Stuniverse Posted July 15 Author Share Posted July 15 Sunday 2nd April 2034 Norgesmesterskapet i fotball (Cupen) First Round Draw -- -- -- Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 15 Author Share Posted July 15 (edited) Preview - Haugesund (Home) Eliteserien Viking-Haugesund derby -- -- We know how much the Viking-Haugesund derby means to the Viking supporters and we let them down last season, losing both games because, and I know this sounds like an excuse, but their goalkeeper, Lucas Lund, played the games-of-his-life against us last season. Spoiler It wasn't that long ago, to be honest, it was November and Haugesund won 1-0 at their Haugesund Sparebank Arena to complete the double over us. But we've changed the way we play since then, and we have some new players, and Haugesund will find us a very different Viking to the one they faced last season. We want to get the win for our supporters today. We let our supporters down last season and that hurt. We don't want to let them down again. I'm sure Morten Røssland is handling it just fine and he'll have his Haugesund team fired up for this one. -- Expected Line-up Edited July 15 by Stuniverse Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 15 Author Share Posted July 15 Sunday 2nd April 2034 Viking (1st) v Haugesund (8th) Eliteserien -- -- -- When Lasse Nordås is on form he's a goal machine and he was a goal machine today. In fairness, he could've had another two but that would have been greedy, I'll take his hat-trick today and save more goals for another game. Lasse Nordås scored three, Edvin Austbø got one, but Mathias Fjørtoft Løvik's strike was the pick of the bunch, Mathias cut in from the left wing, into the penalty area, and hit a powerful shot that flew across the goal and in off the far post. Haugesund hardly troubled us and had only one shot on target which Hans Jørgen Solberg comfortably saved. We did have one scare though, late in the first half. The referee awarded Haugesund a penalty on 41 minutes. We were furious because Mamady Diambou had clearly won the ball fairly. Fortunately for us, VAR sent the referee to the monitor, he reviewed the incident and changed his mind. -- -- Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 15 Author Share Posted July 15 (edited) Preview - Vålerenga (away) Eliteserien -- -- Yes, these are always very competitive games between Vålerenga and ourselves. During my time here at Viking we've generally had the better of these encounters and are unbeaten against Vålerenga in our last five meetings. Yes, these are the games that help make Eliteserien the great league it is. Vålerenga won Eliteserien last season so this will be a very good litmus test for us at their Intility Arena. I've mainly come up against Mesay Dego when he was manager of Rosenborg and this will be the first time we've been in opposite dugouts while he's been Vålerenga manager. Tinius Sundell is a Viking player now and I know he wants to put on a good show against his former club. -- Expected Line-up Edited July 15 by Stuniverse Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 15 Author Share Posted July 15 Sunday 9th April 2034 Vålerenga (3rd) v Viking (1st) Eliteserien -- -- -- -- It pains me to say it but this was just one of those days where we didn't get what we deserved. We had 18 attempts on goal to Vålerenga's five. We only tested their goalkeeper six times though, but that was more than Vålerenga's four. We had 58% but, in the one stat that counts, Vålerenga scored two goals and we didn't score any. A goal down at half-time, we made a couple of substitutions and went more Attacking. We created plenty of chances but didn't have our shooting boots on. Vålerenga made it 0-2 on 73 minutes. We did put Vålerenga under pressure in the last 15 plus minutes but the closest we got was when Lasse Nordås headed an 81st minute corner against the bar. -- Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
warlock Posted July 16 Share Posted July 16 3 hours ago, Stuniverse said: It pains me to say it but this was just one of those days where we didn't get what we deserved A yellow, crescent-shaped fruit? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 16 Author Share Posted July 16 6 hours ago, warlock said: A yellow, crescent-shaped fruit? Yeah, maybe not a full banana skin as Vålerenga won Eliteserien last season, so Vålerenga away is a tough game but still disappointing to lose... There are now three unbeaten teams, after four matches, and we're not one of them. