Saudi World Football

Al-Ittihad coach Marcelo Gallardo was has relied on his playmaker Igor Coronado on a constructed role against Al-Nassr, last Tuesday.

‘El Muneco’ has been putting Coronado as left midfielder or even winger on paper, but on the pitch, the Brazilian was at times dropping back to the center of the pitch to complete the midfield trio with N’Golo Kanté and Faisal Al-Ghamdi.

This has been confusing Marcelo Brozovic and Sultan Al-Ghannam, who had to communicate over the marking of Coronado, and be precise in terms of which point they should track him up and when they leave him for the other teammate.

Here, as you can see in the picutre, Coronado was pulling Al-Ghannam to forward zones, creating gaps in the left wing, for Zakaria Hawsawi to exploit.

Unfortunately for Al-Ittihad, they could not do so, because Hawsawi is more of a player who attacks spaces via speed, rather than dribbling or carries.

Ideally, they should have looked up for Hawsawi with a long pass to the free space behind the right-back of Al-Nassr.

How Otavio put N’Golo Kanté on a dilemna?

Why Aymeric Laporte stay close of Al-Nassr goalkeeper in The Build-Up?

Why Sadio Mané has had a much better second-half against Benzema’s Al-Ittihad?

Image Credits: SSC Channels