Topic: Saudi Professional League 2023/2024 - page 215. (Read 119391 times)

Karim Benzema's recent issues with Al Ittihad I think is one of the reasons why he's been underperforming in recent games. The Frenchman seems like he's lost his form as a top footballer and I don't think he'll be able to return back to same goalscoring form we saw him display during his time at Real Madrid. The club should try and let go of the Frenchman if they really want to improve and get another striker that'll be very dedicated to the club. Gone are the days players are forced to play for clubs that they aren't happy to play for and the earlier Al Ittihad lets go of Karim Benzema, the better for the future of the Saudi Arabian club

As long as Ronaldo is still trusted by his teammates, there is no doubt that Ronaldo will add goals and after your post, Cristiano Ronaldo closed the match with a hat trick for Al Nassr's 5-1 victory over Al Tae.
Ronaldo's additional three goals in this match further cemented him as the top scorer in the Saudi Pro League.

That is an individual achievement, but he has not been able to achieve club achievements since joining because Al Nassr's rivals, Al Hilal, are still very difficult to catch in terms of points because they also managed to win against Al Shabab with a score of 3-4.

Al Shabab vs Al Hilal.

Well, this match initially seemed like it would be difficult for Al Shabab to equalize, which in fact Al Hilal was leading 1-4. In this match, the home team put up quite a fight towards Al Hilal in the second half, before Al Shabab took the lead in the 3rd minute with a quick goal from Musab Fabd Aljuwary. However, the squad coached by Jorge Jesus was able to turn the situation around to their advantage, Al Hilal opened the opportunity in the 20th minute through the penalty spot. Then, Mitrovic scored his second goal again in the 27th minute. Unfortunately, he had to be pulled out and replaced by Al-Shehri because he allegedly had a problem that led to injury. However, Al Hilal still did not relax their game. Before the end of the first half, Segej Savic added to his team's lead. Not wanting to lose, Al Dawsari also contributed one goal in this match. now the temporary position is with a score of 3-4, a victory for Al Hilal. The match still left enough time for both teams to score goals for their teams. However, it seems that it will be very difficult to overthrow Al Hilal which is currently in a positive trend. well, let's just wait for this match to end.

At the same time, Al Nassr defeated Al Tae with a score of 4-1. The match is not over yet, and Ronaldo contributed two goals in this match, it does not rule out the possibility that Ronaldo will be able to add to his tally of goals. Thus, Ronaldo can keep his distance from Mitrovic in terms of scoring goals. but at least for this match, both Mitrovic and Ronaldo scored two goals. the difference is, Mitrovic was pulled out and replaced by another player. Al Hilal's standings remain safe, especially if they are able to finish this match with a win. well, it seems Al Hilal is getting closer to the Saudi Pro League trophy.

Al - Shabab - Al Hilal

This is a game in which Al Hilal is being seen as the favorite to win the game, but it will not be a very easy game for Al Hilal who are leading the league with a 12 point advantage, practically Al Hilal are champions, I doubt it It's a lot that they don't become champions, but talking about the game that will start shortly, Al Hilal is on a run of 24 games without losing, that's something incredible, while their opponent who plays at home, in the last few 5 games had 2 wins, 2 losses and 1 draw. but as they play at home and in their last game they won, so this could create some difficulties for Al Hilal.

Al Hilal has the following players injured: Neymar

Al - Shabab has the following players injured: Kim Seung-gyu

Both teams have few injured players, which means they will play at full strength

Al-Nassr - Al Tai

With little chance of becoming champions, Al-Nassr comes to this game with a low performance in the last 5 games, they had 3 wins, 1 loss and 1 draw. They are a team with serious defensive problems, they conceded 33 goals, something that surpasses many other teams that are in lower positions than them. On the other side we have Al Tai who in the last 5 games had only 1 win, 2 defeats, 2 draws and are fighting to get out of the relegation zone. So this is a good opportunity for Al-Nassr to win and get 3 points and keep praying for Al Hilal to lose points, something very difficult to happen

Al-Nassr has the following players injured: Nawaf Al-Aqidi (was suspended), Talisca

Al Tai has the following injured players: no injured players

Al Shahab will host Al Hilal in less than an hour, this is clearly a difficult match for Al Shahab because they have to face a club that is at the top of the standings and they will soon lock up the title. Even though this is a home match for them, it still doesn't have much of an impact, because the difference between the two clubs that will compete is very big, so it won't be easy for Al Shahab.

