Of the many lessons that can be taken from fallen two-time-winner Al Ittihad\u2019s cherished AFC Champions League-return after multiple chaotic years spent battling domestic relegation, the impact of Ahmed Hegazi is paramount.
\nAttention in the Middle East is so often centred on attacking recruits \u2013 whether analysing the ones in situ, or casting envious eyes towards the next alluring target. But the influence of the Egypt centre-back throughout 2020\/21 is an example to all about the often-neglected art of defending.
\nPrecious few strikers can inspire a +14 swing in goal difference from a woeful 2019\/20, with one game remaining. The West Bromwich Albion loanee\u2019s towering presence has, with the help of his newly assured team-mates, inspired this rise from the doldrums to third spot in the\u00a0Saudi Professional League.
\nAn injection of leadership, physicality and reliability has utterly transformed the Tigers. It has also provided coveted Brazilian coach Fabio Carille with the anchor point which was so glaringly absent in a troubled debut campaign in charge.
\nOne statistic, in particular, from\u00a0Wyscout\u00a0stands out. Hegazy leads the way in the division for aerial duels won in his own penalty box, with 50.
\nZiyad Al Sahafi was Ittihad\u2019s best with 27 last term.
\nA basic source of disruption for opposition has been shut off.
\nCarille\u2019s troops, furthermore, have kept seven clean sheets in 2020\/21. It took them 15 rounds in 2019\/20 to record the first of just three shutouts.
\n(EPA).
\nIttihad have only managed to add two goals to last term\u2019s tally of 41, with a fixture in arrears. Brazilian forward Romarinho with 15 strikes remains, by a distance, their deadliest attacking outlet.
\nThe quantum leap in output from last season\u2019s nervy 11th\u00a0place and this one\u2019s comfortable third \u2013 potentially second \u2013 exhibits how the solution to a team\u2019s ails can only be found up top.
\nItti\u2019s ambitious and inventive pursuit of elite defensive talent in Hegazy has paid off in style. Their Asian comeback in 2022 after six years away \u2013 for various reasons – is a lesson to all ahead of the summer transfer market.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Of the many lessons that can be taken from fallen two-time-winner Al Ittihad\u2019s cherished AFC Champions League-return after multiple chaotic years spent battling domestic relegation, the impact of Ahmed Hegazi is paramount.
\nAttention in the Middle East is so often centred on attacking recruits \u2013 whether analysing the ones in situ, or casting envious eyes towards the next alluring target. But the influence of the Egypt centre-back throughout 2020\/21 is an example to all about the often-neglected art of defending.
\nPrecious few strikers can inspire a +14 swing in goal difference from a woeful 2019\/20, with one game remaining. The West Bromwich Albion loanee\u2019s towering presence has, with the help of his newly assured team-mates, inspired this rise from the doldrums to third spot in the\u00a0Saudi Professional League.
\nAn injection of leadership, physicality and reliability has utterly transformed the Tigers. It has also provided coveted Brazilian coach Fabio Carille with the anchor point which was so glaringly absent in a troubled debut campaign in charge.
\nOne statistic, in particular, from\u00a0Wyscout\u00a0stands out. Hegazy leads the way in the division for aerial duels won in his own penalty box, with 50.
\nZiyad Al Sahafi was Ittihad\u2019s best with 27 last term.
\nA basic source of disruption for opposition has been shut off.
\nCarille\u2019s troops, furthermore, have kept seven clean sheets in 2020\/21. It took them 15 rounds in 2019\/20 to record the first of just three shutouts.
\n(EPA).
\nIttihad have only managed to add two goals to last term\u2019s tally of 41, with a fixture in arrears. Brazilian forward Romarinho with 15 strikes remains, by a distance, their deadliest attacking outlet.
\nThe quantum leap in output from last season\u2019s nervy 11th\u00a0place and this one\u2019s comfortable third \u2013 potentially second \u2013 exhibits how the solution to a team\u2019s ails can only be found up top.
\nItti\u2019s ambitious and inventive pursuit of elite defensive talent in Hegazy has paid off in style. Their Asian comeback in 2022 after six years away \u2013 for various reasons \u2013 is a lesson to all ahead of the summer transfer market.<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"image","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76826"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=76826"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76826\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":76827,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76826\/revisions\/76827"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=76826"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=76826"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=76826"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}