Kasimpasa Results 2021 - Standings and Fixtures - What's ...

Pos	Team	Played	Diff	Points
1	Trabzonspor	27	33	56
2	Basaksehir	27	27	56
3	Galatasaray	26	24	50
4	Sivasspor	26	18	49
5	Besiktas	27	7	44
6	Alanyaspor	27	17	43
7	Fenerbahce	27	13	43
8	Goztepe	27	-1	37

Opponent	Position	H/A
Kasimpasa	12	Away
Yeni Malatyaspor	15	Home
Goztepe	8	Home
Genclerbirligi	13	Away
Sivasspor	4	Home
Besiktas	5	Away
Rizespor	16	Home

Having tried my best to keep up with the league this first half of the season i’ve decided to try and write a review on each team and be as unbiased as possible.
1\. Basaksehir / 35 points
It’s only fair to start off with the top of the table. To many fans distaste for obvious reasons, Basaksehir sit top of the league, but it’s hard to say it’s undeserved. They currently sit ahead of 2nd place by 6 points, making it hard for anyone to catch up. Over the past few years Abdullah Avci has built a powerhouse in Turkish Football with one of the lower budgets in the league. Compared to Atletico’s Simeone, Avci has set up the strongest defense in the league with inform shot stopper Mert Gunok having only conceded 7 goals and kept the most clean sheets (10) along with the help of Epureanu, Clichy and Caicara at the back. Going forward, Basaksehir have had the most consistent player in the league for the past few years, Edin Visca, leading their attack and never failing to impress, with 5 goals and 7 assists to his name already. Both Riad Bajic and Irfan Can Kahveci also deserve praise, with the latter racking up 3 goals and 4 assists from the midfield. Avci will, however be hoping that Basaksehir will be able to carry it up and not drop points towards the end as they have done the past few seasons. This could be a challenge considering the side is the oldest in the league after Ankaragucu.

2\. Trabzonspor / 29 points
The first of the four teams tied on 29 points, Trabzonspor have turned their season around impressively. After a run of bad games and most importantly their loss against Malatyaspor, where they were humiliated 5-0, manager Unal Karaman had to change things up or would get sacked having been only a few months in the job. Unal decided that some serious disciplinary changes had to be made and banned both Onur Kivrak and Burak Yilmaz, who were debatably the biggest names in the Trabzonspor side. Along with these bans came the inclusion of more youth players, bringing in Hüseyin Türkmen and Ugurcan Cakir into the starting 11. These additions and other players stepping up allowed Trabzonspor to go on to win 4 of their last 5 games as well as draw away against Besiktas and move from 10th to 2nd. Their key players in this resurrection have been Jose Sosa, their new captain, Ugurcan Cakir, who’s been amazing in goal since his inclusion and Abdülkadir Ömür who’s picked up 2 goals and 3 assists in the last 5 games. Hugo Rodallega has also been starting to score more consistently. Transfers to challenge the starters would be a great move for Trabzonspor.

3\. Malatyaspor / 29 points
Probably the biggest shock of the season, Malatyaspor sit 3rd as the winter break begins on 29 points. One man can be held responsible for this and his name is Erol Bulut. Having been offered his first ever managerial job last season at newly promoted Malatyaspor it seemed like a pretty risky move by the Malatyaspor board, but has ended up paying off very well. Having been Abdullah Avci’s assistant manager for 3 years, It seems Erol may have learnt a few things from his teacher. Bulut also sets up a solid defense but is more attacking minded than Avci. In only two years, Erol Bulut has been able to translate his philosophy onto the pitch while being on a shoestring budget. What separates Malatyaspor from the other anatolian teams is that they rely on collective actions rather than individual talent, making it harder for opponents to nullify their attack. Along with time under Erol Bulut, what has helped them propel from last years position are the new additions to the team. Signing Danijel Aleksic permanently and Guilherme Costa Marques on loan has helped Khalid Boutaib regain his old form in attack, while the duo of Sadik Ciftpinar and Fabien Farnolle have continued their solid work at the back. For long term success though, Malatyaspor must insure to tie down Erol Bulut to a new contract as his current ends this season and make some backup and defensive transfers.

4\. Kasimpasa / 29 points
What a start of the season this has been for Kasimpasa. They’ve played beautiful attacking football with the triumvirate of Trezeguet, Mbaye Diagne and Samuel Eduok leading the side. Having started wonderfully under Kemal Özdes with a four game win streak, even defeating now league leaders Basaksehir, Kasimpasa lost 3 games. Although 2 of those 3 games were away against turkish giants Trabzonspor and Galatasaray, Kasimpasa’s board showed no mercy and sacked their long term manager Kemal, replacing him with turkish football veteran Mustafa Denizli. As weird of a sacking as it was, new manager Denizli quickly settled in and has kept the team’s form going. As impressive as the side has been all eyes have been focused on one man, Mbaye Diagne, who sits far top on the scoring charts on 20 goals already. To compare, Bafetimbi Gomis scored 29 ALL of last season and broke the foreigner record. Only brought in last january as a free transfer, Diagne has also scored against every super lig team except Goztepe. As wonderful as Kasimpasa have been going forward, transfers to solidify their defense are much needed to continue this form and most importantly they will have to try and keep hold of Diagne.

5\. Galatasaray / 29 points
The last of the 4 teams tied on 29 points is last season’s champions Galatasaray. This has been an action packed season for the lions, both on and off the pitch. Going into the season having not replaced Bafetimbi Gomis proved very costly with backup striker Eren Derdiyok proving unfit to fill in the spot. Yet, this wasn’t the only thing going against Cimbom. This season has been plagued with injuries for Galatasaray, with 10 players having picked up knocks since the start of the season. Off the pitch hasn’t went plan as well. With tensions already high between Galatasaray and the TFF, a feud broke out after the intercontinental derby against Fenerbahce which led to lengthy bans being handed out to 3 players along with Terim receiving a 10 game ban for comments made. With all those negatives, at least one positive came through. Youth starlet Ozan Kabak was given a chance and has never looked back. Having become a regular on the team sheet already, the 18 year old has held his place both in the turkish league and in the champions league. For any chance both in the Europa league and to reclaim last year’s top spot, a striker is heavily needed along with a centerback.

6\. Antalyaspor / 27 points
After a horrible season last year, things seem to be looking up for Antalyaspor . During the summer, Turkish and Galatasaray legend Bülent Korkmaz was appointed as manager. Having looked poor in previous jobs, it looked like a risk when there were more successful and established managers available but Bülent seems to have settled in well and quickly. The Antalya side have shown actual structure in the team which they have previously lacked and have been over performing with their level of players. Hakan Özmert has been on his best ever form with the aid of ex-Leeds striker Souleymane Doukara in attack. Captain Diego Ângelo has also gotten his name on the score sheet multiple times despite being a center back, having scored 3 goals and assisted 3 from defense. It seems the board have confidence in Bülent, which is very refreshing to see. Antalyaspor will need a few all round transfers and if they can finish the season in this spot, this will be a very good season for them.

7\. Besiktas / 26 points
This has been a disappointing season for the Black Eagles. Although going into the winter break only 3 points behind 2nd with 26 points, Besiktas would be kicking themselves for not taking advantage of the other Istanbul clubs’ slip-ups. Their form has been shaky since the beginning of the season, which has seen them fall behind many other less established teams. It even led to their knockout of the Europa league in a relatively easy group. After a full year since selling Cenk Tosun, the gap still seems present even after having tried 4 different strikers there. Since January of last season, more and more cracks have started to appear, showing that the team is far from what it was at the start of last season. The management however have insisted to stay with Senol Günes who, to be fair had done really well in previous seasons. With that in mind, the squad does seem like it needs many changes. As Pepe has already left, a center back is much needed. Necip Uysal has been a huge liability there. The inclusion of new youth transfers Güven Yalcin and Dorukhan Toköz has seemed very helpful, with Dorukhan proving he is ready to start and Güven looking like he’d be a helpful substitute. Many starters are already heading towards their mid-thirties, so for Besiktas to at least get a glimpse of their glory days younger players should be bought in and allowed to slowly settle in.

8\. Konyaspor / 25 points
Having just escaped relegation last year, Konyaspor have improved quite a bit. Starting off the season with newly appointed Riza Calimbay, Konyaspor were getting a mixed group of results yet still performing much better than last year. Yet, following a win against Ankaragucu was probably the weirdest sacking of the season, with Calimbay being replaced by ex-coach and fan favorite Aykut Kocaman. Aykut since has only gotten 5 matches where he’s been able to lift Konyaspor up a spot but hasn’t really made a huge impact. With the transfer window open, Konyaspor fans will be hoping he can bring in a few players more suited to his game style and have a strong run of the second half of the season, hopefully recreating the success he previously had with them.

