Sunday, January 10, 2021

ANKARAGUCU – STRIKER ......LESS !!!

 



 

Greetings Kankas and Kankies.

 

There is no doubting Ankaragucu’s effort and will to win attitude, but again their deficiencies were laid bare when their strike force failed to deliver tonight.

 

I lost count of the times when Ankaragucu had fast breaks and as soon as they entered the final 3rd ....... they froze !!    They would then pass from left to right, right to left and back, and eventually in most cases .......... lose possession.

 

The present Basaksehir team is not the team which won the league last season, and it is clear why they will not win it again this season because they are not a great team.   However, Basak’s one touch passing had the Ankaragucu defence running in circles at times, and if they had the killer touch it would have been much worse for Ankaragucu.

 

ANKARAGUCU         1              Istanbul Basaksehir         2

 

Team – Ricardo, Atila, Erdi, Sarlija, Atakan, Lukasik, Diousse, Endri, Bolingi, Saba and Borven.

 

Substitutes – Voca, Paintsil, Cetin, Cebrail and Orkan

 

The first real action of the match came in the 7th minute when a Basak goal bound shot just inside the box was saved by Ricardo at full stretch at the right post.

 

Then 10 minutes later Ankaragucu gave us a football lesson on how NOT to defend a corner !!!     The ball was whipped into a crowded penalty box and the ball fell near the 4 Ankaragucu players who looked as though they were in a daze and ball watching.   Borven was one of them (what was he doing there ??!!) and he back-heeled the ball instead of hoofing it away to safety.   The ball rolled out to the left, just inside the box, and the unmarked Visca fired in a great shot to the top right.

 

Ankaragucu attacked straight from the re-start and Borven had a great chance to make amends for his sloppy defending when he mis-hit his shot in the 6 yard box when it should have been nestling in the back of the net.

 

One minute later with Ankaragucu still on the attack, they were awarded a free kick on the left about 5 yards in from the corner flag.    Endri took it and it sailed into the top right much to his delight.    I’m not sure if it was meant as a cross or a shot, but ....... hey ....... who cares !!!

 

There was almost time before the half time whistle for Basak to grab a 2nd , and again, Ankaragucu’s fragility at corners were their undoing.   They allowed a Basak forward to be first to the in-swinger but fortunately his header went narrowly past the post.

 

Into the 2nd half and the crucial 2nd was scored from a free kick on the right.   Sarlija tried to head the ball for a corner but only succeeded in nodding it down near the unmarked Dembaba who had the easiest of tasks to poke it in.

 

As an ex-Class 1 referee, I don’t normally like to criticise them, knowing how difficult it is to be correct in all decisions for 90 plus, but ............ I must point the finger at today’s referee who missed a glaring act of violent conduct when Rafael pulled Paintsil down and then kicked him in the nuts.    A yellow was produced  !!!     Shame   !!!

 

There was a late flurry of attacks by Ankaragucu, but too little ........ too late.   Paintsil had a great chance to equalise approaching the final whistle when he was one on one with the goalkeeper, but he was too slow to react and the chance was lost.

 

I’m normally a patient person, but ............... I’m really losing it with Bolingi and Borven.    They are supposed to be strikers and score goals on a regular basis.    True, Borven hasn’t started in most matches recently, but Bolingi is fast becoming a burden for the team   !!

 

It is true that Ankaragucu has missed 4 of their best players in recent matches through injuries (Pazdan, Pinto, Kitsiou and Emre), but that cannot be used as an excuse which affects all teams from time to time.      However, it has certainly been an influence on recent results and it is to be hoped that they are back again .............. and soon  !!!

 

Next up is an away match against Fener.....spit.....bahce next Monday 18 January.    Let’s keep the faith   !!!

 

All the best from Eski Kanka Jim

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