I think their squad is finally showing the cracks of simply buying Galacticos (on a local scale). I don't think many of those players are there for the love of the club and its showing. At this point, it's more realistic to qualify for the Champions League next year by winning it rather than trying to claw back a what....13 point gap from fourth place?
But they win won the league twice in a row, so I don't think their (lack of) love for the club was that determinant for this season results. However I agree with you it's too late to fix their problems in the league, but the Champions Cup is quite a possible target.
Not many surprises, but Abdulmajid Alrowaili deserves to be called for NT. He is the best CM this season and was mostly consistent over the season. Besides he is a goalscoring & FK specialist so he has something no other player has it in the team.
He will only get selected only if he joins the antic elite of saudi league , no matter how they perform and how they are playing.Saudi FA is pure S.... I am surprised shocked to the core as they have not selected Wehda players. They just beat Ittihad..
Wehda players need to Join Hilal, Ahli or Ittihad to get called up. I wouldn't be surprised if Assaf Al Qarni now becomes the NT's #1 GK. Also, it's a shame Ali Awaji doesn't get a call-up. That kid is on fire. Also, how the ******** does Al Zori keep getting called up? Does he have some serious blackmail material on someone in the FA?
Also: Results in for the Champs League. Ahli bottles it again against Al Ain losing 1-0 Hilal also bottles it drawing 1-1 with Al Jazira Ittihad bottles the most bottles with a 2-1 loss to Al Nasr (UAE) Our Al Nasr is currently taking an advanced course in bottling with the score against Lekihywa so far being 1-0\ What a shit continental day.
You're probably right, but regarding Alzori (although I've not been his biggest fan) he is having his best season with Hilal, you won't find many LBs who score 5 goals in the league. Saudi NT's set up is different from Hilal's (which gives more freedom to the players on both flanks) so I won't be surprised if Alzori or Yasser Alshahrani struggled with the national team, but looking solely to his club performance I'll say Zori is one of the top & most consistent Hilal players in this season.
One of the worst days for Saudi clubs in ACL not winning a single match.. I think so the clubs have already played a lot of matches including the Kings Cup, and CPC which is taking toll on them
Any one has the final team to be playing agaisnt Malasiya today.. I can see Abdul Majeed Ruwaili training..Naif Hazazi is out ..Who else??
Salem Aldawsari & Bakheshwen are excluded from the list too but I don't know who are the starting 11 tonight.
KSA beats Malasiya 2-0 . The starting line-up was same as usual. Lots of missed chances. Malasiyan players cam for draw.
What I could figure out was too much rely on attack from the flanks. The new coach has not yet able to find his best 11 yet which is of worry. Last game against UAE will be a good test for the coach I beleive
Although his results aren't bad, but I kind of gave up on this manager. Just like Rijkaard he doesn't seem very interested in the job and "following the league from the outside" doesn't cut it for me and that was shown by his selections. This stage of qualifications is too easy to screw up but we will find out how ready his team is in the next one.
KSA 1 - 1 UAE Any one knows how we performed. Also, Marwijk contract expires in April end. FA is not still decided whether he will continue or not.
KSA NT played above average in this game except for following 02 players who lost the ball either too often in danger zone or gifted opportunity to UAE to score due to their lack of footballing sense: Omar Hawsavi in defense and Salman Al Faraj in mid-field. Does Saudi have any good players in place of Osama Hawsavi and Salman Al Faraj ?... I hope Salem Al Dosairy, Nawaf Al Abed and Ahmed Al Fraidi make return / come back to the Saudi NT while we need to have someone replacing Osama Hawsavi, and Al Khabiri as well. Yahya Shehri, Tayseer and Yasser Shehri had excellent game. Why Nasser Al Shamrani was dropped from the Saudi NT ?... Also, Why there's no new talent arising in Saudia any more ?
The NT has huge talent untill they join the big four/five clubs in the league. Otherwise they are of no use..
Yet again disastorous campaign for Saudi clubs in ACL continues - Only one win for Hilal against Jazira , Ittihad drew Nasser UAE and both Ahli and Nasser KSA lost there respective games.
I don't understand why they are that poor so far, and they didn't even play vs. the Iranian teams yet. Ahli & and Nassr still have squads good enough to qualify at least through a 2nd spot and Ittihad have somewhat easier group than the others. Hilal chocked too away at UAE but it's likely they will qualify and can even top the group if they win & draw the 2 games vs. Tractor at the neutral stadiums, which is doable. I'm thinking the league got more & more closer to Ahli.
Few reasons I might quote- - Clubs say it is headache to qualify to the next round seeing how the FA does not cooperate with the clubs to re-arrange the league fixtures - The league is already exhausted with fixtures which makes clubs not to much focus on the ACL - Also lately the AFC referees managed to screw Saudi clubs in KO which has also evaporated certain interest from the clubs to go all out and win.
Some of your reasons may be true but I as an outsider see a big difference in Saudi Arabia. You lack charismatic players. You had Nawaf Temyat, Saeed Al Owairan, Majed Abdulla, Sami al Jaber, Adeayea, Abodulghani Suleymani, Khilaiwi (pronunciation might be wrong),... your team in 90s was strong because you had strong players. Your football academies seems not working well.
If I take your point of view with approach to NT you might be right. But for clubs, you can't deny Saudi clubs used to have cake walks against UAE and Qatari teams whether home or away. But this time its far from worst in the ACL.
Well well well, M. Noor is no longer banned for 4 years from taking any part in football! I don't know what happen but the coming days/weeks will sure be full of accusations.