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 2025

Daily Sabah - Latest & Breaking News from Turkey | Istanbul

  • 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

Fenerbahçe cannot continue like this under clueless Pereira

by ARDA ALAN IŞIK

ISTANBUL Oct 25, 2021 - 1:34 pm GMT+3
Fenerbahçe coach Vitor Pereira looks on during a UEFA Europa League match against Antwerp, Istanbul, Turkey, Oct. 21, 2021. (AFP Photo)
Fenerbahçe coach Vitor Pereira looks on during a UEFA Europa League match against Antwerp, Istanbul, Turkey, Oct. 21, 2021. (AFP Photo)
by ARDA ALAN IŞIK Oct 25, 2021 1:34 pm

Fenerbahçe manager Vitor Pereira's lack of understanding for proper offensive strategies cost his team dearly on Sunday against Alanyaspor. The organizational deficiencies are so prominent that the team’s great physical effort falls short of securing three points most of the time. The players are willing to give 150% but can only give their 50% due to offensive chaos.

There are a few squad-related, technical issues behind this, for instance, having Mesut Özil on the field without using an attacking-oriented game.

On top of that, I think mental pressure is the biggest reason for Fenerbahçe's poor form in the last couple of weeks. The Ali Koç administration expects immediate results as this season looks set to become yet another failure on his watch. The pressure from the administration had spilled over to the media and the fans, before reaching Pereira.

The Portuguese coach is in a similar situation Trabzonspor’s Abdullah Avcı was in last year – a solid defensive strategy, nothing more. Any other addition to this game would be improvisational in its essence. There is no chance Pereira would survive with the one-sided game this season without any improvisation.

Fenerbahce plays with triple defense, which is okay. But problems emerge when you cannot offer anything else. For instance, Luiz Gustavo does not want to play defense, but he is also No. 1 choice in Fenerbahçe's midfield. So, why is he taken from the midfield and placed in the center of the defense in the toughest moments, with no one else to take his place further up the field?

Another issue in this one-sided game is the absence of Eder Valencia. Why does Pereira insist on keeping him on the bench when he cannot field an ideal team? Why does Valencia, the only player unaffected by the pressure, come off the bench? It is absolutely clear that at least one of the Mesut Özil-Dimitrios Pelkas-Diego Rossi trio should play alongside Serdar Dursun and Valencia. If not, Fenerbahçe’s creativity drops down to zero.

The off-the-field mood is also working against Fenerbahçe as it finds itself in the middle of controversies – continuously blaming the referee, the football federation, the media or everyone else for its defeats. This mentality can only bring more chaos. Koç may think this as the only way to secure proper refereeing decisions, but the problem is with his team, not the person officiating the game.

  • shortlink copied
  • KEYWORDS
    turkish süper lig football fenerbahçe vitor pereira alİ koç mesut özil
    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.
    No Image
    Turkish capital Ankara's seagulls
    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
    • DS TV
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021