Baros hat-trick

Bit slow in making a post this week but thats mainly because I have been busy as my father is here in the US at the moment so finding a few minutes to post has proved to be a challenge.

Anyway a much improved performance especially in the first half against IBB secured all three points. It would have been better to have kept a clean sheet as well but one goal can be tolerated. The result improved our position in the Lig and completes 4 straight wins with 8 scored and 2 against.

I guess the high point was that Baros scored a hat -trick including a penalty but I guess we will take all goals as counting, and he could and should have scored more as GS for once this season opened up a team with relative ease. We were equal on points before the match so a victory was by no means certain especially after IBB had turned over Besiktas at Iononu earlier in the season.

Most of the summer buys, excluding Ali Turan were on display. I am still not convinced about Insua but Pino looks like a good aggressive central midfielder who can complement or even replace Ayhan. Misimivic looks useful as well in the attacking midfield position, similar player to Ilic.

Not sure what Sabri and Hakan will do to get back in the team.......

WTF????????????????

Turkish football rocked after boss is stabbed six times on the touchline - by his elder brother!

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1311997/Turkish-football-boss-stabbed-touchline--brother.html#ixzz10D4INlMK

9 points in three matches

After the Old City match I mentioned there was perhaps a spark, well maybe there is, small but valid. After the International break we came back with a 1-0 win over Antep and then another 1-0 over Bucaspor a recently promoted team. Totally not pretty but three points is three points and we will take that. Temporarily we are up to 5th with the BJK/FB match today which might change that.

As I am currently in Turkey access to blog has been a tad tricky, holidays you know so hopefully we will be back on track next weekend.

A spark?

Well maybe there is life left in the old cat after all as CimBom suddenly found it within themselves to win a game. The last couple of seasons trips to Eskisehir have proved less than fruitful so I have to admit I feared the worse before the game especially after the insipid showing against Carpet Life in the Europa League.

As the first half unfolded it looked like my fears would be realized as we got ahead only to give up a soft goal. It would be easy to blame Ufuk for dropping the ball from the initial cross but given that our left back of the day was nowhere to be seen and was not tracking the Eskisehir player he had no choice but to go for it. At that point I feared the worst because the team suddenly appeared to become 11 individuals who were meeting for the first time. For a few minutes they played some of the worst football I have seen GS play for a long time and I could understand why Rijkaard was going nuts on the sideline and why Lucas Neill was screaming at everyone......Arda had as usual disappeared at this point except when he was complaining about something or other.... he really does need to leave so that his ego can be brought under control.

Anyway the second half was better and after Volkan Yaman scored for his former employers confidence appeared to return with the team playing better as the match went on and a third, scrappy, goal added by Servet.

Three points but still problems. The defense, Neill apart looks fragile. Servet seems to be missing a spark, Hakan Balta is struggling and Sabri has disappeared. The new signing Insuea will fill some gap but he hardly set the English Premier League alight with Liverpool. Midfield is looking promising with Cana, Misimivic, Elano able to bring some order to things with Mustafa Sarp and /or Ayhan to do the water carrier or Makelele role. In attack Baros continues to score with Kewell and Arda (when he can be bothered to play) adding some subtlety. Problem is that this is quite a few changes and it has to be hoped that the team gels quickly