Strange convictions and the wrong line-up: Saudi Arabia's fans in shock over Donis
A shocking attack
Saudi Arabia booked their place in the final of the Gulf Cup 27 at Qatar's expense, winning 3-2 on penalties. Yet qualification did nothing to calm the fans' anger towards the Greek Georgios Donis. His technical decisions, the starting line-up and the substitutions threw the door wide open to criticism on the "X" platform.
Saudi supporters celebrated reaching the final, but they also felt the match raised question marks over the way Donis handled it. Breaking down the Qatari defensive organisation proved difficult, and the decisions on how he deployed his players and used his substitutions only added to the doubts.
Abu Al-Shamat raises question marks
Mohammed Abu Al-Shamat was one of the names Saudi fans kept coming back to. Many felt the national team player had delivered outstanding performances throughout the tournament and deserved a bigger chance against Qatar, rather than being left waiting until late in the match.
One supporter went as far as to criticise Donis's decision, saying: "Mohammed Abu Al-Shamat is one of the stars of the tournament, he comes on late unfortunately, and he should have started, playing in place of his brother Saleh Abu Al-Shamat on the left wing."
Those who shared this view reckoned Mohammed could have handed the national team extra solutions in attack, especially with his ability to move, create space and change the shape of the team. Some of the starting choices only sharpened the questions over how best to use the players who had shone in the tournament.
The substitutions ignite the fans' anger
The criticism did not stop at the starting line-up. It stretched to Donis's decisions during the match, with some supporters convinced the substitutions failed to add the required attacking punch and instead dragged the national team's level down in spells.
One of the fans said: "For all our many shots against Qatar, we only had one dangerous chance at the Qatar goal and it was from Mandash, and on top of all this Donis took him off and brought on Al-Hamdan, who literally did nothing. I hope Donis does not do it again."
For this section of the support, taking off Sultan Mandash was the wrong call. He had been one of the most active players in the attacking third, exactly the kind of threat the national team needed against a Qatar side that shut down the spaces and leant on defensive compactness.
Fear of repeating the mistakes against the UAE
Another section of the fans looked past the Qatar match entirely. They were already raising question marks about the line-up Donis will trust in the final against the UAE, with the game set to be the national team's last chance to claim the Gulf title.
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One supporter said: "All that concerns me right now is the line-up Donis goes in with on Tuesday. I wonder what it will be? And I wonder whether he sensed and understood that there is a player or two whose presence is as good as their absence, and they have no solutions, just making up the numbers?"
That comment captured the unease among a segment of the fans over choices they view as unconvincing. The demand is clear: sharper decisions in the final, and faith in the players capable of offering an attacking and technical edge from the start.
Qualification does not prevent criticism
The joy at reaching the final was real. Even so, some fans argued that a penalty-shootout win should not paper over the problems that surfaced during the match, particularly in creating chances and getting at the opponent's goal.
One of the fans said: "Despite qualifying for the final, and despite the fact that the Qatar team sat back in defence and closed up shop, I still see Donis as muddled and not a coach you can hang your hat on. Yesterday I felt the national team suffered with the substitutions, and I see that working for him in the Gulf, but Asia is hard to pull off, there is no room for luck there."
Saudi Arabia now prepare to face the UAE in the final of the Gulf Cup. Donis has a fresh chance to answer his critics through his choices on the pitch, in a match where qualifying is no longer the target. This time it is about settling the title, and proving that the calls he made during the tournament can carry Saudi Arabia to the ending the fans are waiting for.
