Athletes affirmed that the national football team needs to score the largest number of goals and win the remaining 12 points in the joint qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup and 2023 Asian Cup, requiring the new coach of the team, Colombian Jorge Luis Pinto, to adopt an offensive playing method, while not defending the defensive side, By relying on Ali Mabkhout and Sebastian Tigali as my spearheads in the front line, with Omar Abdul Rahman, Lima and Khalfan Mubarak as distinct game makers, and in case Caio joined in the coming period, they assured that Pinto can apply more than one way of playing between them 4-4- 2, considering that the team's opportunity to qualify for the second round, although difficult, is not impossible if the coach succeeds in how to deal with the remaining matches without any compromise at any point and not underestimate and respect the competitors, pointing out that the coach Pinto needs a double effort by 150% In order for him to communicate his ideas to the players and digest the technical method he applies, especially since the remaining period that separates the team from playing its official matches as of next October is considered short.
They told «Emirates Today»: “Reliance on the duo of Ali Mabkhout and Tegali in the attack represents the trump card, especially as both of them are good at paying goals, and they have been competing for the title of top scorer in the UAE league in recent years.” The team is running in an external camp in Serbia, during the period from the fifth to the 23rd of this month, in preparation for the remaining four matches in the qualifiers, in October and November.
Al-Abyad is fourth in Group Seven with six points from two wins for Malaysia and Indonesia, while it also lost two games against Vietnam and Thailand.
The former national team coach, Dr. Abdullah Misfer, considered that the coach Pinto will choose the most appropriate method of play according to the elements chosen for the team, considering that if the coach has seen many videos of the players during their previous games, he will have a good idea about them, and he can quickly form an idea of The team after seeing the playing methods that fit the way the team. He added, "There are several playing methods that Pinto can resort to, such as 4-4-2 and 4-3-3-1," stressing the importance of the media's role in raising the positive points that can serve the team in the next stage.
For his part, Al-Nasr Club board member and former international player Abdul Rahman Mohammed stressed that although every coach has a specific plan and strategy to walk on, he does not expect major changes in the plan and the way the team will play in the era of the Colombian coach Pinto, pointing out that Pinto He needs to double his effort with the national team by up to 150% to be able to get to know more about the players.
He added: "Pinto needs to study the team more closely, and also needs to play many friendly matches, and to watch previous games for the team in order to quickly reach the goals he wants and create the appropriate combination that he will play with."
He continued: «Given the team’s need to score goals to harvest the remaining 12 points in the playoffs, the team needs to play in an offensive way by relying on Tigali and Makhbout as my spearhead, with high-level play makers such as Amouri, Lima, Khalfan Mubarak and Abdullah Ramadan».
In turn, the director of the first football team of the former Al-Nasr club Khaled Obaid stressed that in light of the presence of this elite of players, the options are available to the coach, in addition to the presence of Tigali and Lima a strong new addition to the team.
Khaled Ubaid considered that the weakest link in the national team lies in the defense line, due to the fact that there are disparities in the ages of the players between 22 to 35 years, which makes it difficult to harmonize between them, as well as a disparity in effort, in addition to that the older players in the defense cannot give the same return. Within 90 minutes, considering that there is no problem in the middle and attack lines, given that options are available.
Khaled Obaid stressed the importance of the balance between defense and attack, as well as the coach having to choose the best way to deal with his opponents according to the capabilities of the players.