Player in the norwegian Premier League linked

[Terminal Boardom]

You're just straw-man'ing there.
I didn't say anything to that effect.
The fact of the matter is the Viking players have been shit so far this year, they've played like shit, and the general concensus is that they blow hot and cold.
I don't think another off/on player is what we need.

And we played more like Bracknell than Brazil in the first part of the season. Your point is?

[Stranded]

You're just straw-man'ing there.
I didn't say anything to that effect.
The fact of the matter is the Viking players have been shit so far this year, they've played like shit, and the general concensus is that they blow hot and cold.
I don't think another off/on player is what we need.

Luckily scouts can usually see past current form.

[IcelandicStokie]

You're just straw-man'ing there.
I didn't say anything to that effect.
The fact of the matter is the Viking players have been shit so far this year, they've played like shit, and the general concensus is that they blow hot and cold.
I don't think another off/on player is what we need.

Are you Norwegian?

Its a good thing the scouts didnt look at that argument when the club decided to sign Brynjar and Ivar who had very up and down seasons at various clubs before they joined. The fact that many european clubs are looking at Bjarnason is a testament of his ability.

[IcelandicStokie]

Well, I'm just saying, there are more consistant players in this league.
If that provokes you no end, then fine.

I'd rather we went and signed a striker, like Marcus Pedersen, if we were going to sign someone from the Norwegian league.

Yes Pedersen is a very good young player but I rate Mads Stokkelien higher. He is going to be big. But I would though rather sign Moa from Valerenga who is at the right age and being linked with clubs like Man Utd.

[IcelandicStokie]

Moa is just overrated because he plays for Vålerengens IF. All their players are "talked up" since they have so many fans in the capital.
I'm surprised you know so much about the Norwegian league though.
I think Pedersen is the one who is destined for bigger and better things, he's so young and yet already a lethal finisher. And his team are half bankrupt so they're desperate to sell anyone they can.

I've followed the league in Norway over the years, sometimes much, sometimes less. Guess we agree to disagree.

[SteveRoyal]

It depends on the ins and outs this summer. Obvsiously, if McDermott wants to continue with his 4-2-3-1 formation that got us out of the relegation zone, then providing CAM/CF cover/competition for The Sig may be fantastic.

[Ian Royal]

It depends on the ins and outs this summer. Obvsiously, if McDermott wants to continue with his 4-2-3-1 formation that got us out of the relegation zone, then providing CAM/CF cover/competition for The Sig may be fantastic.

Personally I thought we had decent enough cover for the Sig in Davies.

[IcelandicStokie]

I rate Mads Stokkelien higher

Well I just watched Tromsø 1 - 0 Start, in which Stokkelien and the rest of the Start team tried to park the bus in front of their goal.
Stokkelien seemed clumsy and out of sorts. I can't say I see any signs of potential greatness, more like awkwardness and his first touch is about as hard as Gylfi's shots. He was substituted a bit into the 2nd half.
His performance rolled a '2' on the dice. http://www.dagbladet.no/pls/dbprod/fotball.viskampfakta?kamp_id=9350&ligaid=121

As a 19 yr old playing your first season in any league and scoring 10 goals in 23 games, thats roughly 1 in 2 is a good measure of a players talent. I have seen Stokkelien play albeit through the internet and I see a awesome potential in this player. He has had it difficult this season but the 2nd season after the breakthrough is usually very hard. Something Gylfi may experience next season.

This player WILL be huge.

Awkwardness my arse (pardon my language):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qs55-LqkMLc

Thats how only topclass players finish:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xlOd8iP ... re=related

[Madstad to Nadderud]

The quality of football in the Norwegian Tippeligaen has dipped quite dramatically in the past couple of seasons as football clubs are beginning to show signs of struggling financially. So it is a bit difficult to rave about too many players because the standard of football is not as good as it was. While it is refreshing to see Tromso and Alesund fighting it out at the top of the table, the current decline of such clubs as Brann, Viking (who simply can't get going), Molde (struggling this season) and Stabaek (what a team they had with Tychoi, Alanzinho, Keller, Segerstrom...) is evidence enough that the money and quality is simply not there at present. Having said that, I would have liked Reading to have signed Thomas Rogne (who signed for Celtic last season) as he was showing great signs of being a quality central defender but unfortunately Celtic bought him last season. Other than that, Henning Hauger would be my choice to pull on the RFC shirt without doubt.

