“He is starting to get angry” — Ex-Galatasaray on Osimhen’s open play goal drought

By Monsurah Olatunji

Former Galatasaray player Gökmen Özdenek has come to the defense of Nigeria international Victor Osimhen, describing the striker as “angry” over his recent struggles in front of goal.

Osimhen, who has been a key figure for Galatasaray since joining, was visibly frustrated with his teammates following their disappointing 1-1 draw against relegation-threatened Hatayspor.

Despite his impressive start to life in Turkey, where his goals helped Galatasaray open up a significant lead in the Super Lig, Osimhen has been unable to find the back of the net from open play in recent matches.

In his last eight Super Lig appearances, Osimhen has scored five goals, but four of those have come from the penalty spot. His only goal from open play during this stretch came in a 2-0 victory over Göztepe, leaving many to question his recent dip in form.

Özdenek, who enjoyed a successful stint at Galatasaray, has now offered an explanation for the Nigerian’s lack of goals. Speaking to GS Gazete, he criticized Galatasaray’s creative players for failing to provide adequate service to Osimhen.

“Galatasaray cannot send the balls they want to Osimhen,” Özdenek said.

“Icardi is a player who plays more with his teammates, but Galatasaray’s other wingers and full-backs should be feeding Osimhen. I see that he is starting to get angry. He is a little right.”

Özdenek also pointed out that despite dominating possession and creating opportunities, Galatasaray’s inability to convert chances against Hatayspor was a missed opportunity.

“Under normal circumstances, the Hatayspor-Galatasaray match could have ended 7-0 or 8-0, but it did not,” he added.

“These things happen in football. You beat teams like Göztepe and Başakşehir, and then you drop two points to Hatayspor. This is how things are. The calculations at home do not match the market.”

As Osimhen continues to search for form, many fans are hoping that Galatasaray’s creative players will find a way to support the striker more effectively, enabling him to return to his goal-scoring ways.