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This article is part of the Guardian’s 2018 World Cup Experts’ Network, a cooperation between some of the best media organisations from the 32 countries who have qualified for Russia. theguardian.com is running previews from two countries each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 14 June.

Juan Antonio Pizzi took his place in the Saudi Arabia dugout for the first time in November 2017 yet he is still waiting for his his first competitive game in charge of the Green Falcons - that comes against Russia in the World Cup’s opening match. During his seven-month tenure the Argentinian has packed in as many friendlies as possible to gauge where the side are and what needs to be done before the eyes of the world will be on them on 14 June.

During qualification under Bert van Marwijk, the Green Falcons usually played in a 4-3-3, happy to sit back against the better teams, look to hit on the break and get the ball forward quickly. Pizzi has been trying to get the players to play the ball out from the back more. It has worked to a certain extent and there has been a certain tidiness about the team in recent, if low-key, friendly victories over Algeria and Greece, which represented a clear improvement on a 4-0 loss to Belgium in March. The team have been keeping the ball better and moving it quickly. They are also adept at slowing down games, disrupting opponents’ rhythm and being generally frustrating.
Pizzi, a former Chile manager, looks likely to play a compact 4-2-3-1, with the attacking three midfielders ready to drop deep to ensure that there are plenty of bodies in midfield.

With goals potentially hard to come by, the Green Falcons will focus on being solid. There is experience at the back, though that comes with susceptibility to pace and a lack of exposure to top-class attackers. Osama Hawsawi is the leader in defence, strong and physical, but, at 34, he is slowing down. The good news is that Omar Hawsawi (no relation) next to him has been in excellent form this season. There are also a number of decent options at full-back with players such as Yasser al-Shahrani able to play on either side and get forward quickly.

The experienced Taisir al-Jassim will sit alongside the underrated Abdullah Otayf in midfield. Both use the ball well, though the latter may not be able to get forward as much as he would like.

The attacking three players are the true standouts. Salem al-Dawsari, Yahya al-Shehri and Fahad al-Muwallad are the team’s creative heartbeat with the ability to unlock Asian defences, though their greatest tests remain. The trio spent the second half of the season on loan to La Liga clubs, recording only two appearances between them.

How sharp they are in Russia could determine how the team perform. The two wide players are capable of getting behind defences and, if Shehri can find space behind the main striker, the Green Falcons could cause problems. There is also Nawaf al-Abed, another creative talent who was a mainstay in qualification but the playmaker has struggled with injuries all year.

The lack of a regular goalscorer is an issue. Mohammad al-Sahlawi is likely to play up front but there are other options, such as Muhannad Assiri, who is an aerial threat and can hold up the ball better.
Fahad al-Muwallad is an exciting talent and the kind of player fans love to watch, provided he receives the ball in the right areas. If he is given a little freedom by the coach then he has the potential to make things happen and put fans on the edge of their seats.
Austria - who failed to qualify for the 2018 finals - secured victory through Alessandro Schopf's decisive strike on 28 minutes.

The Schalke midfielder arrived late in the area to rifle Marko Arnautovic's cut-back into the top corner.West Ham's Arnautovic could have added a second after the interval but smashed his volley over the crossbar.The visitors will be concerned by their lack of cutting edge in attack as they prepare to stage the 21st World Cup, which starts next month.

Russia, who will complete their warm-up schedule at home to Turkey next Tuesday, host Saudi Arabia on the opening day of the tournament on 14 June.
Brugge, Belgium), Soslan Dzhanaev (Rubin Kazan), Andrey Lunev (Zenit St Petersburg)

Defenders: Vladimir Granat, Ruslan Kambolov, Fedor Kudryashov (all Rubin Kazan), Ilya Kutepov (Spartak Moscow), Roman Neustadter (Fenerbahce, Turkey), Konstantin Rausch (Dynamo Moscow), Andrey Semenov (Akhmat Grozny), Igor Smolnikov (Zenit St Petersburg), Mario Fernandes (CSKA Moscow)

Midfielders: Yuri Gazinskiy (Krasnodar), Alexsandr Golovin, Alan Dzagoev (both CSKA Moscow), Alexsandr Erokhin, Yuri Zhirkov, Daler Kuzyaev (all Zenit St Petersburg), Roman Zobnin, Alexsandr Samedov (both Spartak Moscow), Anton Miranchuk (Lokomotiv Moscow), Alexsandr Tashaev (Dynamo Moscow), Denis Cheryshev (Villarreal, Spain)

Forwards: Artem Dzyuba (Arsenal Tula), Aleksey Miranchuk (Lokomotiv Moscow), Fedor Smolov (Krasnodar), Fedor Chalov (CSKA Moscow)

Standby list: goalkeeper Marianato Guilherme (Lokomotiv Moscow); defenders Vladislav Ignatiev (Lokomotiv Moscow) and Dmitry Kombarov (Spartak Moscow); midfielders Denis Glushakov (Spartak Moscow) and Anton Shvets; forwards Anton Zabolotny and Dmitry Poloz (both Zenit St Petersburg)

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Manchester United are looking for a talent-spotter who will be tasked with finding "world class" players in France.

United are on the look out for a scout who will be charged with running the rule over potential signings from Ligue 1."We are currently recruiting for a first team scout in France to identify world class and emerging talent for the club, ensuring a talent pipeline and a world class first team squad," says United's advertisement.

United say the role, which reports to the head of scouting operations Steve Brown, will involve "attending and observing games and completing scouting reports and ratings on the players of interest to Manchester United" as well as compiling "background knowledge" of prospective new recruits.
United have overhauled their scouting network since Jose Mourinho took over as manager in 2016. The club have made nearly 50 new appointments as they look to bolster their presence across the globe at both academy and senior level.

Marcel Bout, who arrived at Old Trafford under Louis van Gaal, is the current head of global scouting working alongside chief scout Jim Lawlor.

United have had success recruiting in France before. Paul Pogba -- recommended by United's former scout in France David Friio -- was signed from Le Havre as a 16-year-old in 2009 before a four-year spell at Juventus. In 2015, Anthony Martial arrived from Monaco for an initial £36 million fee.