Climbing the Mountain: Bob Bradley at Stabæk

Does it look something like this when it happens?

 

No, it looks like this: Then I chicken out.

 

When we signed Ville Jalasto back in 2012 we were told that he was a decent central defender, but a poor fullback at this level. That seems to be true! Besides, Hendersons poor positioning and lack of technical skills does not make Villes job any easier. So the way I figure, Henderson helps Jalasto look bad...

I'm also quite sceptical to Pablo Fontonello. Second game in a row where he is directly involved when we concede a goal. However, to be fair he was a bit unlucky this time, still he seems to be of avarage quality. I do not think Nico Næss would have done any worse. He had good progress throughout the preseason, was one of our best in the first game of the season just to be thrown to the curb when we signed Fontanello on deadline day. I hear Næss is really disapointed, and rightly so.

We also have a good playmaker in Dahle on the bench, newly signed but not given any oportunities from Bob. We have the player with the most assists last season - left fullback Timmi Johansen, speed-demon Brustad and a seasoned campaigner in the form of Tomaz Sokolowski also on the bench. While underperformers like Henderson and Stephens (in his role as a number 10) gets regular spots in the starting lineup, go figure!

BTW we should have signed another striker rather than bringing in central defender number 5. Yes, we did not get the ones that we wanted, but still we could have found an attacker from the lower levels. Perhaps smeone with other abilities than Boli,and a knak for scoring goals. They're out there if you know where to look, and they may be cheap.

 

Don't let word get to the USA Men boards that there is another potential "Fire Bob Now" thread on the horizon...

 

We're not even close - yet

 

@Ringo for manager. It started here.

 

Have you met Sidefootsitter?

 

The man the ignore feature was invented for.

 

Sounds like the team has a solid bench to go to

 

I wouldn't say solid but some of the benched players are at least as good as some of the starters and some of them are more suited for the roles that a few of the starters are not very successful in.

I'm not sure Dahle is a better player than Stephens but he definately is more fit for the number 10 role, and a far better player than Henderson. We also have players like Sortevik (been out with some injuries) and Kassi (used on the left wing, where he is also very good) who are more natural number tens than Stephens.

Brustad is not a brilliant soccer player (rather limited actually) but he is one of the top five fastest sprinters in Tippeligaen. And while technically challenged, he has proved efficient on the final third, keeping his cool as a finisher and having the ability to make simple crosses and passes into central positions from the edge of the box. He has proved the ability to create goals and assits. Henderson has proved virtually nothing except that he probably is more suited for the third tier in Norwegian soccer.

A few years back the club management said our financial situation demanded we start playing "moneyball". I honestly don't think we've stuck to the plan, or at least not succeeded with the strategy and done a rather poor job in the transfer windows (including this last one).

Sokolowski is in my opinion our first true "moneyball signing". Once a hot prospect, now an experienced player who has had parts of his career hampered by injuries and a reputation as an early bloomer whose career has declined since he was a teenager. He has gone from a hyped talent to an underrated player. We got him on loan from Brann, who are still paying some of his salaray. His game does not always look brilliant and few fans of Brann and Viking (his last two clubs) are very impressed with him. But he does have this one interesting quality: The teams he plays for win more games with him on the pitch because of his vision and intelligence in passing.

He is probably one of the best players in the league when it comes to picking the right pass that opens up the defense the most and is in that respect highly underappreciated. This is a player who was no longer wanted in Brann and I believe we got him cheap. He does have some qualities that directly help teams win more points even though he is not highly rated in the league anylonger. He got a few minutes in the first game and contributed with one of his trademark assits. I'm surprised he hasn't been used since. Adu is a great player on our midfield but my opinion is that he makes our need for someone like Sokolowski even greater because of his passing style, which is very possession oriented and very little creative.

 

Interesting analysis of Soko. He does also have the potential to dominate games at this level. But I suspect that he needs to be given regular playing time and feel that he has the coach's trust in order to thrive.

 

It goes back even further. I think I read somewhere (possibly in Soccernomics) that the old division 1 games were broadcasted in Norway in the 70s orearly 80s - years before they were broadcasted in England...

