I dont think Zandi should start in the WC

[KasraKhan]

Nothing against Zandi as a player. He is a good player and I will never forget what he did for Iran, but he is not a natural left wing player. Zandi is a center attacking midfielder, same positon as Karimi, and when he is in the game, he wanders toward the middle and severly crowds the middle of the field. That severly affects our attack down the left flank. That is why we have absolutely no attacking game from the left side. We can not survive in the WC by attacking only down the right, we have to be equally good on both sides of the pitch.

I think Nikbkaht or Madanchi should start in place of Zandi, and Zandi should be subbed in for Daei around the 60th minute and Karimi pushed up to forward and Zandi in center attackind midfielder. That is all depending on the score of the game. With Niki or Madanchi in, two speedy and natural left wingers, our attack on the left will immensely open up, thus making our right flank open up at the same time.

Branko always has the fantasy to play people not in their natural positions, he never wants to bench Euro legionnares just beacuse they are not the best at their position, he rather play them out of position then leave them on the bench and bring them on as a sub.

What do you guys think?

[Makaveli]

I'll give you that Ma'adanchi had a good game the other day, but a spark every now and then doesnt cut it for me. With Zandi you can expect him to get the job done, maybe nothiong more and maybe nothing less, but he's the only man that plays the modern game correctly with his head up and a sense of the field and plaeyrs surrounding him. Sure he doesnt have the speed that Madanchi or Nikki has but how far does speed go in the quick modern 1-3 touch football. A player like Ma'adanchi is far too 'ajool' and not 'pokhte' like Zandi, he'll put his head down like a gaav and run to the endline of the oppostite team only to pass it back again to the half-way line.

To me its not even a comparison, i'de take Zandi with out one leg over Madanchi or Nikki anyday, that said i wouldnt mind seeing Zandi in his natural position in the center while taking Nekounam out and putting Nikbakht on the left. That would be ideal

[Martin-Reza]

Since we don't have a great leftwinger and the left midfield position in a diamond midfield is usually covered by central midfield players and we have an additional great leftfooted central midfield player in Zandi, I think lining him up is the best choice.

I think Zandi's sometimes humble contribution to offense comes due to the fact that Kia plays a real winger position on the right. When you look at the Costa Rica match where Teymourian replaced Kia, you'll see that the left side was suddenly impressive in offense. So if you want Kia to play as he does, there is no choice but limiting the leftwings offensive actions or exposing the defense by adding a Kia-like player on the left as well. Since exposing the defense is never a good idea, Zandi is the ideal man to maintain the offensive-defensive balance on the left.

[Hajagha]

According to Branko's plan for Nikki or Madanchi as the candidate for Left Back competing with Zare. I think Zandi's or left flank problem will be solved too.

The most serious problems for the TM are: 1, Keeper, 2, Daei. The rest we show what we have, not less. For example, the difference between Zandi and Teymourian is not huge, or Nikki/ Madanchi/ Zare, or central defenders,...

[Hadi]

I think Zandi is a strong point of TM. He has European experience, his passing is good and he is a quick thinker.

If we play with a Diamond midfield, we need a very good Left Back. The Right/Left backs should function as wingers at times of attack. With Kia and Kabi on the right, we don't have major problems there. but on the left, we don't have a winger to combine with Zandi. That is why I think a player like Nikbakhr or Sepehr Heydari should be used as a left back instead of Nosrati or Zare.

[Hajagha]

Hadi jan, did you read recent Branko's interview with goal.com?

I think our insist finally answered back and Branko now talks sense. I am almost sure both Madanchi and Nikki will stay in the 23 squad and I am again almost sure, he is using Nikki in that position bcz of Branko's memory of Nikki's glory.

[zzgloo]

Zandi seems like a too much of gentleman on the field,with less of a killer instinct that most.

[KasraKhan]

I like the idea of putting Nikbkaht/Madanchi back there....but...Can it work if we put Madanchi or Nikbakht at the left back position? That would mean that both the Right back position with Kaebi and the left back position with Madanchi/Nikbakht would be fullbacks that attack a lot, and that leave our defense a little vulnerable with only Yahya and Rahman back there. We can get heavily burned down the wings on counter-attack's if we put Niki/Madanchi at the left back position

[gol_kuchik]

I don't think Niki is a 90 minute player. Mansour did a full analysis of our left wing so won't
go into that, but my main concern is really our front line playing as a team. Watching
the last Esteghlal game, it was obvious that the players knew a great deal about where
the others were and could find each other with quick passes on the attack. This is really
chemistry that develops between players as they practice and play but must be reinforced
in a TM type of situation because players don't have as much time together to practice on
a regular basis. We saw some of this between Karimi,Mehdi and Kabi in the last Asian cup and that led to great results.

This "chemistry" ingridient has really been lacking in TM offence. That's why most our goals
are either on set pieces or don't involve more than two players. Here's where individual
talent may be less useful in creating situations than team work, as we witness with a quick
team efforts of Japan, S.Korea and even N.Korea. Except that in the case of N.Korea
they did not have finishers, but many systematic opportunities were created.

