Erik Hoftun: The soap opera goes on

Erik Hoftun finally decided what to do with his life. The former RBK defender will be the assistan of Ingebrigsten, like he was during this season.

Now Ivar Koteng has to find out a new Director of football. The president said that: "The new director of football hasn't to be someone who works in soccer world"

Maybe, indeed, it's better to have someone who doesn't come from soccer. Maybe it's better to have someone else, anyone but Hoftun.

@MondoRBK

Where were we?

Hi guys
I was very busy, and so I couldn't write anything about Rosenborg from July untill now. What happened? So many things, I saw the last post I wrote was about Per Joar Hansen, the former coach. It was substitued by Ingebrigsten, the one who is still coach today. Our team arrived at second place in Tippeligaen 2014: it means that e shall play the Europa League qualifications. Last year, this season, we did not win the last qulification match, and so we had not the possibilities to play the play-off match.
What's the situation now?

MIX DISKERUD - The Norwegian-USA midfielder  during his permanence at Trondheim was often tempted by very important soccer teams, all over the european leagues, but he decided everytime to stay in the Tippeligaen. Now his future is doubtful, because the tension is high at Trondheim.

IT'S HARD TO BREATHE - The Rosenborg economic state is in a bind: the managers said that the sponsors money are not enough, and the tickets too. So it was necessary to sell someone: Berntsen, that went to Djurgarden. The causes of this situation are three: Nielsen, Chibuike and Brede Moe, good players sold or few moneys.

FRIENDLY MATCHES - Seeing that the training for last season was injurious and deleterious, this year mr. Inge decided that was necessary to have few friendly matches against weak teams. The hope is that this decision will be a good decision.

I'm glad to write in this blog, after so many complicated months of silence. I whish you had understood what I wrote!

Forza Rosenborg

@mondorbk

The Saelnes' hoop. A scream for a victory

That's finally what I wanted to see! Courage, anger, desire to fight and win, even suffering. And all this has been well summarized by the hoop, the scream of Saelnes after the first goal. But it was also visible in the shot of Mikkelsen, shot full of anger and desire to win that damned game. Well done guys, this is your victory. Deplorable behaviour adopted by Strandberg, the team cannot be never left alone. But, my point of view does not change: Hoftun and Perry have to go away, because a victory today may unfortunately mean a defeat more devastating in the future, and this is what every fan wants to avoid.

First win of 2014: Rosenborg-AIK 5-2

Finally a good news! Rosenborg won its first match in the second journey of the Copa del Sol tournment. As usual we went in the field with our 4-3-3 line-up, with Chibuike in the role of playmaker, behind the three forwards: Helland, Bille and Soderlund. I have to apologize for what I said in the previous vlog, the team fortunatly proved me wrong. 

We made a very offensive game, with Chibuike that set up the actions, in role of playmaker, in order to pass the ball to the wings forward (Helland and Nielsen), that tried to cross the ball in the area, or went in to the center, near the borderline of the penalty area, then tried to shot. But we were very absent-minded in the defensive phase, above all on the wings, our fullbacks (Skjelvek and Dorsin) weren't very careful, indeed the action of the first AIK's goal, began in the wings. Dorsin let the opponent cross and Bahoui Igboananike scored. But we were playing quite well, indeed we didn't change our way of playing, and at 9' we had the opportunity to equalize with a penalty. Soderlund scored the 1-1, six minutes after the goal by AIK. The game was very enjoyable, not at all boring, and both teams played in an offensive way, allowing the opponents to create the actions. 
At the 12' AIK scored again, with another action started in the wings. Another cross and Markannen, lonely in the penalty area, was able to kick in the goal. 
Now I was afraid that, like the other matches, we got depressed, and didn't play as well as before the goal. But, maybe unexpectedly for me, Rosenborg still tried to score in the same way, very determined to equalize. In this phase of the match we were very messy, but at the same time very determined to score, And we did it, with another kick (free-kick) by Helland (according to me the best player in the first half). 
So, a very good and enjoyable first half ends 2-2. 