I think Al Shahab will play defensively in this match, because if they are too bold in attacking it will create gaps in the back line and that is very dangerous for them. They can apply a defensive strategy in the hope that they will at least hold Al Hilal to a draw, because in terms of ability it seems like it will be very difficult for them to beat Al Hilal. Here it is clear who has the advantage and there is no doubt about it. Now there are not many options for the hosts if they want to get points, because even 1 is very difficult for them to get.

Im still impresed on how the Altawoun keeps fightin in the top positions of the league alongside the msot powerfull and reinforcement teams of the league, a really good job did by this guys until now, surely nobody at the start of the league expect this performance from them.

About Al itihad they are now only 2 points behind the third position.

The club must make some improvements, especially on its defending line. It's good to see Ittihad win with pretty huge scores against Fayha, but it must be noted that Ittihad was unable to win the game with a clean sheet. Al ittihad needs to improve its level considering the fact that if its competitors are still far higher compared with it.
This is a good step for al ittihad to get into the higher level. I strongly believe that if club will able to play better in the upcoming games. Benzema was not playing for full time and it was a signal if he was not fully recovering from his injury. I can still at very least see him play in this game .
Benzema's performance was quite impressive even though he was rarely playing the game with ittihad.

Al Ittihad victory over Al Feiha with a score of 3-1 could actually be predicted, that this was an easy match for Al Ittihad. However, in reality this will not have a big impact on their position in the standings, because their position is still stuck in fourth place in the Saudi Pro League standings for now. I predict that Al Ittihad will find it difficult to secure tickets to the Asian Champions League next season, because as we know their performance this season has declined significantly from the previous season. Although their latest victory feels like it came too late, at least it can give them good confidence to complete the remaining matches this season.

Actually, Al Ittihad opportunity to finish in third place is still quite open, because they are only 2 points away from Al Ahli who are currently in 3rd place. If they can finish in 3rd place in the standings, then they have the right to go to the Asian Champions League, but through the qualification route. Al Ittihad failure this season to retain the trophy is truly a shame, their mega star Benzema has not performed well all the time. However, now conditions are starting to improve a little, and Al Ittihad must prepare better for next season.

It was the second missed penalty for Benzema during his recruitment by Al Ittihad, I think fortunately Al Ittihad was able to win in that match so Benzema's penalty failure is not too much of a highlight for the media at this time, but if Al Ittihad fails to win of course Benzema will continue to be blamed for Benzema's failure to score a penalty, and surely we will see Benzema's social media which will be full of insults from Al Ittihad fans at this time , At the moment, I think Benzema is in bad shape, although he managed to provide assists for Al Ittihad, of course it will not match his capacity as the highest-paid player in Al Ittihad.

Currently Benzema is the most expensive player at Al Ittihad and his salary is almost equivalent to Ronaldo who is paid by Al Nassr around 200 million euros at the moment, but I actually see Benzema's performance in scoring goals actually decreased compared to Abderrazak Hamdallah who actually has a smaller fee than Benzema at the moment, Abderrazak Hamdallah continues to be able to make a big contribution to Al Ittihad so far and it is fitting that they thank him by giving him Better offer next season, until now I no longer see Benzema scoring goals since december 2023 and of course that indicates Benzema current form has dropped dramatically.

The SPL spending crazily on European players is one big and crazy reason that if we keep dwelling on we may probably keep arguing forever on what they feel is benefiting them. Yes them spending heavily on old cargo Europe is of huge benefits to the clubs in the SPL as there’s a benefit of experience and leadership, as these players bring lot of leadership experience and qualities to the team and that’s important to mentor young players. There’s also a benefit of marketability, fan engagement as  and immediate impact as compared to how young players make take a while to be able to adapt and develop.

