so how many of us really think we make the last 4?

[The-Red]

I really like to know, based on everything we know about our beloved TM, the last 3 games, the opponent, how much chance do you give us?
I did not of course open this in the regular forum 'cause everyone would passionatly vote that we will demolish Korea

In all honesty, in the pervious tournaments, TM usually is inconsistent but does throw in one or two good performances in the group stage, I haven't see one so far tho, can we come out and play to our potentiall on Sunday maybe, finallY!

[Dubxl152]

My heart says Iran, but my heart has been wrong before. im gonna go 50-50 cause in reality anything can happen in football. Depending on what TM shows up the percentages can change.

[Mr.Good]

If history has a say into this it will be korea.

[yashar_fasihnia]

considering the reports i have read (i havent watched any of koreas matches), it seems koreans are having problems themselves and i wouldnt be surprised since their top 3 players are all missing due to injury.

for some reason, i have faith in this team, this team has never given up, atleast so far and historically, iran has always pulled some amazing surprised in the tournament, so they might be able to do it against korea.

another advantage we might have is our name and prestige in rain which can create some fear in the opponents and reduce their selfconfidence. however, this may also act against us and make us over confident.

im sure our boys will give all they have from now on. they will bem ore motivated when playing against stronger teams. i think we can do it, the only 2 teams i fear right now are saudi arabia and japan and thank god we might face maximum 1 of these 2 teams, that too in the finals although iraq can create problems for us as well.

i think we can reach the finals, but to win the finals, we will require to be better than these 3 games.

[kaz]

Based on form and the way the tournament is going, Iran should be favourites to take this and go the Semi-finals. Also, since they are missing 3 of their integral players. However, we have history with the S.Koreans and our matches are always close and their tireless running always leaves them with a chance. I hope we can be solid at the back, because we will definitely score on them.

[zzgloo]

....

So far, before the games started, GN , did not know the exact line up,nor the

players did, which that caused unfamiliareties amongst the players.

......so far, the uzbacks and the chineas,and the malaysians, have not realy

tested us, in a sence, they played us defensively,and negative

l....may be,they should n't have, but they did.....now, The issue, is, South

Korea, is not going to do that, and that is a mixed blessing .

WE will find out, who we realy are in this game, as we will be more free to do

what we wish........and if what we realy are is good enough to beat S.Korea,

it will also enough to win it all.!!

[Ali Chicago]

I was on a business trip and still haven't seen Maylysia game, so I can be totally off. Maybe what I ask here is partially done in Malaysia game.
Based on reports I read from Malaysia, our team needs to do two things to be succesful in the tournamanet.


Management Issues
================
GN control himself better and pay less attention to critics (which include a few professional naggers). In every interview he is worried about how during Branko Media were less critical and all that. He needs to realize anyone will have critices. Some of it fair, some it not. He just needs to accept it and move on.


GN needs to watch the games and based on whatever he had in mind critic and evaluate his team's performance. And try to address those. He needs to forget about feedback from everyone at this stage it is just too late. In one interview he told reporters that you guys criticized 3-5-2 and we changed to 4 defense line. If this is what really happend, I am really dissapointed at GN. IF he changed the defense to 4 defense just because of Media critics I mean.

Improve the psychological atmosphere around TM. If they need to relax the rules a bit, so players can go out of the hotel more, so be it. Apparently players can't go out of the Hotel by themselves based on media and eye witness reports from Malaysia. Also, have a couple of sessions with the team and explain to them if X or Y doesn't play it is within a bigger scheme. At least try to neutralize tension which to some degree is normal (if a player doesn't start or play he will get negative or hostile).

Work on motivation. and reduce the emotional pressure. from what I read in the papers it seems players ran a lot in the Malaysia game which is good. But still they say there was this emotional pressure on the players to score goals. That probably explain all the missed opportunites.

Tactical Issues
===========

Our halfbacks have the tendency to move inward (toward the box) rather than move straight down the line and cross the ball from the area between the 18 yard box of opponent and touch line (out line). A cross from that area is much more effective than a cross before the 18 yard of the opponent.

Speeding up the game attack (offensive transition). Iran is doing a good job in defensive transition but our offensive transition is too slow.

One of Nekoo or Ando needs to play. Ando isn't a Right mid. We need one defensive mid.

We badly need a play maker. Nekoonaam isn't a playmaker. What we get out of him as a defensive mid is great and a bit of extra playmaking he does is just gravy.

