2002-2003 1.Süper Lig

Week 22 - Analysis by Serbülent Şengün

"Somebody Proposed at the Game" from Fenerbahçe - Malatyaspor game

With no postponements and everything as scheduled this week finally was the week fans could concentrate totally on football. Generally the football was exciting, and as the final weeks approach intensity is probably going to increase. From here on it is probably going to get more and more intense every week.

There were two UEFA cup games on Thursday, Beşiktaş managed to secure the quarterfinals after a 90 minute thriller against Slavia beating them 4-2 and 4-3 on aggregate. Denizlispor, already having achieved more than expected drew against Porto 2-2, and lost 3-8 on aggregate.

The regular league fixtures started with the game between Fenerbahçe and Malatyaspor. On the 9 games played 4 games were won by the home sides, 4 games were won by the visitors, and one game ended with a draw. The home sides scored 15 of the 27 goals scored this week, visitors managed 12, 3 of the 27 goals scored were own goals, making this week the highest amount of own goals scored in one week this season.

Games :

Fenerbahçe (4) – Malatyaspor (7): It was a very interesting game statistically, but mostly boring for football seekers. Fenerbahçe scored the first goal on the 51st second, so basically they started the game 1-0. From then on it was a mild game, as both teams controlled each other. But then Malatyaspor went down one man at the 34th minute with Muharrem getting a red card. From then on, there was a huge concentration problem for Fenerbahçe, as the game started getting boring. To add to the boredom, Tolga from Malatyaspor got a red card. Malatyaspor got their biggest chance of scoring when they were two men down. Then Fenerbahçe scored a second goal right after Malatyaspor missed their biggest chance. To add more to the Malatyaspor agony, Duro got a red card. The game continued with Fenerbahçe creating easy chances and not managing to score. Malatyaspor whose players had never seen a red card this season, ended the game 8 players. Fenerbahçe on the other hand got what they wanted pointwise. (2–0)

Altay (13) – Gaziantepspor (6) : Altay’s new coach Hüseyin Kalpar had to deal with the menacing Gaziantepspor on his first match, and throughout the game, Altay dealed with them pretty well, the only thing missing was a goal. It is really sad to see an Altay team this good not being able to win the 3 points. Gaziantepspor did not even have chance to score. Were they scared or did they lack the ability go step up. I believe it is the second choice here. Altay totally managed to lock the game on the other half of the field. If this is the game they will play at the rest of the season, with a little improvement on the finishing, this team by no way will see relegation. (0-0)

Bursaspor (16) – İstanbulspor (13) : Personally I am sure that Bursaspor has one of the better and promising squads of the league. Yet unbelievably they can not live up to their potential. The slump is continuing big time for them, especially defensively. İstanbulspor on the other hand could not win for a long period of time. The problem with them is that, they play good ball defensively and at the midfield, but on the offensive side, they just cannot execute. The game was a pure crystallisation of the problems of both teams. İstanbulspor was very solid in the midfield and defensively, not letting Bursaspor offensive get any chances but they could not do some scoring themselves. They scored their first goal through a controversial penalty. Bursaspor answered back one minute later through a little luck as Fatih’s shot got deflected from İstanbulspor’s defence and hunted the goalie. Just when the game looked like it was going to end one a piece, Bursaspor’s promising defender Erkan hit a 20 meter looper header own goal to give the visitors the three points. Both teams have hard times ahead. (1-2)

Gençlerbirliği (3) – Trabzonspor (5) : Absolutely the game of the week. These two teams play the most up tempo games in the league, and a battle between these two yielded one of the best games of the season. The home side had the better of the chances, but it has to be said that both teams had at least 10 chances each to score, that means that there was a goal chance every 4-5 minutes. That’s pretty much the football every fan would like to see. Gençlerbirliği’s Youla was very effective, Veysel finally is playing like he used to play in Denizlispor last year. Trabzonspor’s Erdinç, Ali Şen, Tayfun, all promising youngsters, played effective football. These boys if they can maintain their composure, might be the backbone of the national squad in the years to come. (2–1)