 Though there are still some drawbacks such as shorter play time, impact on team dynamics as these could probably draw back the club’s performance. But when you compare the benefits and the drawbacks, you know that the club goes for players whom they can have more of the benefits than the drawbacks and this is what’s essential for the SPL continuity and growth
 
The thoughts of the Nation’s government to stop this signing from Europe can be well understood as the government might be watching on the financial implications signing of European players have on the Spl clubs. Also the government want the domestic players to be improved and when the influx of European players is limited, then local talent is developed for the future.

 Though to an extent it’s seen as political and I feel they shouldn’t enforce it hard on the clubs because most of the clubs always try to get a balance for their local players and European players. ⁠Ronaldo been named as ambassador could be one of the reasons for the government’s action on European players but I feel the government should let the clubs do what they want as long as they’ll be able to bear the cost.

The new player who joined to support the Al Ittihad club, namely Karim Benzema, brought great luck to the Al Ittihad team in this match against the Al Fayha team. Indeed, Al Ittihad's young players are not too bad when they play on the field, but the presence of well-known players from Europe certainly brings a breath of fresh air for them. The Al Ittihad Club, namely the team, is now getting stronger and invincible, especially since Al Ittihad now has many people who know and like the club.

The 3-1 win over Al Fayha will certainly be an additional point for the Al Ittihad squad and I personally think Al Ittihad will perform optimally in this match and will be even more optimal with the inclusion of Karim Benzema to win this match.
As can be seen from the match statistics, the Al Ittihad club really dominated, playing very well compared to the Al Fayha squad as a whole playing on the field.

I didn't watch this match, but it seems that Al Ittihad played the match quite well. Based on match statistics, Al Ittihad was more dominant in controlling the match. Apart from that, Al Ittihad is superior in terms of the opportunities they create. In this match, Benzema contributed one assist. less bad, than not contributing at all. However, this victory should actually be a natural thing, considering that the two teams have a gap based on player depth and standings ranking. It's just that, I haven't seen Marcelo Gerllardo use the system that is usually his mainstay. In several matches, Al Ittihad tends to use a 4-4-2 pattern. But in reality, Gerllardo is a coach who promotes an offensive pattern. I think he experienced problems with the available players, which ultimately resulted in him often using a defensive pattern. however, at least Al Ittihad is starting to win match after match.

IMO, it looks like Marcelo Gerllardo needs additional players so he can implement the system he wants. Maybe if he hadn't been fired, Gerllardo would have brought in players according to his squad's needs. well, now Al Ittihad is in 4th place, 3 points ahead of Al Taawon. The following week, Al Ittihad will visit Al-Ahli's home ground. If Benzema and his friends are able to beat Al-Ahli's match later, that means Al Ittihad will move up to 3rd place. at least, not bad for last season's title winners. As for Benzema, we'll just follow his developments in the Saudi Pro League.
Another match, Al Hilal will visit Al Shabab. Meanwhile, Al Nassr will play the match against Al Tae. Well, let's just wait for the results of these two matches.

Al Ittihad played a beautiful game today. Even with Benzema only coming in later, his impact was undeniable. The man's a football mastermind. His presence elevates the whole team's strategy. That 3-1 win proves they're a force to be reckoned with, even without dominating possession. Their attack was sharp, a pleasure to watch break through Al Fayha's tough defense.

Al Ittihad was the clear favorite, and frankly, an easy win for those who saw their potential. The league standings paint a pretty obvious picture of the reliable teams out there. That said, the Ahli vs. Ettifaq draw was a bit of surprise - I had my money on a different outcome there.

I just checked the match results and a 2-2 draw really does happen in matches like this. But Al-Ettifaq would have almost won if Al Ammar had not scored a goal in the final minute after taking advantage of an assist from Riyadh Mahrez. Al-Ahli was very lucky not to lose and at least they still pocketed 1 point from this match.

I didn't expect Al-Ettifaq to be able to make things difficult for Al-Ahi, who has a more mature squad depth and also Al-Ettifaq didn't feel weak even though they were only supported by a handful of European players. Quite good results from both teams where each team was able to maintain its current position in the standings and next week they will have to try even harder to secure victory.

