Group D , Match day 1:
Mexico and Iran enter the pitch.
Iran’s line up, no surprise to any Iranian …. Or foreigner, for that matter, includes:
Mirza
Kaabi
yahya
rezaei
zareh
nekounam
kia
zandi
karimi
VH
And Daei
Referee blows the whistle which starts the game.
Game starts slow, with both teams trying to appraise each other.
15-20 minutes into the game it becomes apparent most of Iran’s attacks are orchestrated from the right side, having kaabi, kia and karimi running the show.
On the left side, however, it’s totally different “ball game” ( pun intended ). It resembles more like a dodge-ball game, as zandi goes absconding, crowding the middle of the park.
Thus leaving zareh, who is already, in bad shape and form, the sole player with responsibility of doing both defending and attacking from the left side.
The Mexicans, noticing this, plan a couple of forays into Iran’s half, penetrating rather smoothly, as there’s hardly any half-backs to counter, and zareh is easily dealt with.
A couple of crosses and surges into Iran’s 18, shows the freeway that will be used again and again by the Mexicans throughout the match.
On the other hand, when Iran holds the ball, zareh showing incapable of forming any respectable offensive, with the midfielder ahead of him, still roaming the center of the pitch, tries to mount an attack and a cross. To no avail, as the ball goes haywire !
VH tries to chip in, thus, leaving his natural zone empty to come to assist zareh, will mean he will be run to the bone, trying to be in two places at the same time, throughout the match ! Tiring faster than usual, and having come out of an injury recently, he runs out of steam quickly and needs to be subbed.
( In comes the only forward on Iran’s bench, borhani, who despite having the pace, misses chance after chance !!! )
Hence, the Mexicans bolster their left side’s defense, preventing attacks by the trio of kia, kaabi and karimi. While mounting their attacks down their right side ( Iran’s left ), with immediate results in scoring a goal off a cross which is not dealt with properly by Iran’s defenders & keeper, who fail to contact the ball repeatedly, while the Mexicans pass the ball around in Iran’s 18 yards, culminating in a goal.
Iran’s coach seeing the early goal, is quickly forced to react.
But instead of bolstering his attack to provide for an equalizer, he fears more goals in the bag, and brings in alavi, for zandi, and ordering a 4-2-3-1 formation, with the aging Daei as their sole forward to deal with the Mexican defenders.
This compounds the misery on the out of form zareh down Iran’s left side, as his mistakes become more frequent and dangerous by the minute !
This transfers Iran’s center of gravity even more deep into their own half, allowing more Mexicans to join their attack, and with added number comes added opportunities at Iran’s goal.
Crosses come from all sides, many of which prove dangerous with Iran’s over-crowded, yet slow and error-prone defense, unable to shoulder the mounting pressure.
On the front, Daei , having been left alone, is rather easily handled by two Mexican defenders, while their other defenders freely surge into Iran’s half.
Iran’s karimi tries to go it alone, seeing the diminished number of Iran’s attackers.
Tries his usual dribbling, and is cut down viciously by the Mexican markers, time and again. And this violent marking takes its toll on him and he needs to be subbed.
Iran’s coach sends in Jabbari, who has a total of 45 minutes of international experience ( that too against japan’s B side ! ). The youngster, not lacking the heart and desire, is found wanting in experience and melts into the background of the game.
Iran’s Kia, being of high fighting spirit, tries to rally the troops with the occasional bursts of speed and aggression, only to be left stranded by his team, as they fall behind and stay behind !
Thus, preparing the setting for repeated Mexican onslaughts. And the Mexicans attack and attack and ….. !!!
The clock show minute 72, and ………………..
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sounds fantastical and imaginary?
Sounds impossible?
Sounds improbable?
Why shd it?
Afterall, haven’t we seen such a line up stressed by branko, even against piss-poor teams?
Haven’t we seen such subbing done ( zandi/alavi, …. ) ?
Haven’t we seen TM being packed with more defensive minded players than what’s needed?
The tactics?
The formation?
The repetition of mistakes by the defenders?
The repetition of mistakes by mirza on crosses and exits?
I didn’t want to continue the scenario, bleak as it seemed.
Yes, I know anything is possible.
Mathematically, we can overpower brazil 10-0….. let alone Mexicans.
( mathematically, though ).
We could manage to even win the Mexicans, although that NEEDS a lot of work, and an attacking minded team and system and … ( which we haven’t shown in the past many years ).
I’d love to see this.
We could get a draw, holding the Mexicans at bay.
I wouldn’t mind this one either.
But, look deep into your hearts. Considering the performances of TM ( key factor : keep the strength of our opposition teams in mind ) and how we have done what, in the past 2 years.
also do consider the out of form, yet fixed defendrs.
mirza out of form and still making the same horrible mistakes he used to make 4 years back.
VH, karimi, kia, ... coming off an injury.
all the deficiencies of TM's defense and left side and .... we've all seen so far.
And tell me this scenario is not possible or even probable.
