Eliteserien 2021 Scout Picks – Runde 3

GOALKEEPER

Kristoffer Klaesson (VIF – 5.5mNOK, 26.4%) vs. Kristiansund (H)

• Kristiansund (H) = I said before the start of the season Kristiansund will struggle for goals and after 2 games only 7 of their 26 shots have been on target
• Played 1 key pass, got an assist and made 3 saves from 4 on target shots vs. Brann
• His expected goals conceded (xGC) was 0.82 in his last match but he kept a clean sheet anyway
• Only Andreas Linde (6.5mNOK) and David Mitov Nilsson conceded fewer goals from shots inside the area in 2020 (both 26) than Klaesson (28)

DEFENDERS

Erlend Dahl Reitan (RBK – 6.0mNOK, 17.3%) vs. Bodø/Glimt (A) & Brann (H)

• Bodø/Glimt (A) = The Champions have faced 29 shots in their opening two games, of which 20 have taken place in the box and in their last match their xG was only 0.89
• Brann (H) = xG vs. Viking – 0.64 & xG vs. Vålerenga – 0.82. They’ve scored just once and like Glimt have conceded a silly number of shots inside their area (22)
• Dahl Reitan got his assist in the 5-0 demolition of Viking as well as keeping a clean sheet while looking confident on the ball
• He’s registered key passes in both games this season and is an integral part of what could prove to be the best defence in the league this year

Stian Rode Gregersen (MOL – 6.0mNOK, 16.2%) vs. Brann (H)

• Not only are Brann having a tough time of it so far, Molde are looking a good attacking team who should record an easy win on Sunday
• At 1.91m, Gregersen is a good 2 inches taller than Brann centre-back Vegard Forren (5.0mNOK) and almost 3 inches taller than Ole Martin Kolskogen (5.0mNOK) – he could cause this defence real issues from set pieces
• Despite conceding 3 goals in their last outing against Tromsø, I’m confident Molde will record their second clean sheet of the season against a Brann side which currently looks at home at the bottom of the table  
• Of all defenders to play at least 8 games (8x90mins) last season, only John Kitolano (6.0mNOK) could match Gregersen’s return of 6.2 points per 90 minutes
• In the same fixture last season Molde actually lost 2-1, but they will line up with their preferred defence on Sunday evening while Brann are without Daniel Alexander Pedersen (5.0mNOK), Fredrik Haugen and Gilbert Koomson and look far more beatable for it

Vetle Winger Dragsnes (LSK – 5.0mNOK, 8.8%) vs. Stromsgødset (A)

• Stromsgødset (A) = Strong likelihood they are playing their football in the OBOS-Ligaen next year – probably Lillestrøm’s easiest away fixture they’ll have all year
• Dragsnes got 5 direct goal involvements (DGI) last season (2G, 3A) for Mjøndalen who themselves scored just 26 times – along with Markus Nakkim (5.0mNOK) – he was their best player and represents a huge threat from the left-back position
• 6th highest point-scoring defender and one of only 8 to score over 100pts in 2020
• Is still priced at 5.0mNOK while other defenders who scored fewer points are less affordable. His deviation from the average points scored for a defender in 2020 was 45.43, or a 77.57% increase – the fact he has joined a newly promoted team is probably the only reason he isn’t priced at 5.5mNOK or higher
• Last term, only 6 other defenders beat him for Fantasy Points, FP/Million, FP/90min and overall value combined

MIDFIELDERS

Amor Layouni (VIF – 10.4mNOK, 4.7%) vs. Kristiansund (H)

• It’s really not happening for the ex-Bodø/Glimt man, but I’m backing him to show us all what he’s capable of in this match mainly because I really do not think any of Bent Sørmo (5.0mNOK), Erlend Sivertsen (4.5mNOK) or Snorre Strand Nilsen (5.0mNOK) will be able to cope with him 
• 0 attacking returns in opening 2 gameweeks means he’s in less than 5% of teams, but he offers real potential and differential value this Runde
• 18 DGI last time he played in the Eliteserien in 21 games for Glimt
• His only teammate to attempt more crosses is Christian Dahle Borchgrevink (6.0mNOK) with 14 to his 7, but Layouni has actually completed more (2-1)

Kristoffer Zachariassen (K) (RBK – 10.1mNOK, 25.4%) vs. Bodø/Glimt (A) & Brann (H)

• 2 goals in 2 games and 17pts = 2nd place behind Aron Dønnum (10.1mNOK) in the Fantasy Points leader board and with a DGW he’s surely odds on to be number 1 by the end of the runde
• 3 of his 4 shots (75%) have been on target and he’s scored 2 goals – the only other player to match him is Ola Brynhildsen (7.6mNOK) (every other player with 3 shots on target has a worse goal conversion and taken more shots)
• Between 2017 and 2019 he produced 28 DGIs at a rate of 1 every 2.93 games. Last season he returned 16 DGI in just 28 games = 1 DGI every 1.76 games. He’s clearly working on his productivity and despite the away fixture to Glimt, this DGW offers a good chance to add to those numbers
• Like Dønnum last week, he will more than likely be the standout captaincy choice for this runde – it seems a bit foolhardy to back another horse when this one looks raring to go and is being given two bites at the cherry