9\. Sivasspor / 24 points
Having started off the season very poorly under Tamer Tuna, Sivasspor seemed like a good relegation candidate, even after he was sacked. With no interim manager, the board assigned inexperienced Hakan Keles as manager, a name not very known in turkish football. However, Hakan has very impressively turned things around. Since taking over, Sivasspor have won 4 out of 6 games, with 2 of them being against league leaders Basaksehir and turkish giants Besiktas. Ex-Manchester City and Real Madrid star Robinho has been at the center of all of this, with the likes of Barcelona loanee Douglas and Emre Kilinc helping. As impressive as their season turnaround has been, it will be hard to keep it up in the second half. Robinho will be joining Basaksehir, which is leaves a huge gap that must be filled, along with better players in general.

10\. Göztepe / 22 points
After a stellar first season back to the Süper Lig last season, it seems reality has struck the Izmir club. With the decision to part ways with Tamer Tuna although ending 6th last season came the appointment of Bayram Bektas, who had recently found success with 2nd league side Ümraniyespor. Having started off really well, Göztepe looked as if they would retain their high spot of last year with Yasin Oztekin lighting up the league, scoring 7 from the wing. This was all until they were hit with a drop of form and many injuries. After a run of four games lost against beatable opponents and Göz Göz sitting 12th, the board decided to sack Bektas and bring in Kemal Özdes who had recently been sacked by Kasimpasa. Kemal will be hoping to bring his flowing attacking football which he made with Kasimpasa team to this Goztepe side.

11\. Bursaspor / 21 points
One of the only teams not to have sacked their manager since the start of the season, Bursaspor sit 11th with new manager Samet Aybaba in charge. The Green Crocodiles have had very mixed form, even dropping into the relegation zone at a point but the board have stuck with Samet nonetheless. With the youngest side in the league, Aybaba has failed to find consistency in performances resulting in multiple changes being made in the squad throughout the season. Having held back Basaksehir, Galatasaray, Malatyaspor, Besiktas and Trabzonspor the side has shown their quality, but just need to be more consistent with their performances. I expect Aybaba to fire them into a higher position in the second half having had more time to develop the team and maybe make the few other transfers.

12\. Ankaracugu / 20 points
The only club from the capital in the top league has had a dramatic rise and fall this season. Having decided to continue with Ismail Kartal who promoted the club last season through automatic promotion, Ankaragucu seemed to be having a wonderful start. Personally, I was very unsure with Ismail but both he proved himself quickly. Ankaragucu were playing great and fun to watch attacking football. This was all until a big drop in form moving Ankaragucu from 5th to 11th. Ismail went to the press conference revealing the drop of form, shifting the blame to the club having not paid players for the past 6 months. This cost him his job, with the board sacking him immediately after. They’ve now appointed Bayram Bektas after his Göztepe sacking, yet things still dont look good. Ankaragucu were knocked out of the Turkish Cup by Bodrumspor, a team sitting in the third league and have lost their only game under Bektas. If Ankaragucu were to fall back to the 1.Lig, it would hugely be at fault of the board, for sacking Kartal and unable to pay the salaries. It also looks as if their top scorer and best players Mostapha El Kabir will be terminating his contract due to unpaid salaries.

13\. Kayserispor / 19 points
Sitting 13th currently are Kayserispor. Having hired Ertugrul Saglam to take over after Marius Sumudica and made a few transfers, Kayserispor started well but that didn’t last too long. The board backed Saglam, but he simply could not bring good results. With 3 league games left and the club being 17th, the board finally had enough and sacked Ertugrul, bringing in the turkish relegation savior Hikmet Karaman. The possessive style football was switched for much quicker counter attacking football. Hikmet didnt take long at all to settle in, already winning 2 of the last 3 matches. Loanee Tjaronn Chery has been their standout player, having scored 6 from attacking midfield along with Bernard Mensah and Silviu Lung Jr. also putting in very good shifts. Kayserispor will desperately be hoping for Hikmet to carry on this form and at least keep them above the relegation zone. A midfield partner for Mensah and a new striker will be priority for Hikmet.

14\. Alanyaspor / 18 points
Alanyaspor has had a very average season to say the most. The seaside club has been hovering around the same position for most of this season, yet have caused problems for the bigger clubs. Having lost their top scorers Emre Akbaba and Vagner Love, an absence in the attack can definitely be felt. They started off this season continuing with last season’s manager Mesut Bakkal but showed no consistency. They started off badly, then picked up 4 wins on the trot, and after that lost 4 back to back. At that point the board decided to get rid of Bakkal to bring in Sergen Yalcin. Sergen has held off both Besiktas and Basaksehir in the 5 matches which he has been in charge, collecting a total of 5 points. Defensive transfers will be needed along with a winger if Alanyaspor will want to stay up this season.

15\. Akhisarspor / 17 points
One point above relegation, Akhisarspor sit in a very risky spot. Last year’s winners of the Turkish Cup and Super Cup, Akhisarspor have been far from what they were. Sacking Okan Buruk after all he did for the club, winning them their first piece of silverware and their first qualification to Europe only to bring in Safet Susic was a very idiotic decision by the board. Since the beginning of the season Akhisarspor have been treading above and falling into the relegation zone multiple times. Susic was horrible and sent away only 5 game weeks in, and replaced by Cihat Arslan. Under Cihat, Akhisarspor have looked better yet still fail to get many results. Having finished last in their Europa league group on only 1 point as well, it seems as if their qualification turned from a blessing to a curse. Having experienced a few injuries, players have had to play out of position which has also been a big weak point for them. If Akhisarspor want to stay up, they will need to make a few transfers with their Europa league money.

16\. Büyüksehir Belediye Erzurumspor / 16 points
Erzurumspor, who got promoted to the top flight though the playoff spot by winning the final in penalties, currently sit in the relegation zone. For their first season in the top flight in history, it has not been an easy ride at all. They started the season off having made many transfers of lesser known players. They started off with Mehmet Altiparmak, who helped achieve promotion, but that did not go well at all, as they only picking up 2 points in the first 6 weeks. Mehmet was sacked, with a different Mehmet, Mehmet Özdilek, taking over. Özdilek has been an improvement and helped the side 3 wins and 5 draws in 10 games, but they are still far from perfect. One of Erzurumspor’s biggest problems has been scoring goals. Defensively, they have been okay but have been very poor upfront at creating chances, and have scored most of their goals from set pieces or long shots. Erzurumspor lack players who really stick out and players who are creative. To stay in the league, they will need to bring in a top striker most importantly, as their 3 strikers have scored 1 goal combined, which is the poorest in the league by far.

17\. Fenerbahce / 16 points
This has been a season to forget for Fenerbahce. Coming into the season, hopes were very high under new chairman Ali Koc. A new manager Phillip Cocu was brought in as Aykut Kocaman left with many fans deeming him too “defensive”. Many new transfers were made, with names like Slimani and Ayew coming in and all looked like it would go well. This however, all went crashing down very quickly though. Under Cocu, Fenerbahce has had the worst league start in their history. You could see good buildup in the way they played but there were no great tactics. Cocu was given 10 match days until he was finally sacked as Fenerbahce sat 16th and weren’t performing very well in Europe either. Cocu’s assistant manager and brother of Ronald Koeman, Edwin Koeman, replaced him for a short time helping Fenerbahce to qualification to the R32 in the Europa league but was unable to change their standing in the league. Finally, Cocu was permanently replaced as Ersun Yanal took over right before the winter break. Currently sitting in the relegation zone, the Yellow Canaries will be hoping for new manager Ersun Yanal to work his magic and hopefully end the season near the european spots, although it seems very unlikely.

18\. Rizespor / 12 points
Although sitting bottom 4 points behind 17th, I feel as if it does not accurately represent Rizespor. Having continued with Ibrahim Üzülmez who helped Rizespor win the second league last year and get promoted, they made some decent signings with the likes of Musa Cagiran, Umar Aminu and Mustafa Saymak in the summer. Ibrahim didn’t last very long however, being sacked after losing the first 4 opening matches. Bringing in Okan Buruk, they started to look much better, but have still failed to win a game under him aside from his first match against Fenerbahce. They’ve been playing much better football yet cant seem to finish their chances. This has been a story of draws after draws for Rize, drawing 6 of their 11 matches under Okan’s reign. The newly promoted outfit’s attack is actually pretty strong but are just missing the finishing aspect. Rizespors main concern however which has to be sorted if they want to stay in the league is their very weak defense and weak midfield. They have been let down numerous times, conceding stupid goals towards the end of the game. If transfers in those positions are made I personally think they can bounce back and actually escape the relegation zone. It will be hard, but very possible and has been done numerous times. Their biggest challenges will be at the start of the season, where they have easier matches and must pick up as many wins as possible.

My overall thoughts:
This year has probably been the most competitive ever since the start of the Super Lig. Although the usual top 3 are underperforming, i still dont think it’s justifiable to ignore the step up from the usual mid-lower teams. Personally, one thing which I love is that because of the economic problem it has forced clubs to play youngsters, which has actually paid off. The likes of Ozan Kabak, Ugurcan Cakir, Merih Demiral and Dogukan Sinik have become stalemates at their respective sides, setting a nice pavement of youth for the national team. These players will also be the biggest source of income for the clubs. Another point which i have to address is that while writing this, I really noticed how many managers have gotten sacked and specifically how the boards look for short term success, sacrificing the buildup of a top team only to finish a few positions higher. The likes of Basaksehir and Malatyaspor, the two top teams, have had the support of their board even through tough times, which has helped them rise up so quickly. This is just a point which i think must be thought of better by the boards.

