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Below the Bar — A Need for Self-Reflection
We didn’t set the bar too high. We aimed for a realistic, reachable target for these rounds. Yet, we still managed to go under it — and crash loudly in the process. It’s time to look ourselves in the mirror.
Published: 15/10/2025 16:03
Yesterday I wrote that these two rounds would be absolutely crucial. I believed they would largely define our team’s trajectory for the season — they would show our squad’s potential and reveal how effectively we evaluate the game’s data. Unfortunately, what I feared in the negative scenario is exactly what happened: a poor round, which, although not yet over, already looks disastrous and proved that we appeared unprepared — or rather, that we failed to adapt to the evolving conditions of the game.
In two consecutive review pieces with bold headlines, I stressed how important the coach selection is and how, given how unready most teams are, we should move round by round, avoiding long-term coaching strategies. Just last week, I wrote that Real Madrid was hosting ASVEL and that Scariolo was a must-have pick, regardless of his price. This round, the same weak ASVEL was playing at OAKA — yet we chose Jasikevicius with a two-round horizon, exactly the kind of long-term move I had criticized as poor strategy. We crashed hard. And as much as that -20 feels like a harsh punishment, it’s one we fully deserved. We refused to acknowledge the clear signs that Fenerbahce had been in bad shape since the season’s start. Just as we deserved the punishment two rounds ago with the Kattash pick — which, as yesterday confirmed once again, led to the same confused and poorly structured Maccabi team.
Let’s also look at our players. Last round, we said having three Olympiacos players was a smart move, given the injury situation. And it was — we were right to make it. But what was an advantage one week became a disadvantage the next. The same heavy minutes and leading roles that helped us before now worked against us. If you factor in Sunday’s derby, where some of them played up to 37 minutes, we should have accounted for fatigue. Why, in mid-October, some players already look as exhausted as if we were in May — in a team with a 15–16 player roster — is a big question, and responsibility for that clearly lies somewhere specific.
So, Vezenkov ended up with 19 (and 38 as captain), Milutinov with 10, and Dorsey with 7.
Osmani didn’t play much this round because of foul trouble and, despite scoring 12 points, gave us just 9.9, even with the win. Baldwin didn’t justify our expectations — nor the financial sacrifices we made to bring him in — as he, too, contributed (if not led) to his team’s miserable display. Ricci, who eventually replaced Samodurov, will bring 0.5 points from the bench — not that we expected much more anyway.
For the second day, we don’t have many alternatives. We’ll do what necessity dictates — since we’ve painted ourselves into this corner. We’ll go with a 3-1-1 formation, sending Dorsey and Osmani to the bench, and hoping Forrest, Oturu, and De Larrea can at least limit the damage and slow down the free fall we’re currently in.
For last-minute changes, comments, or feedback, follow on X @NewEntryIlias
In two consecutive review pieces with bold headlines, I stressed how important the coach selection is and how, given how unready most teams are, we should move round by round, avoiding long-term coaching strategies. Just last week, I wrote that Real Madrid was hosting ASVEL and that Scariolo was a must-have pick, regardless of his price. This round, the same weak ASVEL was playing at OAKA — yet we chose Jasikevicius with a two-round horizon, exactly the kind of long-term move I had criticized as poor strategy. We crashed hard. And as much as that -20 feels like a harsh punishment, it’s one we fully deserved. We refused to acknowledge the clear signs that Fenerbahce had been in bad shape since the season’s start. Just as we deserved the punishment two rounds ago with the Kattash pick — which, as yesterday confirmed once again, led to the same confused and poorly structured Maccabi team.
Let’s also look at our players. Last round, we said having three Olympiacos players was a smart move, given the injury situation. And it was — we were right to make it. But what was an advantage one week became a disadvantage the next. The same heavy minutes and leading roles that helped us before now worked against us. If you factor in Sunday’s derby, where some of them played up to 37 minutes, we should have accounted for fatigue. Why, in mid-October, some players already look as exhausted as if we were in May — in a team with a 15–16 player roster — is a big question, and responsibility for that clearly lies somewhere specific.
So, Vezenkov ended up with 19 (and 38 as captain), Milutinov with 10, and Dorsey with 7.
Osmani didn’t play much this round because of foul trouble and, despite scoring 12 points, gave us just 9.9, even with the win. Baldwin didn’t justify our expectations — nor the financial sacrifices we made to bring him in — as he, too, contributed (if not led) to his team’s miserable display. Ricci, who eventually replaced Samodurov, will bring 0.5 points from the bench — not that we expected much more anyway.
For the second day, we don’t have many alternatives. We’ll do what necessity dictates — since we’ve painted ourselves into this corner. We’ll go with a 3-1-1 formation, sending Dorsey and Osmani to the bench, and hoping Forrest, Oturu, and De Larrea can at least limit the damage and slow down the free fall we’re currently in.
For last-minute changes, comments, or feedback, follow on X @NewEntryIlias
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