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 16 Author Share Posted July 16 (edited) Preview - Skeid (Home) Eliteserien -- -- We played well against Vålerenga, I thought, but we didn't have our shooting boots on. We'll need to do better against Skeid today. Skeid finished 2nd in OBOS-ligaen last season to win promotion. This season, they've made a great start to life in Eliteserien by winning all four of their matches to top the league table. So we know Skeid will be a tough match for us as they are full of confidence and on a real high. We've loaned two players to Skeid so it'll be interesting to see if Brede Norbye and Dawid Zając are selected by Ruben Hetlevik and, if they are, how they play against us. Spoiler Henrik Skogvold remains with the medical team and isn't back in training. I've had to speak to Niklas Ødegård and Anders Hartveit Ryste about their below-par performances recently. -- Expected Line-up Edited July 16 by Stuniverse Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 16 Author Share Posted July 16 (edited) Sunday 16th April 2034 Viking (4th) v Skeid (1st) Eliteserien -- -- -- The main thing for me was that the referee was very quick to produce his cards and, when you show Mamady Diambou a yellow for an innocuous challenge as early as the second minute then you're asking for trouble. Three of our players picked up first half bookings and Skeid also had three yellow cards by that point. With a card happy referee, we decided to replace all three of them during the break. We also subbed off Ove Benjamin Modell as soon as he was shown a yellow card. With thirteen yellow cards in total, including the two Skeid's Antonio Palac received... that's not a fair reflection of the game in my opinion as it wasn't a dirty match, but the referee pretty much made it a non-contact game and that's not right. Yeah, VAR went against us when Skeid pulled it back to 2-1 on the stroke of half-time. The on-field officials initially disallowed Skeid's goal for offside but VAR overruled them. Referees and Assistants will make mistakes, they're only human, but if VAR means we get the correct decision in the end then I'm all for it. Edvin Austbø had a great first half and scored our second goal. I had to take him off at half-time though as he was on a yellow card. I thought the whole team played well today. After missing a penalty in the shootout against Utrecht recently, Anders Hartveit Ryste stepped up on 17 minutes to give us the lead from the penalty spot. Six minutes later, Ove Benjamin Modell made a brilliant clearance off the line to deny Skeid and preserve our 1-0 lead. Edvin Austbø made it 2-0 Skeid impressed me a lot, they never gave up and pulled it back to 2-1 on the stroke of half-time. Kasper Jakobsen came on as a half-time substitute and made it 3-1 five minutes after the restart. Lasse Nordås then had a headed goal disallowed for offside. Skeid clawed their way back to 3-2 with 20 minutes to go. At this point, I'll be honest, Skeid had us worried so we changed to a more solid 4231 shape. We managed the game out quite professionally after that, although Antonio Palac's second yellow card for going through the back of Miroslav Marchev did make the closing minutes easier for us to deal with. Yes, it's a great feeling to be top of Eliteserien, but we're only five matches in and there's still another 25 to play. The two players we've loaned out to Skeid both played. Dawid Zając had a good game and provided the assist for Skeid's first goal. Brede Norbye didn't have the best game ever, but the first-half yellow card he picked up didn't do him any favours. Spoiler -- Edited July 16 by Stuniverse 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 16 Author Share Posted July 16 Preview - Sogndal (away) Eliteserien -- -- -- I think Tore André Flo is now in his 13th season as Sogndal manager and I take my hat off to him. Overall, in my time here at Viking, we've done very well against Sogndal, but last season... ... we only took one point off them so we're expecting a very difficult match in the Fosshaugane Campus. It's great that Tore André Flo holds Ola Johannes Kleppa Christensen in such high esteem, as do I but, unfortunately, we're pretty much at full strength and I'm not sure Ola Johannes Kleppa Christensen will make the matchday squad. The Sogndal game will come too soon for Henrik Skogvold. I've had to have a word with Ove Benjamin Modell about his below-par form recently. -- Expected Line-up Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 16 Author Share Posted July 16 Sunday 23rd April 2034 Sogndal (14th) v Viking (1st) Eliteserien -- -- -- Spoiler Sogndal are always difficult to break down, Tore André Flo has them very well organised, so we knew we weren't going to create as many chances as we normally do. I thought we created enough, but Player of the Match Matteo Bignetti (7.6) was inspired in Sogndal's goals. I'm not going to blame Julian Gonstad, we win as a team, we lose as a team, and today we drew as a team, but Julian's late chance, which he put narrowly wide, was probably our best chance of the match. It was a real blow to lose Lasse Nordås to injury just before half-time. I've got my fingers crossed, but it looked nasty. -- Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 16 Author Share Posted July 16 Preview - Lillestrøm (Home) Eliteserien -- -- It's going to be an interesting match given the way Jens Berthel Askou has his Lillestrøm team set-up to play. Lillestrøm have been brilliant so far, with five wins out