 1 goal.
Something to look at here is Mjøndalen corners, they are well priced to hit 4 or more, something they have done in 10 of 13 games so far. Brann conceded 17 last weekend, and have been prone to giving up some big numbers in the corner count. In 8 out of last 9 games, there have been at least 10 corners in Brann matches as well.
Bet Builder: 9+ corners, Brann to score at least 1, under 3.5 goals in the match(2.37)
Goalscorers to add to Bet Builder: Koomson(3.00), Ibrahim(3.20) or Barmen(3.40)
Haugesund v Strømsgodset(Draw)
Haugesund continued their inconsistent season with defeat at Mjøndalen last time as they continued their struggles with scoring goals, their 6th game this season they have failed to find the net, only 10 goals in 13 games so far.
Strømsgodset lost a topsy turvy game against Sandefjord last weekend, disappointingly losing 4-3 at home to the promoted side. It was a real blow for a team that has been playing better, but now that is 4 defeats in the last 5 and it is worrying times for manager Pedersen.
Haugesund are generally better at home, 3 of their 4 homes have come here, 8 of their 10 goals as well. So we can expect them to at least score on home turf and Godset will continue to try and press high I am sure.
Godset have conceded 27 goals so far this season, the second worst in the league equal with Start, and a big problem for them is Niklas Gunnarsson is pretty awful at centre back, a huge liability for them. He is suspended for this one, so that could actually be a plus point.
I can see both teams scoring here, but it is tough to pick a winner, and I don't think it will be a high scoring game. Moses Mawa has been in good form for Godset, 4 goals in his last 8 games, he has started to get into the box much more than earlier in the season.
I will be looking at corners in this game, both teams average around 12 match corners when they are home and away as they are in this one. Godset average well over 6 away from home, and Haugesund concede an average of 6 at home, so that is something to be on here.
Bet Builder: Both teams to score, 10+ corners (2.87)
Goalscorers to add to Bet Builder: Velde(3.60), Mawa(3.60) or Kallman(2.75)
Odd v Kristiansund (Home Win)
Third plays sixth this weekend as Odd look to continue their great form after they dug out a 1-0 win at Stabæk last weekend. It was a first goal for Bakenga that gave them the win their, that is 4 on the bounce and 6 out of the last 7 games they have won.
Kristiansund went ahead then behind against Start last week, but bounced back to win 3-2, thanks in part to another quality volleyed goal by Amahl Pellegrino. Bye and Coly were the other two scorers, but it was a 20 yard touch and volley by Pellegrino, his 10th of the season, that really stole the show.
Odd have really been excellent lately, playing good football through the midfield, and looking solid at the back. their last home game they beat Rosenborg, and they have also beaten Brann here recently. Kristiansund are a big and physical side, so I can see them causing a different threat to Odd, but the quality of Kitolano, Hoff, Kaasa, Rashani and Lunding means that Odd will be keeping the ball down and looking to play through the lines.
It is a game we can expect goals, Kristiansund have scored and conceded in 11 of 13 games so far, just two 0-0 draws that taint that record slightly. Odd have scored 11 in the last 7 games, and I do think the height and strength of KBK could cause trouble at set pieces this weekend.
Only 3 KBK games have gone for less than 3 goals, and Odd have had more than half going for over 2.5 goals, so I will definitely be looking for goals in this one, and from both teams. It is a tough one to call, but I can see Odd continuing their good run with another win here.
Bet Builder: Both teams to score, over 2.5 goals(2.00)
Goalscorers to add to Bet Builder: Bakenga(2.40), Pellegrino(2.60) or Coly(9.50)
Sandefjord v Bodø/Glimt (Away Win)
Sandefjord had a fantastic away win at Godset last weekend to keep up what has been an excellent start to the season. Two goals from Sivert Gussiås and one a piece from Rufo had the game tied at 3-3, but a late winner from Kristoffer Normann Hansen gave them the win.
They had been reduced to 10 men with the red card to Kreuzliger, so he will miss out this week, but it was their 4th win in the last 6 games as their form has really been impressive of late.
Nobody has been as impressive as Glimt though this season, despite dropping two points last weekend, they have remained unbeaten, winning 11 of 13 games playing beautiful attacking football. It was a 2-2 draw at Vålerenga last week, but in that game there was an incredible goal from JP Hauge, and also an assist from him to Kasper Junker. 45 goals in 13 games so far, that is incredible!
I can see more goals this weekend for both teams as Glimt have now failed keep a clean sheet in 7 games in a row, indeed only two all season. Sandefjord have scored in 7 games in a row, so goals here would be the order of the day.
Glimt are a short price, but I can see the winning again, despite Sandefjord's good form, I don't think they can stop the attacking prowess of this Glimt side.
There have been at least 4 goals in 11 of 13 Glimt games, and Sandefjord have only 2 clean sheets themselves this season. Sandefjord pick up quite a lot of cards as well, so I can see them getting at least 2, but more likely 3 or more yellows in this one.