Turkish Süper Lig team analysis for first half of season

Having already posted this on superlig I decided to post it again here for anyone who wants. I tried my best to keep up with the Turkish league this first half of the season i’ve decided to try and write a review on each team and be as unbiased as possible.
1\. Basaksehir / 35 points
It’s only fair to start off with the top of the table. To many fans distaste for obvious reasons, Basaksehir sit top of the league, but it’s hard to say it’s undeserved. They currently sit ahead of 2nd place by 6 points, making it hard for anyone to catch up. Over the past few years Abdullah Avci has built a powerhouse in Turkish Football with one of the lower budgets in the league. Compared to Atletico’s Simeone, Avci has set up the strongest defense in the league with inform shot stopper Mert Gunok having only conceded 7 goals and kept the most clean sheets (10) along with the help of Epureanu, Clichy and Caicara at the back. Going forward, Basaksehir have had the most consistent player in the league for the past few years, Edin Visca, leading their attack and never failing to impress, with 5 goals and 7 assists to his name already. Both Riad Bajic and Irfan Can Kahveci also deserve praise, with the latter racking up 3 goals and 4 assists from the midfield. Avci will, however be hoping that Basaksehir will be able to carry it up and not drop points towards the end as they have done the past few seasons. This could be a challenge considering the side is the oldest in the league after Ankaragucu.
2\. Trabzonspor / 29 points
The first of the four teams tied on 29 points, Trabzonspor have turned their season around impressively. After a run of bad games and most importantly their loss against Malatyaspor, where they were humiliated 5-0, manager Unal Karaman had to change things up or would get sacked having been only a few months in the job. Unal decided that some serious disciplinary changes had to be made and banned both Onur Kivrak and Burak Yilmaz, who were debatably the biggest names in the Trabzonspor side. Along with these bans came the inclusion of more youth players, bringing in Hüseyin Türkmen and Ugurcan Cakir into the starting 11. These additions and other players stepping up allowed Trabzonspor to go on to win 4 of their last 5 games as well as draw away against Besiktas and move from 10th to 2nd. Their key players in this resurrection have been Jose Sosa, their new captain, Ugurcan Cakir, who’s been amazing in goal since his inclusion and Abdülkadir Ömür who’s picked up 2 goals and 3 assists in the last 5 games. Hugo Rodallega has also been starting to score more consistently. Transfers to challenge the starters would be a great move for Trabzonspor.
3\. Malatyaspor / 29 points
Probably the biggest shock of the season, Malatyaspor sit 3rd as the winter break begins on 29 points. One man can be held responsible for this and his name is Erol Bulut. Having been offered his first ever managerial job last season at newly promoted Malatyaspor it seemed like a pretty risky move by the Malatyaspor board, but has ended up paying off very well. Having been Abdullah Avci’s assistant manager for 3 years, It seems Erol may have learnt a few things from his teacher. Bulut also sets up a solid defense but is more attacking minded than Avci. In only two years, Erol Bulut has been able to translate his philosophy onto the pitch while being on a shoestring budget. What separates Malatyaspor from the other anatolian teams is that they rely on collective actions rather than individual talent, making it harder for opponents to nullify their attack. Along with time under Erol Bulut, what has helped them propel from last years position are the new additions to the team. Signing Danijel Aleksic permanently and Guilherme Costa Marques on loan has helped Khalid Boutaib regain his old form in attack, while the duo of Sadik Ciftpinar and Fabien Farnolle have continued their solid work at the back. For long term success though, Malatyaspor must insure to tie down Erol Bulut to a new contract as his current ends this season and make some backup and defensive transfers.
4\. Kasimpasa / 29 points
What a start of the season this has been for Kasimpasa. They’ve played beautiful attacking football with the triumvirate of Trezeguet, Mbaye Diagne and Samuel Eduok leading the side. Having started wonderfully under Kemal Özdes with a four game win streak, even defeating now league leaders Basaksehir, Kasimpasa lost 3 games. Although 2 of those 3 games were away against turkish giants Trabzonspor and Galatasaray, Kasimpasa’s board showed no mercy and sacked their long term manager Kemal, replacing him with turkish football veteran Mustafa Denizli. As weird of a sacking as it was, new manager Denizli quickly settled in and has kept the team’s form going. As impressive as the side has been all eyes have been focused on one man, Mbaye Diagne, who sits far top on the scoring charts on 20 goals already. To compare, Bafetimbi Gomis scored 29 ALL of last season and broke the foreigner record. Only brought in last january as a free transfer, Diagne has also scored against every super lig team except Goztepe. As wonderful as Kasimpasa have been going forward, transfers to solidify their defense are much needed to continue this form and most importantly they will have to try and keep hold of Diagne.
5\. Galatasaray / 29 points
The last of the 4 teams tied on 29 points is last season’s champions Galatasaray. This has been an action packed season for the lions, both on and off the pitch. Going into the season having not replaced Bafetimbi Gomis proved very costly with backup striker Eren Derdiyok proving unfit to fill in the spot. Yet, this wasn’t the only thing going against Cimbom. This season has been plagued with injuries for Galatasaray, with 10 players having picked up knocks since the start of the season. Off the pitch hasn’t went plan as well. With tensions already high between Galatasaray and the TFF, a feud broke out after the intercontinental derby against Fenerbahce which led to lengthy bans being handed out to 3 players along with Terim receiving a 10 game ban for comments made. With all those negatives, at least one positive came through. Youth starlet Ozan Kabak was given a chance and has never looked back. Having become a regular on the team sheet already, the 18 year old has held his place both in the turkish league and in the champions league. For any chance both in the Europa league and to reclaim last year’s top spot, a striker is heavily needed along with a centerback.
6\. Antalyaspor / 27 points
After a horrible season last year, things seem to be looking up for Antalyaspor . During the summer, Turkish and Galatasaray legend Bülent Korkmaz was appointed as manager. Having looked poor in previous jobs, it looked like a risk when there were more successful and established managers available but Bülent seems to have settled in well and quickly. The Antalya side have shown actual structure in the team which they have previously lacked and have been over performing with their level of players. Hakan Özmert has been on his best ever form with the aid of ex-Leeds striker Souleymane Doukara in attack. Captain Diego Ângelo has also gotten his name on the score sheet multiple times despite being a center back, having scored 3 goals and assisted 3 from defense. It seems the board have confidence in Bülent, which is very refreshing to see. Antalyaspor will need a few all round transfers and if they can finish the season in this spot, this will be a very good season for them.
7\. Besiktas / 26 points
This has been a disappointing season for the Black Eagles. Although going into the winter break only 3 points behind 2nd with 26 points, Besiktas would be kicking themselves for not taking advantage of the other Istanbul clubs’ slip-ups. Their form has been shaky since the beginning of the season, which has seen them fall behind many other less established teams. It even led to their knockout of the Europa league in a relatively easy group. After a full year since selling Cenk Tosun, the gap still seems present even after having tried 4 different strikers there. Since January of last season, more and more cracks have started to appear, showing that the team is far from what it was at the start of last season. To make matters worse, top scorer Talisca left after an end to his loan, proving to be a costly loss. The board however have insisted to stay with Senol Günes who, to be fair had done really well in previous seasons. With that in mind, the squad does seem like it needs many changes. As Pepe has already left, a center back is much needed. Necip Uysal has been a huge liability there. The inclusion of new youth transfers Güven Yalcin and Dorukhan Toköz has seemed very helpful, with Dorukhan proving he is ready to start and Güven looking like he’d be a helpful substitute. Many starters are already heading towards their mid-thirties, so for Besiktas to at least get a glimpse of their glory days younger players should be bought in and allowed to slowly settle in.
8\. Konyaspor / 25 points
Having just escaped relegation last year, Konyaspor have improved quite a bit. Starting off the season with newly appointed Riza Calimbay, Konyaspor were getting a mixed group of results yet still performing much better than last year. Yet, following a win against Ankaragucu was probably the weirdest sacking of the season, with Calimbay being replaced by ex-coach and fan favorite Aykut Kocaman. Aykut since has only gotten 5 matches where he’s been able to lift Konyaspor up a spot but hasn’t really made a huge impact. With the transfer window open, Konyaspor fans will be hoping he can bring in a few players more suited to his game style and have a strong run of the second half of the season, hopefully recreating the success he previously had with them.
9\. Sivasspor / 24 points
Having started off the season very poorly under Tamer Tuna, Sivasspor seemed like a good relegation candidate, even after he was sacked. With no interim manager, the board assigned inexperienced Hakan Keles as manager, a name not very known in turkish football. However, Hakan has very impressively turned things around. Since taking over, Sivasspor have won 4 out of 6 games, with 2 of them being against league leaders Basaksehir and turkish giants Besiktas. Ex-Manchester City and Real Madrid star Robinho has been at the center of all of this, with the likes of Barcelona loanee Douglas and Emre Kilinc helping. As impressive as their season turnaround has been, it will be hard to keep it up in the second half. Robinho will be joining Basaksehir, which is leaves a huge gap that must be filled, along with better players in general.
