Fenerbahçe-Beşiktaş Derby: Tactical Advantages and Winning Keys

We are just at the beginning of the season. While both teams are going through transformation pains, they are also turning the first huge corner of the league with their renewed squads and goals.

This derby is not just about "Who is the better team?" We cannot read it with the question. The real question is: Who will first diagnose his opponent's weakness in that critical few meters of the field and impose the penalty?

1-) CHANGING WEATHER IN FENERBAHÇE AND BEŞİKTAŞ' RIGHT CORRIDOR OPPORTUNITY

Host Fenerbahçe had a painful start to the season. It was especially important to return from Samsun away game by closing the goal. The most critical gain for Fenerbahçe in this process was Oğuz Aydın, who literally ripped off the jersey. This form of Oğuz is one of the keys to the derby. Why?

In Beşiktaş, Vincenzo İtaliano does not keep Murillo on the line like a classic full-back; He often puts it into the interior lane and even into the penalty area.

Although this situation provides Beşiktaş with more men in attack, it leaves a serious space behind. Since Cerny is not a name at the elite level of defense, Beşiktaş's right wing may be left defenseless when Murillo slides inside. At this point, Oğuz Aydın, who used both the left line and the inner corridor very well and also reduced men one on one; He can be alone with Beşiktaş's right defender.

2-) WING MIDDLES, SET BACKS AND THE PRESSING TRAP OF F.BAHÇE AND BEŞİKTAŞ

One of Fenerbahçe's biggest trump cards are crosses and set pieces. It is clearly obvious that Beşiktaş conceded goals from these organizations in the Alanya and Çorum matches. The existence of a threat from the air like 1.94 tall Vedat Muriç; When combined with names like Skriniar, Ake and Brown, it creates a huge area of ​​productivity for Fenerbahçe.

However, the real strategic battle of the derby will take place in the press setups:

Beşiktaş's Press Trap: When Fenerbahçe tries to get the ball from the left back via Brown, if Olaitan and Guendouzi are disconnected and Murillo and Oğuz are paired; Beşiktaş can grab the ball in that area and leave Trossard one-on-one with Semedo.

Fenerbahçe's Press Trap: If Emirhan or Rıdvan receives a directed shock press while under pressure, Greenwood, who receives the ball, can quickly reach a result one-on-one. The deadliest pressing trap that both teams will set against their opponents lies in the left defensive corridors.

3-) BROWN-SEMEDO-SKRiNiAR ALIGNMENT, DUEL IN THE CENTER

There is a structural problem in Fenerbahçe's defense line that is not yet fully established: the gap between Semedo and Skriniar and the incompatibility between the full-back and center back. We saw how easily these gaps were broken in the goals conceded in the G.Birliği and Konya matches. In Beşiktaş, Murillo's penetrations, Cerny and Trossard's penetrations and the physical struggle of the two center forwards will target exactly these gaps.

There is a battle of giants in the centre: Guendouzi-Kante (Fenerbahçe): They are sweeping the field perfectly. Kante makes distance with the ball and moves the team forward, Guendouzi closes the holes at the back and makes line-breaking passes.

Orkun-Olaitan (Beşiktaş): In a physical fight, F.Bahçe's two number 6s can outweigh; But if the game expands and the distances increase, Beşiktaş's hand becomes stronger. Especially Olaitan (6), who is the league's top chance creator, is literally the X factor of the derby in wide areas. Beşiktaş has a two-way advantage at centre-forward. Oh, who is a complete wall with Vlahovic, who breathed new life into his lungs by scoring 3 goals in the Çorum match, offers Italiano two different tactical menus.

4-) THE FACTS THAT THE NUMBERS TELL

This tactical warfare on the field is directly reflected in the data tables:

· Goal Expectation (xG): While Fenerbahçe produces 6.8 xG, Beşiktaş remains at 5.0 xG.

· Shots and Accuracy: While Fenerbahçe took 20.7 shots and made 9 hits per match; Beşiktaş makes 6 hits out of 17 shots.

· Side Game: While Fenerbahçe makes 7.7 accurate crosses per match (33.8% success), Beşiktaş only makes 3 accurate crosses (14.5% success).

· Possession of the Ball: While Beşiktaş dominates the game more with 61%, Fenerbahçe is at the top of the league in accurate passes in the opponent's half (235.7).

LAST WORD: THE WINNER WILL BUY NOT JUST 3 POINTS BUT WITH A HUGE MOMENTUM

The key to the match for Fenerbahçe; His aim is to use the space on the right of Beşiktaş with Oğuz Aydın, to combine the middle of the side with the standing balls and to direct the press to Beşiktaş's left defense. In terms of Beşiktaş; The aim is to infiltrate the spaces between Semedo and Skriniar, to set up pressing traps through Brown and to activate the mobile wings with Olaitan when the play expands.

Someone comes out, shoots someone, and the entire tactical board suddenly loses its meaning. However, the winning team is not just 3 points; It will buy huge momentum, psychological superiority and self-confidence.