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“Compact Play vs. High Press”: Rıdvan Dilmen on Mourinho’s Tactical Evolution

Football commentator Rıdvan Dilmen made significant remarks on HT Spor's "100% Football" program following the Fenerbahçe-Bodrum FK match, analyzing Fenerbahçe's performance.

Here are ‘s comments:

“I Liked Jose Mourinho.”

“Of course, he signed in the first week of June, so it’s been some time… Last season’s core squad was almost fully retained, and additional reinforcements were made. Naturally, there will be criticism of , which we all do and others will as well, but as time passes, I can see that Mourinho is starting to understand our league and the better. It’s not easy to expect results right from the start, especially since Mourinho has managed teams in very high-level leagues for years, and he has a reputation for creating compact teams with a specific format. In this transition period, Fenerbahçe lost 7 points in the league, which may not have been expected compared to last year. For example, it shouldn’t be misunderstood, but if we had continued with Coach İsmail, maybe we wouldn’t have lost those 7 points. But in the long term, we can see these losses as a normal part of the process.”

“The Manchester United Game Was a Turning Point for Fenerbahçe and Mourinho.”

“Interviews, match analyses, and comments on the future aren’t always typical statements here, but he sends messages to his club, team, , and rivals… In my opinion, the turning point was the Manchester match – a defining moment for Fenerbahçe, the fans, and Mourinho himself. He used two forwards again for the first time since the match, choosing both Dzeko and En-Nesyri instead of one or the other.”

“Playing for the Title in Turkey Has One Truth.”

“Mourinho sent a clear message in his late Thursday night interview… I look at his game philosophy and think, where was this approach until now? At least any turn away from losses is beneficial. Today, if Fenerbahçe keeps up this tempo, they have as much chance of winning the league as Galatasaray because we’re talking about a capable team. For two years, Galatasaray has played high-pressure football in this league, and today Fenerbahçe also played with two forwards, wanting to press high, and they succeeded. This is the only reality of playing for the title in Turkey. In Samsun or Göztepe, he preferred a more compact game. Now he’s also confronting the reality of Turkish football, and being an experienced manager, we’ll see an even better decision in the Trabzonspor match. Today, he fielded both Dzeko and En-Nesyri to avoid losing either.”

“The Key Is for Mourinho to Figure This Out.”

“He didn’t stretch to 50-60 meters, which aligns with what he mentioned on Thursday night. For instance, in the United game, Fenerbahçe played at an incredible tempo until the goal. Even though the still praise Fenerbahçe, United dominated the game by the end. It’s not easy to maintain this tempo against Manchester, but it was enough against Bodrum, and it will be. The crucial part is for Mourinho to figure this out.”

“One Month Ago…”

“One month ago, a cleared ball would go to Dzeko, but now it goes to in the middle of the opponent’s half. Amrabat was in and ‘s half a month ago. Last season, would win these types of balls and assist players like Dzeko. If we look back at Mourinho’s initial statements, Amrabat wouldn’t have been there to receive that ball. Pressing high is not easy, but with a deep squad, it’s sustainable. If they can keep up this tempo for 60 minutes… Mourinho saw this risk in the Manchester match and decided to control the game, aiming to secure the lead first and then protect it.”

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