10\. Göztepe / 22 points
After a stellar first season back to the Süper Lig last season, it seems reality has struck the Izmir club. With the decision to part ways with Tamer Tuna although ending 6th last season came the appointment of Bayram Bektas, who had recently found success with 2nd league side Ümraniyespor. Having started off really well, Göztepe looked as if they would retain their high spot of last year with Yasin Oztekin lighting up the league, scoring 7 from the wing. This was all until they were hit with a drop of form and many injuries. After a run of four games lost against beatable opponents and Göz Göz sitting 12th, the board decided to sack Bektas and bring in Kemal Özdes who had recently been sacked by Kasimpasa. Kemal will be hoping to bring his flowing attacking football which he made with Kasimpasa team to this Goztepe side.
11\. Bursaspor / 21 points
One of the only teams not to have sacked their manager since the start of the season, Bursaspor sit 11th with new manager Samet Aybaba in charge. The Green Crocodiles have had very mixed form, even dropping into the relegation zone at a point but the board have stuck with Samet nonetheless. With the youngest side in the league, Aybaba has failed to find consistency in performances resulting in multiple changes being made in the squad throughout the season. Having held back Basaksehir, Galatasaray, Malatyaspor, Besiktas and Trabzonspor the side has shown their quality, but just need to be more consistent with their performances. I expect Aybaba to fire them into a higher position in the second half having had more time to develop the team and maybe make the few other transfers.
12\. Ankaracugu / 20 points
The only club from the capital in the top league has had a dramatic rise and fall this season. Having decided to continue with Ismail Kartal who promoted the club last season through automatic promotion, Ankaragucu seemed to be having a wonderful start. Personally, I was very unsure with Ismail but both he proved himself quickly. Ankaragucu were playing great and fun to watch attacking football. This was all until a big drop in form moving Ankaragucu from 5th to 11th. Ismail went to the press conference revealing the drop of form, shifting the blame to the club having not paid players for the past 6 months. This cost him his job, with the board sacking him immediately after. They’ve now appointed Bayram Bektas after his Göztepe sacking, yet things still dont look good. Ankaragucu were knocked out of the Turkish Cup by Bodrumspor, a team sitting in the third league and have lost their only game under Bektas. If Ankaragucu were to fall back to the 1.Lig, it would hugely be at fault of the board, for sacking Kartal and unable to pay the salaries. It also looks as if their top scorer and best players Mostapha El Kabir will be terminating his contract due to unpaid salaries.
13\. Kayserispor / 19 points
Sitting 13th currently are Kayserispor. Having hired Ertugrul Saglam to take over after Marius Sumudica and made a few transfers, Kayserispor started well but that didn’t last too long. The board backed Saglam, but he simply could not bring good results. With 3 league games left and the club being 17th, the board finally had enough and sacked Ertugrul, bringing in the turkish relegation savior Hikmet Karaman. The possessive style football was switched for much quicker counter attacking football. Hikmet didnt take long at all to settle in, already winning 2 of the last 3 matches. Loanee Tjaronn Chery has been their standout player, having scored 6 from attacking midfield along with Bernard Mensah and Silviu Lung Jr. also putting in very good shifts. Kayserispor will desperately be hoping for Hikmet to carry on this form and at least keep them above the relegation zone. A midfield partner for Mensah and a new striker will be priority for Hikmet.
14\. Alanyaspor / 18 points
Alanyaspor has had a very average season to say the most. The seaside club has been hovering around the same position for most of this season, yet have caused problems for the bigger clubs. Having lost their top scorers Emre Akbaba and Vagner Love, an absence in the attack can definitely be felt. They started off this season continuing with last season’s manager Mesut Bakkal but showed no consistency. They started off badly, then picked up 4 wins on the trot, and after that lost 4 back to back. At that point the board decided to get rid of Bakkal to bring in Sergen Yalcin. Sergen has held off both Besiktas and Basaksehir in the 5 matches which he has been in charge, collecting a total of 5 points. Defensive transfers will be needed along with a winger if Alanyaspor will want to stay up this season.
15\. Akhisarspor / 17 points
One point above relegation, Akhisarspor sit in a very risky spot. Last year’s winners of the Turkish Cup and Super Cup, Akhisarspor have been far from what they were. Sacking Okan Buruk after all he did for the club, winning them their first piece of silverware and their first qualification to Europe only to bring in Safet Susic was a very idiotic decision by the board. Since the beginning of the season Akhisarspor have been treading above and falling into the relegation zone multiple times. Susic was horrible and sent away only 5 game weeks in, and replaced by Cihat Arslan. Under Cihat, Akhisarspor have looked better yet still fail to get many results. Having finished last in their Europa league group on only 1 point as well, it seems as if their qualification turned from a blessing to a curse. Having experienced a few injuries, players have had to play out of position which has also been a big weak point for them. If Akhisarspor want to stay up, they will need to make a few transfers with their Europa league money.
16\. Büyüksehir Belediye Erzurumspor / 16 points
Erzurumspor, who got promoted to the top flight though the playoff spot by winning the final in penalties, currently sit in the relegation zone. For their first season in the top flight in history, it has not been an easy ride at all. They started the season off having made many transfers of lesser known players. They started off with Mehmet Altiparmak, who helped achieve promotion, but that did not go well at all, as they only picking up 2 points in the first 6 weeks. Mehmet was sacked, with a different Mehmet, Mehmet Özdilek, taking over. Özdilek has been an improvement and helped the side 3 wins and 5 draws in 10 games, but they are still far from perfect. One of Erzurumspor’s biggest problems has been scoring goals. Defensively, they have been okay but have been very poor upfront at creating chances, and have scored most of their goals from set pieces or long shots. Erzurumspor lack players who really stick out and players who are creative. To stay in the league, they will need to bring in a top striker most importantly, as their 3 strikers have scored 1 goal combined, which is the poorest in the league by far.
17\. Fenerbahce / 16 points
This has been a season to forget for Fenerbahce. Coming into the season, hopes were very high under new chairman Ali Koc. A new manager Phillip Cocu was brought in as Aykut Kocaman left with many fans deeming him too “defensive”. Many new transfers were made, with names like Slimani and Ayew coming in and all looked like it would go well. This however, all went crashing down very quickly though. Under Cocu, Fenerbahce has had the worst league start in their history. You could see good buildup in the way they played but there were no great tactics. Cocu was given 10 match days until he was finally sacked as Fenerbahce sat 16th and weren’t performing very well in Europe either. Cocu’s assistant manager and brother of Ronald Koeman, Edwin Koeman, replaced him for a short time helping Fenerbahce to qualification to the R32 in the Europa league but was unable to change their standing in the league. Finally, Cocu was permanently replaced as Ersun Yanal took over right before the winter break. Currently sitting in the relegation zone, the Yellow Canaries will be hoping for new manager Ersun Yanal to work his magic and hopefully end the season near the european spots, although it seems very unlikely.
18\. Rizespor / 12 points
Although sitting bottom 4 points behind 17th, I feel as if it does not accurately represent Rizespor. Having continued with Ibrahim Üzülmez who helped Rizespor win the second league last year and get promoted, they made some decent signings with the likes of Musa Cagiran, Umar Aminu and Mustafa Saymak in the summer. Ibrahim didn’t last very long however, being sacked after losing the first 4 opening matches. Bringing in Okan Buruk, they started to look much better, but have still failed to win a game under him aside from his first match against Fenerbahce. They’ve been playing much better football yet cant seem to finish their chances. This has been a story of draws after draws for Rize, drawing 6 of their 11 matches under Okan’s reign. The newly promoted outfit’s attack is actually pretty strong but are just missing the finishing aspect. Rizespors main concern however which has to be sorted if they want to stay in the league is their very weak defense and weak midfield. They have been let down numerous times, conceding stupid goals towards the end of the game. If transfers in those positions are made I personally think they can bounce back and actually escape the relegation zone. It will be hard, but very possible and has been done numerous times. Their biggest challenges will be at the start of the season, where they have easier matches and must pick up as many wins as possible.
My overall thoughts:
This year has probably been the most competitive ever since the start of the Super Lig. Although the usual top 3 are underperforming, i still dont think it’s justifiable to ignore the step up from the usual mid-lower teams. Personally, one thing which I love is that because of the economic problem it has forced clubs to play youngsters, which has actually paid off. The likes of Ozan Kabak, Ugurcan Cakir, Merih Demiral and Dogukan Sinik have become stalemates at their respective sides, setting a nice pavement of youth for the national team. These players will also be the biggest source of income for the clubs. Another point which i have to address is that while writing this, I really noticed how many managers have gotten sacked and specifically how the boards look for short term success, sacrificing the buildup of a top team only to finish a few positions higher. The likes of Basaksehir and Malatyaspor, the two top teams, have had the support of their board even through tough times, which has helped them rise up so quickly. This is just a point which i think must be thought of better by the boards.

