Stabæk - Vålerenga - Cup Final Preview

Their seasons have contrasted in the extreme, but here they both are in the final of the Norwegian Cup, arguably the biggest club-fixture of the Norwegian football calendar.

There are some funny contradictions afoot: Vålerenga are a team with it's traditions firmly rooted in the working-class and the eastern parts of Oslo, while Stabæk hails from the oh so painfully posh Bærum. Yet, Vålerenga spend more than most other teams in the country, while Stabæk's budget is perplexingly modest. It may well be possible to buy success in the modern game, but for every million Vålerenga spend they quite frankly seem to get worse. Stabæk on the other hand have invested wisely and assembled the most fearsome starting eleven we've seen on these shores in recent years. And while working-class Vålerenga prepare for the upcoming final in regal surroundings at Hafslund Hovedgård, swanky Stabæk are applying their final touches at the run-down and soon to be torn down Nadderud Stadium.

Vålerenga's miserable season is a bit of a mystery. Granted, they've spent badly, but there's still way too much talent there for them to finish the season 10th, a whopping 24 points off champions Stabæk. Here at fjordball-towers we can't help it think that their season took a turn for the worse when they were spanked by Molde back in July. Mad Martin told the press after the game that the result was an aberration, that they should just forget it at quickly as possible. The team promptly went on a 8 game winless-streak that wrecked their season beyond repair.

But amidst of all those inept performances they somehow managed to scrape by in the cup, and here they are, with a golden opportunity to put some gloss on an otherwise miserable season.

Stabæk.. well.. what is there left to say? They have been absolutely superb pretty much all season, and should they beat Vålerenga it would be the icing on a quite remarkable cake. It's easy to forget just how far Stabæk have come in such a short time, especially as they've been such an impervious force this season from the first kick of the ball, but the fact is they've actually only ever won two trophies: The 1998 Norwegian Cup and the 2008 Tippeliga. Sunday they could cap a wholly deserved domestic double, and as was written on these hallowed pages back in april, it may well be the start of an era.

Mad Martin Andresen has seemed uncharacteristically dejected prior to the final, admitting to the press that Stabæk are favorites and then some. "Stabæk are big favorites. They've been the best team in Norway this year. They beat us 6-2 just two weeks ago. And they've played the best football this year," he told VG. Perhaps realizing just how demoralizing this must sound to his players, he tried to put a positive spin on it all by adding that this means Vålerenga have nothing to lose. Way to stay positive.

The only worry for Stabæk at this point is the slight injury-scare to Veigar Pall Gunnarsson, who at least from a tactical perspective is probably their most important player. Rather amusingly to us neutrals, Veigar was clattered in training by Stabæk-captain Mike Kjølø, who as it happens has just been told the club probably won't renew his contract. A coincidence obviously, but it produced distinct chuckles here at fjordball-towers none the less. Word is he should be ok, so it's probably not something Stabæk-fans should lose sleep over, but if Gunnarsson were to struggle that would even the odds a bit. 

As for predictions.. well.. fjordball does like to go against the stream a bit, but this time it's very hard to see anything else than an emphatic victory for Stabæk.