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**Doctor DOOM** · 06-10-2007, 08:52 PM

thanks for the dates and times, mate.

I, personally, think a semifinal berth is quite an achievement .

I beleive we have what it takes to go through the group stage.
quarters as u said is very difficult.
if we win this game, I say we've achieved a great feat & surpassed our previous performances by leaps and bounds. ( let us remember the last time, AC04, KSA wasnt there and aussies hadnt joined yet! )

**BehzadB** · 06-10-2007, 09:11 PM

if we finish 2nd in our group, we don't face Australia until the final..

I say that because, C2 plays QF4 and QF4 plays QF3.. and QF3 is the winner of B1/A2 (B1 should be Japan)..

is that right?

anyways, it might not matter at all, but I feel better avoiding Australis as much as possible.

**faraz** · 06-10-2007, 10:49 PM

Originally posted by Doctor DOOM

thanks for the dates and times, mate.

I, personally, think a semifinal berth is quite an achievement .

I beleive we have what it takes to go through the group stage.
quarters as u said is very difficult.
if we win this game, I say we've achieved a great feat & surpassed our previous performances by leaps and bounds. ( let us remember the last time, AC04, KSA wasnt there and aussies hadnt joined yet! )

We still had quite a tough route last time anyway. If we had gotten the calls, we'd be in the final against Japan, a team against whom I think we did quite well during the group stage. I don't really think reaching the semi's this year will be harder than reaching the semi's in AC04 by any means. In fact, our group is much easier than 04 too.

I saw we'll for sure top our group, and perhaps beat South Korea or KSA, not so sure about that one. Reaching the semi's will be more than enough for me personally.

**Doctor DOOM** · 06-10-2007, 11:06 PM

Originally posted by faraz

If we had gotten the calls, we'd be in the....

faraz jan, " If we had gotten the calls," we'd have been ELIMINATED AT GROUP STAGE ITSELF !!!

we'd have finished the oman game 2-1 down (or worse ) w 3 men red carded !

------------------

japan's game was the turning point 4 me.
we SHOULD have been aggressive instead of passive & wimpy, settling for the draw.
we played an ultra-cautious game against japan, when we shd have attacked and I believe we had the guns to take them down.

becoz it was always better to face jordan than korea. logic and common-sense dictates that.
it was even more imperative since if we consider in the semis, we'd be facing the hosts !!!
it's a different matter that karimi bailed us out against korea.
but ANY coach with enough brains would follow logic.

maybe branko was so scared of jordan ( he had just lost to them recently , at azadi )! but that's just another reason for his wimpy tag.

not to mention it was an opportunity to beat japan, a team we hadnt beaten in quite some time.
but as we have it, the coach ..... aaah never mind !

----------------

and how is our group easier?
we have an asian A team - china
a strong B team w pedigree - uzbeks
and the HOSTS

then, we had an A side- japan
a C side - thailand
and an up and coming C-to-B side - oman

and are you discounting the strength of KSA & australia that you say reaching the final 4 is not more difficult.
AC04 had : iran, china, japan, korea as favorites.
AC07 has: those 4 + KSA & Aussies

errrr....reaching the final 4 of which one is easier, again ?

**faraz** · 06-10-2007, 11:52 PM

How is reaching the final four more difficult, I find that absolutely absurd????

China - B-team at best. They are one level below the big 5 and calling them an "A-team" is simply not appropriate. They are decently strong, but we should still look to win without too many problems. One major issue here is the "revenge" aspect. You and I both know when it's about "revenge", we not only perform, we absolutely kill.

Uzbekistan - Also a B-team. We should also look to win this match. They are equivalent to Oman at present time, mb even worse.

Malaysia - a C team no matter if they're the hosts or not. Simply no match for TM.

And in 04:

Japan - THEY WON THE TOURNY!

Oman - B team. They showed they are capable of competing with strong sides. I'll bet that they'll cause the Aussies some trouble too.

Thailand - B team. We practically man-handled them, but i'll never forget our 2 draws against them in WCQ many years ago. You can never underestimate this team.

Now you're going to argue that we have a HARDER group this time around??

Now in terms of KSA or Australia, it'll make the tournament tougher only past the quarter final stage. And even then, playing China IN China (where they clearly had support from the refs, were used to the weather, the pitch, and many other things) may be just as difficult as playing KSA or Australia in Malaysia/Indonesia or wherever the final is planned.

If we play KSA in the quarters, i'd say that's even easier than south korea of 04.

**Doctor DOOM** · 06-11-2007, 12:17 AM

despite what we "like" to believe, things are a bit different out there.
china is A .
I dont like it. but that doesnt change anything.
whole asia & AFC thinks so too.

& uzbeks are equal to oman?
ummm.. ok !!!!

I dont know. but basic mathematics says probability of drawing a particular ball among 6 balls is less than that of among 4 balls.
plz redirect all inconveniences & complaints to the concerned mathematic authorities. not me.

**Hadi** · 06-11-2007, 12:42 AM

we definitely have a harder group this time around than Asian Cup 2004.

