Another Title For Rosenborg?

Rosenborg won the Norwegian Tippeligaen comfortably in 2010 - the Trolls were unbeaten and finished seven points ahead of Valerenga.b>sbo A remarkable seventeenth title in 20 seasons have made the club from central Norwayare the bookies favourites to win again in 2011. Somewhat reminiscent of FC Porto's form in the Portuguese league this season, Rosenborg's success came as a result of defensive fortitude away from home:sbo they kept five clean sheets on the road in 2010 and haven't lost an away league game since a defeat at Lillestrom in October 2008...thirty games ago. It's not that difficult to see where Rosenborg's main competition in the Tippeligaen will come from. Despite finishing second, Valerenga actually had a better home record than the champions but were horrible away from home. For example,sbo they lost 3-1 to Honefoss (who were eventually relegated) and 'only' beat bottom club Sandefjord 1-0. Tromso - who finished 11 points behind Valerenga in third place and qualified for next season's Europa League - had a superb defensive record at the Alfheim Stadium (known as 'Fortress Alfheim' over the past few years),sbobet but struggled to score goals. Looking beyond last season's top three, none of the other thirteen sides look capable of mounting much of a challenge to either Rosenborg or Valerenga. Haugesund performed well at home - they lost just once,sbobet to Molde - but only won three times on their travels. Although Stromsgodset IF are capable of another ten win season at their Marienlyst Stadium,sbobet they're equally as likely to lose as many games if not more on their travels. Of the three newly promoted sides, two have had recent experience at the top level of Norwegian football.sbo Sogndal - from a town in South Western Norway surrounded by breathtaking countryside - won the Adeccoligaen (2nd tier) last season and will be making their first appearance in the Tippeligaen since 2004; Fredrikstad only spent one season in the second tier after relegation in 2009,sbobet but Sarpsborg 08 are universal favourites to go straight back down - having only existed since 2000 following a Danish style amalgamation of local soccer sides - they only escaped relegation to the third tier of Norwegian soccer in 2007 when Raufoss had their professional license revoked. Sarpsborg and Molde start the new season off on 18th March at 6:00pm GMT but the second round of games doesn't start until the beginning of April.