Some observations on players ..

[Kavian]

[Ali Chicago]

Good post. I think we have an issue with both Nekoonam and Teymoorian as DM and in the center. Today despite playing 4-3-3, and I assume Ando was right, Nekoo center and Karimi left. Ando didnt' paly in right mid . Our right midfield didn't exist for the first 40 minutes and I think that is why Kia was so silent. When Sadeghi came in and played right mid in the second half, you saw Kia was back in attack. There is only room.

I think between Nekoo and Ando one needs to play. Both of them were confused and played sub par today. I know it hurts. England has the same problem with both Gerard and the Chelsee game (his name espaces me). Maybe I am wrong. What do you guys think.

[Kavian]

Why 4-3-3 and not 4-4-2? I don't understand GH's rationale for playing that old formation. 4-3-3 leaves a lot of open spaces specially in the middle of the field and requries players who are fast and can run 90 minutes to fill the gaps. Also Karimi on the left is not as effective as Karimi in the center and just behind the forward line.

[Adesor Vafaseya]

Good post. I think we have an issue with both Nekoonam and Teymoorian as DM and in the center. Today despite playing 4-3-3, and I assume Ando was right, Nekoo center and Karimi left. Ando didnt' paly in right mid . Our right midfield didn't exist for the first 40 minutes and I think that is why Kia was so silent. When Sadeghi came in and played right mid in the second half, you saw Kia was back in attack. There is only room.
I think between Nekoo and Ando one needs to play. Both of them were confused and played sub par today. I know it hurts. England has the same problem with both Gerard and the Chelsee game (his name espaces me). Maybe I am wrong. What do you guys think.

actually I think it works in the long run.. they just have to play more often together so they can coordinate easier....

i.e. when nikki goes forward, ando stays, and vice versa... maybe they were confused today but its a matter of getting used to eachother, in my oppinion

Basically, if you ask me we have the best midfield among all the teams in AC including Australia

[khabalood]

Many players performed below par today including Mahdavikia, Karimi, Nekounam, and Teymourian and I believe it partly stems from being played out of position. Mahdavikia arguably our best player was almost invisible in the rb position. If we are to be successful at the asia cup Ghalenoie needs to get the most out of his players and I do not believe he will be able to achieve this by placing our key players in roles which they do not excel at. One of Teymourian or Nekounam should also be benched. I would prefer Teymourian on the bench personally.

[Ali Chicago]

Why 4-3-3 and not 4-4-2? I don't understand GH's rationale for playing that old formation. 4-3-3 leaves a lot of open spaces specially in the middle of the field and requries players who are fast and can run 90 minutes to fill the gaps. Also Karimi on the left is not as effective as Karimi in the center and just behind the forward line.

But please go back since Ando's introduction. Both Neko and Ando play a very similar style and we dont' need both of thest two in DM. Even in a 4-4-2 we don't need two DM. We need one DM, one AM and two right and left for a diamond shape 4-4-2. Only way it may work would be the 4-2-3-1 which was the formation our team played under Branko. In that formation, I think the two DMs are mainly have defensive roles, (slowing the competitions' attack, putting pressure on the ball carrier, etc. etc.).

If you notice GN has tried to play Ando mostly on the right and to be honest since WC that Ando did well (in part due to our team did very poor, since his peroformance was most eye catching), he hasnt' had a brilliant game in TM.

Don't get me wrong, I am not undermining Ando at all. I am saying we need to find a better way to use him. Using both him and Nekoonam isn't working.

[Ali Chicago]

Many players performed below par today including Mahdavikia, Karimi, Nekounam, and Teymourian and I believe it partly stems from being played out of position. Mahdavikia arguably our best player was almost invisible in the rb position. If we are to be successful at the asia cup Ghalenoie needs to get the most out of his players and I do not believe he will be able to achieve this by placing our key players in roles which they do not excel at. One of Teymourian or Nekounam should also be benched. I would prefer Teymourian on the bench personally.

