Five things we learned from UAE defeat

The UAE suffered an agonizing loss against Australia.

TACTICAL TINKERING MUST STOP

UAE coach Mahdi Ali must choose a formation going forward and stick with it. A winning formula with a 4-2-3-1 had been found in Japan last week, yet this was scrapped for a conventional 4-4-2 for the defeat to Australia. The latter system simply does not make the best of the resources at hand. It forces brilliant playmaker Omar Abdulrahman out wide, highlights the woeful form of centre midfielder Amer Abdulrahman and sees forwards Ahmed Khalil and Ali Mabkhout compete for space.

MATAR’S MENTORING ROLE

The narrow loss to Australia proved the ‘Golden Generation’ can push for a World Cup return.

But to do this, they’ll need every bit of help they can get. One option for Ali is to bring veteran forward Ismail Matar and his 112 caps back into the fold. The Al Wahda legend does not have to play. Instead, an invaluable guiding hand can be provided. Ali used this trick for the final matches in the second round and it worked wonders.

Matar is held in high esteem by Omar Abdulrahman and his talented team-mates. The 33-year-old can make them more focused.

SUPER SUPPORT HAS TO STICK

It was wonderful yet sadly rare sight to see Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium heaving and almost-full to capacity against the Socceroos, with the main stand densely populated well before kick-off.

This is in stark contrast to the risible crowds which turned out for many of the second-round qualifiers. This now has to be the norm for the UAE as they look to turn Al Jazira’s ground into a fortress, continuing with the visit of Thailand on October 6. To bolster hopes of a return to the World Cup, wins in all four remaining home games will help. The fans must continue to do their bit to help.

THE KHALIL CONUNDRUM


The downturn from Khalil on Tuesday night was an unwelcome surprise for anyone affiliated with the UAE. The 2015 AFC Asian Player of the Year had been unplayable in Japan as the lone striker, his breathtaking goals from two set-pieces just reward. Yet all this assuredness dissipated in the humid Abu Dhabi air. Both he and partner Mabkhout got in each other’s way, although this didn’t excuse their appalling touches when found by the probing ‘Amoory’. A return of 13 goals from 10, 2018 qualifiers from Khalil is incredible. He must strive to maintain such consistency.

AMER ANXIETY

There was an undeniable sense against Australia that the Whites were virtually playing with 10 men.

As has become a worrying norm, centre midfielder Amer Abdulrahman badly underperformed. Yet the new Al Ain signing continues to hold a permanent spot in the starting XI. The long-term injury to Al Ahli tyro Majed Hassan may have helped him, although the contrast in form to players such as Al Nasr’s Khalid Jalal mean replacements already exist. A change in output or personnel has to occur.

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