True to His Word, Steven Gerrard Is Reaping the Rewards of the January Transfer Activities
As Al Ettifaq struggled at the tail end of the season, manager Steven Gerrard noted that the performances were due to gaps within the team. He asked the club’s hierarchy for support in the January transfer window, noting that his team would be stronger for it.
While from the outside looking in, it seemed like the former Liverpool captain was out of his depth, the club’s management saw it differently and awarded him a contract extension up to 2027. At the time, Steven Gerrard thanked the club, noting that it was a recognition of his hard work and commitment.
Al Ettifaq proceeded to double down on their confidence in Gerrard by sanctioning the signing of foreign players, including Seko Fofana (Al Nassr), Karl Toko Ekambi (Abha) and Alvaro Medran (Al Taawoun). The club also added local talent to the squad, including Abdulrahman Al Obud, Haroune Camara, Abdullah Madu, and Khalid Al Ghannan. The new signings added firepower to a team that had been goal-shy in the first half of the season.
With the six-week winter break, Gerrard put in the work, and it seems to have paid off. So far, they have secured four wins and two draws, helping them climb to sixth on the Saudi Pro League table.
Four wins and two draws have helped the club climb back up to sixth in the table. Subsequently, the statistics now paint a very different picture. They are averaging 1.4 goals a game and a much higher conversion rate than the first half of the season.
Steven Gerrard will undoubtedly be happy with the progress and will be keen to continue the same trend in the remaining matches of the season. More importantly, the foundation built this season will be critical in Al Ettifaq’s bid to be more competitive next season.
