Saudi Arabia face three key problems before Gulf Cup 27

Saudi Arabia will begin preparations for Gulf Cup 27 with Georgios Donis facing a number of unresolved issues, including defensive weaknesses, a reshaped midfield and a lack of attacking threat.

The exclusion of Musab Al Juwayr from the training camp for disciplinary reasons has added to the challenges confronting the manager, who is preparing to lead the national team in a tournament being held on home soil.

Saudi Arabia’s squad has undergone significant changes since the team that competed at the 2026 World Cup, increasing the pressure on Donis to find an effective balance quickly. They have been drawn in a group featuring Kuwait, Oman and Iraq.

The manager’s most immediate concerns are spread across the pitch, with problems in defence, midfield and attack potentially affecting the team from their opening match.

Defensive organisation remains a concern

Saudi Arabia’s defence requires urgent attention after several weaknesses were exposed at the most recent World Cup.

The team conceded space to opponents, struggled to deal with crosses and often found it difficult to track movement inside the penalty area. Those problems were not simply a matter of individual ability, but also involved the movement of the defensive line, the distances between players and the team’s response after losing possession.

Such weaknesses could prove particularly damaging against Gulf opponents who are capable of exploiting open areas and using direct play.

With changes made to the squad, Donis must establish a more reliable defensive structure rather than rely on individual solutions. Poor positioning could otherwise lead to a repeat of the problems seen during Saudi Arabia’s latest World Cup appearance.

How will midfield replace Al Juwayr?

Al Juwayr’s removal from the camp, followed by the call-up of Mukhtar Ali, has created a different kind of difficulty. Although the administrative decision has been made, the footballing consequences require separate consideration because the two players do not perform the same role.

Al Juwayr gave Saudi Arabia control in midfield, dropping deep to receive the ball before advancing as a central midfielder or operating as a playmaker. Replacing that combination of responsibilities with one player will be difficult.

Mukhtar Ali has different characteristics, meaning Donis cannot simply place him in Al Juwayr’s position and expect identical duties. Instead, the manager may need to divide the responsibility for linking play and creating attacks among several players, preserving the team’s ability to move smoothly from midfield into the final third.

Finding a consistent attacking threat

Saudi Arabia’s attacking difficulties were also evident at the World Cup, when they struggled to create sustained danger and reach opponents’ goals often enough, particularly when there was little space to exploit on the counter-attack.

The team will need a wider range of ideas in the final third. Individual efforts and attempts to run into space behind a defence may not be enough against opponents prepared to defend deeply and remain compact.

Al Juwayr’s absence could also affect the attack because the problem does not begin solely with the forwards. It is also linked to the quality of service they receive, the midfield’s ability to change the tempo, play between the lines and create openings.

Donis therefore faces more than a decision over his starting XI. He must reorganise the defence, replace Al Juwayr’s influence on the tempo and find more effective attacking solutions before Gulf Cup 27 begins.