Zlatko Tripic (VIK – 9.5mNOK, 2.6%) vs. Tromsø (H)

• Tromsø (H) = Tromsø were brilliant against Molde for their 3-3 draw, and perhaps unlucky (but certainly wasteful) to lose 2-0 to Glimt but even still this is a fixture Viking will be favourites for and should win
• After losing 5-0 to Rosenborg on Thursday, Bjarte Lunde Aarsheim and Morten Jensen’s men will be expected to silence any critics and take this game by the scruff of the neck from the start – I’m expecting goals
• With Samúel Kári Friðjónsson (6.5mNOK) a doubt, Tripic has a good chance of starting despite budget midfielder Harald Nilsen Tangen (4.5mNOK) replacing the Icelandic attacker ahead of him vs. Rosenborg
• Kevin Kabran (8.5mNOK) should retain his place in the starting line-up but may be moved into a more central position to accommodate Tripic on the left 
• Even if Tripic does not start and is brought on for another 25-30 minute cameo, if he can exploit the space behind Tromsø’s five-man midfield, his fresh legs could end up wreaking havoc

Eric Kitolano (TIL – 7.5mNOK, 2.2%) vs. Viking (A)

• Viking (A) = A game in which Tromsø would surely be expected to score, despite not being favourites 
• Kitolano was in inspired form against Molde, bringing down Jacob Karlstrøm’s (4.5mNOK) long ball up the pitch beautifully before putting the ball into the back of the net for Tromsø’s equaliser
• Scored 11 goals and got 6 assists in 28 games last season and can play up front or in the centre of midfield – he’s Tromsø’s most creative and attacking player so expect plenty of goal involvement from him
• 3 shots, 2 on target 1 goal and 1 big chance missed in two games (against Bodø/Glimt and Molde)
• Has 1 assist from 2 key passes and 1 big chance created and faces a far less-disciplined team and weaker defence this runde

Oliver Valaker Edvardsen (STB – 7.0mNOK, 8.3%) vs. Odd (H)

• 2020 Stats: 125pts, 6G, 6A, 8CS, 13 BFP – pretty ridiculous for a midfielder at a midtable club like Stabæk while only costing 6.5mNOK at the time
• Only 4 teams conceded more goals than Odd in 2020 and while Stabæk aren’t exactly known for scoring loads of goals, I think Edvardsen will looking at this game as one in which he should be scoring
• There wasn’t much daylight between these teams last season (4pts) but Stabæk lost just 4 times at home and conceded 17 only goals 
• His team’s most creative and attacking player and actually played a mere 7 fewer accurate final 1/3 passes than Viking’s Veton Berisha (10.5mNOK) last campaign
• Odd may have won this fixture last season (1-0) but they are without the evergreen Espen Ruud (7.0mNOK) due to injury and a plethora of talented players have all moved on, leaving them a much easier proposition than they were almost a year ago

FORWARDS

Ohikhuaeme Omoijuanfo (V) (MOL – 11.5mNOK, 10.2%) vs. Brann (H)

• He might have missed a penalty against Kristiansund on the opening day of the season (and scored a huge 0pts before being taken off after 68 minutes) but he made up for that abysmal performance by scoring a brace in his last game away to Tromsø
• He also created 2 chances from just 8 accurate passes and 18 touches
• Scored with both of his shots
• Has 52 goals over the last 4 seasons (scoring 12 and setting up 4 in just over 17x90mins in 2020)
• 22/25 shots conceded by Brann in their opening two games have been inside the box – if they allow Molde the same amount of access, expect Ohi to take advantage

Ibrahima Koné (S08 – 7.5mNOK, 1.8%) vs. Haugesund (H)

• Haugesund (H) = Not a game I expect Sarpsborg to win 3 or 4 nil, but I see goals in this one and the home team have a far more attractive team at their expense than Haugesund do
• Kone made the switch from Haugesund to Sarpsborg at the end of last season and with ex-Bodo/Glimt forward Kristian Fardal Opseth (8.5mNOK) and Mostafa Abdellaoue (7.0mNOK) both injured, he’ll be leading the line this weekend
• At just 21 years old he’s yet to find his goalscoring feet but is part of the Mail U23 setup is widely viewed as having a lot of potential
• With creative players such as Ole Jørgen Halvorsen (6.5mNOK), Jonathan Lindseth (6.5mNOK) and the wonderful Anton Salétros (6.5mNOK) (plus others) providing him service, he has a good chance of opening his account for his new club on his debut