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Dubai: Al Shabab are set to use the upcoming Emirates Cup games to experiment with new players, said coach Toninho Cerezo.
The UFL will take a break while the national team, under new French coach Dominique Bathenay, play a friendly against Japan before the UAE's next World Cup qualifier in South Korea on October 15.
During the league break, teams will play the first two rounds of the Etisalat Emirates Cup on October 10 and 17.
Brazilian coach Cerezo said he would use the league break to work with the defending league champions on some 'minor' defects.
He added the cup games would allow him to try out some of the other squad members.
"Of course the aim will be to go out there and win the Etisalat Emirates Cup.
"But we can also use this competition for testing other players who can come in handy for the remainder of the year," said the Brazilian coach Cerezo.
National duty
The side will be missing a number of players who are with the senior and junior national squads for the next couple of weeks.
But Cerezo said while he was going to experiment, he would not make wholesale changes.
He said: "Maybe we will experiment with two or three players and see how the new players fit in."
Al Shabab managed a 1-0 home win on Saturday against Al Dhafrah but Cerezo was not happy.
He said: "No, I am not satisfied with our performance against Al Dhafrah.
"We need to improve on our ball possession and learn to use more use of the wings.
"We centralise the game a lot and that puts a lot of pressure on our defence. These are small errors that we are making, but the good thing is that we are learning from our mistakes as the league progresses," added admitted.
The coach insisted that all the so-called 'big teams' would not have it easy this season.
"Any of the big teams can be beaten, and we have already seen this happen this season," said Cerezo.
"The factor of unpredictability makes football very interesting.
"In the UAE there is a chance for everybody. This championship will be tough and competitive," said the Brazilian.
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