of six, including against Rosenborg and Brann. They are top on merit. We know it's going to be very difficult against Lillestrøm but if we can beat them, in our SR-Bank Arena with our fans behind us, then we'll go above them. Spoiler Storm Bugge Pettersen is a good player and we'll need to stop him. We have something of a striker crisis with Joakim Berg Nundal, Lasse Nordås and Henrik Skogvold all out injured. We've had to call 16 year old Robert Reyes up to the first team squad although he won't be in the matchday squad today. Spoiler -- Expected Line-up Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 16 Author Share Posted July 16 Sunday 30th April 2034 Viking (3rd) v Lillestrøm (1st) Eliteserien -- -- -- We're delighted to have beaten Lillestrøm and leap-frogged them to go back top of Eliteserien. Given how we like to play and the quick passing game Jens Berthel Askou has Lillestrøm playing we always thought it was going to be an open, end-to-end game and I'm delighted we were able to control the game for long periods, create far more chances than Lillestrøm and score more goals than Lillestrøm. An early goal always helps so for Daniel Daga to score after just two minutes was a dream start. But it was a very frenetic opening couple of minutes. First we attacked, then Lillestrøm attacked. Jasper Robertsen picked up a yellow card for an early foul. From the free-kick, Lillestrøm worked the ball into our penalty area and hit the post, from the rebound we worked the ball clear, attacked down the right wing, Niklas Ødegård passed the ball into Lillestrøm's penalty area where Daniel Daga took the ball past a couple of defenders and scored. We were 3-1 up by half-time with Edvin Austbø and Anders Hartveit Ryste also getting on the score sheet. Four of our players received first-half yellow cards so we substituted them all during the break. Lillestrøm hadn't had any players booked. The second-half continued in the same frenetic vein, we had the better of things, but Lillestrøm were always a threat when they attacked at pace. We were unlucky on 76 minutes when Mamady Diambou made a perfect sliding tackle inside our penalty area, only for the ball to run to Oskar Siira Sivertsen who scored for 3-2. We won as a team today but Anders Hartveit Ryste was very instrumental in that and his second goal, our fourth, really settled the nerves on 83 minutes. Jesper Robertsen has been a great servant to Viking Fotballklub and I think he has a lot more to give us yet. We have a lot of good, attacking players and I think this 424 system really suits them. When it works, and everything clicks, as it did against Lillestrøm today, I think we're a very exciting team to watch. Of course it doesn't always work, and it can lead to some hairy moments, but I'd rather my team plays on the front foot than sits back and defends. -- 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 16 Author Share Posted July 16 Monday 1st May 2034 Eliteserien League Table -- After seven matches, everybody has now lost at least one match. With Odd losing to Tromsø, there are no unbeaten teams in Eliteserien any more. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hootieleece Posted July 21 Share Posted July 21 I've been away from the internet for a while (visiting my father with no computer or internet) and have 7 pages of reading to catch up on. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 21 Author Share Posted July 21 5 minutes ago, Hootieleece said: I've been away from the internet for a while (visiting my father with no computer or internet) and have 7 pages of reading to catch up on. Welcome back, @Hootieleece. We missed you. Hope you and your father are well. Seven pages... no spoilers, but a lot has happened... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 21 Author Share Posted July 21 (edited) Monday 1st May 2034 Episode 148 - Back Top of Eliteserien "Viking First Team Squad" -- News -- Stats -- Appearances Reports -- Players Out on Loan Edited July 21 by Stuniverse Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 21 Author Share Posted July 21 (edited) Monday 1st May 2034 Episode 148 - Back Top of Eliteserien "Vetlesen's Viking Future In Doubt" -- We received a bid from RB Salzburg of £1.1M for Hugo Vetlesen which we accepted. Spoiler Hugo is a good player who's always done well for us but, unfortunately, since our switch from 442 diamond to 424 it's been difficult to find rom for him in the matchday squad. At 34, we decided £1.1M was a good deal and Hugo was interested in talking to Salzburg so we accepted the bid. Only for Hugo to reject Salzburg's contract offer, Edited July 21 by Stuniverse Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 21 Author Share Posted July 21 Monday 1st May 2034 Episode 148 - Back Top of Eliteserien "Månedens Awards" -- Månedens Trener -- Månedens Spiller Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 21 Author Share Posted July 21 Monday 1st May 2034 Episode 148 - Back Top of Eliteserien "Monthly Review" -- Results -- Board Confidence -- Supporter Confidence -- Finances -- Dynamics Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 21 Author Share Posted July 21 Monday 1st May 2034 Episode 148 - Back Top of Eliteserien "The Cost of Missing Out on Champions League" -- Finances is a worry as our bank balance which was £40M approximatelty at it's highest is now down to just over £2M. This is, primarily, down to missing out on the Champions League League Path in the last three seasons, plus an increasing wage budget. But, to be fair, I'm still well within the wage budget my Board has set so I don't feel that is on me. We do have five players set to leave the club which will reduce the wage bill somewhat. We're still financially secure, as are Vålerenga, and in a better financial state than the rest of Eliteserien but I may need to look at trimming the wage bill if we continue to lose money. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 21 Author Share Posted July 21 Monday 1st May 2034 Until Next Time... ... when we have five Eliteserien matches, and... ... our Cupen campaign begins away at Sandefjord. -- May's Fixtures -- Thoughts, comments, general feedback appreciated. Any questions, just ask and I'll answer them if I can. Thank you for reading and following... and I greatly appreciate the comments as that's what genuinely keeps me motivated to continue updating about this save. Until next time... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 21 Author Share Posted July 21 Preview - Sandnes Ulf (away) Eliteserien -- Daniel Gjerde Sætren was my back-up goalkeeper here at Viking for three seasons and he was a pleasure to work with. I look forward to catching up with him... I just hope he doesn't play a blinder against us like some goalkeepers seem to do. -- We need to be professional in this one, we're top, Sandnes Ulf are bottom having taken just two points from their last seven matches. Thomas Holm will have Sandnes Ulf fired up and desperate to do well in front of their own fans in the Øster Hus Arena. Our record against Sandnes Ulf is very good but we need to be fully focussed and match them for work rate and commitment if we want to get anything out of this game. Joakim Berg Nundal is some way off a return as is Lasse Nordås and Oscar Bobb. Henrik Skogvold could possibly give us 45 minutes but, with so many strikers out injured, I won't be rushing him back and risking aggravating his knee ligaments further. -- Expected Line-up Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 21 Author Share Posted July 21 (edited) Sunday 7th May 2034 Sandnes Ulf (16th) v Viking (1st) Eliteserien -- -- -- I think we saw today, what I've always maintained, there are no easy games in Eliteserien. Yes, I made a couple of changes, rested a couple of players, and we are short up front at the moment due to injuries, but I still thought the team I selected today was good enough to get the win we wanted. But credit to Thomas Holm and Sandnes Ulf because they made it very difficult for us. And, as they say: if you can't win it, don't lose it. We'll take the draw and move on. I think this attacking 424 style suits us very well as we have a lot of very good attacking players. Unfortunately, we have quite a few attacking players injured or lacking fitness right now so we may have to try something else until we have enough of them fit and healthy again. Sandnes Ulf went 424 as well today, matching up against us man-for-man and I thought we cancelled each other out in the first half so in the break I kept the same personnel and switched to 4231 just to try and mix it up a bit. Henrik Skogvold has been out for six weeks with sprained knee ligaments. Henrik's back in training now, and could possibly have given us 45 minutes and, whilst it would've been nice to bring him on in the second half when we were chasing the game, by not selecting him I removed that temptation. We didn't want to rush him back and make the injury worse. The team I selected today should've been good enough to win but, in the end, we made hard work of the 1-1 draw after going a goal behind on 64 minutes. On 56 minutes, at 0-0, I took off Edvin Austbø and Anders Hartveit Ryste because I didn't think they were giving us enough today. On 64 minutes, Sandnes Ulf took the lead when we allowed Lars Christer Rødølen Opsahl far too much space at the far post. So we changed back to the 424 with a more Attacking mentality. We got an equaliser from the penalty spot, courtesy of Mamady Diambou after Julian Gonstad had been tripped in the penalty area. After that, both teams had a couple of chances to win it so a draw was probably a fair result in the end. Mamady Diambiou has been brilliant for us this season, following his transfer from Brann, and long may it continue. -- Edited July 21 by Stuniverse Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 21 Author Share Posted July 21 (edited) Preview - Brann (Home) Eliteserien Best i vest derby -- -- -- I honestly can't remember what this spat, if there even was a