Football Season Guide

Elfsborg's 2017 season was a rather miserable one, and although they managed to clamber up to eighth in the end, the top half finish really papered over what was a thoroughly demoralising affair. Because in all fairness they hit their stride in the first game against Kalmar in a 5-1 win, but the highlights in the last 29 games were few and far between. There hasn't been enough activity in the transfer market to suggest that Elfsborg will make massive inroads in the Allsvenskan this season, and with a new manager in charge things will more likely than not take time to gel. Jimmy Thelin takes his place in the dugout ahead of this season, and he's a young manager with plenty to prove after his Jonkopings Sodra side were relegated via the relegation play offs last season. It's a strange choice in a way to appoint a manager that has just witnessed a relegation to blight his CV, but the Elfsborg hierarchy must believe that Thelin can get something better together with a bigger budget and stronger level of players. The team spirit will be key this year, but whether togetherness is enough for Elfsborg to really make an impact on the division this year remains to be seen. Stefan Ishizaki and Robert Gojani are the only two incoming players so far, but there hasn't been many outgoings either. The belief is that Elfsborg's squad hugely underachieved last season, and with a fresh man in charge the team have the players already to make a much better go at it this time around.