Coach Gianfranco Zola has urged Al Arabi to push for narrowing the gap on the top three sides in Qatar Stars League (QSL).
Fourth-placed Al Arabi (20 points) are behind runaway leaders Al Rayyan (33), El Jaish (23) and Al Sadd (21) from 11 matches.
Al Arabi take on bottom-placed Mesaimeer in a round 12 clash at Lekhwiya Stadium on Wednesday.
"We are three points behind El Jaish and just one point behind Al Sadd. It gives the impression that we are doing okay. But we have to go from 'okay' to being very good," Zola said during a press conference on Tuesday.
"I am learning that in this league there can be surprises. I am preparing my team as if we are preparing against Lekhiwya. I am giving this match the same importance and making sure the players are focussed. We have an opportunity here," Zola added.
"If we are good and lucky then we will score more. But we will have to get that first goal early," he said.
Zola said referee decisions in QSL were not up to the mark.
"I had said that the level of the games are going up ad because of that there are many disputes for the referees. but the referees are not at that level. This is not a blame game but constructive criticism and we have to look to up the level of the referees," the Italian remarked.
"I want to remind people that when Mesaimeer played against Al Rayyan, and they (Al Rayyan) scored after 88 minutes. Mesaimeer are a difficult team to play against because they will defend with 10 players in the last 20 metres," Zola said.
Zola said Al Arabi is in a better spot than it has ever been in recent times.
"Now we are in a position we were not expecting to be in at the start of the season. We are looking to go to the next level," Zola said.
"The performances have been very good at the moment. We got very good results in the last few weeks. Now we are trying to take the players and the team to a different level. We have the ideas to get the team to the next level," Zola said.
"There will be tactical adjustments and maybe we will change a few players. But we are doing well and luckily we have the players behind us. Everything that we have done well is due to the coaching staff also but mainly because of the attitude of the players. They have been fantastic for us," the former Chelsea coach said.
Mesaimeer coach Rodion Gacanin hoped his 'brave' players will be up for the challenge on Wednesday.
"We are not in a good situation. It will be similar to our last match against Al Ahli," Gacanin said on Tuesday.
"We will play against a strong team with good players, especially in attack but if we are focussed and play with more concentration in defence, we will have a chance for counter-attacks. I hope that my players will show a good performance. I hope they will be brave and they will say, 'let's go and play'," Gacanin added.
"The performance of the players has given me the confidence. The players have shown character. Most of the time we are running behind results and that makes it difficult for a team like us that doesn't have that much quality. But we have to work together and I hope tomorrow the players show their character," he said.
"There are still 15 matches left and we are five and six points behind the teams in 11th and 12th. Maybe in January we will bring in new players. We have to play those two teams and if we do well against them we can do well. There's definitely hope for us," Gacanin said of his plans in January.
The game on Wednesday starts on 18:30.
Fourth-placed Al Arabi (20 points) are behind runaway leaders Al Rayyan (33), El Jaish (23) and Al Sadd (21) from 11 matches.
Al Arabi take on bottom-placed Mesaimeer in a round 12 clash at Lekhwiya Stadium on Wednesday.
"We are three points behind El Jaish and just one point behind Al Sadd. It gives the impression that we are doing okay. But we have to go from 'okay' to being very good," Zola said during a press conference on Tuesday.
"I am learning that in this league there can be surprises. I am preparing my team as if we are preparing against Lekhiwya. I am giving this match the same importance and making sure the players are focussed. We have an opportunity here," Zola added.
"If we are good and lucky then we will score more. But we will have to get that first goal early," he said.
Zola said referee decisions in QSL were not up to the mark.
"I had said that the level of the games are going up ad because of that there are many disputes for the referees. but the referees are not at that level. This is not a blame game but constructive criticism and we have to look to up the level of the referees," the Italian remarked.
"I want to remind people that when Mesaimeer played against Al Rayyan, and they (Al Rayyan) scored after 88 minutes. Mesaimeer are a difficult team to play against because they will defend with 10 players in the last 20 metres," Zola said.
Zola said Al Arabi is in a better spot than it has ever been in recent times.
"Now we are in a position we were not expecting to be in at the start of the season. We are looking to go to the next level," Zola said.
"The performances have been very good at the moment. We got very good results in the last few weeks. Now we are trying to take the players and the team to a different level. We have the ideas to get the team to the next level," Zola said.
"There will be tactical adjustments and maybe we will change a few players. But we are doing well and luckily we have the players behind us. Everything that we have done well is due to the coaching staff also but mainly because of the attitude of the players. They have been fantastic for us," the former Chelsea coach said.
Mesaimeer coach Rodion Gacanin hoped his 'brave' players will be up for the challenge on Wednesday.
"We are not in a good situation. It will be similar to our last match against Al Ahli," Gacanin said on Tuesday.
"We will play against a strong team with good players, especially in attack but if we are focussed and play with more concentration in defence, we will have a chance for counter-attacks. I hope that my players will show a good performance. I hope they will be brave and they will say, 'let's go and play'," Gacanin added.
"The performance of the players has given me the confidence. The players have shown character. Most of the time we are running behind results and that makes it difficult for a team like us that doesn't have that much quality. But we have to work together and I hope tomorrow the players show their character," he said.
"There are still 15 matches left and we are five and six points behind the teams in 11th and 12th. Maybe in January we will bring in new players. We have to play those two teams and if we do well against them we can do well. There's definitely hope for us," Gacanin said of his plans in January.
The game on Wednesday starts on 18:30.
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