English Premier League
Waleed Al-Farraj criticises Simone Inzaghi’s Al Hilal after subdued King’s Cup win
Waleed Al-Farraj has criticised Al Hilal’s performances under Simone Inzaghi, saying the Saudi club are failing to offer supporters anything worth watching despite beating Al Raed 2-0 in the last 32 of the King’s Cup on Monday.
Speaking on his programme Rotana Sport with Walid, the well-known Saudi television presenter said: “Al Hilal under Simone Inzaghi is hard to watch. They do not offer anything worth watching.”
Al Hilal progressed to the next round with victory over Al Raed, but their display renewed questions about the team’s form and style of play under the Italian manager.
“I do not know the reason for this decline,” Al-Farraj added. “It is true that the team wins, but it does not produce the level that is required or expected of it.”
The criticism follows a sustained period of scrutiny directed at both Al Hilal and Inzaghi over the team’s declining technical performances. Those concerns have continued since last season, when Al Hilal lost every available trophy apart from the previous edition of the King’s Cup.
Inzaghi’s position has repeatedly been the subject of speculation, with his departure linked to the club on several occasions. Some of that debate has centred on whether his footballing identity is suitable for Al Hilal at the present time.
The comments were also echoed by other football analysts discussing the club’s inconsistent performances.
Emad Al-Salmi said: “If Al Hilal play with Inzaghi’s identity, it is hard to watch. The players want to play with their own personality, and that is why we see one half that is pleasing to watch and another half that is hard to watch.”
Ibrahim Al-Anqari was similarly unimpressed by the team’s display against Al Raed, saying: “Against Al Raed, and they play like this? The team has no shape, taste or colour.”
Al Hilal’s victory means they avoided an early exit from the King’s Cup, but the nature of the performance ensured that the result did little to ease the wider concerns surrounding the side.
For Al-Farraj, the issue is not simply whether Inzaghi’s team are collecting victories. He argued that the club’s current performances fall well short of the standard expected from Al Hilal, even when the results are positive.
The remarks add to the pressure on Inzaghi, whose tenure has been accompanied by regular discussion about the team’s identity and direction. While Monday’s win secured progress in the competition, it did not prevent another round of criticism over Al Hilal’s lack of fluency and character on the pitch.
Al Hilal will now continue their King’s Cup campaign, with the focus remaining on whether Inzaghi can improve both the team’s performances and the perception surrounding his management.