Like it or not, it’s a baptism of fire for Datuk Ong Kim Swee.
He’s been linked with the post for ages, and after two interim stints, Ong was finally handed the job on a permanent basis in January 2016. And his first official game in charge of Malaysia isn’t exactly simple.
On Thursday, the Malaysian Tigers will be taking on Saudi Arabia in Jeddah, a reverse of the fixture that was infamously suspended after flares were lit at the Shah Alam Stadium last year. And while Malaysia were only trailing 2-1 when the match was halted, things may not be a lot more complicated on Thursday night – something that OKS himself will expect.
The last time Saudi Arabia played at home, they clinched a comprehensive 10-0 win over Timor Leste, a team that Malaysia struggled to beat prior to that. And the Saudis are under the tutelage of Bert Marwijk, the ex-Netherlands boss, who happens to be a fan of attacking football. It’s an away game, against a superior side with an experienced head coach. How do you deal with that? Here’s how.
1) AVOID UNNECESSARY AERIAL BATTLES
Let’s face it, the Saudis are physically superior – both in defence and in attack. And while there’s no escaping aerial battles in defending against Saudi’s attacks, Ong Kim Swee’s men need to reduce the amount of aerial battles they engage in, during the transition from defence to attack. The home side will visibly control possession, but every time there’s an opportunity to break on the counter, Malaysia will stand a higher chance of breaking into Saudi’s penalty box if the balls were played to the feet of their attackers, compared to it being lumped forward. Regardless of who plays upfront, you can bet on Saudi’s defenders winning most of the aerial battles, when it happens on Thursday night.
2) INCLUDE SHAHRUL SAAD IN THE STARTING XI
I’m a big, big fan of Shahrom Kalam and Aidil Zafuan but there’s two problems with having both of them play together. They’re very similar in their style – both are ‘stoppers’ and they have a good reading of the game. Secondly, both individuals aren’t exactly the tallest individuals out there. Shahrul Saad though, is a ‘ball-playing’ defender and is comfortable with threading incisive passes under high-pressure situations. More importantly, he has the physique to deal with the Saudi attackers. He has previously played in high-profile games with Harimau Muda before and has been in fine form with Perak this year – they have the best defensive record in the MSL, alongside JDT. This is the perfect opportunity for Shahrul to break into the set-up.
3) KUNANLAN ON THE FLANKS
S. Kunanlan has excelled as a full-back and he looks completely reinvigorated in Johor DT, but against Saudi, he may need to be restored to his old position. It was surprising to see OKS leave out Gopinathan, who is gifted with bundles of pace and energy, while Chanturu’s late withdrawal – as controversial as it was – leaves a gaping hole in terms of pace. Nazrin Nawi and Wan Zack are quick, but Kunanlan is significantly quicker on the attack. But here’s why he’s a better option than Nazrin and Wan Zack – Kunanlan is equally hardworking and diligent enough to drop back and help the defence, a situation that will probably happen regularly on Thursday night. But who will replace him in defence? Azrif Nasrulhaq can slot in seamlessly and be the right-back, with Kunanlan ahead of him. On the other side, there’s Matt Davies as well.
4) BRENDAN GAN AS A DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER
While Safiq Rahim and Nazmi Faiz are players that are capable of changing the outcome of games with a single pass, this particular squad only has one tough-tackling midfielder and he needs to feature on Thursday. Keeping a tight midfield will be crucial to any hopes of keeping the Saudis at bay and Brendan Gan is the only midfielder within OKS’ squad who capable of playing the ‘Roy Keane’ role. Nazmi and Safiq are midfielders that operate at their best when given a free-role, while Baddrol Bakthiar and Hafiz Kamal are good at keeping it simple and precise in midfield. But in Brendan Gan, OKS has got a player that is never afraid to dive in and make that challenge when it matters the most.
5) PARK THE BUS AND BE PATIENT
There’s no shame in parking the bus, contrary to popular perception. In fact, it’s a smart thing to do, when you’re up against an opponent that’s miles ahead on paper. Bite the bullet, accept the fact and keep it tight – it sounds simple, though it really isn’t. But OKS knows what’s at stake here and they simply cannot afford to go through another drubbing. This is not a match to test Malaysia’s attacking prowess. And that’s precisely why the likes of Joseph Kalang Tie and Kunanlan must get the nod over Wan Zack and Nazrin Nawi. The former two are defensively strong as well, and they are extremely hardworking on the pitch. The bigger test for Malaysia will also be patience. It’s never easy to sit back and be under pressure for 90 minutes, but as the corresponding fixture proved, it’s not impossible to notch a goal against the Saudis, provided you keep it tight and remain patient.
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