spat, was about. Last time we played Brann, we lost 0-2 in Brann Stadion so maybe I was just emotionally upset at losing a Best i vest derby. Ivaylo Petev isn't stupid. He knows as well as I do what the Best i vest derby means to the supporters of Viking and Brann. In my time at Viking we've won eight Best i vest derbys and lost four with one draw. Last time out, as I said, Brann won 2-0 in Brann Stadion but we won last season's Best i vest derby at our SR-Bank Stadion 4-2. We've changed our style of play since last season, and have new players, as do Brann, so I don't think previous meetings will have any bearing. They are in the past and largely forgotten. Brann are struggling for sure with only one win in their last nine and have lost four of their last five. It won't be easy, Best i vest derby's never are, but we're confident. We have Per Joar Hægstad Johnsen on loan at Brann so it will be interesting to see how Per Joar gets on if he's selected. Spoiler Lasse Nordås remains some way off, as does Joakim Berg Nundal. But we're delighted to have Henrik Skogvold back fit again and he'll probably start today. -- Expected Line-up Edited July 21 by Stuniverse Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 21 Author Share Posted July 21 (edited) Saturday 13th May 2034 Viking (1st) v Brann (14th) Eliteserien Best i vest derby -- -- -- -- Honestly, I have no issue with Ivaylo Petev and if he has an issue with me then that's his problem. For long periods this looked like being a frustrating Best i vest derby. I thought we controlled the game and were the better team throughout and only two brilliant saves from Jan Ove Grimstad, to deny Edvin Austbø and Julian Gonstad kept it at 0-0. Plus VAR disallowed an early Anders Hartveit Ryste goal. We kept believing, and doing everything we could to help the players, but in the back of my mind I thought this looks like a possible smash 'n' grab raid for Brann. I think you saw from the way my backroom staff, substitutes and myself reacted in the 85th minute what it meant to us. And crikey, what a roller-coaster, Julian Gonstad heads in from close range and with five minutes left we think we've won it... only for the assistant's flag to go up, which it took us a while to realise, and then the referee disallowed it. But then VAR overruled the on-field officials and we're 1-0 up. Maybe we did overreact, and maybe, just maybe, Ivaylo Petev has a point but, come on, this is the Best i vest derby. 0-0 at half-time we made a couple of changes. Still 0-0 on 64 minutes we made more changes and went Attacking. Still 0-0 on 72 minutes, we made our fifth and final substitution. And, finally, we got our reward with Julian Gonstad's goal. Brann were looking dangerous so we made changes to help us manage the game out. On 87 minutes, a flicked near post header by Aleksander Liland grazed the bar and went over. Brann did put us under late pressure but we defended magnificently and weathered the storm, helped by a couple of fine saves from Jasper Torkildsen. Absolutely. Young players are the future of Viking Fotballklubb. -- Edited July 21 by Stuniverse 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 21 Author Share Posted July 21 (edited) Preview - Rosenborg (away) Eliteserien -- -- It's a throw-back style that Jakob Michelsen has Rosenborg playing which was very successful for them last season when they should, in my opinion, have won Eliteserien but they lost three of their last six matches, winning only one and drawing two. Vålerenga ended up Champions by four points but Rosenborg kind of gifted the title to them. That form seems to have followed Rosenborg into this season. Rosenborg did the double over us last season and, generally, we've struggled against Rosenborg during my time here at Viking. Hopefully, playing a different style to last season, we can go to Lerkendal and get a win. No, I wouldn't agree with that at all. We've switched tactics and systems a few times during recent matches. -- Expected Line-up Edited July 21 by Stuniverse Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 21 Author Share Posted July 21 (edited) Tuesday 16th May 2034 Rosenborg (9th) v Viking (1st) Eliteserien -- -- -- Yeah, Seedy Jatta caused us a lot of problems today and when he scored on 62 minutes to give Rosenborg a 2-1 lead it wasn't looking very good for us. It was incredible really and shows how much character and spirit this squad of players have. They never give up. Aleksander Liland crashed the ball against the bar with a fierce 4th minute shot. Julian Gonstad gave us a 5th minute lead but Rosenborg equalised three minutes later. And that's how the half continued, it was fairly even although Rosenborg maybe just shaded it. At the other end though we rode our luck as Rosenborg hit the post midway through the first half and the bar just before half-time. By half-time both our centre-backs were on yellow cards so we replaced them during the break. I thought we started the second half brightly and were starting to take control