Galatasaray hosted Çaykur Rizespor in the 5th week of the Trendyol Süper Lig. The yellow-reds won the match 5-0. Our columnists Uğur Meleke and Güntekin Onay analyzed the match in their columns.
In the 5th week of the Trendyol Süper Lig, Galatasaray defeated Çaykur Rizespor 5-0 at home and rose to the top of the league.
Galatasaray’s goals came from Davinson Sanchez in the 3rd minute, Abdülkerim Bardakcı in the 25th minute, Gabriel Sara in the 49th minute, Mertens in the 61st minute, and Barış Alper Yılmaz in the 80th minute. After this score, the yellow-reds raised their points to 12, and our columnists Uğur Meleke and Fırat Aydınus made notable evaluations.
UĞUR MELEKE: EUROPEAN AFRICAN
Osimhen didn’t stop for a single moment yesterday, contributing directly to three goals. Rizespor started a match with a five-man defense for the first time this season, but this plan lasted less than five minutes at Ali Sami Yen. İlhan Palut had mentioned in his pre-match remarks that they wanted to defend in numbers when out of possession. But when Galatasaray found an early goal after starting the game with high pressure, Palut’s plans went out the window.
Palut tried to return his cautious starting 11 to more normal circumstances with each change. In the first half, he brought on Amir and switched to a four-man defense. At the 46th minute, he substituted Emrecan/Papanikolau, trying to increase the number of talented players. Then in the 60th minute, he brought on Jurecka, the top scorer of the Czech League. But it wasn’t enough. There was a huge difference in the level of play on the field.
HUNGRY HIGH PRESS
There are two main reasons for this difference:
1- Galatasaray has established a home game character, particularly since last August. They play with a hungry high press. This press becomes more meaningful with Davinson. Davinson pushes up to the midfield line, compressing the team’s shape when they have possession. As a result, they reduce the time it takes to regain possession after failed attacks, ensuring continuity in attack. Davinson remains the heart of Galatasaray.
2- Galatasaray’s new players were ready and eager yesterday. The match, essentially played with a single team, provided an excellent environment for Gabriel Sara to showcase his talents, and he became the star of the match.
ADDED VALUE TO THE LEAGUE
I watched Jacobs’ last game in France, and he was very impressive against Lyon. With Monaco having two long-term left-backs (Caio, recovering from injury, and Outtara, a young prospect), Jacobs found his way to Istanbul. Jacobs had already started the season well, and he’s continued that form at Galatasaray. Finally, we can say that Galatasaray has a left-back who can defend after many years.
And Osimhen… Having come to Europe at a young age, Osimhen is a well-rounded African player. I call such players ‘European Africans.’ He’s both talented and a team player. He didn’t stop for a single moment yesterday, constantly moving and staying active. He directly contributed to three goals. He has already added value to both Galatasaray and the league.
GÜNTEKİN ONAY: GALATASARAY COMFORTABLY SCORED IN A ROUT
Okan Buruk knows very well how to dismantle Anatolian teams, especially in home games. Galatasaray was the sole dominant force on the pitch for 60 minutes. During this period, the yellow-reds scored 4 goals and didn’t face any threats on their own goal. Okan Buruk is particularly good at dismantling Anatolian teams in home games.
Press high, push the center-backs forward, don’t let the opposing forwards receive the ball, and press the first ball to prevent counterattacks. With a bit of enthusiasm and energy, it’s enough to solve the issue against these types of opponents. In this style of play, players like Davinson Sanchez and Torreira, who apply pressure on the opponent and don’t let them use the ball, are crucial. This is the reality of our league. Once they face a bit of pressure, Anatolian teams struggle to string together two consecutive passes. Meanwhile, Young Boys could easily break out of this press. Yesterday, all eyes were on Osimhen and Jakobs. Osimhen was active and eager. Was he served a lot? No. But with his team-player striker identity and his constant involvement in the game, he showed that he would bring a lot to Galatasaray.
MAN OF THE MATCH: SARA
Wingers Yunus and Barış needed to feed Osimhen more. Another new transfer, Gabriel Sara, became the man of the match. His left foot is truly excellent. He contributed 2 wonderful assists and scored a classy goal. Galatasaray cruised to an easy and entertaining win, but İlhan Palut’s habit of losing heavily to the big three without putting up a fight continues.
PALUT NEEDS TO REFLECT
The young coach seems not to reflect on what he’s doing wrong, as once again, he left the pitch with a heavy defeat, having shown nothing in terms of football. Rizespor can neither attack nor defend… And with that being the case, they suffered another humiliation after Fenerbahçe, this time against Galatasaray. Galatasaray has a striker rotation that could make even Europe’s biggest clubs envious. They won easily without any problems yesterday, but can Barış Alper and Yunus supply these strikers enough? How long can 37-year-old Mertens handle this packed fixture schedule? Galatasaray fans enjoyed the match, but most of them probably thought, “I wish Kerem Aktürkoğlu had stayed.”