Allsvenskan starts today! Here's a guide to the 2016 season.

So yeah, 5 months after the last game of the 2015 season, the 2016 Allsvenskan season is finally about to begin here in Sweden. The opening game will feature the winner from 2013 and 2014, Malmö FF, who'll be hosting last year's winner, IFK Norrköping.
Allsvenskan is one of the most unpredictable leagues in Europe, as proved last year when IFK Norrköping, a team most people thought would end up in the bottom half, managed to win the entire thing with an impressive points tally of 66. Malmö FF, who were the biggest favourites since the mid-90's, only finished in 5th place despite qualifying for the 2015-16 UEFA Champions League group stages. Well, I'm not mentioning how things went down there (almost NSFW), but anyway, Malmö got filthy rich by Swedish standards and are now big favourites (once again).
The league consists of 16 teams who all play 30 games each. The winner gets to qualify for Champions League. The 2nd and 3rd placed clubs enter the Europa League qualification. The 4th placed club also gets to enter the Europa League qualification if the winner of the Swedish cup finishes in the top 3. Otherwise, the winner of the Swedish cup gets the 4th spot. The 15th and 16th placed teams gets relegated to Superettan and the 14th placed team will have to meet the 3rd placed team in Superettan in a 2 games play off. New clubs for this year are Jönköpings Södra IF and Östersunds FK. More on those two, and the other teams, later.
The Swedish cup started in late February and the only 2 remaining teams left is Malmö FF and BK Häcken. The final will be played on the 5th of May at Swedbank Stadion in Malmö.
A majority of the games (56.25%) will be played on artificial turf. This is a hot topic in Sweden. but not something I will cover here.
We do have our own sub, /Allsvenskan, which obviously is mostly for Swedish speakers, but if you don't have anything better to do, be sure to pay us a visit!
Club: AIK
Location: Solna (outside of Stockholm)
Manager: Andreas Alm
Stadium: Friends Arena (grass)
About the club: AIK was founded in 1891, the same year as their biggest rivals, Djurgårdens IF. Hence The Twin Derby. Another big rival is Hammarby IF. AIK has won a total of 11 times but 8 of those titles were taken between 1900 and 1937, with 1 title (2009) coming in the 2000's. These numbers wouldn't suggest that they're the biggest club in Sweden, but AIK's self image says otherwise. They have lots of supporters and are historically the club with the biggest attendances, but other than that, there are a few clubs who have enjoyed a lot more success on the pitch in somewhat recent years. Nowadays, AIK is always a team for the top. The last 5 seasons have seen them finish in 2nd, 4th, 2nd, 3rd and 3rd. The 2016 season will mark AIK's 88th season in the top flight, which is the most of any Swedish club.
2016 preview: AIK have mainly lost strikers Mohamed Bangura and Henok Goitom. Especially Goitom will be a heavy loss since he was arguably the best player in the league last year. They have been replaced by Denni Avdic and Eero "the hero" Markkanen. Yesterday they managed to acquire young Swedish striker Carlos Strandberg on loan (until the summer) from CSKA Moscow. 2 other signings are wingers Amin Affane and Iraqi international Ahmed Yasin. There's no question however that their strikers will have a lot to prove. With Patrik Carlgren, they have a good GK who at times can pull out great saves, but will have to improve on his aerial play. Johansson, Hooiveld and Etuhu are all experienced players who all have played in the Premier League, while some younger talents are Ofori, Eliasson and Isak. Overall, AIK looks a little weaker this year, but an in-form Avdic could fire them to the very top. More likely, they'll end up a place or so lower than last year's 3rd.
Notable former player(s): Alexander Milosevic (Hannover), Celso Borges (Deportivo La Coruña)
Key players: Nils-Eric Johansson (LB), Ebenezer Ofori (CM), Stefan Ishizaki (RM)
Club: BK Häcken
Location: Hisingen (northwest part of Gothenburg)
Manager: Peter Gerhardsson
Stadium: Bravida Arena (artificial turf)
About the club: BK Häcken was founded in 1940. They don't have a lot of supporters, but they are still one of the richest clubs in Sweden. This is a lot thanks to Gothia Cup, the biggest youth football tournament in the world. They have never won any major trophy, but were close in 2012 when they finished in 2nd place. Since they're in the cup final this season, their streak of 76 years without a trophy could come to an end. Note: Häcken also means "the butt" in Swedish.
2016 preview: Since they haven't lost any significant players and have brought Schüller and Savage from Helsinki, as well as signed nigerian striker Owoeri from the now relegated Åtvidaberg, Häcken are seen by many as the dark horse of this season. When they play at their best, they can beat anyone, but they also have their fair share of bad games. They like to play an attacking football, so they'll be hoping on that the defence have improved from last year. With attacking player such as Paulinho, there's no doubt that they will score a lot.
Notable former player(s): Kim Källström (Grasshopper), Simon Gustafson (Feyenoord)
Key players: Paulinho (LW), Mohammed Abubakari (CDM), Jasmin Sudic (CB)
Club: Djurgårdens IF
Location: Stockholm
Manager: Per Olsson
Stadium: Tele2 Arena (artificial turf)
About the club: As previously mentioned, Djurgården (note: it's either Djurgårdens IF, Djurgården or simply DIF, not "Djurgårdens") was founded back in 1891 and shares its biggest rivalry with AIK. The rivalry with Hammarby IF has increased over the past few years since both clubs now play at the newly built Tele2 Arena. Djurgården had some great years in the begining of the 21st century, winning the league in -02,-03 and -05. Since then, however, Djurgården hasn't been the same and you'll usually find them in the middle of the table. DIF has 11 Swedish championships in football, as well as 16 championships in hockey, the most of any Swedish hockey club.
2016 preview: Things looked good for Djurgården as they finished in 6th place last season. One of their 2 star players, Haris Radetinac, suffered a knee injury halfway through the 2015 season and is projected to return about a month after the start of the league. However, their most important player, the young midfielder Kerim Mrabti, also suffered a knee injury while making his debut for the Swedish national team, forcing him out on the sidelines for most of the season. Captain Emil Bergström then signed for Rubin Kazan a few weeks later. So Djurgården will have to start the season without their 2 best players and will also have to replace the leader in the back line. They brought Marcus Hansson to replace Bergström and Mathias Ranégie (former Allsvenskan top scorer, now in Watford) on loan to strengthen up their attack who hasn't been quite the same since Nyasha Mushekwi left last summer. Radetinac will miss a few games in the beginning, but it's crucial for Djurgården that he performs once he returns. Otherwise they'll have to hope for that their strikers can outperform themselves. With the injuries they currently have though, I believe they will have a mediocre season. Oh, almost forgot. Their new captain, Kevin Walker, won the Swedish version of American Idol back in 2013.
Notable former player(s): Andreas Isaksson (Kasimpasa), Kim Källström (Grasshopper), Simon Tibbling (Groningen)
Key players: Mathias Ranégie (ST), Haris Radetinac (RM), Marcus Hansson (CB)
Club: Falkenbergs FF
Location: Falkenberg
Manager: Hans Eklund
Stadium: Falkenbergs IP (grass)
About the club: Falkenbergs FF, or "Laget vid havet" (the team by the sea), as they like to call themselves, was founded in 1928. They play their home games at Falkenbergs IP, but will move to a new arena by next year. The name of that arena? Falcon Alkoholfri Arena (Falcon Non-Alcoholic Arena). The original name was planned to be Falcon Arena, but since the Swedish laws prohibits ads to promote Alcohol (to some extent at least), they had to ad "Non-Alcoholic" in the name. Falkenbergs FF haven't enjoyed any particular success at all over the years. That until they got promoted to Allsvenskan for the first time ever in 2013 will say. "Everyone" (except for themselves) thought they'd end up getting relegated in 2014. A well-known sports journalist even promised to renovate his apartment and paint it yellow if they managed to stay up. But manager Henrik Larsson (yes, that's him) did what "nobody" (again, except for themselves) thought was possible and even managed to avoid negative play offs. Larsson then left for Helsingborg and "everyone" (you see where this is going) thought they were going to get relegated last season. Yet they are still here...
2016 preview: ... but I don't think they'll manage to stay up for another year. They have (once again) lost some of their best players, left back Adam Eriksson and left winger Calle Wede, and only replaced Wede with Finnish wingestriker Akseli Pelvas. While Pelvas can prove to be useful, Falkenberg will have to hope for that new players step forward. Their defensive record was the worst in Allsvenskan last year, and with the loss of Eriksson, it will hardly be easier. Newly signed Danish CB Thomas Juel-Nielsen have to be a good signing, otherwise they're left with what they had last year. In midfield, David Svensson will make his 14th consecutive season with Falkenberg. An impressive number. Other than that, Alexander Jakobsen (a.k.a. Denmark's Ronaldinho) looks interesting and new signing Amin Nazari will hopefully not miss too many games (injured) in the early stages. Falkenberg's strength lies up front with the 18 year old Gustaf Nilsson having already signed for Brondby IF but will remain until the summer. Some other options are club legend Stefan Rodevåg and the big Hakeem Araba. Araba weighs in at 102 kg and will continue to bully the opposing defenders this year with his strength. Overall, the team looks too weak to stay up for another year. But who knows? You can always count on Falkenberg to fight until the very end.
Notable former player(s): -
Key players: Hakeem Araba (ST), Otto Martler (GK), Gustaf Nilsson (ST)
Club: Gefle IF
Location: Gävle
Manager: Roger Sandberg
Stadium: Gavlevallen (artificial turf)
About the club: Gefle IF was founded way back in 1882, but took up football for the first time in 1896. However, they are yet to win anything of importance. Since their return to Allsvenskan back in 2005, Gefle has been known as the Swedish equivalent of Stoke City with their very defensive approached and many crosses into the box. In recent years with new coach Roger Sandberg they have started to play a lot more short passes. From about 2005 and about 10 seasons onwards, lots of experts thought that Gefle would get relegated. As time has proved, the sky is blue (their fans are actually called "Sky Blues") and Gefle cannot be relegated from Allsvenskan, despite having finished on the bottom half of Allsvenskan for the past 12 seasons. Survival instinct at its finest. Gefle has actually played some Europa League qualifying matches (Fair Play entry). Last time was in 2013 when they knocked out Anorthosis Famagusta and reached the 3rd round where they were eliminated by Qarabag.
2016 preview: As always, Gefle will probably finish on the bottom half. Last year saw them reaching a strong 10th place, but they have lost their captain and defensive leader David Fällman. Otherwise, they have made some interesting signings, but no one on the level of Fällman. Their midfield is not very creative at all, so they'll have to rely on the full backs and the wingers to create something for Johan Oremo to work with. Oremo is their star player who unfortunately is injury prone. Otherwise their squad is mostly filled with decent players who doesn't stand out from the rest. Creative midfielder Johan Bertilsson and young wingestriker Simon Skrabb will probably play important roles, but don't expect any miracles.