Mexico and Iran enter the pitch.
Iran’s line up, no surprise to any Iranian …. Or foreigner, for that matter, includes:
Mirza
Kaabi
yahya
rezaei
zareh
nekounam
kia
zandi
karimi
VH
And Daei
Referee blows the whistle which starts the game.
Game starts slow, with both teams trying to appraise each other.
15-20 minutes into the game it becomes apparent most of Iran’s attacks are orchestrated from the right side, having kaabi, kia and karimi running the show.
On the left side, however, it’s totally different “ball game” ( pun intended ). It resembles more like a dodge-ball game, as zandi goes absconding, crowding the middle of the park.
Thus leaving zareh, who is already, in bad shape and form, the sole player with responsibility of doing both defending and attacking from the left side.
The Mexicans, noticing this, plan a couple of forays into Iran’s half, penetrating rather smoothly, as there’s hardly any half-backs to counter, and zareh is easily dealt with.
A couple of crosses and surges into Iran’s 18, shows the freeway that will be used again and again by the Mexicans throughout the match.
On the other hand, when Iran holds the ball, zareh showing incapable of forming any respectable offensive, with the midfielder ahead of him, still roaming the center of the pitch, tries to mount an attack and a cross. To no avail, as the ball goes haywire !
VH tries to chip in, thus, leaving his natural zone empty to come to assist zareh, will mean he will be run to the bone, trying to be in two places at the same time, throughout the match ! Tiring faster than usual, and having come out of an injury recently, he runs out of steam quickly and needs to be subbed.
( In comes the only forward on Iran’s bench, borhani, who despite having the pace, misses chance after chance !!! )
Hence, the Mexicans bolster their left side’s defense, preventing attacks by the trio of kia, kaabi and karimi. While mounting their attacks down their right side ( Iran’s left ), with immediate results in scoring a goal off a cross which is not dealt with properly by Iran’s defenders & keeper, who fail to contact the ball repeatedly, while the Mexicans pass the ball around in Iran’s 18 yards, culminating in a goal.
Iran’s coach seeing the early goal, is quickly forced to react.
But instead of bolstering his attack to provide for an equalizer, he fears more goals in the bag, and brings in alavi, for zandi, and ordering a 4-2-3-1 formation, with the aging Daei as their sole forward to deal with the Mexican defenders.
This compounds the misery on the out of form zareh down Iran’s left side, as his mistakes become more frequent and dangerous by the minute !
This transfers Iran’s center of gravity even more deep into their own half, allowing more Mexicans to join their attack, and with added number comes added opportunities at Iran’s goal.
Crosses come from all sides, many of which prove dangerous with Iran’s over-crowded, yet slow and error-prone defense, unable to shoulder the mounting pressure.
On the front, Daei , having been left alone, is rather easily handled by two Mexican defenders, while their other defenders freely surge into Iran’s half.
Iran’s karimi tries to go it alone, seeing the diminished number of Iran’s attackers.
Tries his usual dribbling, and is cut down viciously by the Mexican markers, time and again. And this violent marking takes its toll on him and he needs to be subbed.
Iran’s coach sends in Jabbari, who has a total of 45 minutes of international experience ( that too against japan’s B side ! ). The youngster, not lacking the heart and desire, is found wanting in experience and melts into the background of the game.
Iran’s Kia, being of high fighting spirit, tries to rally the troops with the occasional bursts of speed and aggression, only to be left stranded by his team, as they fall behind and stay behind !
Thus, preparing the setting for repeated Mexican onslaughts. And the Mexicans attack and attack and ….. !!!
The clock show minute 72, and ………………..
---------------------------------------
sounds fantastical and imaginary?
Sounds impossible?
Sounds improbable?
Why shd it?
Afterall, haven’t we seen such a line up stressed by branko, even against piss-poor teams?
Haven’t we seen such subbing done ( zandi/alavi, …. ) ?
Haven’t we seen TM being packed with more defensive minded players than what’s needed?
The tactics?
The formation?
The repetition of mistakes by the defenders?
The repetition of mistakes by mirza on crosses and exits?
I didn’t want to continue the scenario, bleak as it seemed.
Yes, I know anything is possible.
Mathematically, we can overpower brazil 10-0….. let alone Mexicans.
( mathematically, though ).
We could manage to even win the Mexicans, although that NEEDS a lot of work, and an attacking minded team and system and … ( which we haven’t shown in the past many years ).
I’d love to see this.
We could get a draw, holding the Mexicans at bay.
I wouldn’t mind this one either.
But, look deep into your hearts. Considering the performances of TM ( key factor : keep the strength of our opposition teams in mind ) and how we have done what, in the past 2 years.
also do consider the out of form, yet fixed defendrs.
mirza out of form and still making the same horrible mistakes he used to make 4 years back.
VH, karimi, kia, ... coming off an injury.
all the deficiencies of TM's defense and left side and .... we've all seen so far.
And tell me this scenario is not possible or even probable.
)
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