Should Zandi continue to start at Left-back?

[KasraKhan]

There is major disagreement upon TM supporters about Zandi at LB. Some say that he played well vs Uzbekistan, and some say that he was a nightmare and we need to change him out of the lineup.

I am personally neutral on the matter. I thought he was ok at times. In the first half he made 2 good runs up the wing and made a give and go pass to Enayati, but Enayati's return pass was out of bounds both times. That can be quite frustrating for Zandi, who is a left back making a 40 yard run down the flank but his teammate can not pass the ball to him properly on a 1-2.

But his speed and defensive skills are worrying. Uzbekistan even recognized his defensive weakness and most of their attacks came down the right wing. If Uzbekistan can recognize it, I am sure everybody can.

But I wanted to start this thead here to hear the opinions of other members on this matter...

[The-Red]

i don't think he is playing to his potential at left back, and I would personally not use him there, however, it seems like there is no other option, at least according to GN!!!
Playing both Kia and Zandi in the back certainly takes some of the poison away from our attack
i don't usually like to come up with formation and stuff as I believe it depends on the opponent but can't we just do this: does it even make sense to play 4-2-3-1?

kaabi---hussaini--rezae---nosrati
-----Grando-----Nekunam
--Kia---------Karimi----------Zandi
-----------Hashemian-------------

[Haj Mahmoud]

I think Zandi is probably one of the most understimated players we have. If anyone knows me on this forum from my posts they'll know i'm not one to speak condescendingly, but those who bash Zandi for his style of play have really never played football seriously. He does his job, his duty, game after game, usually nothing more and nothing less, and people tend to bash him because he selfishly doesn't too much with the ball like nearly every player (but a few notable exceptions) on our team does.

I think Zandi is perfectly fine as a leftback. We don't have many alternatives and we can only go with what we got, and Zandi is sufficient. I can't think of another player that would do better in that post. That said, I don't think Zandi's very comfortable in that position. Or to better articulate that, it's not his ideal position. We need him on the pitch. He has exceptional vision with the ball and runs with his head looking directly ahead. But ultiamtely, there are no perfect options with our leftback position, and I for one don't object to his appointment to that spot unless we can find someone better to fill that position which I don't think we have at the moment.

[Hadi]

Zandi is not a left back.

He will be easily outrun and out muscled by a good attacker.

[Hajagha]

I think Zandi is probably one of the most understimated players we have. If anyone knows me on this forum from my posts they'll know i'm not one to speak condescendingly, but those who bash Zandi for his style of play have really never played football seriously. He does his job, his duty, game after game, usually nothing more and nothing less, and people tend to bash him because he selfishly doesn't too much with the ball like nearly every player (but a few notable exceptions) on our team does.

I think Zandi is perfectly fine as a leftback. We don't have many alternatives and we can only go with what we got, and Zandi is sufficient. I can't think of another player that would do better in that post. That said, I don't think Zandi's very comfortable in that position. Or to better articulate that, it's not his ideal position. We need him on the pitch. He has exceptional vision with the ball and runs with his head looking directly ahead. But ultiamtely, there are no perfect options with our leftback position, and I for one don't object to his appointment to that spot unless we can find someone better to fill that position which I don't think we have at the moment.

Good observation.

By having two defensive midfielders, we need both right and left backs being attacking mind players. I wish we had Nikbakhat in form. He was ideal for the position, now Zandi is the best we got.

[Doctor DOOM]

no. he shdnt play as LB.

his usefulness is drastically diminished there.
we also become even more susceptible in that post.
just becoz he is a lefti, it doesnt and SHD NOT mean he'll be good at LB post !

I think he, himself, saying he's not good at LB post shd have given you ppl some indication

if we didnt have anyone like aghili or sadeghi, who are used to the LB post, I say putting any defender who is USED TO DEFENDING at least.
but GN does have options here:
aghili & sadeghi.

why he doesnt place them has more to do w the fact that zandi is a "legioner" ( ) therefore, he supposedly shd play ( according to some unwritten crappy law in our football ) !!!!!!!!!!!
total idiocy.

[Ali Chicago]

It is not matter of he is not the best for that post. Question is do we have a better guy for that post?

Aghili isn't someone who move up with the ball and make good passes. So he might be good on defensive side but not good in offensive side. Same to a lesser degree with Sadeghi. Sadeghi is a bit better on Aerial side (corners free kicks).

The only unknown and untested guy is Maysam Maniee. He wasn't crossed off the list did he? If he is in the list. He would be a possibility. But since GN didn't play him in any of the friendlies, I assume it won't happen, Unless Zandi is injured.

One possibility is that GN is so sophesticated that we will play different startups based on the teams we play (which I doubt) since we didn't have decent friendlies for GN to play different players and see the system in action.

[Doctor DOOM]

ali jan, poor mani'ee wasnt even in the primary list, to start with !!

I dont know how unlucky he is that both branko and GN drop him. especially pre-WC period when he was at the height of his form and was head & shoulders better than niki and madanchi.

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aghili, also, is pretty useful in our set pieces and has cored and created danger on many occasions for sepahan.
so both sadeghi and aghili are pretty good options.
the only distinction is sadeghi sometimes loses control and gives away unnecessary fouls and freekicks !

as for offensive game on the side;
I think if we keep a reliable LB ( the above 2 players, IMO ), the midfielder in front can be a bit more free to join the attack and add to our dimension and width on the left.
both madanchi and zandi can enjoy a freer hand to go forward ( as long as zandi doesnt stray to the center, tho' ).


