Rosenborg started the season under new manager in Eirik Horneland and it immediately looked like he was not quite the right choice for a squad that was used to winning and dominating in recent years. He was off to a very poor start, with some shocking performances and the players clearly struggling to adjust to a more defensive-oriented coach.
He looked on the brink of the sack after ten games, with the team losing against mediocre sides and showing no real path of progression. That said, Rosenborg managed to improve a bit midway through the season as the coach nailed down his preferred starting 11 and began to get more out of the likes of Alexander Soderlund and Samuel Adegbenro in attack. Indeed, his team went on a run of seven wins and two draws in the height of the summer, looking more effective and confident, and even went to the play-off stage in the Champions League before going out to Dinamo Zagreb.
The drop-off towards the end of the season began in September as the team suddenly looked spent and devoid of any real attacking energy. They stumbled to a few poor results on the road and looked set to miss out on Europe after a few poor results away from home.
Yet, a lucky turn of events in the last round, winning at home to bottom side Ranheim late on and seeing Odd lose on the road eventually earned the Black and White the third spot and a European place for next summer.
That may be enough to keep Horneland in the job for next season but he knows full well that this was not a good season at all and the expectations for the Trondheim side are to challenge for the title. Yet, to do so, they need quite a big revamp of an ageing squad and it is dubious how much of that will take place in the close season.