In the second half, there was the turning point. All along the second half, the AIK wasn't dangerous at all. We played very well, like in the first half, but at the same time (perhaps the opponents players were tired) we were more careful at the back wings. At 56' entered Gamboa in place of Skjelvek (not a good match for him, at all) and at 60' Chibuike scored with a great gol from a long range. Nielsen made the assist for Chibuike the threw the ball under the bar, so strong that not even the goalkeeper saw it. 
Chibuike was the best player of the second half, because, with the scoring 3-2, had to make counter-attacks in order to close the match. So, he did it, with a great action in counter-attack, he overcomed the midfield and four opponents with great strenght, then he passed the ball to the left to Bille, that passed again the ball to Chibuike that easily scored. 4-2. The AIK wasn't able to react, and so was easy for us to score again, the 5-2, with Mikkelsen at 81', entered in place of the tired Nielsen, with Riski in place of Helland and Jensen of Svensonn. 

The match is over: 5-2. 

It was a great test of determination, physical strength, and I finally saw a lot of movement by the forwards. The only weakness is the defense, which today has been able to hold the opportunities of the opponents (perhaps for the lack of determination and lucidity of the opposing team) but that we must absolutely correct. There is an obvious problem of concentration, mainly on the cross from the wings, which easily come into the penalty area and are easily diverted into the net.

But I've to admit that I've enjoyed it.

John Chibuike, best player today

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Copa del Sol: Rosenborg - Astra Giurgiu, first defeat

Who is the blame? The third red shirt or the players? 

I think I've an answer. We were wrong in the interpretation of the match. The early stages of the game were not so bad, but we were weak  and they were more physically strong and determined than us. In fact the opponenents had the first opportunity, caused by an error in defence (so many mistakes in this match in defence, we tried to play the ball above us in the penalty area, or near it, in order to have a counter-attack, but instead we lost the ball and made the opponents have opportunities). Fortunately they erred the shot, and Orlund made a save.

We have continued to leave too much space for opponents, like in a corner kick, where they tried a shot from the border of the penalty area and they made an off target shot.

We reacted with Skjelvek, that took the ball neat the border of the penalty area and passed the ball to Svensson that made an assist in the penalty area for Soderlund, that missed the shot.

In this first half it was clear that we were good at taking ball to the opponents, in our 3/4 half field, but we were slow in the counter-attack phase, we missed the ball in their 3/4, because they were quick to place themselves in defence, and they closed all the spaces. We played a poor play, we were not determined, and the only two players that were moving and were doing well were the newcomer Riku Riski and Gamboa, that will have a good second half.

In the second half we made substitutions. In Bille and Dorsin, out Soderlund and Skjelvik.

But in the second half we were still not determined, the Astra instead was in the match. Bille tried to made an assist but Mikkelsen wasn't able to take the ball and go to score. The Astra was determined more than us, in fact they scored with Seto. Our defence were motionless, static, and Seto, instead of pass the ball, tried to shot, Orlund didn't expect that shot and couldn't make a save. 

We were so slow in attack, the opponents gave us many meters to advance but we stopped in their half field, and the only one that tried to move and create opportunity was Riku Riski, but the others were stopped, and didn't make anything to help him. The other one that tried to make opportunity was Gamboa, that tried to shot, starting from the lateral bands and going to the center, like Riku did all along the match, then kicked the ball, but he took the internal post, and the ball went through the borderline but didn't enter in the goal.

It was clear that we had to try to play in the lateral bands, Mr Hansen indeed standed in Helland for Mikkelsen, in order to create opportunity with Riku, also making corner for Bille. It didn't happen. As usual we were very good to overcome the midfield, but we were wrong to create opportunities, playing in the middle and not passing the ball to Riski or Helland. The only one that tried to do this was Gamboa.

Finally, there wasn't a good match, at all, and I think if we don't change our line-up we can't win. We have to play in the lateral bands, that's clear, and that's why we bought Riku, to overcome the opponents on the wings, and cross in the middle for the head of Bille. The same Helland has to do, with his speed, but we still go on this way, and according to me, we still go to lose. Ok, Astra is a good team, but we've to return in Champions League, and in this way, we will not enter in the Europa League, next summer. How can we go on?

www.rbk.no