The Stressed Out And Overworked Preview

Feel my rage, minions. 

Saturday

Bodø/Glimt (5th) - Fredrikstad (3rd) 

Who would have thought at the start of the season that this would be an encounter between two top5 teams?  It's a funny old game and all that.

Kung-Fu (but not really) Kvisvik has been suspended for three games following his Karate-kick (but not really) on Rune Jarstein, a suspension everyone knew was coming but which Fredrikstad still feel was a bit harsh.

Fjordball got into a discussion with an international fashion-icon in the pub tonight on whether or not Kvisvik giving Jarstein a good kicking was a good thing. Ever the Kvisvik-sympathizer, fjordball's stance is that when you tackle a bloke, then hold him by the legs and call him a diver, you deserve a good kicking. Jarstein got what was coming to him.

Draw.

Jarstein: Deserved a good kicking

Sunday

Aalesund (14th) - Vålerenga (10th)

Kjetil Rekdal's old club versus Kjetil Rekdal's new club, there's sure to be a few players with a point to prove here.

Home win.

Lyn (4th) - Molde (11th) 

New Lyn-manager Kent "Kenta" Bergersen his a man after fjordball's own heart. After beating local rivals Vålerenga in his first match in charge he told the press he'd celebrate with a class of cognac (always trust a man with a bit of class), and now he's declared that the man to replace outgoing top-scorer Espen Hoff is already at the club: Diego Gustavino (who fjordball identified quite a lot time ago as a rather tasty player) has what it takes, according to "Kenta".

Home win.

Symbolic stuff: Hoff replaced by Gustavino

Rosenborg (6th) - HamKam (13th)

Rosenborg are firmly in the driving-seat of their UEFA-cup tie with Brøndby after an impressive away-performance in the first game. They defeated the dastardly Danes 2-1, and will be full of confidence going into the return-leg.

..and yey for HamKam who are finally not rock bottom of the league. But they're still rubbish.

Home win.

Strømsgodset (9th) - Tromsø (2nd)

Oh noes! The Tippeliga's undisputed king of physical comedy Espen Johnsen is set to leave Strømsgodset and return to life on the bench at Rosenborg. "I don't see myself as a number two, but as a challenger. Jarstein is a good goalkeeper, but so am I," the clumsy 'keeper told Dagbladet. 

Away win.

Johnsen: Coming make inexplicably hilarious mistakes at a stadium near you (if you're from Trondheim)

Viking (7th) - Stabæk (1st)

Occasional Viking-striker Peter Ijeh hasn't had the best of years. Before the start of the season Lyn were desperate to sign him (with money they didn't have, presumably), people where putting bets on him finishing top-scorer of the Tippeliga and Viking gave him a terribly rewarding contract to make him stay in Stavanger. 

Six months and one goal later, things aren't looking so good anymore for the sign-on fee-chasing Nigerian. "We have a deal with Ijeh that runs to the end of the 2009-season, and we have no plans of discussing a longer contract with him," sporting director Egil Østenstad told the press this week.

Stabæk are four wins (at the most) away from claiming the title. At least until Sunday night.

Away win.

Monday

Lillestrøm (12th) - Brann (8th) 

The great underachievers do battle on a Monday night to find out.. well.. bugger all really. Brann have nothing to play for and Lillestrøm should be safe enough (if only because Aalesund and HamKam are rubbish).

But Brann at least have the UEFA-Cup, and this Thursday there was a minor miracle at Brann-stadium: Brann played well. And not just against anyone, against the somewhat mighty Deportivo. The Spaniards aren't the force they used to be, but under the stewardship of Miguel Angel "We're all doomed" Lotina they've become a very hard team to beat, as Real Madrid found out a few weeks ago.

2-0 was the score at full-time and even Deportivo's midfield-maestro Juan Carlos Valeron was impressed.

Home win (you know they can't do it twice in one week, you just know it).

Brann: In good performance-shocker (Huseklepp still looks like a tit though)