of the game but we were caught out by a 62nd minute Rosenborg counter-attack and we were 1-2 down. Yeah, and I can understand how Jesper Robertsen felt but we'd just gone 1-2 down, we needed to gamble and I thought the changes we made gave us the best chance of getting back into the game. During a football match I make many decisions, some good, some bad, and some indifferent. Some work, some don't. Sending on Niklas Ødegård on 63 minutes, watching him score an equaliser on 67 minutes and the winner on 88 minutes makes me look like some kind of football genius but, really, it's all down to Niklas and the rest of the team. Having taken the lead, late on, against a Rosenborg team who'd caused us problems all game, we made changes to see the game out. We defended very well in the closing minutes and protected Jasper Torkildsen and his goal brilliantly. -- Edited July 21 by Stuniverse 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 21 Author Share Posted July 21 Preview - Sarpsborg (home) Eliteserien -- -- Our de mørkeblå supporters are amazing and they really get behind the team. And we'll need them today as Sarpsborg have won three of their last four matches. Our record against Sarpsborg is very good but that counts for nothing today. Mamady Diambou twisted his ankle in training and that's a big blow to us. -- Extended Line-up Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 21 Author Share Posted July 21 (edited) Sunday 21st May 2034 Viking (1st) v Sarpsborg (11th) Eliteserien -- -- -- Yes, absolutely. Henrik Skogvold scored two goals today and for his first, just before the half hour mark, he showed tremendous powers of concentration. In the build-up, Niklas Ødegård went down injured in the D, Julian Gonstad was tripped in the penalty area, but Henrik ignored all of that, showed great composure, and hit his shot across the goalkeeper and in at the far post. Henrik Skogvold headed his and our second goal just before the break. I'm sure Henrik Skogvold would've loved a hat-trick but he looked out on his feet so we took him off on 73 minutes. Sarpsborg did pull a goal back with their only shot on target after Øyvind Bekkevold missed his interception. It's very important and our awesome de mørkeblå supporters deserve a lot of credit. I'm not sure they realise how much their backing lifts the players during matches. We have good, attacking players and we like to take the game to the opposition and play on the front foot. What? Stuniverse-ball? I'm not sure about that. I've not had chance to catch-up with the medical team yet. -- Edited July 21 by Stuniverse 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 22 Author Share Posted July 22 Real Life Interlude — What’s this all about @XaW? Are Norwegian football fans known for protesting? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
XaW Posted July 22 Share Posted July 22 4 minutes ago, Stuniverse said: Real Life Interlude — What’s this all about @XaW? Are Norwegian football fans known for protesting? Most Norwegian fans seems to really not like VAR. The last few rounds fans have thrown all kinds of items on the pitch to voice their view against VAR. I think a match last week was postponed because of an RC car with a smoke flare attached ruined it... Essentially it boils down to the same as everywhere else, inconsistent use of the technology and how different refs view things differently. The Norwegian FA have an updated page where everyone can see all stats about VAR use though, and very few actual errors, so I think many are a bit too zealous about it and it's more of a "I've decided, and no amount of reason can change my mind" type mindset from many. https://a-innsikt.vev.site/var/ This page shows all the stuff VAR has done and with videos and a reason for what should have happened, so there is at least some transparency going on. This says the ball was over the line and VAR didn't intervene where they should have, for example. They also have a section for ref errors after VAR ask the ref to check. Here it says VAR recommended the ref to look at a potential penalty kick, but the ref decided against it despite the video showing it should have been. So at least they are open about errors and allow anyone to view it, and it points to a certain accountability of the use at least. So I personally think it works better than in the PL for example, but my main issue is that it takes way too long. But many supporter groups just plain don't want it, period. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hootieleece Posted July 22 Share Posted July 22 Are the Viking fans getting into the spirit of the VAR protests? How many fish cakes have been cleaned off the pitch? LOL! Any way great start to the season as expected and am intrigued by your 4-2-4 system. