Al-Nassr suffered a 0-4 defeat to Al-Ain in the AFC Champions League Elite, in a match where the defense continuously made mistakes while the attack almost did not create danger.
Al-Nassr has never experienced such a match this season. The 0-4 score only reflects part of the gap at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, where Al-Ain exploits the gaps and mistakes of the away team to the fullest.
Al-Nassr's defense was stretched, the lines could not maintain the distance and the pressing ability did not cause difficulty for the home team. Conversely, Al-Ain moved and coordinated at high speed, constantly finding space behind the opponent's defense.
Coach Ange Postecoglou chose a 3-4-3 formation, but this arrangement soon revealed problems on both wings. Al-Nassr lacked defensive depth and let Al-Ain exploit gaps on both wings. When the lines could not support each other, the away team's defense became even more vulnerable.
The opening goal is clear evidence. Saad Al-Nasser passed the ball to the wrong address, creating conditions for Hussein Rahimi to take advantage of the opportunity and finish into the goal. Not long after, a situation of sending the ball from the right wing into the center made Al-Nassr's defense confused, and Rahimi once again had a chance to score.
Al-Nassr could not improve the situation after the break. The gap between the lines continued to appear, while the lack of decisive pressing helped Al-Ain easily deploy the ball.
The third goal continued to expose this problem. Soufiane Rahimi received a pass into the gap in front of the Al-Nassr defense and then finished successfully. In the fourth goal, Al-Nassr pushed up the squad to find an equalizer but revealed a large gap behind. Al-Ain quickly counter-attacked and Rahimi assisted for his Greek teammate to seal a 4-0 victory.
This defeat makes explanations about the dense schedule or insufficient depth of force difficult to convince if looking at what is happening on the field. Al-Nassr not only has physical problems but also reveals limitations in the way they organize their playing style.
After the defeats against Al-Ittihad and the draw with Al-Khaleej, Postecoglou has repeatedly mentioned the schedule and personnel shortage. However, against Al-Ain, tactical issues and coordination between the lines have become too clear.
The defense made mistakes, pressing was unorganized, the lines were disjointed, and the attack hardly put significant pressure on Khalid Eisa's goal. Therefore, just fatigue is not enough to explain the defeat with a 4-goal difference.
Cristiano Ronaldo is also in this story. The Portuguese striker still possesses finishing ability and can make a difference at certain times. However, Al-Nassr cannot expect Ronaldo to maintain the intensity of pressing and mobility like at his peak.
When Ronaldo cannot put continuous pressure, the rear system needs a plan to compensate. But Al-Nassr cannot do that. After losing the ball, they do not put enough pressure. When defending, they reveal too many gaps. And when attacking, this team lacks connectivity and flexibility.
That is why the defeat to Al-Ain can be seen as a warning to Al-Nassr. 4 goals conceded not only reflect a disappointing performance but also expose problems in the operation of this team.