Notable former player(s): Alexander Gerndt (Young Boys)
Key players: Johan Oremo (ST), Johan Bertilsson (LM), Robin Nilsson (CDM)
Club: GIF Sundsvall
Location: Sundsvall
Manager: Joel Cedergren & Roger Franzén
Stadium: Norrporten Arena (artificial turf)
About the club: GIF Sundsvall was founded in 1903, but it wasn't until 1953 that a club as far north as Sundsvall was allowed to play in the 2 highest divisions in Sweden. GIF Sundsvall became the first club in the north of Sweden to reach Allsvenskan in 1964. That spell didn't last very long and Sundsvall has in recent been a "yoyo-team". They have either been a top team in the second division, or they've been at the bottom in Allsvenskan. Their most recent promotion was in 2014 when they finished second in Superettan and thus qualified for the 2015 Allsvenskan. They finished in 12th place and wasn't really close to being eliminated.
2016 preview: Sundsvall sold their young promising CB Joakim Nilsson to IF Elfsborg during the pre season. They just recently loaned even younger Noah Sonko Sundberg from AIK who'll look to replace Nilsson. Other than that, Sundsvall have kept all of their starters and also signed Icelandic winger Kristinn Steindorsson from Columbus Crew and John Guidetti's (best?) friend Stefan Silva from Superettan side IK Sirius. Steindorsson will be a starter, no doubt. Silva has got tougher competition for the 2 striker positions. There's no doubt that he'll play a lot but if it's as a starter or substitute remains to be seen. On the paper Sundsvall's attack looks stronger than last year, but the defence, on the other hand, looks a little weaker. Expect something similar to last year's 12th place.
Notable former player(s): Emil Forsberg (RB Leipzig), Mikael Lustig (Celtic)
Key players: Rúnar Már Sigurjónsson (CM), Pa Dibba (ST), Kristinn Steindorsson (LM)
Club: Hammarby IF
Location: Stockholm
Manager: Nanne Bergstrand
Stadium: Tele2 Arena (artificial turf)
About the club: Some fans claim that Hammarby IF was founded in 1889, which would make the club older than AIK and Djurgården. Others claim that they were founded in 1897. That's a hot topic amongst the fans, so I don't want to step on any toes here by claiming anything that some consider to be wrong. Hammarby's most common nickname is Bajen. They have enjoyed success in a lot of various sports such as bandy and handball. Hammarby used to be successful in hockey, but they haven't won anything in over 60 years and that section of the club isn't anywhere close to football in popularity. Hammarby's so far only gold medal in football came in 2001. Playing in the team back then was free kick specialist Kennedy Bakirciouglü who has since returned to the club. Otherwise, Hammarby IF are known for their fans. Last year's average attendance ended up in 25 507, breaking the 56 year old record from 1959.
2016 preview: As you might have noticed, Hammarby are better in the stands than on the pitch. They finished in 10th place last season, which was pretty decent considered that they were newly promoted. This winter has seen them switching attacking players and bringing in Brazilians Alex and Rômulo who both looks interesting. Wheather or not they'll perform once Allsvenskan starts is yet to be seen. Other signings are midfielders Melker Hallberg (loan until the summer) and Arnór Smárason. On the paper, Hammarby's squad looks good, but the mix of players isn't perhaps optimal. The GK, Ögmundur Kristinsson, is very good. The defence is pretty decent as well as the midfield. But the highest scoring player last year was midfielder Erik Israelsson, who scored 6 goals. If the new strikers can perform as expected, Hammarby can look to improve on last year's 10th place.
Notable former player(s): Erkan Zengin (Trabzonspor), Johannes Hopf (Genclerbirligi), Charlie Davies (New England Revolution)
Key players: Ögmundur Kristinsson (GK), Birkir Már Saevarsson (RB), Alex (ST)
Club: Helsingborgs IF
Location: Helsingborg
Manager: Henrik Larsson
Stadium: Olympia (grass)
About the club: Helsingborgs IF was founded in 1907. After becoming champions 3 times between 1932-1941, the club had to wait until 1999 for their next major title. They won again in 2011 and have been a regular contender for the title for the past 20 years. In recent years, however, Helsingborg have gotten into financial trouble. After winning in 2011, they invested a lot of money into new players they ultimately couldn't afford. This obviously affects the club and they will probably not be a contender for the league title for the coming years. Hopefully they'll manage to remain in Allsvenskan while at the same time being able to pay off their debts.
2016 preview: Helsingborg finished in 8th place last season which was the first under new manager Henrik Larsson. Due to their economy, a lot of important players left the club. Robin Simovic, Arnór Smárason, Jere Uronen, Mattias Lindström, Rade Prica, Emmanuel Boateng and Pär Hansson have all left the club. Their replacements have all been Bosman-players (no transfer fees). In general, most replacements looks weaker which suggest that Helsingborg will finish further down the table than an 8th spot. Henrik Larsson's son, Jordan Larsson, is an insteresting player to look out for. He was pretty good last season, but this could prove to be his breakout year.
Notable former player(s): Andreas Granqvist (Krasnodar), David Accam (Chicago Fire), Emil Krafth (Bologna)
Key players: Johan Mårtensson (CM), Andreas Landgren (RB), Jordan Larsson (ST)
Club: IF Elfsborg
Location: Borås
Manager: Magnus Haglund
Stadium: Borås Arena (artificial turf)
About the club: IF Elfsborg was founded in 1904 by 19 kids aged 14-15. The name Elfsborg came to be in 1906 and originated from Älvsborg county and the club would then represent a region instead of a city. This has probably helped them during recent years since the club have many small sponsors. Elfsborg was successful during the late 30's but has enjoyed a new era during the 2000's. Elfsborg have, despite being from a smaller city, managed to remain as a top team for the past decade with gold medals retained in 2006 and 2012. Along with the more recent success, a rivalry with IFK Göteborg has evolved. Both clubs are from the western of Sweden, so naturally the games between them are sometimes referred to as "El Västico".
2016 preview: Elfsborg have, amongst others, lost Sebastian Holmén, Anders Svensson and Arber Zeneli. Holmén was a starting CB, just as Svensson, and will be replaced by Jörgen Horn, a Norwigean defender who looks to be the new leader of the defence. Anders Svensson has got an impressive 149 caps for Sweden. All of them came as a midfielder, but Svensson was used as a CB at the end of his Elfsborg career. Although he was mediocre at defending, his passing skills as a CB was unrivaled in Allsvenskan and was absolutely world class. Joakim Nilsson, a member of the Swedish U21-team can probably replace Svensson on the field, but the loss of him off the field cannot be compensated for. Arber Zeneli is on the other end of his career as he left for Heerenveen. He will probably be replaced by former Swedish international Emir Bajrami, who's back after a long period of injuries. Marcus Rohdén and Viktor Claesson, their 2 best players, will have offers to choose from by the summer. If they remain until the end of the season, Elfsborg will probably be contending for medals, but if they leave, Elfsborg's chances will decrease a lot.
Notable former player(s): Samuel Holmén (Konyaspor), Oscar Hiljemark (Palermo), Niklas Hult (Nice)
Key players: Viktor Claesson (CAM/CF), Marcus Rohdén (CM), Jörgen Horn (CB)
Club: IFK Göteborg
Location: Gothenburg
Manager: Jörgen Lennartsson
Stadium: Gamla Ullevi (grass)
About the club: IFK Göteborg was founded in 1904. It is the most successfull football club in Sweden along with Malmö FF with whom it shares a rivalry with. IFK Göteborg have 2 rivals from its own city, Örgryte IS and GAIS. Both of those clubs are historically successful, but have struggled lately and will both appear in Superettan (the second tier) this year. The most successful period for a single club in Swedish football was from 1982-1996 when Göteborg won 10 championship titles, including 4 consecutive titles from 93-96. Göteborg have won the UEFA Cup 2 times (81-82 & 86-87) and remain the only Swedish club with a major international title. They have also played in the European Cup/Champions League where they've reached the semi finals twice and the quarter finals 3 times. Their most recent title came in 2007.
2016 preview: Just as Helsingborgs IF, IFK Göteborg are in financial trouble. However, those are not as big (yet?) and Göteborg still have a strong squad. Their defence is by far the best in Swedish football, although they currently have 3-4 CB's injured. The fullbacks Salmonsson (Sweden) and Aleesami both played for their respectively national teams about a week ago. Other members in the defence are captain Mattias Bjärsmyr and Thomas Rogne (currently injured), the best defender in the league prior to his knee injury. They've lost Gustav Svensson (CDM), who also was a Swedish international, during the winter. He didn't add much to the attack, but his contribution to the defence was unmatched by other midfielders in Allsvenskan. After spending 2 years in China, talisman striker Tobias Hysén has returned and will look to strengthen the attack, to only part of the team that feels weak. If he performes, "Blåvitt" will certainly enjoy a top 3 finish. Last year saw them finishing in 2nd place and I believe that might be the case again this year.
Notable former player(s): Oscar Wendt (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Marcus Berg (Panathinaikos), Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow)
Key players: Tobias Hysén (ST), Mads Albæk (CM), Mattias Bjärsmyr (CB)
Club: IFK Norrköping
Location: Norrköping
Manager: Jan Andersson https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Andersson_(footballer)
Stadium: Nya Parken (artificial turf)
About the club: IFK Norrköping might not be a big fish nowadays, but they were the club to beat during the 40's with players like Gunnar Nordahl and Nils Liedholm (AC Milan legends). The club was formed in 1897 but it wasn't until almost 50 years later the club won its first major title. From 1942-1963, IFK Norrköping won 11 titles. Then it took 26 years to win the next title which they got in 1989. What's 1989+26? Well, 2015 of course. Despite finishing in 12th place in 2014, IFK Norrköping managed to win against all odds. People didn't take them seriously until they were in the lead with a few games left and by then, it was too late. They scored most goals and had the youngest team including several own academy players like Christoffer Nyman, Linus Wahlqvist, Christopher Telo, David Mitov Nilsson and Alexander Fransson who all started a majority of the games. A well deserved victory to an unlikely champion!
