Odd kicked the season off with a big statement, claiming a 1:0 win over Rosenborg. Indeed, they were on par with the champions throughout the first half of the season and impressed with their ability to get results despite not always being that impressive. The team actually kept clean sheet in all of the first six games of the season and established themselves as the main chaser of leaders Rosenborg from the rest of the pack. The Skien side kept their form generally consistent in the first half of the season, even if the superb defensive record from the early games became a fading memory. Their fluid attacking trio, consisting of veteran Oliver Occean, live-wire Nigerian Bentley, and the precociously talented Rafik Zekhnini, was giving the Tippeligaen defences nightmares during that period. Odd served up superb displays to see off strong sides Molde and Strømsgodset and moved within three points off the top spot in July. But then something in the team just broke and they were never the same for the rest of the season. One of the reasons was injuries as Dag-Eliev Fagermo was forced to rotate what was initially a very steady and consistent starting 11. Players Jone Samuelsen, Fredrik Semb Berge and Zekhnini, all vital to the team, suffered various problems and their absence exposed the lack of squad depth. The early exit from Europe after a dramatic extra-time loss to Greek side PAS Giannina was a blow for morale as well and Odd went on a rather dreadful run of one win in seven games, that being against IK Start, as they lost any sort of a chance of competing with Rosenborg. Even securing a spot in Europa turned into jeopardy as results continued to falter, with a run of four losses in six games from August to October. Yet Fagermo eventually managed to steady the ship for the final push and key wins against Haugesund and Rosenborg eventually earned a top-three slot. Thus, the Blacks have overall met their target for the season but Fagermo was left to reflect on a disappointing second half of the season and should focus on having a broader, more competitive squad next season.