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 22 Author Share Posted July 22 1 hour ago, Hootieleece said: Are the Viking fans getting into the spirit of the VAR protests? How many fish cakes have been cleaned off the pitch? LOL! I hope not... it's hard enough trying to win one Eliteserien match, without it being cancelled and having to try and win it again 1 hour ago, Hootieleece said: Any way great start to the season as expected Thank you, @Hootieleece. Lot of football still to be played but looking good so far. 1 hour ago, Hootieleece said: and am intrigued by your 4-2-4 system. On face value it looks like it leaves us vulnerable at the back but the two BWM-De protect the back four well. But in reality, with all our attacking players, it seems to work well although we've struggled a bit for goals recently with so many strikers and wingers out injured. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 23 Author Share Posted July 23 (edited) On 22/07/2024 at 07:28, XaW said: Most Norwegian fans seems to really not like VAR… But many supporter groups just plain don't want it, period. Thank you, @XaW. Very informative. Getting an Eliteserien match abandoned is quite something though. Edited July 23 by Stuniverse Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
XaW Posted July 23 Share Posted July 23 50 minutes ago, Stuniverse said: Thank you, @XaW. Very informative. Getting an Eliteserien match abandoned is quite something though. Yeah, and now some are doubting the season can actually finish... this is from VG, the biggest (somewhat tabloid) newspaper (and I hope the google translate thing works fine): https://www-vg-no.translate.goog/sport/fotball/i/AvvVwr/eliteserien-fk-haugesund-tror-sesongen-kan-vaere-i-fare-etter-nye-var-protester?_x_tr_sl=no&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp So it's not just a one off either... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 23 Author Share Posted July 23 Preview - Sandefjord (away) Norgesmesterskapet i fotball (Cupen) First Round -- -- We begin our defence of Norgesmesterskapet i fotball (Cupen) away to Sandefjord. We do have a good record against Sandefjord, but we haven't played them in a couple of seasons. Sandefjord won OBOS-ligaen last season to gain promotion and are currently 11th in Eliteserien. We haven't played them yet this season but, at the Jotun Arena, in front of their own supporters, we're expecting Sandefjord to give us a difficult game. -- Expected Line-up Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 23 Author Share Posted July 23 2 minutes ago, XaW said: Yeah, and now some are doubting the season can actually finish... this is from VG, the biggest (somewhat tabloid) newspaper (and I hope the google translate thing works fine): https://www-vg-no.translate.goog/sport/fotball/i/AvvVwr/eliteserien-fk-haugesund-tror-sesongen-kan-vaere-i-fare-etter-nye-var-protester?_x_tr_sl=no&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp So it's not just a one off either... Thanks, @XaW. Yeah I did get an "English" option. Sounds serious. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 23 Author Share Posted July 23 Wednesday 24th May 2034 Sandefjord (Tier 1) v Viking (Tier 1) Norgesmesterskapet i fotball (Cupen) First Round -- -- -- It certainly did, we really had to be patient but I always felt we would win as we controlled the game, pinned Sandefjord back for long periods in the game, and created lots of chances. Dominique Youfeigane (7.8) was brilliant in goal for Sandefjord and I lost count of how many shots we had that Sandefjord blocked or deflected wide. But Ola Johannes Kleppa Christensen broke the deadlock on 88 minutes and Julian Gonstad wrapped it up on 90+5. We started the first half brightly and had a great chance on three minutes when Anders Hartveit Ryste was firmly pushed in the back inside the penalty area. Anders picked himself up, hit a good penalty kick to the goalkeeper's left, but Dominique Youfeigane did brilliantly to get there and push the ball round the post for a corner. After the break, Julian Gonstad's header skimmed the top of the bar on 47 minutes. On 64 minutes we shifted to an Attacking mentality. After Ola Johannes Kleppa Christensen gave us an 88th minute lead we made changes to see out the game. Even then, Sandefjord didn't really threaten us and we looked the most likely to score. Then late-on, Ola Johannes Kleppa Christensen's shot was blocked up into the air and Julian Gonstad headed in from two yards out. -- Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 23 Author Share Posted July 23 (edited) Thursday 25th May 2034 Norgesmesterskapet i fotball (Cupen) Second Round Draw -- We will travel to face Ørn Horten (Tier 3) in Cupen second round. -- Edited July 23 by Stuniverse Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 23 Author Share Posted July 23 Friday 26th May 2034 Solberg Unhappy at lack of playing time -- Spoiler -- -- Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 23 Author Share Posted July 23 (edited) Preview - Odds Ballklubb (away) Eliteserien -- -- I don't pay much attention to these kind of records. Yes, we have a very good record against Odds Ballklubb during my time at Viking, but those past matches won't have any real