 

In Cup action today, Bob Bradley's Stabaek defeated third division Jevnaker IF away 8-0.

— Ron Waxman 🏳️‍🌈🇺🇦 (@RonWaxman) April 24, 2014

 

Norwegians have such a massive attraction to England of course the USA but maybe more so the former.

 

Guy sounds like Bob's agent or something, trumpeting the glorious news.

 

Our two closest allies throughout history. The attraction to and influence from England and the USA probably has many layers and can be explained from different angles. I think it's pretty much limited to a pop-cultural influence though, ie music, movies, TV shows etc. Politics, religion and all that is rooted in Scandinavian culture and there aren't many who look to England or USA for the answers there. @Ringo explained the popularity of English soccer on page 14.

First round in the cup today, as @BostonRed already mentioned. The cup is also the Norwegian Championship and a very prestigious and popular tournament here, unlike most countries.

Bradley made some changes from the league matches and fielded a starting eleven that some would say was actually closer to our best lineup. Goals scored by Boli and Kassi in addition to hat-tricks from both Sortevik and Brustad.

 

If it was his agent, he would have left off the "3rd division."

 

Also, not enough exclamation points.

 

New game comming up. Against last years winner of the second tier - Bodø/Glimt. They finished 15 points ahead of us last season and already then looked more or less like a decent tippeligateam.

Glimt has a certain history for bringing forth talent like the footballing family Berg. With father Harald back in the 60-70'ies taking Lyn to the quarter finals in the European Champions cup in 69 against Barcelona (4-5 aggregated result), and his sons Ørjan and Runar both playing major parts in RBK's success in the 90'ies. But there are many others like Mini Jacobsen, Trond Sollied, Stig Johansen and in resent years Anders Konradsen (Rennes), stefan Johansen ( Celtic) and newly returned Trond Olsen. However, few take the step up directly from Glimt. Most go through other Norwegian Clubs first.

Glimt has an integrated and distinct way of playing. A direct counterattacking football in a 433 formation with pacy wingers. They have had a decent opening and RBK was lucky to get a draw against them last week.

Bradley's boys need to get a result after loosing the last couple of games. Thats not going to happen unless Bob makes some changes in the lineup. Now, underperformer Henderson was injured in the cup game against Jevnaker, and that may force Bobs hand. However, according to rumours Bob is considereing moving central defender Nicolay Næss up to the right wing?!! Instead of playing Sortevik, Brustad or Dahle who are all wingers... Strange time to be experimating like that I must say. I would also like to see Stephens and Fontanello placed on the bench , but thats not going to happen.

 

The Berg family is by far the best soccer family in Norway, not even the Flo family can compete. Harald was probably a top ten player in Europe in his prime and Ørjan wasn't too far behind, dominating games in Champions League for Rosenborg. Third generation is coming up now; Ørjan's son Patrick, Arild's son Lasse and their cousin Martin Pedersen are all in Bodø/Glimt.

Random facts: Bodø is currently the northernmost city represented in Tippeligaen (~290 miles north of Trondheim) as Tromsø (~200 miles north of Bodø) was relegated last year. Although the fjords in Western Norway is a bigger magnet for tourism the coastline along the northern counties (Nordland, Troms and Finnmark) is by most Norwegians concidered the most scenic part of Norway and well worth a visit if beautiful nature (and midnight sun in summer, aurora borealis in winter) is your thing.

 

Correction: Lasse is the son of Runar. I don't think Arild has any kids. I know Ørjan also has another son who I believe played for Grand Bodø for some years (3rd division, ie tier 4) but I'm not sure where or if he plays soccer now.

 

Midway through the second half, Stabaek is up 2-0 on fellow promotees Bodo/Glimt.

Second goal was scored by Pablo Fontanello, a late signing who left Ukraine due to the situation there. From a distance, this kind of pick-up looks like good resourcefulness on the part of Stabaek/Bradley

 

Bodo/Glimt are coached by former NYRB assistant Jan Halvor Halvorsen. Former NYRB player Dane Richards probably started for them. Zarek Valentin is on the team but injured.

 

Richards did start, but the guy who subbed on for him just scored. 2-1 Stabaek, nailbiter time.