2016 preview: Whenever a Swedish club wins the league, all the best players leaves the clubs for bigger leagues in Europe. People were speculating about how many players Norrköping would lose. 4? 5? 6? It ended with 2, and one of them wasn't really important and just didn't sign an extension. The important loss was Alexander Fransson, who left for Basel. He'll be replaced by either Andreas Blomqvist, Eric Smith or Tesfaldet Tekie. Watch out for Smith and Tekie in the future. Both are big talents, but no one will be able to fill the hole after Fransson. 2015 Allsvenskan top scorer Emir Kujovic are still with the club, but his contract ends this summer and there will be no doubt that he will recieve offers from bigger clubs since he most likely will go to the Euro's with Sweden. They also have the player with most assists last season, Arnór Ingvi Traustason. So Norrköping basically have the same team as last year, but people are still not taking them seriously enough. However, I think they'll lose some players this summer, so I don't think they'll be able to keep up with clubs like Malmö FF, but a top 3 finish is definitely something to aim for. They will also try to qualify for the Champions League, but they will not be seeded, so their opponents might prove to be too strong.
Notable former player(s): Alexander Fransson (Basel)
Key players: Andreas Johansson (CB), Daniel Sjölund (CM), Emir Kujovic (ST)
Club: Jönköpings Södra IF
Location: Jönköping
Manager: Jimmy Thelin
Stadium: Stadsparksvallen (grass)
About the club: Jönköpings Södra IF, or simply just J-södra, was founded back in 1922. Their most successful season to this date is the 1950 season, where they finished runner-ups. Since 1969, however, have J-södra been absent from Allsvenskan. Until 2016 of course.
2016 preview: J-södra won last year's Superettan, which saw them gaining promotion to Allsvenskan. Their team are mostly filled with good 2nd tier players, so most people expect their return to Allsvenskan to end after 1 year. Last year's top scorer, Fredrik Olsson, left surprisingly for relegated side Halmstads BK, so they brought Pawel Cibicki in from Malmö FF on loan as well as versatile midfieldeforward Moses Ogbu from IK Sirius. Dzenis Kosica was one of the best midfielders in Superettan last year and he was brought from local rivals IFK Värnamo. I geniunly think that they'll have to strengthen up their squad even more to have a chance in the top tier. Time will give us the answer. Anyway, Anton Cajtoft is the starting GK for Sweden's U21 team and will have to work, as well as defender André Calisir. Team captain Tommy Thelin is actually the little brother of manager Jimmy Thelin.
Notable former player(s): Branimir Hrgota (Borussia Mönchengladbach)
Key players: Tommy Thelin (ST), André Calisir (CB), Anton Cajtoft (GK)
Club: Kalmar FF
Location: Kalmar
Manager: Peter Swärdh
Stadium: Guldfågeln Arena (grass)
About the club: Kalmar FF was formed in 1910 as IF Göta. After a few more name changes, Kalmar FF came into use in 1927. The club didn't enjoy any particular succes until 1981 when they won the Swedish cup, which they have since won again in -87 and -07. They finished runner-ups in 1985, but then spent most of the time in the second division until they under manager Nanne Bergstrand started to scout Brazilian players in the early 2000's. This proved to be a successful tactic and with the help of legendary captain Henrik Rydström, who played for Kalmar from 1993-2013, they had a strong team, but didn't have enough to win the gold. That was, of course, until the Elm-brothers came. David Elm played striker and with his little brothers Viktor and Rasmus, the team won Allsvenskan in 2008. The best players then left the club. They became rich, but didn't have a team to challenge the best clubs. Instead, they decided to build a new stadium since their current one was very old and outdated. Guldfågeln Arena was built and everyone was happy in the beginning. The problem nowadays is that the arena costs too much, so Kalmar are losing their wealth rapidly.
2016 preview: Kalmar FF finished the 2015 season in a surprisingly low 13th place. All the Elm brothers had returned, but thing didn't go as planned. Viktor played most of the season, but he didn't really have the expected impact. David suffered a concussion he's still suffering from today. It's not known when he will play again, but hopefully in a couple of weeks. Rasmus could only play a few games last season and only about 20 minutes each time. The club then had to rely on striker Marcus Antonsson, who scored 12 goals. But everything is not bad. Rasmus looks to be on his way back. He has played 90 minutes for 5-6 pre season games and have been the best player on the field in most of those games. Together with young Brazilian midfielder Ismael, he could form one of the best central midfields in the league. Basically, Kalmar's season will be as Rasmus' season. Prior to his stomach injury/disease, he was voted best midfielder in the Russian league, so he's obviously on another level when fit. If he can play week in and week out, Kalmar could well become a top team. If not, they might have to worry about relegation. That's how good he is. I think they'll end up in the middle.
Notable former player(s): Ari (Krasnodar), Etrit Berisha (Lazio)
Key players: Rasmus Elm (CM), Marcus Antonsson (ST), Ismael (CM)
Club: Malmö FF
Location: Malmö
Manager: Allan Kuhn
Stadium: Swedbank Stadion (grass)
About the club: Malmö FF was formed in 1910 and is the most successful Swedish club domestically with 18 Swedish championship titles (joint most with IFK Göteborg) and 14 Swedish cup titles. They have become Swedish champions in every decade since the 40's with the only exception being the 90's. Their most successful period came during the 70's with 5 Swedish championship titles and a second place finish in the 1979 European Cup. As previously mentioned, the 90's was a dark time for Malmö and the decade ended by seeing them getting relegated. Some changes were made and with the help of a young Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Malmö returned to the top flight in 2001. Zlatan was sold for a (still) record fee and has since brought in more money to Malmö with every transfer he's made, which as you certainly know, is a lot. Malmö has in recent years won the title in 2010, -13 and -14. Many people expect them to dominate Swedish football for many years onwards due to all the money they've got by participating in Champions League 2 years in a row.
2016 preview: Malmö are the big, big favourites this year as well. Last year saw them failing miserably and only finishing in 5th place, despite qualifying for the Champions League group stages. But this year, Malmö has been able to keep hold of its best players and along with the signings of Kjartansson and Christiansen, they are as big favourites as last year. But we all know how that went... The appointment of new manager Allan Kuhn seems to be only uncertainty, but since they've already reached the final of the Swedish cup, it looks like a good signing. Captain Markus Rosenberg will continue to annoy his opponents and with players like Christiansen, Lewicki, Adu, Eikrem, Rakip, etc. in central midfield, you can always count on Malmö to dominate the possession. I do think their defence looks a little vulnerable, so every part of the team isn't great. But yeah, anything other than a 1st place would be a disaster. It's theirs to lose, and others to win.
Notable former player(s): Zlatan Ibrahimovic (PSG), Emil Forsberg (RB Leipzig), Behrang Safari (Basel)
Key players: Markus Rosenberg (ST), Jo Inge Berget (LM), Anders Christiansen (CM)
Club: Örebro SK
Location: Örebro
Manager: Alexander Axén
Stadium: Behrn Arena (artificial turf)
About the club: Örebro SK was formed in 1908 and has since enjoyed almost 108 years of no success. No major titles has been won despite almost 50 seasons in the top flight. Which on the other hand is somewhat impressive on its own. No other team is even close to that many unsuccessful seasons. Last year saw Örebro reaching the Swedish cup final and leading 1-0 at half time, despite at the time being on the way to relegation and playing IFK Göteborg, the leaders of Allsvenskan. Göteborg scored 2 goals in the second half and won deservedly, but Örebro have never been that close to a title.
2016 preview: Both the 2014 and the 2015 season has seen Örebro start miserably and being in the relegation zone with less than half the season to go. 1 or 2 new players have then been brought in and Örebro have finished the season as the most in-form team in Allsvenskan. After 2014, the new signings left the club, but this time around, the key players (2) have stayed. That along with the comeback of top scorer Alhassan "Crespo" Kamara and the return of former CB Michael Almebäck has seen Örebro evolve to a dark horse. Although the defence has become stronger with the addition of Almebäck, it remains the weakest part of the team. Especially the LB position looks to be one of the weakest in the league. They have 2 GK's who are good enough to start for most teams in the league, they have experienced central midfielders and wingers who can score. They also look to have 2 good strikers who'll compete for 1 spot. The player left in the starting eleven is play maker and star man Astrit Ajdarevic who'll be a strong contender for providing most assists in the league. Last year saw Örebro finish in 9th place, but I have a feeling that it'll go a lot better this year. Maybe it's just wishful thinking, but the team looks strong.
Notable former player(s): Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes)
Key players: Astrit Ajdarevic (CF/CAM), Michael Almebäck (CB), Robert Åhman Persson (CM)
Club: Östersunds FK
Location: Östersund
Manager: Graham Potter
Stadium: Jämtkraft Arena (artificial turf)
About the club: Östersunds FK was formed as late as 1996 when three clubs from Östersund merged. They are the club furthest up north in Allsvenskan, which will make it harder for away supporters to get there. However, some fans from Malmö FF will travel about 1250 km on bike to get there. Wether that's sane or not, I'll leave it up to you to decide. Anyway, Östersund was relegated to the 4th division in 2010, and things didn't look to good. The director of football, Daniel Kindberg, had some connections in England (notably Swansea and Roberto Martinez) and brought in Graham Potter as the new coach. Potter had some connections at Nike football academy, and brought in several successful signings from there. They won the 4th tier the first year and the 3rd tier the following season. After 3 years in the second tier, they finally got promoted and will play their first ever Allsvenskan season this year.
2016 preview: The year started off with rumours about Potter leaving for Premier League side Swansea. He remained with the club and with the addition of new players such as Walid Atta, Ken Sema and Saman Ghoddos, the squad looks stronger than ever. They recently played Everton during the national team break and lost 2-1 (Mirallas x2). However, they felt like they needed another GK and so Jamal Blackman was brought in on loan from Chelsea. Östersund have been very clear with that they're aiming for victory in Allsvenskan. They want to reach Champions League as soon as possible. Considering that they're from a fairly small town far up north, that should be close to impossible. But they've reached this far and are not planning to stop here. They are going to play an attacking possession based football, which is unique for a newly promoted team. They can certainly surprise a lot of teams, but once they lose the ball, it's fairly easy to score on them. I think they should be happy if they stay up, which I believe they will do. Their midfield is very strong, but they lack firepower up front.
Notable former player(s): Modou Barrow (Swansea), David Accam (Chicago Fire)
Key players: Walid Atta (CB), Fouad Bachirou (CDM), Saman Ghoddos (CAM)
This took a lot longer than I thought it would take. As I'm from Sweden, my English is far from perfect, so please correct me if there's something completely wrong. I don't expect all the trivia I've written to be 100% accurate. There might be some errors here and there, so please correct me if you find anything.
Have a nice Saturday!