bearing on this match. And Odd did beat us at Skagerak Arena the first time Magnus Powell managed the Oddrane against us. No, not really. It maybe plays on the minds a bit of players that have been involved previously but teams and squads change that much from season to season and during a season that I really don't think it has any significance. We want to win, and we're confident... but Odd will want to win as well. As a lifelong Odds Ballklubbb supporter I think Magnus Powell is doing an excellent job and I have a lot of time for him. Mamady Diambou will be out a while yet. Henrik Skogvold picked up an injury in training this week and we now have three forwards out injured, although it's good to see Joakim Berg Nundal back. I've had a word with Aleksander Liland to tell him to pull his socks up in training. I've also had a chat with Anders Hartveit Ryste about his recent form although, I thought, he was unlucky against Sandefjord when his penalty, which was a good penalty, was saved. -- Expected Line-up -- Edited July 23 by Stuniverse Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 23 Author Share Posted July 23 (edited) Monday 29th May 2034 Odds Ballklubb (7th) v Viking (1st) Eliteserien -- -- -- I'm delighted we were able to win today because Odds Ballklubb are a very good team. We had to be patient, but Julian Gonstad's 54th minute strike proved to be the only goal of the game. We had a scare on 13 minutes when Joakim Berg Nundal, only just back from a groin strain, went down injured. Two of our physios, Hildur Kristín Sveinsdóttir and Lin Bernhardsen Vad, went on to assess him and, fortunately, Joakim was able to continue At half-time we had two defenders on yellow cards and Daniel Daga had run his course so we made three substitutions. Edvin Austbø was outstanding today, as he has been all season, and he made a fantastic assist, following great work involving Jesper Robertsen, Tinius Sundell and Joakim Berg Nundal down the right, for Julian Gonstad to score the only goal of the game. Odd did create some chances of their own and, around the 89th minute, we made our usual tactical changes to see out the game. I like to play attacking football and take the game to the opposition. We're stuttering a bit at the moment with so many forward players out injured but, when we play this system well we play some breath taking football. I wish Raphael Wicky would make his mind up, last time out against Sandefjord in Cupen he was watching our other goalkeeper Hans Jørgen Solberg and today he's supposedly watching our vice-captain Jasper Torkildsen. Raphael can watch them all he likes, I'm not interested in selling either goalkeeper... although keeping both our Norwegian international goalkeepers happy is a challenge and, currently, Hans Jørgen isn't happy about being #2. -- Edited July 23 by Stuniverse 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 23 Author Share Posted July 23 Thursday 1st June 2034 Episode 149 - Four Points Clear "Backroom Staff Reductions" -- First Team -- Second Team -- U19s Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 23 Author Share Posted July 23 Thursday 1st June 2034 Episode 149 - Four Points Clear "Transfer Rumours" -- -- Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 23 Author Share Posted July 23 (edited) Thursday 1st June 2034 Episode 149 - Four Points Clear "Viking First Team Squad" -- International Call-ups -- News -- Appearances -- Reports -- Players Out on Loan Edited July 23 by Stuniverse Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 23 Author Share Posted July 23 (edited) Thursday 1st June 2034 Episode 149 - Four Points Clear "Månedens Trener" -- -- Edited July 23 by Stuniverse Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 23 Author Share Posted July 23 Thursday 1st June 2034 Episode 149 - Four Points Clear "Monthly Review" -- Results -- Board Confidence -- Supporter Confidence -- Finances -- Dynamics Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 23 Author Share Posted July 23 (edited) Thursday 1st June 2034 Until Next Time... ... when we have a quiet month due to the World Cup, and we play... ... Ørn Horten (Tier 3) away in Cupen, and... ... host Bodø/Glimt in Eliteserien. As Norway failed to qualify for the World Cup, we only have three first team players away on International duty so we can give the vast majority of the squad a couple of weeks off after the Ørn Horten game. -- June's Fixtures -- Thoughts, comments, general feedback appreciated. Any questions, just ask and I'll answer them if I can. Thank you for reading and following... and I greatly appreciate the comments as that's what genuinely keeps me motivated to continue updating about this save. Until next time... Edited July 23 by Stuniverse Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuniverse Posted July 23 Author Share Posted July 23 Friday 2nd June 2034 Vetlesen Unhappy, Wants a Loan Move -- -- -- -- Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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