Kia was invisable because Ando was supposed to be playing right mid. He didn't. He tends to slide toward the middle that is where he naturally plays. Look at the second half, when Sadeghi is in. now that Sadeghi was in and was playing inside mid on right, Kia was almost playing like outside right mid and joined the attack.

[Ali Chicago]

actually I think it works in the long run.. they just have to play more often together so they can coordinate easier....
i.e. when nikki goes forward, ando stays, and vice versa... maybe they were confused today but its a matter of getting used to eachother, in my oppinion
Basically, if you ask me we have the best midfield among all the teams in AC including Australia

You have a point if they coordinate. But Nekooname is more of a long ball diagonal passes. He doesn't add fast to the attack, so what we ended up is both Ando and Nekoo stay back. Actually today I think Ando in the second half got more attacking role, but he wasn't able to do that. It may work, if Nekoo get more offensive duties and Ando stays back.

I love Ando and don't doubt his abilities I think we have to find the right way to assimilate both Nekoo and Ando in the team. With 4-3-3 there is no way both of these guys can play. Even in 4-4-2 we can't afford 2 DMs.

[KasraKhan]

Ali Chicago,

I see your point on the whole Ando/Nekounam thing, but I don't think we can afford not to start Ando. And I dont think GN will have the guts to do that, because it is a bold move.

[khabalood]

Kia was invisable because Ando was supposed to be playing right mid. He didn't. He tends to slide toward the middle that is where he naturally plays. Look at the second half, when Sadeghi is in. now that Sadeghi was in and was playing inside mid on right, Kia was almost playing like outside right mid and joined the attack.

Nevertheless, his performance was less than satisfactory and his influence was limited. He is far more influencial as a rw or possibly even a wf, and as a key player I think he should be fielded in those positions, so that we may get the most out of him.

[Ali Chicago]

Ali Chicago,
I see your point on the whole Ando/Nekounam thing, but I don't think we can afford not to start Ando. And I dont think GN will have the guts to do that, because it is a bold move.

Totally agree. It is a big bold move. To be honest short of a 4-2-3-1 I don't see how else both of these guys gonna play.

[khabalood]

It is a bold move, but I think it is important that the precedent of a "legionaire" being benched also be set. With the events of the Mexico friendly fresh in mind I get the feeling that the "legionaires" may overestimate their own importance. I doubt Ghalenoei would pull such a move however, which is a unfortunate since we really do not need two dm against most asian opposition.

[faraz]

Totally agree. It is a big bold move. To be honest short of a 4-2-3-1 I don't see how else both of these guys gonna play.

I see the 4-2-3-1 as the ideal formation for us. We used the 4-2-3-1 when we did NOT have 2 solid defensive mids - y not use it now? We can use the experience of both Nekou and Ando, have kaebi on the field playing right mid, and play our one and only qualified striker, Hashemian as the lone man up front.

In terms of observation of players - I only watched the first half, and as much as I never thought i'd say it, i was pleasantly surprised with Enayati's play, as well as Kazemian (both of whom I repeatedly put down).

I also thought Nekounam sent some magical long balls (as usual), and was a fine link between defence and attack - his game doesn't consist of anything out of this world, but he's just a rock solid performer in his position.

The rest didn't do poorly - I thought in certain instances, players would hold back to avoid injury, and to be honest, I don't blame them. Ghana is a tough physical side and the Asian Cup is right around the corner - that my be one explanation for Mahdavikia's form?

[KasraKhan]

I also see the 4-2-3-1 as the best formation sutied for our current team. But GN will not implement it becauase that was the formation Branko favored. And he is always wary of being compared to Branko

[kaz]

Why would anyone want to copy what Branko did? He scraped by and his successes were few. If anything, I'm glad GN doesn't recoil to something that Branko did and failed with - unless, of course, he uses it in his own way.