kasimpasa league table standing video

What is WhatstheScore.com?. WTS.com is simply the best livescore site in English.. Follow all football games live results, look up sports betting stats, learn about the team lineups of clubs and view the schedules of streamed football matches.All this and more is possible on WhatstheScore.com. Our services also allow you to check out videos of goals and highlights. Kasimpasa is currently on the 12 place in the Super Lig table. Last game played with Hatayspor, which ended with result: Win Hatayspor 1:4.The most goals in all leagues for Kasimpasa scored: Armin Hodzic 8 goals, Yusuf Erdogan 4 goals, Isaac Kiese Thelin 4 goals, Bengali-Fode Koita 4 goals, Aytac Kara 3 goals, Alan 3 goals, Kevin Varga 2 goals, Mickael Tirpan 2 goals, Haris Hajradinovic 1 goals, Anil Koc 1 goals. "Football stats - Football tables" (FCStats.com) is a website designed for users looking for league tables, fixtures and results of various competitions. Our guests are able to compare team statistics (clubs and national representations). Every club and every league has it's own section allowing users to submit links to related websites. Turkey - Kasımpaşa Spor Kulübü - Results, fixtures, squad, statistics, photos, videos and news - Soccerway Founded 1953 Address Mehmet Cengiz Sosyal Tesisleri 53020 Rize Country Turkey Phone +90 (464) 226 1901 Fax +90 (464) 214 1911 E-mail [email protected] We have the football league standings for all of the major football & soccer leagues including all of the Turkey's football leagues such as the Turkish Super Lig. We track football league standings for every football season including the 2020/21 season of football only at ScoresPro - #1 football livescores website for all of the Turkey's Super ... Russian Premier League Table. Search. Enter a team or competition Search. Team P W D L F A GD Pts Form; 1: team hasn't moved: Zenit St Petersburg: 19: 12: 5: 2: 43: 15: 28: 41: D Drew 2 - 2 ... Turkish League standings for the 2020/2021 season. All Turkish League tables: home, away, attack, defense... Disclaimer: Although every possible effort is made to ensure the accuracy of our services we accept no responsibility for any kind of use made of any kind of data and information provided by this site. More statistics tables can be accessed from the 'Statistics' dropdown list on the league navigation menu. After 240 matches played in the Turkish league, a total of 648 goals have been scored (2.70 goals per match on average).The menus above provide access to league-level statistics and results analysis, including Turkey - Super Lig results and goal scoring stats such as clean sheets, average ...

kasimpasa league table standing top

Summoned Games - YouTube

Premier League Table 2020 Results Points EPL Standings Now Live Scores Matchday 16 Football #premierleaguetable premier league table, premier league table t... Abu Dhabi T10 League 2021 Points Table T10 League 2021 Points Table T10 League 2021 Standings...#T10League2021#T10League2021PointsTable EPL Points Table Matchweek 10. Premier League Results Today. English Premier League Team Standings 2019-2020. Today EPL Table Match Week 10, 25 October, 26 O... PREMIER LEAGUE Scores, Results & Points Table PL Gameweek 22 Round Up Premier League football moves beyond the festive fixture pile-up, but plenty more gam... T10 Cricket League 2021 All Teams Points Table & Team Standing Dehli Maratha Pune won Most Runs#PakistanSportsWorld .PSL 2021 all team full Squadshttps:/... Need to create a league table in an Excel spreadsheet? This series of 3 videos breaks down the key steps.Download file link:https://tinyurl.com/yyuvpc7eVid ... Hi & Welcome toAshraful BD TVThis video may be create on English Premier League (EPL) Football Tournament 2020/21 Point Table News Update 02 February 2021 ... جدول ترتيب الدوري الالماني, جدول ترتيب الدوري الالماني, جدول ترتيب الدوري الالماني 2021 جدول ترتيب هدافي ... We stand for the people and the seas!! I introduced these guys to Abyss in the hopes they’d have a great time. It went well, and this game needs more table time. Expansions will be added soon. Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

Kasimpasa Results 2021 - Standings and Fixtures - What's ...

kasimpasa league table standing

kasimpasa league table standing - win

With seven league games remaining, what's our realistic expectation for the season?

My analysis of every team's first half of the season.

Turkish Süper Lig team analysis for first half of season

Allsvenskan starts today! Here's a guide to the 2016 season.

kasimpasa league table standing video

kasimpasa league table standing top

Summoned Games - YouTube