Technical analysts said that the march of the Sharjah team in the ADNOC Professional League is witnessing a noticeable decline with negative results in the past three rounds, during which it suffered two consecutive losses in the 17th and 18th rounds against Khorfakkan and Al-Jazira, respectively, and tied with Al Wasl 1-1 in the 19th round, despite winning The “King” won the UAE Super Cup by defeating Al Ain, and before it was crowned with the President’s Cup by defeating Al Wahda.
Since its great victory over Ajman 4-0 in round 16, the team began to slide from first place and top of the standings to fifth place, despite the club’s recent move to contract with Cape Verdean striker Gord Djanini, during the recent winter transfers to support the team’s ranks.
They explained to «Emirates Today» that «there are three main reasons behind the team’s decline in the league, which is the team’s continued lack of player No. 10 or the playmaker, in addition to what they described as the temperament of some players, which is a problem that most of the UAE league clubs suffer from, in addition to the way it has become. Finally, the coach of the Romanian team, Cosmin, is resorting to the defensive method in some matches, although the team includes senior players who can make the difference at any moment if they are properly employed.
And they added: «Despite the difference in points between Sharjah and Shabab Al-Ahly leaders, which has expanded to seven points, the team has a great opportunity to compete for the league title if the technical staff led by Romanian coach Cosmin succeeds in correcting the team’s path again, especially since Sharjah has a distinguished elite of The big players and stars, but the seriousness of the team is not complete without the presence of a playmaker who knows how to create special opportunities on the field and translate them into goals against the competitors. Sharjah lost eight points at once in the last three matches in the league, and its balance is currently 35 points, while the leader, Shabab Al-Ahly, jumped with its score to 42 points after the end of round 19. Sharjah has so far played 19 matches in the league, winning 10, drawing in five, and losing in Four.
Absence of the game maker
The former international player and legal advisor, Salem Hadid, said: “Sharjah does not need a striker or a spearhead, after he recently signed the striker Djanini, but rather a playmaker for all the players who were recently attracted.” Salem Hadid asked, “Is there a technical committee in the club concerned with player contracts in order to choose the suitable ones for the team and their positions?”
He added, “Sharjah attracted elite players and spent large sums of money, but its problem continues in the absence of convincing performance and fighting spirit, and coach Cosmin lacked solutions during recent matches, and his way of playing caused more points to be wasted, and there is also negativity in the performance of some players.”
He continued, “Sharjah is missing a playmaker, and if this problem is addressed, the team can restore its balance and correct its course.”
Incomplete oriental danger
Former director of the football team at Al-Nasr Club and technical analyst Khaled Obaid confirmed that Sharjah’s loss against midfield teams such as Khor Fakkan was not his first against midfield teams, but rather he had previously stumbled against Al-Nasr in a draw, as well as against both Al-Wasl and Al-Wahda, stressing that “Sharjah despite the presence of Scorers who are distinguished by their sense of purpose, such as Alcacer, Osman Camara, and the new player Djanini and Caio Lucas. He is still really missing a playmaker or player number 10 despite the presence of this constellation of players. He lacks a playmaker.”
Khaled Obaid added, “The team that wants to compete for the championship title must not lose in such matches, especially against the midfield teams.”
mood of some players
Former member of the Competitions Committee in the Football Association, Khaled Awad, believes that “the problem that the Sharjah club suffers from is the problem of the entire UAE league, not just the Sharjah club, which is the instability of the technical level of the teams, along with the mood of some players, rather than the fact that the matter is subject to the professional mentality of the players.”
Khaled Awad added: “If the player’s mood is good, he will give all his technical level on the field, and vice versa, given the lack of a professional mentality that makes the player stable on his technical level and giving at the level of all league matches, and the matter is subject to the player’s mood and even family conditions.” The differences are between one half and the next, and what the Sharjah club is going through is a natural thing that is present in all clubs.
35
A point in Sharjah’s balance on the ladder of the league standings.
■ “The King” is seven points behind Shabab Al-Ahly, “the leaders”.
