Turkish football expert explains Osimhen's poor form

Former Fenerbahçe forward and Sivasspor manager Bülent Uygun has delivered a critical assessment of Victor Osimhen's recent performances, warning that the Galatasaray striker remains physically and mentally unprepared following his return from injury.

The 27-year-old Nigerian international is currently enduring a difficult transitional period in Istanbul.

After missing several weeks of crucial action for both club and country, the marquee forward has struggled immensely to re-establish his goalscoring rhythm.

Osimhen's season was derailed in early September when he sustained a severe groin strain during Galatasaray's 3-2 Süper Lig victory over İstanbul Başakşehir.

The muscular setback ruled the 2023 African Player of the Year out of three consecutive club fixtures, including a crucial European clash against Sporting.

Furthermore, the injury completely sidelined him during the recent October international break, forcing him to miss Nigeria's 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying double-header against Guinea-Bissau and Madagascar.

Since returning to the Galatasaray starting lineup, the forward has looked entirely devoid of his usual explosive power.

While he managed to secure an assist during his first game back—a 3-1 victory over Kasımpaşa on October 9—his subsequent performances have raised alarm bells.

Osimhen drew a blank during a heavy 4-1 UEFA Champions League defeat away to Barcelona on October 13, struggling to impose himself against elite opposition.

That frustration carried over into domestic action on Saturday, October 17, when he again failed to find the back of the net during a narrow 1-0 away victory over Gençlerbirliği.

According to Uygun, the root cause of the current slump is a lack of physical coordination combined with a detrimental mindset.

"Osimhen operates within a specific tactical framework designed around his capabilities," Uygun stated.

"His determination to accomplish much following his injury, in together with his body's insufficient coordination and his inclination to express frustration toward his teammates over errors, including those of his own making, demonstrates he remains unprepared," the former manager assessed.

Uygun specifically pointed to the striker's fundamental mechanics failing him in crucial attacking moments.

“Even in the chances he got, he struggled to maintain his footwork in 4-5 steps. He's just returned from a serious injury, which is causing him to remain out of form," he concluded.