Elfsborg fell well below expectations this season ending a disappointing campaign in eighth place. At one point it looked like the decline would be much worse, but just one defeat in the last four games helped them achieve a top half finish by the slenderest of margins. Pre-season expectations were optimistic and, although this was expected to be a season of transition, it proved to be far worse than that at times.
Opening up the campaign with a commanding 5-1 away victory over Kalmar did nothing to quell the expectations, but it was mostly downhill from there. Alex Dyer who was so influential at Ostersunds the previous season was in and out of the side because of injury, and injuries to key players blighted the season for Elfsborg throughout. The departure of head coach Magnus Haglund had an inevitability about it in the end. Results just weren't good enough, and their vulnerability in defence meant someone had to carry the can for this. Haglund was the fall guy but there's no doubt that he should've expected far better from his players, with most of them far too good for the form that they were showing. Crushing defeats of 6-0 and 5-2 to Malmo and AIK respectively, even after Haglund had departed, shows the enormous task of whoever takes over if Elfsborg have any ambitions of challenging for the title again.
Issam Jebali was the star performer this season as he top scored with ten goals from his 29 appearances. With both Viktor Prodell and Per Frick also close to double figures, and midfielder Daniel Gustavsson chipping in with seven goals, finding the net was never an issue. But at the back Elfsborg were nothing short of disastrous. Jorgen Horn was sent off twice, and both Anders Randrup and Jon Jonsson were also dismissed during the campaign. There was a complete lack of discipline and concentration at the back which has to be addressed for next season. They might be able to squeeze another season out of Kevin Stuhr Ellegaard, but the veteran goalkeeper will surely be hoping for more assistance from the defenders in front of him in 2018. Elfsborg conceded 59 goals this season, that's four more than AFC Eskilstuna and a huge 14 more than Halmstads BK. Both those teams were relegated and without Elfsborg's firepower this season would've been an even bigger disaster.
Eighth place is not too bad considering the up and down season Elfsborg have had. But they would've made their life so much easier for themselves had they been better defensively. If they manage to keep their attacking threat as well as adding to their defensive ranks, this might be the season of transition everyone predicted after all. The club need to make sure that this is rock bottom and not allow another similar campaign next year. Lessons need to have been learned.
