Week Ten - November 21st

Ihsan vs. Sabr

11PM

As if things couldn't get worse. That might be the tagline to Sabr's 2014 season. Maybe it's just a rebuilding year? Maybe Sabr is tanking, a la the Edmonton Oilers, in a bid to get next year's first round pick.

I'm throwing the excuses up front out here. Last week was another stomach turner in a season gone wrong for Sabr. After looking like a team on the cusp of overtaking 1st place, Sabr have now lost 4 in a row. And to make matters worse, they're having serious trouble holding unto leads. First they surrendered 3 goals in the last 1:40 of their game against Emaan to lose 4-3. Then last week, in what was billed as a must win game, they surrendered 2 goals, one with 57 seconds left in the game and another with 4 seconds left in the game to lose 2-1.

People are asking if Sabr is done. It certainly seems improbable for a playoff team to lose 4 straight and still qualify for the playoffs. And yet, Sabr can still make the playoffs if they win their last two games. In fact, even a tie against Ihsan and a win against Emaan would deliver Sabr to the qualifying round against Taqwa.

Sabr will need to improve on some weaknesses, one of which is a defense corps whom all seem a step slower than they were last year. Another is their league worst 14 goals for. Shuaib Hussain, who was drafted ahead of some other talented forwards, needs to start producing. As does Yousuf Sowdagar, who is still ailing from a shoulder injury, but needs to start providing more offense to this club. Gehad Alhundi and Imran Patel can't shoulder the offensive responsibilities all to themselves.

Ihsan meanwhile has comfortably clinched first place and with two games left on their schedule. Expect them to use this game to fine tune before the playoffs but don't expect Sabr to catch them off-guard. It will be a battle every step of the way.

Player to Watch: Yousuf Sowdagar needs to step it up. We've called him out already but 0 points in 7 games just won't do.

Who's Hot: Omar Husain scored the game-winner last week and now has 8 points in 8 games after a slow start to the season.