Hasan Al: ‘More than three points’ for Trabzonspor

Trabzonspor found the key early against Gençlerbirliği and turned a difficult-looking home match into a comfortable 5-0 victory. Hasan Al wrote that breaking down deep defenses is one of the team’s hardest tasks, but Onuachu opened the scoring early before further goals from Salah and Onuachu settled the match.

The lead allowed Trabzonspor to increase the margin without overexerting itself. Al said that made individual performances difficult to judge, because a player’s real strength appears under pressure and in difficult conditions. He was particularly critical of Gençlerbirliği, saying the visitors looked less like a team that had arrived with two wins and a draw than a second-division side.

Al argued that the match disproved speculation surrounding Onuachu. The striker, he wrote, takes time to reach full fitness because of his physical profile, but once he does, he rarely loses form. He also highlighted the importance of receiving the service he wants. After Trabzonspor led 3-0, Gençlerbirliği pushed forward, but the visitors did not appear convinced they could score and Trabzonspor did not panic.

The assessment also included criticism. Al said Traoré should have been booked for bringing down Aral, while Muçi remained ineffective and out of form. He praised Aral’s ability, saying the player does not simply cross but delivers the ball accurately for a header. He also said Mustafa’s slow reaction under pressure and inability to take a throw-in within five seconds were worrying signs that required mental training.

Al described new signing Franculino Dju as a major addition and potentially the season’s most productive transfer. He said Cabral also needed work on anger control, warning that a mistake in a crucial match could hurt Trabzonspor. In his view, the victory avenged last season’s result against Gençlerbirliği and cleared some of the gloom around the team. It was, he concluded, more than three points because it restored morale.