Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • Sports
  • Football
  • Basketball
  • Motorsports
  • Tennis

Beşiktaş and alternate realities

by Arda Alan Işık

ISTANBUL Sep 28, 2020 - 1:27 pm GMT+3
Sergen Yalçın gestures during Beşiktaş' match against Konyaspor, in Konya, central Turkey, Sept. 27, 2020. (AA Photo)
Sergen Yalçın gestures during Beşiktaş' match against Konyaspor, in Konya, central Turkey, Sept. 27, 2020. (AA Photo)
by Arda Alan Işık Sep 28, 2020 1:27 pm
RECOMMENDED
Mongolian-born grand sumo champion yokozuna Hakuho performs the New Year's ring-entering rite at the annual celebration for the New Year at Meiji Shrine in Tokyo, Japan, Jan. 9, 2018. (EPA Photo).

Knee issues force greatest-ever sumo champion Hakuho to retire

SUMO

Beşiktaş manager Sergen Yalçın is truly a bold man. So much so that his ambition is blinding him to the realities of his team. He and Beşiktaş are living in two parallel universes, completely separated from each other mentally, unable to solve the discrepancies between these differing truths. In reality, Beşiktaş has a much weaker squad than almost all of its rivals in the championship race. The last-minute transfer of Vincent Aboubakar does not seem to be the solution for the enormous problems the team has as well. Yalçın, after a humiliating loss of 4-1 against Konyaspor this week, must accept the fact that his means do not match up with his goals.

First and foremost, the problem is that almost all teams in the Süper Lig learned how to defend. After years of big-three domination, “the others” have figured out how to neutralize the talented players of the big teams, thus making it a level playground for everyone. In theory, a natural response by the powerful would be coming up with more sophisticated attack plays in games, which Yalçın is aiming for.

The problem, however, is that Turkish football, especially teams close to bankruptcy like Beşiktaş, does not have the two most important ingredients to achieve this: money and patience. Either you buy more talented players and make yourself harder to defend against, or you patiently build a team over a longer time frame to have not only talented players but also a higher quality game. Unfortunately, Yalçın lacks both of those options, but he continues his fruitless efforts.

Yalçın must acknowledge the fact that in the Süper Lig the path to glory never follows bravery. On the contrary, historically the teams who were able to utilize their opponents’ mistakes became more successful, rather than teams who chivalrously tried to play their own game. With a horrendous defensive line, in which the supposed best player Domagoj Vida made countless mistakes in the last game, Beşiktaş is simply destined to concede more than it scores against all defensively solid opponents.

Yalçın tried to incorporate younger players in the squad last season and it was a good idea. This season, however, he backpedaled and invested more on players who were physically in Istanbul but mentally in Ibiza like Jeremain Lens, Adem Ljajic and Vida. Anyone who has the slightest understanding of human nature can see that these players are already satisfied and no longer have the motivation to improve. Considering the vast amounts of the budget that is spared for them, I cannot keep myself from wondering how different the frustrating results would be this season had Yalçın simply given the jersey to younger players.

This disconnection from reality will bring nothing but continued humiliating results for Beşiktaş and Yalçın must understand that he has no other choice but to defend properly, as he simply lacks the resources to play differently. By improving the defense and incorporating the younger players he can avoid having them learn complex attack strategies and have a better chance at winning.

RECOMMENDED
Mongolian-born grand sumo champion yokozuna Hakuho performs the New Year's ring-entering rite at the annual celebration for the New Year at Meiji Shrine in Tokyo, Japan, Jan. 9, 2018. (EPA Photo).

Knee issues force greatest-ever sumo champion Hakuho to retire

SUMO
  • shortlink copied
  • Last Update: Sep 28, 2020 2:53 pm
    RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    beşiktaş super lİg sergen yalçin konyaspor
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    Rescue teams gather in Istanbul Airport to head to zones hit by a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in southeastern Türkiye. (DHA Photo)

    Condolences messages pour for victims of quake in SE Türkiye

    earthquake
    Dark smoke rises after a fire broke out among containers toppled at a major port in the Mediterranean coastal city of Iskenderun following an earthquake, southern Türkiye, Jan. 6, 2023. (AA Photo)

    Deadly quake damages Türkiye's energy infrastructure, major port

    earthquake

    Want to help earthquake victims in Türkiye? Here's how 

    earthquake-in-türkiye

    Earthquakes in Türkiye moved Anatolia up to 10 meters: Seismologist

    türkiye
    No Image
    In photos: Volcano erupts near Iceland's capital Reykjavík
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021