Inconsistent Al Arabi endures a frustrating QSL Season.

Al Arabi went into the 2015/2016 QSL season on a high, after signing Italian head coach Gianfranco Zola. The former West Ham manager was charged with putting the Dream Team back in the top 4 places. Aside from Zola, Arabi also recruited French defender Rod Fanni to add some much needed experience.

Everything started so well for Arabi, they won their first four QSL games and became the early pace setters with Al Rayyan at the top of the table. A shock 1-0 defeat to Al Gharafa didn’t phrase Zola’s side and turned out their best performance of the season with a thrilling 3-2 win in round five over title chasing Lekhwiya.

However Al Arabi’s second test of their top four credentials didn’t go to plan. They fell to a 5-2 defeat in their derby match with Al Rayyan, much to the frustrations of head coach Gianfranco Zola. Immediately Arabi rallied and grabbed a unlikely 1-1 draw with Al Sadd. Recent form certainly showed that Arabi could mix it with the top four if needs be.

At times, Arabi looked a different side from one week to the next. Comfortable wins one week would be followed up with large defeats the next. Gianfranco Zola was certainly getting used to his squad and how they were adapting to his training methods. One player who was ever reliable for Arabi this term was their Brazilian attacker Paulinho. The former Torino man was an ever present goal threat for the Dream Team this term and racked up 12 goals for his side.

Arabi’s form and top four ambitions fell away in a disastrous four game run in December and January. Three defeats to lesser opponents Al Sailiya, Al Wakrah and Al Khor along with a 1-1 draw with relegation threatened Qatar SC. With Arabi’s top four ambitions all but over, Gianfranco Zola’s limped across the line picking up just three wins in their final ten games of the season.



​Curiously these wins came over the likes of Lekhwiya (1-0) Al Gharafa (2-1) and El Jaish (2-0) in what was arguably Zola’s finest moment in charge of the Dream Team. All of which pointed to inconsistency and ultimately frustration for Gianfranco Zola and his squad.

Just one point from the final twelve on offer, meant that Arabi finished in a disappointing eighth position in the QSL standings. However the club certainly slowed glimpses in the first half of the season, particularly against the top sides that if the Al Arabi board sticks with Zola good times could yet come next term under the Italian coach.