Ittihad totally owned its opponent. Ez money and yeah it's very easy to predict which team that was winning the game and al ittihad was doing it.




The statistics show that Ittihad was not fully owning the ball possessions but was threatening Al Fayha many times through its attack. Benzema was not playing full time in this game and left the match after his coach thought that Benzema was almost reaching his limit.

Ez money for all of people bet on total over and ittihad won the game. There will be another match to come soon and it will be another ez match like this between al hilal vs shabab and al nassr vs tai.

The result from ahli vs ettifaq truly disappointed me as a bettor.

The match was exciting, Al Ittihad played more dominantly in this match to be able to win even though they were 1 goal behind, but not long after, Al Ittihad was able to equalize until finally Al Feiha was unable to do much more and they had difficulty keeping up with Al Ittihad's game. Now Al Ittihad's position is getting better and is in the top 4 for the time being. I hope Al Ittihad can provide good performance towards the end of the season.

If Al Ittihad loses this match, I am sure Karim Benzema will be the first person to be blamed because he failed to execute a penalty, but luckily Al Ittihad can win so that makes Benzema's mistake covered. I have a fundamental reason when I say all that, because at the beginning Benzema had a not very good relationship, especially with the coach, so his mistake might be used to blame himself again.
Al Ittihad overall played well in this match, they were able to appear effective even though they also had gaps that the opponent could exploit in their back line. but this 3-1 win made that a little more obscure. However, I was also happy when I saw that Benzema was trusted again even though he had to miss a penalty, but that was a very normal thing because in a penalty there is a 50/50 chance of whether it will be a goal or not. With this victory, Al Ittihad recorded its 3rd win in a row. They also managed to maintain their position, even though it was very difficult to break into the top 2.

Karim Benzema failed to execute the penalty and a few minutes later Ittihad FC actually had to accept their goal was penetrated by their opponent so they fell behind, fortunately Karim Benzema managed to make an assist so that his failure did not really affect the team's performance, especially until the final minute of the match Ittihad managed to lead 3-1 to get three points.
Abderrazak Hamdallah is slowly starting to return to being a productive striker and his productivity means his team can get a lot of points to slowly improve their position in the standings even though it is quite late because it is impossible for them to catch up with the points left behind by Al-Hilal but Ittihad FC has the opportunity to get third place because of Al-Ahli only drew with Al-Ettifaq, but unfortunately fourth or third place didn't have any influence.

Benzema managed to contribute to Al ittihad victory in the match with one assist he created, Benzema's game in my opinion was quite standard in the match and now Benzema is prolonging his deadlock in scoring,  throughout 2024 even Benzema failed to score 1 goal for Al ittihad and interestingly again in the match he failed to score again even though through a penalty,  the last time Benzema helped Al Ittihad with his goal was in December 2023,  It's definitely a question of how Benzema has Performed at Al Ittihad so far and I think after a lot of controversy that he has done maybe Al Ittihad will try to discard Benzema next season, besides that Al Ittihad has a striker (Hamdallah) who is indeed sharper than Benzema at the moment so there is no reason for Al Ittihad to keep him.

In my opinion, in that match Kante, only lost slightly to Hamdallah in terms of performance, but it was indeed quite worthy for Kante, to get the title of best player in the match, especially during the match Kante Nanaged to make a great contribution to his team, besides that he had many Accurate passes that made the game easy for Al Ittihad.

Its good started for Karim Benzema by contributing one assists for him team after winning over 3-1 against Al Feiha, got back his regular position and seems Karim Benzema has decision keep stays for longer time with Al Ittihad after having some internal problem with manager until dropping out from main squad last several weeks ago. Based on I checked with Karim Benzema's social media account he was so excited with Saudi Arabia and most enjoying several moment to make close him self with Moslem culture.
I don't think Benzema will leave Al Ittihad next season although he can't bring positive result for his team in this season after failure in AFC Champion League and fail for defending domestic league tittle last season, Al Ittihad can prepare their squad for next season with target becoming the domestic league winner.