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ali jan, you give too much credit to GN.
but having a messy starting line-up in our first game does have an up side too.
china will be less sure of our next line-up ......... just as unsure WE, IRANIANS, are !!
so we can at least enjoy the element of surprise if GN gets it together and puts a "good defender" ( not with many offensive duties even ) there , to thwart chinese plans to attack down our left side.

[Mr.Good]

Zandi was not that Bad, the problem with Zandi is that he did not have support.
On the other side Kia had Ando in front of him, both of them have great defensive and offensive skills, but Zandi had no one.

Furthermore, since we are playing with only three midfielder you cannot neglect the play making duties of the side backs. On the right we have options in kia and Kaebi. Please suggest any other player from the roster that can play instead of Zandi. I'm afraid my friends that albeit not zandi being ideal, we have no other options and he should do for now.

[Ali Chicago]

ali jan, poor mani'ee wasnt even in the primary list, to start with !!

I dont know how unlucky he is that both branko and GN drop him. especially pre-WC period when he was at the height of his form and was head & shoulders better than niki and madanchi.
.

Sorry to hear that. I thought he is still in. Went to the Afcasiancup site and tried to look at the Iran's list, but the link at the site didnt' work. Next time I check before posting. Thanks for correcting me.
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aghili, also, is pretty useful in our set pieces and has cored and created danger on many occasions for sepahan.
so both sadeghi and aghili are pretty good options.
the only distinction is sadeghi sometimes loses control and gives away unnecessary fouls and freekicks !

as for offensive game on the side;
I think if we keep a reliable LB ( the above 2 players, IMO ), the midfielder in front can be a bit more free to join the attack and add to our dimension and width on the left.
both madanchi and zandi can enjoy a freer hand to go forward ( as long as zandi doesnt stray to the center, tho' ).

.

Was hoping you address the offesnsive side issue. None of these guys are good ball carriers or passers the can be added to offense.
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ali jan, you give too much credit to GN.
but having a messy starting line-up in our first game does have an up side too.
china will be less sure of our next line-up ......... just as unsure WE, IRANIANS, are !!
so we can at least enjoy the element of surprise if GN gets it together and puts a "good defender" ( not with many offensive duties even ) there , to thwart chinese plans to attack down our left side.

Maybe I am, time will show Payman jaan.

[mohandes]

I don't think so. He likes to move upfield any chance he gets but he is not fast enough to return to his position. He does not have any support when he moves up and that causes a liability for a counter attack on our left side. He ran out of steam by the middle of second half on the first game.He is a good distributor and sees the field well. He was good in most of defensive battles and more of a defensive left mid should fit him well.
I think for the China match GN will pull a Bronco !!

[Doctor DOOM]

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Was hoping you address the offesnsive side issue. None of these guys are good ball carriers or passers the can be added to offense.
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well, I say we better get the best out of what we have.
or in other words & in this case, at least get the "defending" right, before we think ambitiously about attacking. ( we are extremely lucky to have these on the right side . thank god for that blessing )

I believe keeping a player who first & fore-most DEFENDS well in that post is 80-90% of the job done and is of utmost importance. lets call it "PRIMARY" CRITERIA.
the other 10-20% is kind of bonus, if the player can handle the ball and go forward and feed others. SECONDARY CRITERIA.

With zandi we may have covered the SECONDARY CRITERIA, but we fall short of the more important PRIMARY CRITERIA !

[Mr.Good]

well, I say we better get the best out of what we have.
or in other words & in this case, at least get the "defending" right, before we think ambitiously about attacking. ( we are extremely lucky to have these on the right side . thank god for that blessing )

I believe keeping a player who first & fore-most DEFENDS well in that post is 80-90% of the job done and is of utmost importance. lets call it "PRIMARY" CRITERIA.
the other 10-20% is kind of bonus, if the player can handle the ball and go forward and feed others. SECONDARY CRITERIA.

With zandi we may have covered the SECONDARY CRITERIA, but we fall short of the more important PRIMARY CRITERIA !

Wasn't this the reason why Branko was using Nosrati as LB and was critisized left and right for it. didn't people call for Maniei as LB despite testimonies from his own coach (Jalali) against that.
as long as the league is messed up and does not produce reliable left backs we should just do with the best option that we have and let the coaches do their jobs. these are professional football coaches unlike us (Engineers, doctors, etc.)

[Doctor DOOM]

mrgood jan, you may want to remind urself that while branko did use a defender, he didnt use the RIGHT one. ( well, actually he did use the "right" one, but this "right" wasnt right, and shd have been "left". but he left the "left" ones out, becoz he thought he was right - which he wasnt - in using a "right" defender on the left !! which left us wondering why he doesnt use the "left" defenders on the left, rather than the "right" ones ! right? got it? )

let me explain:
in this case we have defenders to choose from.
but the PRIMARY CRITERIA is to choose one(s) who are at least familiar w the left side or have played in that spot , if not regularly, at least more often than not.
we DID have sadeghi who used to play in that spot on & off.
so did sepehr heidari who did have some games in that spot.

but branko chose :
nosrati , whose best games were when he played as central defender or the right sided one.
and
zareh, who was a right sided defender in nature.

so, your defense of that indefensible decision still doesnt hold water, I'm afraid.

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yes, most of us are not coaches.
true.
but again, MOST of us do have common sense and logic to aid us.
we also have "our own" eyes to have seen one trial too many failed, to know when neither nosrati nor zareh can get it right at LB, then it is rank moronic stupidity to persist with the two continuously, and REFUSE to try out other alternatives.

you see now?