Bet Builder: over 3.5 goals, Both teams to Score(2.15)
Goalscorers to add to Bet Builder: Hauge(2.10), Zinckernagel(1.95) or Gussiås(4.00)
Viking v Stabæk (Draw)
Viking are another team struggling with consistency, and a 2-2 draw away at Aalesund now leaves them 3 without a win and struggling down in 13th place. Veton Berisha picked up 2 goals last week, one from the penalty spot as Aalesund continued to show themselves as weak defensively.
Stabæk will be disappointed to have lost an even game with Odd, but in truth their form has taken a bit of a dip recently. They have failed to win in the last four games, so this game has become very important for both sides.
Viking aren't really struggling for goals, 8 in the last 5 games is a decent return, but they have conceded 7 in the last 3 games, so this one is unlikely to be goalless. The front 3 continue to create plenty chances for Viking and I expect they will be on the scoresheet here.
Stabæk are a little hit and miss with their young team, but they seem to score goals away from home, only a 0-0 draw with Start that they have missed out on scoring. So this game I am expecting both teams to be in the goals, but with the form maybe it will be a little tighter than we would hope, although 6 of the last 7 Viking games have had over 2.5 goals.
There has been at least 2 goals in all of Viking's home games, and all of Stabæk's away games have had 3 or more goals, except that 0-0 draw with Start, so goals is probably worth backing, although it is a tough result to call again.
In terms of corners, 9 of 13 Stabæk games have had 9 or more corners, and 12 of 13 Viking games have had 9 or more, so stick that in your bet builder.
Bet Builder: 9+ corners in the game, over 2.5 goals(2.31)
Goalscorers to add to Bet Builder: Berisha(2.20), Botheim(3.25) or Bytyqi(3.25)
Rosenborg v Aalesund (Home Win)
As seems to have become customary, RBK is the late kick off on Sunday night, and it is a home game against Aalesund. They played by far their best match of the season last week RBK, winning 5-1 over Sarpsborg at Lerkendal, really impressive and with much higher tempo. There were two goals for Carlo Holse, and one a piece for Zachariassen, Åsen and Islamovic.
If they play like that again with the same tempo, they will blow Aalesund away here. The away side come in to this with just the one win, but a decent draw last week with Viking. Unfortunately they are still conceding goals, but at least they are still creating chances and scoring themselves.
In the 13 games so far, it is 18 scored and 40 conceded for Aalesund, and it is a worry for them that Rosenborg have looked far better at home recently. Four wins on the bounce at home with an aggregate score of 13-2 shows that.
I can see plenty of goals in this one, probably for both sides as RBK have left themselves open to counter attack and Aalesund could maybe make one count.
Four of the last five RBK games have gone for 3 or more goals, and all five of the previous Aalesund games have gone for 4 or more goals, so definitely expecting goals.
After last week I think there is a case for Dino Islamovic to be starting in this one, and he is looking a little sharper than before. Carlo Holse and Emil Ceide look like quality young wingers that could well be the future for Rosenborg.
Bet Builder: over 3.5 goals, 10+ corners in the match(3.15)
Goalscorers to add to Bet Builder: Islamovic(2.05), Holse(3.20) or Zachariassen(2.87)
Start v Vålerenga (Away Win)
Start were unlucky in defeat at Kristiansund last week after they had fought back from a goal down, they threw it away at the end and lost 3-2. Two goals is a nice change though, and there was a double from Kasper Skaanes, his first two goals of the season.
Vålerenga on the other hand got a good draw against Glimt, which started so well with a Vilhjalmsson goal inside a minute. But they had to fight back in the end and it was a quality equaliser from Aron Dønnum after a nice Sahraoui assist that gained them a point.
Start had begun to tighten things up, but they seem to have lost their way defensively, conceding 11 goals in the last 3 games they have played. They have still only won once all season, however they are unbeaten in their last four at home, 3 draws and a win.
Vålerenga have lost twice away from home, but they were against 2nd place Molde and 3rd placed Odd, so can be forgiven perhaps. Last time away from home they beat Brann with a good display, and they will be hoping to repeat that.
Borchgrevink is suspended this week for Vålerenga, so there will be a replacement at right back, but I can see Dønnum and Sahraoui causing Start a bit of trouble in this one. Vålerenga also are dangerous from set pieces, and Start can be vulnerable, so potential for goals from a few areas here.
I think Start might keep it tight again, like they did earlier in the season after they had lost a few goals in previous games. Vålerenga are in good form though, they have lost only once in the last 10 games, away at Molde.
In terms of corners, 7 games in a row for Vålerenga with at least 9 match corners, 7 out of the last 8 for Start with the same.
Bet Builder: 9+ match corners, 1+ goals in the first half, Vålerenga win/draw double chance(2.50)
Goalscorers to add to Bet Builder: Stokke(2.75), Finne(2.62) or Skålevik(2.75)
My Eliteserien bets of the Weekend
Glimt to beat Sandefjord and BTTS (2.37)
Mjøndalen 4+ corners (2.00) NB
Aalesund 4+ corners (2.38)
Rosenborg v Aalesund over 3.5 goals (2.10) NAP
Molde 2+ goals, Molde to win either half (2.00)
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