Al Shabab's troubling start demands urgent attention during break

Al Shabab finds itself in a position where it must urgently embrace the current break in the Roshn Saudi League schedule. The storied Riyadh club is mired in a deeply concerning run of form, with a recent 1-1 home draw against Al Ettifaq extending their winless streak in the league to six matches. This poor run means they have managed just a single victory in their first eight games of the season, a return that falls dramatically short of pre-season expectations.

This is certainly not the impact envisioned when the highly respected Spanish manager Imanol Alguacil was appointed during the summer. The consequences of this poor form are stark; Al Shabab currently sit in 13th place in the standings, a precarious position that leaves them just three points above the relegation zone.

A glaring lack of firepower and a path forward

The root of Al Shabab's struggles is unmistakable: a severely underperforming attack. The team has scored only six goals, giving them the joint-worst offensive record in the entire division. The burden of scoring has fallen almost entirely on Yannick Carrasco, who has personally netted four of those six goals, highlighting a critical lack of support from his fellow attackers.

The club may point to the significant flurry of deadline-day signings as a reason for the lack of early cohesion, arguing that the squad needs time to gel. In this context, the break from competitive action provides a vital opportunity for Alguacil to work intensively with his players on the training pitch. However, with only one fixture—a match against Al Okhdood—scheduled before the league's next hiatus, the pressure is on for Alguacil and his team to find solutions quickly. For Al Shabab, the time for excuses is over; they must start getting results, and they must do so fast.