A 1-0 win over Kuwait did nothing to ease the anger of some Saudi Arabia supporters. The criticism after the match landed on more than one player. Saleh Abu Al-Shamat drew one of the fiercest waves of attacks on the "X" platform, with fans questioning his level and the way he handled key moments.
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Saleh Abu Al-Shamat started against Kuwait alongside his brother Mohammed Abu Al-Shamat, the first time that had happened with the Saudi Arabia national team in more than 14 years. He came off in the 63rd minute, with Sultan Mandash replacing him.
Some supporters aimed sharp criticism at the player once the final whistle blew. A few branded him "cold" on the pitch, arguing he failed to rise to the importance of the occasion. Others felt he shirks responsibility and prefers showboating to doing his job during the game.
His brother Mohammed enters the line of comparison
The criticism didn't stop at Saleh's display on the pitch. Some fans went further, insisting he needs to focus more on the technical side and stop worrying about things that do nothing to bring out his best. A few even described his "mentality" as a barrier to his development.
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Comparisons soon emerged between Saleh and his brother Mohammed Abu Al-Shamat. Plenty of fans felt the latter played the better game, popping up in several attacking situations and creating more than one chance, while Saleh fell short of the impact expected of him. It was the first time the two brothers had started together in 14 years.
All of this comes as Saleh Abu Al-Shamat fights to nail down his place with the Saudi Arabia national team. He recently became one of Georgios Donis's options, but the start against Kuwait wasn't enough to win over every supporter, especially given the difficulty of the match and the way Kuwait shut down the spaces in front of Saudi Arabia's players.
Sharp as the criticism was, it stays within the realm of fan reactions and impressions after the match. It doesn't necessarily point to a technical decision against the player, nor that the coaching staff have lost faith in him. Donis is the one who decides which players he needs over the coming matches, and Saleh still has the chance to respond on the pitch and rewrite the image some fans have formed of him.