Indonesia's national football team targets offensive effectiveness for Oman match

The Indonesian national football team is intensely focused on sharpening its offensive efficiency as it prepares for the upcoming FIFA Matchday match against Oman. Coach John Herdman has pinpointed a critical need to convert game dominance into dangerous chances and goals, an area identified through evaluations of recent matches.

“

The growth area is very clear. We don't have enough shots on goal considering how much control we have. We don't have enough people in the penalty box, lacking penetration in attack in the final third, and so on.

Herdman stated that the team's primary concern during their training camp has been this lack of offensive effectiveness. He specifically noted that the team takes insufficient shots on goal despite controlling possession, often lacks players in the opponent's penalty area, and struggles with penetration in the final third. These observations stem from their performances in the FIFA Series against Bulgaria and Saint Kitts and Nevis, where they dominated play but failed to capitalize sufficiently.

“

The players have received that this week. It takes time. I showed them clips of Canada versus Qatar, how that team moved. That team took four years to get to that point.

The coach shared that the players have received this feedback and are actively working to implement improvements during training sessions. Herdman drew a parallel to the Canadian national team's development, noting it took four years to reach a certain level of play. However, he expressed confidence in the current Indonesian squad's quality, believing it can expedite their progress.

“

It will take time, but with the quality we have here, I believe in them.

Looking ahead to the match against Oman, ranked 79th in the FIFA standings, Herdman urged his players to be wary. He anticipates a well-organized Omani team, prepared under their new coach Tarik Sektioui. Herdman views the game as a vital opportunity for the Garuda squad, currently ranked 122nd, to gauge their abilities and demonstrate their growing competitiveness within Asia. "This is not just a friendly match, but an opportunity to establish ourselves as competitors in the AFC," he remarked.

“

They will come with good game organization and ready to test us. We will also be ready, that's for sure.