Not only do we have to play a host team (which has it's own complications), we have to play 2 teams who are definitely among the top 10 in Asia.

I am predicting 2 draws with Malaysia and Uzbekistan and a win against China.

**The-Red** · 06-11-2007, 12:53 AM

thanks, I hope to see us in the final after 32 years, but I think we will go out in the quarters either against the KSA or the Koreans, I surely hope I am wrong.

**yashar_fasihnia** · 06-11-2007, 01:40 AM

if we end up 2nd in our group, we might have some benefits:

1)we will not face australia till the finals (assuming australia finish first in their group)

2)we will most probably play korea rather tahn saudi arabia. korea has always been an easier opponent for us than saudi arabia. (Assuming korea finishes first and saudi arabia second in their group).

3)i have heard the humidity is high in malaysia and it will require great fitness to play in malaysia. if we finish first, we will stay in malaysia and our opponent in the quarter finals will have to travel to malaysia to meet us and play in that humidity again. however, if we finish second, we will have to travel to indonesida to play our opponent (either korea or saudi arabia). now i dunno how humid indonesia is and if it is as difficult to play in malaysia as it is in indonesia, but if anybody knows, please let me know as well. we might have to travel to indonesia and that will cost us some time but if it is not as humid and as tiring to play in indonesia, then frankly, i would prefer our team to end up 2nd in the group rather than 1st.

**KasraKhan** · 06-11-2007, 02:53 AM

What a tough road to the final. It is much tougher than I thought

**Doctor DOOM** · 06-11-2007, 03:47 AM

1- yashar jan, it is usually very risky for any team to adjust things to come second. especially with only 3 games to play and at least 3 teams in contention.
if there were more number of games, it wld have been less risky & one can "manage" to adjust results and goals.

or the group shd have only two very good teams and 2 very weak teams.

--------------------------

2- korea is not easy.
just becoz we beat them last time.
in fact if tradition continues it is their turn to beat us.
96 us
2000 them
2004 us
2007 ?

--------------------

is there some kind of jinx on Iran & semifinals?
it used to be whether clubs or nat'l teams, we used to come undone at semis !!
maybe if we somehow get past the semis, final game could be easier !!!!
anyone knows how many finals we have lost , nat'l team or clubs?

I know TM came second to india about 40-50 yrs back
and ss lost at ACL in tehran in 90's.
anymore?

**yashar_fasihnia** · 06-11-2007, 04:20 AM

well peyman jan, there can be situations where for example we can be guaranteed 2nd spot. for example, if both iran and china beat uzbekistan then the uzbeks are pretty out of the race and its only iran and china.

about korea and saudi, i agree, koreans are not weak. its just that, lately saudi arabia have been a gorbeh siah for our football.

but my most important point was that from the players, coaches and critiques interviews and programs that playing in malayasia will require a lot of fitness which is one of irans weakest points. but if the weather conditions in indonesia is different and easier to play, i think TM will find it easier to play there rather than malaysia, whether it is agianst korea or saudi arabia.
but we also have to keep in mind that there will be travelling time involved if we end up second. so i was just wondering if anyone here knows how indonesia and its weather conditions are compared to malaysia.

**Paradigm** · 06-11-2007, 11:09 AM

As in the AC '04 Japan seems to have the easiest path to the final not having to face off any of the other top 4 Asian teams before getting there. Iran however has to play at least two super tough games to reach the final.

By the way I am sure Australians are currently analyzing Iran and all of the team weaknesses as well as players, most likely using computer simulations. Are TM coaches even investigating about their team and their players/system/tactics?

Remember last year they went down to Italy (the WC '06 champions) only on a suspicious late penalty. (In contrast, the hosts Germany lost 2-0 to Italy!) Also for them playing in South-East Asia comes closer to being at home. I am very worried about how this whole thing will play out.

Besides, as Dr. Doom mentioned above, this time I rather have TM avoid S. Korea in the 1/4 finals altogether, since this is apparently "their turn" to beat us. If they (SK) finish top of their group and we can do the same, perhaps playing vs KSA would be a better scenario for Iran.

**Ali Chicago** · 06-11-2007, 12:34 PM

Originally posted by yashar_fasihnia

....
but my most important point was that from the players, coaches and critiques interviews and programs that playing in malayasia will require a lot of fitness which is one of irans weakest points.

I don't think fitness at asian level is our problem. When we play WC or better teams yes, but not at Asian level.

We have an upper hand size wise and fitness wise, I think we are on par with rival asians (may Austarlia will be an exception).

What I am afraid is the team work and team chemistry. With the introduction of more money in our football and professional contracts in our football, it will create a lot of contentions specially in TM. Players want to get to play even for a few minutes since agents are out there and watching. To deal with this a high level of professionalisem and long term vision is needed the few of our players have it.
With all my criticizem toward Dai, I accept he was an exception in this regard (professional behavior). Professional behavior doesn't mean one wouldnt' try to influence or advance his cause. He is just doing it in a wiser ways.

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The likely scenario for Iran in the Asian Cup 2007

The likely scenario for Iran in the Asian Cup 2007

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