Ok boys we got a good draw IMHO opening match against the hosts should be fun, the first team in Asia to ever achieve this. I believe we can beat Egypt and draw both Russia and Uruguay and get to the next round with 5 points.
So, Saudi Arabia plays the opening match against Russia... Russia will be under more pressure in front of home crowd and specially in the first match. Saudi Arabia should take this opportunity as Saudi Arabia is capable of beating both Russia and Uruguay. Egypt (who Saudi Arabia plays in the last game) is a different proposition and is toughest of all the teams in the same group. Positive results in first 2 games can give a sigh of relief in the last group game against Egypt. Must win against both Russia and Uruguay (which Saudi Arabia is capable of doing). To prepare against Russia, Saudi Arabia needs to play against the likes of Serbia, Slovakia, Italy, Holland, Czech Republic, Iceland To prepare against Uruguay, Saudi Arabia needs to play friendly at least 3 friendly matches against the likes of Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Brazil and Argentina. To prepare against Egypt, Saudi Arabia can look into playing friendly matches against the likes of Congo, Uganda, Mali, Zambia, Cameroon
I believe its the other way around... You can beat Russia 1-0 and then look for a draw against Uruguay. Then leave the last game against Egypt to be a brotherly match where both teams would be in a position to qualify to the next round (and hopefully Egyptian will do just the same as Saudis to ensure both Arab countries qualify)... I think you can beat Russia because both Saudi Arabia and Russia are almost equally ranked (where Russia has an advantage of Home Ground but the PRESSURE will be more on Russia in the very first game of the tournament and Saudis can take advantage of this by playing a neat counter-attacking sort of a game)... If the match is going towards a draw then don't try something over-smart or extra (like the Saudi did against Australia in Melboure and lost the match 3-2)... Let it end in a draw and then concentrate on the next match against Uruguay. Maybe Russia will do mistakes in the game to gain maximum points which will give an opportunity or array of light for Saudi Arabia to do a counter-attack to snatch a winning goal of the match. Keep the fingers crossed. However, be really aware of Russian Player No. 11... He shoots at goal like a rocket from outside the box after dribbling so one player should keep an eye on him.
BTW, can anyone share here clip of the friendly match between Saudi Arabia and Urguay played in 2002 which Saudi Arabia won 3-2 ?... I couldn't find it on youtube. I remember that Saudi Arabia was leading 3-Nil inside 30 minutes of the first half before Uruguay pulled back 2 goals.
I just seen friendly matches results of Russia, and I must say that they are really impressive. Russia drew with Spain 3-3 (when Russia was 2 goals down) Russia defeated South Korea 4-2 Russia drew with Iran 1-1 and Russia lost marginally against Messi's Argentina 1-0 Russia is competitive and the players also try to keep the motivation high in front of home crowd. Russian game is not an easy one, and it's good that Saudi Arabia will play that game first so that the pressure is over. Even if Saudi loses the first match (Allah Forbid) then Saudi will still have all to play for in the remainder of the group matches and it might be a repeat of USA94 where Saudi Arabia lost the 1st match but came back strongly in the remaining 2 games to qualify to the next round. However, I hope that Saudi wins the game and if not a win then at least look for a draw (Insha' Allah) as having a point at least is better than having no points at all.
watching re-telecast of Hilal x Ahli match on MBC Pro Sports 1. I feel that Jahfli is one of the best defender and deserves to be part of the national team. Also, Mohammed Kanno is an excellent player. On a separate note, Abdullah Hafith is far better defender than Osama Howsavi. Hafith should be considered for national team duty. BTW, Saudia needs tall players like Howsavi, Jahfli, Hafith and Kanno as their height also makes an impact on the field on opposing team's players.
Shame Salem has to come off the bench with Al-Hilal. Hes been the best saudi player the last 5 weeks. With His physical prowess and speed, he really should be playing in europe. Would be nice if he replaces the super slow and old taysir in the starting lineup with al Muwalad replacing shalawi. No true CF
First casualty of WC squad. Hazza Al Hazza has suffered ACL and may or mostly the WC leaving us with more crap strikers now.. Mukhtar Falltah Sahlawi Muhanad Asiri Nasser Shamrani All of them out of form. If KSA can play with false 9 , we can get some results in WC otherwise things look bleak so far ..
Muhanad Asiri is far better than Sahlawi... (Sahlawi is over-rated). Also, Islam Siraj is also another better striker to look at. Then comes Nasser Shamrani and Naif Hazazi, while others follow afterwards.
Saudi Arabia reveal their 2018 @FIFAWorldCup preparations schedule: 27 Feb: vs (A) 23 March: vs in 28 March: vs (A) 9 April & 15 May (TBC) 28 May: vs (A) 3 June: vs (Venue TBC) 8 June: vs (A) https://twitter.com/ahdaafme
I don't think that you need 4 goal keepers in the squad (one GK should be dropped off later on). Also, you can't leave Shamrani, Abed, Buraik and Fraidi out of the squad as they are verstile players and should be included in the team. Mujahid Al Munei is a surprise though he requires international experience and too young & inexperienced to be in the team. Muhannad Assiri should have had been a better choice.