I prefer we play 4-2-2 with Hashemian and Enayati or Hashemian and Rajabzadh.

Improve our left mid situation. Maybe Zandi really needs to be moved up to mid here.

Improve Right mid situation Ando isn't the right guy for there.

Halfbacks need to peneterate to teh wings beat their man and use the pass back. Mids Karimi, Nekoo, Teymoorian needs to add up as a second wave and park behind the 18 yard box of the opponent and shoot the pass back ball.

[mkbf2]

i cannot see how someone can rightfully say 100% that either Iran or Korea will go thru. This is a very difficult match, its always been with Korea but in my mind i think we have the power to beat them and go thru

[Ali Chicago]

i cannot see how someone can rightfully say 100% that either Iran or Korea will go thru. This is a very difficult match, its always been with Korea but in my mind i think we have the power to beat them and go thru

that is why Armin put Probably Iran or Probably Korea I assume.

[zzgloo]

GN control himself better and pay less attention to critics (which include a few professional naggers).
Tactical Issues
===========
Our halfbacks have the tendency to move inward (toward the box) rather than move straight down the line and cross the ball from the area between the 18 yard box of opponent and touch line (out line). A cross from that area is much more effective than a cross before the 18 yard of the opponent.
Speeding up the game attack (offensive transition). Iran is doing a good job in defensive transition but our offensive transition is too slow.
One of Nekoo or Ando needs to play. Ando isn't a Right mid. We need one defensive mid.
We badly need a play maker. Nekoonaam isn't a playmaker. What we get out of him as a defensive mid is great and a bit of extra playmaking he does is just gravy.
I prefer we play 4-2-2 with Hashemian and Enayati or Hashemian and Rajabzadh.
Improve our left mid situation. Maybe Zandi really needs to be moved up to mid here.
Improve Right mid situation Ando isn't the right guy for there.
Halfbacks need to peneterate to teh wings beat their man and use the pass back. Mids Karimi, Nekoo, Teymoorian needs to add up as a second wave and park behind the 18 yard box of the opponent and shoot the pass back ball.

Ali jaan, very nice assesment.....I totaly agree,except the part about Ando..( and the proffesional naggers )!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
had you seen the game with malaysia, you would have seen him as the only half back, who goes toward the edge of the box, right at the corner of the box on the right side, and either goes inside or aline the line, which he did go aline the line 3 times, and kicked three times, which on one he scored.and on the other times he went toward the right side he passed nice and dangerouse passes for enayati, and hashemian...................
And yes, as you said, we badly need a ' play maker' some body,like viduka of australia, or ' malek' of saudi's.....apparantly, hashemian is not in form.
our right mid situation is not that bad, it is the left,as you said, we defenetly need to improve, otherwise, we will be easy for Korea to nutralize....we need to get multy-dimentional.
karimi showed improvement on this game, Ando and Neko are doing thier job.
I can't believe myself saying this, but Kia, is tripping !!,his crosses are not there anymore,and lack quality it once had......
zandi, can be helped with madanchi....indeed, ....with more active karimi,( that he has become ),zandi and madanchi can revive the left side.

[The-Red]

I pray to God that I can make a huge thread on Sunday and say that I am sorry that I doubted my teammelli against Korea, but right now, I have my doubts.

[Ali Chicago]

I pray to God that I can make a huge thread on Sunday and say that I am sorry that I doubted my teammelli against Korea, but right now, I have my doubts.

Lookign forward for that thread on Sunday!!!! You better keep your word dadash.

[The-Red]

Lookign forward for that thread on Sunday!!!! You better keep your word dadash.

bekhoda I am too,,,God is my witness, vali even saying this right now, I doubt that it will happen, not because i won't keep my word, but because Korea might eliminate us and all this anticipation and excitment might end in tragedy, again for our football.

[KasraKhan]

I have my doubts against Korea.

I think Ghotbi will dissect our team very finely. And he will find out that Zandi is very slow on the LB position, and Korea will attack our left side non-stop.

[kaz]

bekhoda I am too,,,God is my witness, vali even saying this right now, I doubt that it will happen, not because i won't keep my word, but because Korea might eliminate us and all this anticipation and excitment might end in tragedy, again for our football.

I think our team is capable and should win. But I have this fear in the back of my mind...it is driving me mad. Come on boys!