Kocaelispor (18) – Galatasaray (2): It is suprising how the most boring games might come from the top level teams. This week besides Fenerbahçe, Galatasaray’s football was also boring. They seriously lack teamwork. The only goal scored came through a header to a corner kick, other than that Galatasaray did not have a serious chance except long range shots. Kocaeslispor on the other hand, already having sinked to the bottom of the league for a long time, did not do that much either. The newly transferred Georgians still have physical deficiencies, and a lack of understanding of their teammates, and if they don’t get this problem sorted out soon, things don’t look that bright. (0-1)

Adanaspor (17) – Ankaragücü (8) : No matter what they do Adanaspor can’t manage to win a game. This game was no different, like I am getting used to they started the game playing on the other side of the field, but not being able to execute. Ankaragücü played solid defence, and created good chances on the counter attacks. Basically they were successful in their plan. Ankaragücü from here on will be a solid contender for the last UEFA cup spot, Adanaspor on the other hand has the material, yet they need to get out of the mental slump, they are at right now. (0-2)

Elazığspor (15) – Denizli (9) : Denizli returning from their unexpectedly long UEFA cup adventure is now hot for higher places in the league standings. Their system is now totally working, they have creative players, and one of the best strikers in the league in Mustafa Özkan. Elazığspor could not break down the solid defence of Denizlispor in this game. Denizlispor with accurate long ball passing created more than enough chances to win the game. They scored two and missed a couple more. Elazığspor has serious problems when it comes to playing against deep defending teams and this game was no different. Being just below the relegation line, Elazığspor has serious work to do in the coming weeks. (0-2)

Samsunspor (10) – Diyarbakırspor (11): To be honest, I really despised the way Samsunspor played in the first half of the season, but at this part of the season they are really playing good football, and actually they are getting better every week. They have managed to solve their problems at the midfield, and with the ex-national team strikers they posses they look like avoiding relegation won’t be a problem for them anymore. The game was mostly controlled by the home side, Diyarbakırspor could manage to create their chances only after being down 2-0, when Samsunspor turned into a defensive approach. Overall the home side won a well deserved victory. (3-1)

Beşiktaş (1) – Göztepe (14): This game looked like a circus show more than a Superleague competition. Beşiktaş was celebrating their 100th year anniversary before the game, and obviously the players of both teams were effected too much to think the game was played for show. OK, this is how it happened : The first six goals were scored in the first 35 minutes of the game. Between the 24th and the 27th minute, 3 goals were scored, two from the visitors, one from the home side. Göztepe closed out at the end of the first half scoring the seventh goal of the game to make it 4-3. Then within the first six minutes of the second half Beşiktaş scored three more goals. From then on it was a total relaxed atmosphere. The Göztepe players looked like they did not care how many goals they conceded, and neither did Beşiktaş. The game continued with chances for both teams almost turning the score into a handball game score. Overall I’m pretty sure everyone at the stadium had fun, even the visiting team. At least that’s how it looked. (7-3)

Goals of the week :

1. Ercan (Göztepe): A beautiful goal from around 30 meters, shot vigorously, that Beşiktaş goalkeeper Cordoba could barely touch with his fingers but could not contain. Beautiful to watch.
2. İlhan (Beşiktaş): A very organised Beşiktaş attack was finalised with a first time shot from İlhan right outside the penalty box. This was the seventh goal of the game, and Göztepe’s goalkeeper Bora, already being worn down mentally, could barely touch the ball, before it hit the bar and then the net.

Team of the week : Beşiktaş JK - İstanbul

Well they made it to the quarter finals in the UEFA cup, and three days later put out a show on their 100th year anniversary. It is not only the Göztepe game, but everything that has happened this week, the UEFA cup victory, the anniversary, the nostalgia uniforms and the capacity to score 7 goals in 51 minutes that make them the obvious choice of the week.

Player of the week : Youla (Gençlerbirliği)

Again this will look like a personal choice, but actually it is not. The youngster played some great football in the game against Trabzonspor. Like always, he was a killer in open space. This week as he scored one, and assisted another, he was the main force in Gençlerbirliği’s attacks and the great football his team played.