Some players only need to add in there CV that they play for Hilal F.C, thats it.. CORRECTION: THIS IS NOT THE TEAM TO FACE IRAQ. ITS FOR THE TRAINING CAMP ONLY
Juan Antonio Pizzi in search of firepower for Saudi Arabia LONDON: Saudi Arabia coach Juan Antonio Pizzi said he will be scouring the Saudi Professional League in search of a goalscoring striker to solve what he describes as “a deficiency” in the team’s attack after he named his squad for Saudi Arabia’s international friendly against Iraq in Basra next month... “We know about the deficiency in attack we have in the team but in our opinion all the players here, the doors are open for them to be with us and we will attend matches in the Saudi league and look at all the players and all the strikers,” Pizzi said. “All the players here that want to play, will be with us and we will call them all up. But that does not mean the first squad list at the training camp will be the ones at the World Cup. They have a long way to go and we have a long time to look at the players and hopefully we will select the best players who will perform well at the World Cup.” Pizzi is yet to take charge of a game since replacing Bauza but spent all of last week with 25 players at a Riyadh training camp. “The experience of the first training camp has been a very good one, we are very happy because all of the players were present so we could get to know them,” he said. “It was a very good experience and hopefully in the second training camp, the experience will be the same and we will have more players. For sure we will converse with them and we will be present to watch the players in the Saudi league. “Fundamentally the first training camp was to get to know the players, to understand the style of play, what they needed, to have a look at their capacities and capacity so we wanted the first training camp to be without a friendly match but in the second training camp there will be a friendly match.” The Green Falcons will reconvene on Feb. 21 for another training camp followed by a friendly with Iraq in Basra six days later. Pizzi, who used to be in charge of Chile, is pleased with what he saw. “For us the capabilities and capacities of the players are of a high ability and they have good ability with the ball and play in a very good way and we have shown them our ideas and the style of play which hopefully they will accept and learn,” he said. Pizzi has coached in Argentina, Peru, Spain and Chile and encountered his fair share of problems. He is hoping for a smoother ride in charge of the Green Falcons.
Saudi Arabia pick 41-year-old for match with Iraq LONDON: Juan Antonio Pizzi has sprung a huge surprise by recalling two veterans, with a combined age of 78, to the national side to face Iraq in a friendly next month. Defender Hussein Abdulghani, 41, and midfielder Mohammed Al-Shlhoub, 37, have been included in the XI named well advance of the match with their Gulf rivals at Basra Sports City stadium on Feb. 28. Abdulghani will play on the left side of a four-man defence while Al-Shlhoub will be play in the middle of a five-man midfield. A third veteran, Al-Nassr’s 34-year-old striker Hassan Al-Raheb, has been named on the bench. He won his last cap in 2009 in a friendly against Qatar.... Team to face Iraq Abdulquddus Atiah; Hassan Muath, Saeed Al Robeai, Ahmed Assiri, Hussein Abdulghani; Ibrahim Ghaleb, Hattan Bahebri, Ahmed Al Fraidi, Mohammed Al-Shlhoub, Mohammed Al Kuwaykibi; Abdulfattah Adam. Substitues: Waleed Abdullah, Saeed Al Mowalad, Mohammed Jahfali, Abdullah Al Zouri, Waleed Bakshween, Mohammed Abousaban, Nasser Al Shamrani and Hassan Al-Raheb. Squad for the training camp in Riyadh Feb. 21-27 Goalkeepers: Waleed Abdullah (Al-Nassr), Abdulquddus Atiah (Al-Fayha) Defender: Hassan Muath (Al-Shabab), Saeed Al Robeai (Al-Faisaly), Ahmed Assiri (Al-Ittihad Jeddah), Abdullah Al Zouri (Al-Hilal), Hussein Abdulghani (FC Vereya, Bulgaria), Mohammed Jahfali (Al-Hilal), Saeed Al Mowalad (Al-Ahly Jeddah) Midfielders: Waleed Bakshween (Al-Ahly Jeddah), Mohammed Abousaban (Al-Faisaly), Ibrahim Ghaleb (Al-Nassr), Ahmed Al Fraidi (Al-Nassr), Hattan Bahebri (Al-Shabab), Mohammed Al Shlhoub (Al-Hilal), Mohammed Al Kuwaykibi (Al-Ettifaq). Forwards: Nasser Al Shamrani (Al-Shabab), Hassan Al Raheb (Al-Nassr), Abdulfattah Adam (Al-Taawun)
I heard lately , Hussain Abdul Ghani is playing delightfully in the Bulgarian league. Don't know whether its the league or he has not lost his touch yet..
2007 Asian Cup player Mahdi Karim is going to use this match as retirement game, so it will be a meaningless match with B-teams. Still a good chance to try to lift the ban on international matches for Iraq
26. February Saudi Arabia vs Moldova in Jeddah. Iraq friendly cancelled ? http://www.fmf.md/ro/news/nationala-moldovei-meci-amical-cu-arabia-saudita
First blood for Pitzi, KSA wins 3-0 against Moldova. Too early to get carried away.The same start under was under the former coach too.. His performance will be judged only on FIFA days friendlies where team will be playing full strength squad. Lastly, Sahlawi has to be dropped now . He missed few sitters or else the score line would be higher. Pizzi has to find new striker who is consistent.. Muhanad Asiri is good but he's old now.
Omitting Salman Alfaraj is a really dumb idea. He was instrumental in the qualfiers, the most consistent holding midfielders in the qualfiers. Turki is clearly pulling all the strings here. Listening to clueless dumb fans complain about too much hilal players. The fact of that matter is that he still is a high quality holding midfielders that can create opportunities. This is what happens when you change coahces mid-way, they make idiotic changes.
Sahlawhi is there because despite his lack of confidence to score goals he's the best passing CF in Saudi Arabia. You gotta think more outside of the box man.
Players summoned for the preparation camp ahead of the coming friendly match with Ukraine and Belgium. 📊| قائمة الأسماء المختارة لمعسكري إسبانيا وبلجيكا الذي ينطلق بعد غدٍ السبت.#معاك_يالاخضر pic.twitter.com/1UJKNUY3Mu— المنتخب السعودي (@SaudiNT) March 15, 2018