Winter Report: Lamouchi's Al Riyadh revamp, super Saudi Al Salem, Al Taawoun's twin aim | OneFootball

With the 2024-25 Roshn Saudi League paused for winter, we look at how each club has performed until this point.

Who’s been the team's biggest contributor? Which signings have proved astute? Which of their RSL games stands out most? How well has the manager moulded his side? And, perhaps most importantly, what can the club rightfully aim for when the RSL returns on January 9?

We'll break up the assessments in groups of three, based on the league standings after Matchweek 13. Next up, the clubs placed seventh to ninth in the table.

Al Riyadh (7th, 21 points)

After a season in which they only just survived the drop, this campaign was about trying to return the club to their former glories of the 1990s. To do so, Al Riyadh brought in Frenchman Sabri Lamouchi and recruited a host of stars that have added a new dimension to their attack.

Toze, Bernard Mensah and Faiz Selemani all arrived from other relegated clubs, while Iraqi international Ibrahim Bayesh and Brazilian Lucas Kal joined to provide further polish. And, with 12 goals and 10 assists between them, they’ve more than delivered on the pitch.

Six wins from 13 RSL matches have Al Riyadh seventh and lurking just outside the race for continental positions - which is not out of the question if they get on a winning streak.

Key Player: Bernard Mensah - for sheer output, it’s hard to look past the Ghanaian. Arriving from Al Tai in the off-season - Mensah was a revelation last season in a relegated side - he has picked up where he left off, with three goals and four assists already. That output is the exact reason he was signed.

Standout Signing: Toze - to avoid repeating ourselves, we'll nominate the Portuguese midfielder, who joined from Al Hazem in the off-season. Toze spent his entire career in his homeland before four years in the UAE with Al Nasr, racking up 34 goals in more than 120 appearances. He carried that form forward to the RSL, and now at his second club, shows no signs of slowing down, with three assists and two goals in 13 league matches.

Best Match: Al Riyadh 2-1 Al Qadsiah - the side from Al Khobar have taken the RSL by storm in their first season back in the top flight since 2020-21. While they’ve strung together six straight wins heading into the break, they were no match for Al Riyadh, who stunned them with a 2-1 win back at the start of October.

Kal and Bayesh scored in each half before Turki Al Ammar pulled one back 11 minutes from time, but Al Riyadh held on. It’s a result that proved Lamouchi’s side could mix it with the top teams in the RSL.

Manager’s Impact: Lamouchi’s immediate influence cannot be understated. Appointed this summer, the Frenchman has not only been able to convince players to join the club, but he has transformed their approach on the pitch as well. Managing only eight wins all of last season, Al Riyadh have six already and scoring at a higher rate than they did last season as well.

Hopes: Currently sitting seventh, there’s no reason the capital club shouldn’t aim to break into the top six by the end of the season. They could push even higher if they can carry this momentum with them in the second half of the campaign.

Al Khaleej (8th, 19 points)

Back-to-back losses before the break quelled Al Khaleej’s momentum, but four wins on the bounce prior to that had the Saihat side as one of the most in-form teams in the RSL. What’s more, it lifted them as high as sixth.

After a slow start, with new coach Georgios Donis experimenting with his line-up in the opening weeks, Al Khaleej came good – no better example of that in causing the season’s biggest upset with a thrilling 3-2 win against champions Al Hilal. It marked the then-RSL leaders first defeat in 47 league matches.

Key Player: Abdullah Al Salem – it’s hard to split between the Saudi Arabian and teammate Fabio Martins given their impact this season. Al Salem is a product of Al Khaleej and returned to the club last year for the first time since 2017. The decision has borne fruit: with seven goals, he perches as the leading Saudi goalscorer this season, bagging six of those in a remarkable three-game run.

Standout Signing: Kostas Fortounis – the Greek midfielder arrived in the Eastern Province fresh off captaining Olympiacos to the UEFA Conference League title. And, while it took him a few weeks to settle, with one goal and two assists, he now looks at home in the attacking midfield role in Donis’ 4-2-3-1 formation.

Best Match: Al Khaleej 3-2 Al Hilal – you cannot look past the remarkable 3-2 win against the long-unbeaten defending champions. Al Hilal had not lost in the RSL in 46 matches, stretching back 551 days. But, on a winning streak of their own, another brace from Al Salem and a late winner from Fabio Martins saw the hosts fight back from 2-0 down to win 3-2.

Manager’s Impact: Georgios Donis – an RSL veteran, the Greek coach is as experienced as any foreign manager when it comes to working in Saudi Arabia – and he has used all of that nous and experience to full effect. While Donis chopped and changed early on, since settling on the 4-2-3-1 formation, his team have looked a different side.

Hopes: The first aim will be to snap the two-game losing streak from before the break, but if Al Khaleej can display the confidence and form that saw them topple Al Hilal, then there’s no reason they can’t push into the top six come the end of the season. And that would represent a superb effort.

Al Taawoun (9th, 18 points)

It was always going to be a tough task to follow last year’s surprise fourth-placed finish and, with new manager Rodolfo Arruabarrena at the helm, there was of course going to be a period of adjustment. Couple that with competing across multiple fronts including the AFC Champions League Two, and perhaps Al Taawoun’s slight dip is somewhat understandable.

At this same point last season, they sat fourth; currently, they lie five spots worse off. And, while that is obviously a slide, there is still plenty of evidence to illustrate Al Taawoun have a lot more to offer.

Key Player: Musa Barrow – it’s hard to look past the Gambian forward, who has already eclipsed his output from last season - and we’re not even halfway through the 2024-25 campaign. With seven goals (one better than last term), including BSF Goal of the Week for Matchweek 13, and another four on the continent, Barrow is Al Taawoun’s lead man.

Standout Signing: Faycal Fajr – the raw numbers might not be as impressive as some, but the role Moroccan plays in midfield is crucial. With two assists to his name - still the equal best at the club - Fajr also ranks third for both passes and ball contacts, highlighting his importance.

Best Match: Al Taawoun 2-0 Al Khaleej – one of Al Taawoun’s more complete performances came in September in Matchweek 3, with the dominant 2-0 win against Al Khaleej. Barrow opened the scoring for the hosts on 18 minutes, with Sultan Mandash sealing the victory six minutes into the second half. Also, it ranks as Al Taawoun's second-highest xG of the season (1.48).

Manager’s Impact: Rodolfo Arruabarrena – following on from the Pericles Chamusca-inspired success of last term was always going to be a hard act. And, while Al Taawoun haven’t had the consistency of then, that they’ve also successfully qualified for the last 16 in the AFC Champions League Two is worth acknowledging as they also compete for continental silverware. Despite the league position, Arruabarrena has proved a worthy appointment.

Hopes: Repeating their top-four heroics of 2023-24 looks a long shot. However, if Al Taawoun can push up towards the top six while having a deep run in the AFC Champions League Two, that will be considered another successful season.