They also had a 3-3 draw with Odd (8th) in the league. Viking 10th. Bell full game & another assist (Viking's 2nd goal). Aussies - Aggers & Yazbek started. Stensness off the pine.
Bad day at the office for Viking, as they get thumped 1-4 at home by Lillestrom.
Bell a full game, with Stensness getting his first start since his injury return, at CB. Stensness (88 mins) & both full backs were dragged off before the final whistle.
Yazbek an unused sub, and Aggers on at HT, when Viking were already down 0-3.
Viking seem to like a good ANZAC ALM signing. Could be a good 1st European destination for someone like Ben Old. One summer league to another.
Keeps up his excellent form to start the season - We've got the 2021 Joe Bell back in action!
With an xA/90 (expected assist per 90) value after 9 games sitting at 0.30/90 minutes is also excellent areas too. For reference a value of 0.20 is good, 0.30 is excellent, 0.40+ is pretty much top of the pops (all league relative of course).
Four assists already from deep in the midfield. There are a bunch of other blokes with four assists across the league but the only player with more is Bell’s own teammate Zlatko Tripic (six).
Mid summer break now in Norway. League resumes again 30th June.
Given his strong start to the season I wonder if any UK clubs will be looking at Bell again (UK passport). Des's promoted Oxford one obvious candidate.
I think I might be able to decipher a bit of what he said - based on Danish/Swedish (can't understand the interviewer though).
He mentions there were some nice goals by Simon and [Sondre] Auklend. Then he jokes that he doesn't really deserve an assist for the goal [the one from deep last week] after the interviewer said he got one.
Then he mentions that they are missing/dropped [mangler is literally 'missing'] a few points they have deserved but also have got some points they didn't deserve.
He mentions the important match vs Molde next weekend [at the time, it was the 2-2 draw]. Wanting to finish the first ten matches on a high point, but that they are a very good team and they have to focus. They have a long time and some good training so he hopes it will go well.
He then gets asked his plans for the holiday [no mention of national team or anything]. He said he's going down with his friends to Mandal, on the southern tip of Norway as someone [couldn't get who] said it looks nice. So he is hoping for sun there.
I'm sure I got a bit wrong, but it's similar enough to recognise stuff. It is cool to see him comfortable på norsk, the time in Denmark wouldn't have harmed his grasp too much by the looks. Think of Danish as the Scandinavian equivalent of someone with a really strong Scottish accent, the subtitles are necessary (the pronunciation of Superliga side/town Hvidovre, for example, is just brutal) but written isn't too far from Norwegian (bokmål specifically, they have a lot of dialects).
Viking's next league game is 30th June, around same date as the Nations Cup final. Viking with a friendly a week prior. So it's probaly as simple as the dates just couldn't work for Bell & Bazeley, re getting him too & from Vanuatu.
Still he has a UK passport, looks like he's playing well, now has an ex U20 coach in The Championship, plus it seems likely a couple of AWs team mates (Waine & Stamenic) in that league next season. He will being looked at by some clubs for sure. Plus Viking a bit like the Nix are a 'selling club'. Transfer fee income is part of their model.
However after his unsuccessful stint in Denmark, Bell being the smart lad he is, will take his time to make sure any potential suitor is a good fit. But we all hope he can at a higher level than Norway.
Viking now sit comfortably in fourth with games in hand that could now send them as high as second after Brann were thrashed 5-1 by Bodø/Glimt (after getting a tenth minute red card). Like most of them, Bell was off the pace in the first half but then more than made up for that with an excellent second forty-five. Overall he completed 71/88 passes, won three tackles, was fouled three times, and had more touches of the football than any other player on the pitch.
Might just mention that former-NZ representative Gianni Stensness had a very good game at centre-back too.
Sounds like Bell and M Boxall will be late arrivals to the Olywhites preparations in France. Rufer should keep the phone & passport handy if Bell gets injured, that's if the rules allow him to be called up.
Aussies - Stensness a full game, Yazbek off at 87 mins (2-0), Daggers an unused sub
Viking in 4th on GD (a Euro spot) 5 pts clear of 5th spot now. They are right in the title race, having played 1-2 games less than the teams above including 1st placed hipsters Bodø / Glimt.
So yes a generous call by Viking to release Bell for the Olympics. Looks like he will miss the next 2 league games, but likely back for their game on 5th August.