Full game Bell, as Viking lose 3-0. Yazbek unused sub.
It's all turned to shark to Viking (now 4th), from being right in the title race, to struggling to get a European spot. Winless in 5 league games (4L & 1D).
Bell off at HT with Viking down 0-1. Replaced by Yazbek. Viking go on to win 2-1.
Still a very important member of the AWs Bell, but it’s not really happening for him club wise. Certainly not missed at Brondby who are 2nd in Denmark pushing FCK
Off the pine at 69 mins (3-0) in a 4-0 win. Yazbek started & came off at 61 mins. Viking (4th) with 1 game left against Rosenborg (9th), will finish anywhere 2nd-4th. 2nd & 3rd are UEFA Conference League Qualifier spots.
Hipsters Bodø / Glimt have clinched another league title.
Bodø/Glimt losing their status, the neutrals can't keep riding the underdog status of a side that has won three titles in four years. A side with the best coach, Kjetil Knutsen, and the best player in the country, Amahl Pellegrino (plus Norway starters like Patrick Berg and Fredrik Bjørkan). I guess as long as they aren't Molde or Rosenborg, Norwegians won't hate them, though they might join them eventually.
But Tromsø might now have to be the Arctic Circle side for the hipsters: never won the league, only came second twice, promoted in 2020; not to mention they are a 530km drive northwards from Bodø. Tromsø is so far north that they have apparently forty minutes of sun today, before they say goodbye to it until it returns January 15th (for eighteen minutes).
Interestingly, there hasn't been an Oslo winner since Jelacic's relegation-battling side Stabæk won in 2008 (even then Stabæk might be argued to be outside of Oslo proper).
Anyway, Bell and the Viking lads will be backing the boys from Bodø in the upcoming Norwegian Cup final. They play Molde on the 10th in the final, held at the Ullevaal Stadion - Norway's national team stadium. (The Football Ferns played and went down 2-0 there in the Norway friendly in June last year). If fifth-placed Molde win, the fourth and final European spot will be theirs, however, if Bodø/Glimt win, the spot will go to the fourth-placed league side, which is likely to be Viking. That would get them a Second Round Conference League qualifying spot in the Non-Champions path. That would mean three ties before the 'League Stage' (no more groups from next season onwards across the three UEFA competitions).
I think, if Bodø/Glimt win and Viking pull off a heist and get second, they go into the Europa League First Round qualifying (four ties before league stage, with insurance that losing one tie drops them into the next round of Conference League qualifying).
Viking get thrashed 5-1, to put the full stop on a disappointing 1-2 months to finish their season. Bell came off the pine at 73 mins (3-1). The final 2 goals late on at 97 & 100 mins.
Yazbek off at HT (2-0), one of 3 subs made at the break. Coach obviously not happy. What made the loss even worse is that Rosenborg had their keeper sent off at 69 mins (3-0, the resultant pen made it 3-1), so even with 10 men they finished the stronger.
Viking finished the season 4th, after being 1st or 2nd when Bell joined them and firmly in the title race. As Carlind's summary above looks like the result of the Norwegian Cup final will dictate whether Viking still get a European spot.
Bell has definitely lost his mojo the last 12-18 mths at club level. He left Viking a few seasons ago as one of their best players, but he finishes this season off the pine after a poor time in Denmark. Hopefully the AWs heir apparent captain can recover his spark.
Bell started for Viking in a pre season friendly win over Tromso. Game played at Marbella in Spain.
Yazbek also started as did fellow Aussie, & new signing 18 yr old Franco Lino. No Aggers or Stensness in run on side. 5 ANZACs now in Stavanger.
Viking seem to like signings from the ALM. Some Nix youngsters on their radar? Looks like they paid €130K for Lino & €475K for Yazbek (age 20 at the time).
Interesting appointment. Lets not forget, though Stensness has now reverted to being an Oztraylian, like Bell he was first spotted by Viking at the 2019 U20 WC in black. That worldie against Norway.
Viking seem a popular destination for young Kiwis & Aussies. Now yes with Harder there, yes those links could expand further.
From memory when they signed Bell, they made it clear their model was basically as feeder club, for clubs in higher ranked leagues like Denmark. Buy low, sell higher. Bell was one of about 3 players they sold to Brondby?
And then as shown with Joe B, happy sometimes to take back a former player, if it doesn't work out elsewhere. So yeah a sound destination for young ALM players, looking for their first Euro gig, where it ain't always easy.
Hopefully he is also now over any injury concerns that stopped him from being included in the AW's squad recently. Would really like to see him deliver in Norway this season, especially after a couple of somewhat disjointed couple of campaigns over the past few years.
Aussies - Yazbek off at 88 mins (replaced by D'Agostino) & Stensness make his football return also on at 88 mins. Stensness first time back since June last year
No Bell as Viking win easily 5-0. Aussies - D'Agostino with a goal. Competitive debut I think for 18 yr old Franco Lino (ex VUC). No Yazbek or Stensness.
Shades of his assist for Garbett to score for AWs against China at the ROF last March. Though Garbett bought that chip pass down to score with his feet.
Nice to see though from Bell. A big critique of his time at Brondby was too few assists, not enough forward passes to create opportunities.
Shades of his assist for Garbett to score for AWs against China at the ROF last March. Though Garbett bought that chip pass down to score with his feet.
Nice to see though from Bell. A big critique of his time at Brondby was too few assists, not enough forward passes to create opportunities.
I wonder if he's noticed the form that Rufer is in and has thus put effort in to up his game too. So good to have real competition for places in the AWs now.
Looks like he’s in good condition. Could just be sometimes things go right for you. Maybe he played that ball at Brondby and didn’t get the run or the defenders were too strong or the other midfielder took a snap shot and didn’t give him the ball or whatever happened…