[IcelandicStokie]

The quality of football in the Norwegian Tippeligaen has dipped quite dramatically in the past couple of seasons as football clubs are beginning to show signs of struggling financially. So it is a bit difficult to rave about too many players because the standard of football is not as good as it was. While it is refreshing to see Tromso and Alesund fighting it out at the top of the table, the current decline of such clubs as Brann, Viking (who simply can't get going), Molde (struggling this season) and Stabaek (what a team they had with Tychoi, Alanzinho, Keller, Segerstrom...) is evidence enough that the money and quality is simply not there at present. Having said that, I would have liked Reading to have signed Thomas Rogne (who signed for Celtic last season) as he was showing great signs of being a quality central defender but unfortunately Celtic bought him last season. Other than that, Henning Hauger would be my choice to pull on the RFC shirt without doubt.

I beg to differ, the current state will help Norwegian football as younger player will be getting more chances. I agree about Rogne he is a impressive young player but there are other good young center halfs in Norway Demidov and Forren for example. Younger players are also being plucked more often abroad, just look at the Man Utd and City youth teams, they are littered with Norwegian youngsters. I strongly believe that Norwegian football is on the rise again and the FA did right when it appointed Olsen and made a contract with Solbakken at the same time. Solbakken will take Norway to another level and maybe the likes of Marcus Pedersen and Mads Stokkelien can be the next Solksjaers, Iversens or Flos. The most exiting Norwegian player atm is Erik Huseklepp in my opinion.

PS. I can promise Norway a tough match in Iceland in september as we are also rising.

[IcelandicStokie]

Well this guy Bjarnason scored again yesterday from what I read in the papers, and it says that he had been injured at the start of the season and was now regaining his form.
So I guess that accounts for his inconsistency early on.

Yes thats 4 goals in 6 games so far this season for Bjarnason. If he continues at the same rate he will be sought after pretty soon.

[Hoop Blah]

I think an attacking midfielder to be either back up to Sig, or to provide competition is not a bad thing.

This is the crux of it.

We should be assuming that Matejovsky and Cisse are on their way out. That leaves Tabb, Howard, Karacan and Gunnarsson (if the deal we've offered him is acceptable) as the four competing for the 2 central midfield spots (with Davies an option there as well unless he's sold).

Sigurdsson is then left as the only one of his type as we saw how inefective Howard was there last season. Davies could be an option, but I'd worry if that's all we had as he isn't quite up to it in my eyes.

If we had another winger or two then you might argue that McAnuff can play there, albeit in a pretty different way. If this lad is a similar type of player and one that can chip in with goals from behind the front man or out on the wing then I'd say he'd be a pretty decent fit for the squad.

[Wycombe Royal]

I think an attacking midfielder to be either back up to Sig, or to provide competition is not a bad thing.

We should be assuming that Matejovsky and Cisse are on their way out. That leaves Tabb, Howard, Karacan and Gunnarsson (if the deal we've offered him is acceptable) as the four competing for the 2 central midfield spots (with Davies an option there as well unless he's sold).

And Jake Taylor - he seems to think he make an impression next season....and the club rate him very highly.

[Hoop Blah]

True, I think that it might still be a bit early for him and wouldn't be surprised to see him spend the first few months out on loan.

You never know though, McDermott might be a bit more trusting and experimental with the kids than Coppell was so he might get involved more.

[brendywendy]

if davies was back up to sig in that withdrawn 2nd striker/advanced attacking midfielder role im sure hed do fine - his weaknesses are all in other areas imo

[Hoop Blah]

if davies was back up to sig in that withdrawn 2nd striker/advanced attacking midfielder role im sure hed do fine - his weaknesses are all in other areas imo

He would play it in a very different style though, which could be both a positive and negative depending on how you look at it. He'd be more like a poor mans Gerrard to Sigurdssons poor mans Zola.

I still don't think he's quite good enough, especially if you're asking him to perform such a crucial role in the team.

[IcelandicStokie]

Oh shit - Fulham and Hearts now interested.
http://www.fotbolti.net/fullStory.php?a ... y&id=91083

[Tilehurst End]

Oh shit - Fulham and Hearts now interested.
http://www.fotbolti.net/fullStory.php?a ... y&id=91083

I assume he's the one being tackled by Nicky Forster in this picture.

[Row Z Royal]

Birkir? I can hear the Daily Mail outrage already.

[IcelandicStokie]

Guess we've missed out on that one: http://fotball.aftenposten.no/eliteseri ... 169463.ece