Considering the start that they had, Norrkoping will be desperately disappointed to have finished sixth in this season's Allsvenskan. But at one point their decline looked to be permanent earlier in the autumn so in many ways Jens Gustafsson did well to turn what looked like a sinking ship around. It didn't really look like Norrkoping would lose ten matches this season in the early months of the campaign, but crucial player sales like the influential and highly talented midfielder Nicklas Barkroth was just one of the reasons they were never going to give Malmo too many sleepless nights this season.
When Norrkoping beat Malmo at Swedbank Stadion back in May to claim top spot for the first time, many were thinking that the title race would be wide open this season. But unfortunately Gustafsson's side could not hold onto first place for more than a week, and their decline started soon after. They basically peaked in May and still haven't quite got the right balance since then. Two wins in eight during July and August was more than enough to dislodge Norrkoping from any top three aspirations and, while their form recovered slightly towards the end, they never found their top form again. Their 3-3 draw against Elfsborg on the last day of the season said it all - plenty of options going forward but at the back they remain vulnerable and suspect when put under any kind of pressure.
There are few clearer options for player of the season than Kalle Holmberg, who knocked in 14 goals in 30 games. Not only was he an ever present for Norrkoping this season, but he was a constant threat for opposition defenders leading the line superbly. Sometimes his goals went to waste because of what was happening at the back, but Holmberg never gave up and deserves the accolades coming his way after such a successful campaign.
There's no doubt the sixth is too low a position for Norrkoping who really wanted to challenge Malmo for the title this season and surely would have hoped for a top three place at the very least. But they weren't consistent enough in the latter half of the season, and their dreadful summer form proved fatal in the end. Two wins out of their last six showed an autumnal decline too and there's plenty for Gustafsson to sink his teeth into once the dust settles if he wants another crack at taking Norrkoping closer to the summit in 2018.