Speaking of subs, I am surprised that noone ever mentions Javad? Has he been playing
solid games recently? I know he has been the workhorse and sense a burn out, but
Zandi subbing for Javad or the otherway around makes more sense than Zandi for Daei.

[yashar_fasihnia]

I like the idea of putting Nikbkaht/Madanchi back there....but...Can it work if we put Madanchi or Nikbakht at the left back position? That would mean that both the Right back position with Kaebi and the left back position with Madanchi/Nikbakht would be fullbacks that attack a lot, and that leave our defense a little vulnerable with only Yahya and Rahman back there. We can get heavily burned down the wings on counter-attack's if we put Niki/Madanchi at the left back position

and hence the importance of a second DM next to nekounam as mentioned by branko? who knows?

i would very much like a shootzan like madanchi or a strong headzan player like nikbakht as our LB to help in our offense, but frankly speaking, i think zare is better than both of them defensively. thats the only worry i have, as it is, with zare who is more defensive minded, our defense is weak, wat will happen if we put nikki or madanchi there?

atleast nikbakht has a strong body and can push around some of the opponents and head away some of the high balls but still, that doesnt mean he cant be dodged away by a simple 1-2 passing or placing a well placed high ball behind him when he has moved forward.

[KasraKhan]

Well yashar, if we have 2 defensive mid's that means our formation will change once again to 4-2-3-1 and there is no way Branko is gonna bench Daei/Hashemian

[yashar_fasihnia]

Well yashar, if we have 2 defensive mid's that means our formation will change once again to 4-2-3-1 and there is no way Branko is gonna bench Daei/Hashemian

u and me both know in 4-2-3-1, branko never benched daei/hashemian. so, he might bench zandi and play hashemian in LW. considering zandi's recent status in his team.

besides, im sure if branko feels the need of daei or/and hashemian, he will bench them!

[Doctor DOOM]

I agree with kasra jan,

zandi ( diamond, flat, traingle, .... whatever ) cannnot cover the left wing.....no matter the formation.
he has proven that again and again.
4-4-2 , 3-5-2, 4-2-3-1, ... round, traisngle, square, diamond, ruby, jade, ... pick any shape or number, you NEED a left flank in any team.
just as there is a right side, there ought to be someone manning the left.

it is absurd to absolve a midfielder placed anywhere ( in any shape or ... ) on the left from his PRIMARY duty , which is defending and attacking and generally connecting the backs to strikers ON. THE. LEFT. SIDE.

( I'm gonna use this one as a joke in my next party: a central mid is actually to take care of left side. therefore, the right side mid shd take care of the center. hence the left side mid, shd take care of right. then, the attacking mid shd take care of right back. and .... so on and so forth.

which means we are either using highly confusing "code words" for different positions, like by saying central , we mean left. or by right we mean center. or ... !!!
or we just dont know our rights from our lefts !!

either way .... !

in THIS dimension, right is right. left is left. center is center.
if we keep someone on the left, his PRIORITY is taking care of left side, ... NOT THE CENTER OR RIGHT OR BACK OR .... !! )



branko puts zandi there .... solely based on the fact that he's left footed.
so bloody what?
shdnt it be according to his style and game?
what kind of nonsensical reason is that?
or is it becoz he plays in germany ?
so what again?
he's born there and plays in his naturalized country's league.
just as iranians play in Iran.

instead of looking at the needs of the team, we are supposed to accept a selection based on the "name" and "league he plays"?
then why not put rezaei as GK ?
italy is known for being the land of tough concession of goals.
so ?



that said, and knowing zandi is NOT our man there.

we have either mani'ee who is on CONSISTENT top form with great assists the whole season, or madanchi, who is ... well... nowhere near mani'ee, with a few games here and there worthy of mention ( plz dont reduce TM to pakistan's level, by touting taiwan's game )

I, personally, think consistency in good form is the MAIN and ABSOLUTE reason for selections.
both madanchi and niki have , at best shown very inconsistent, once-in-a-while good form , at scattered periods.
the ONLY left sided player we have who has shown better consistency and form is mani'ee.



I think the answer is quite clear as to who deserves to be our left flank mid.


===============

4-2-3-1:
it may be a fantastic formation. BUT NOT FOR TM & IRAN.

it may be the greatest thing that happened to football since goal-posts. BUT IT AINT FOR TM AND IRAN.

VH on the left ?
I'm curious, how many times do you ppl put your hands into the fire?

how many times you shd get burned till it strikes your heads that you will hurt if you put ur hands into the fire?

branko may be numb.
as he makes the same mistake again and again and again and ..... !
that's his problem.

but why shd WE suffer becoz he's numb?

vh on the left?


================

now, what to do with zandi?
oh, I dont know.
we cant play him just becoz he comes from germany .
that's inane and absurd.

his style puts him in line with karimi.
but karimi is a far more accomplished ( today ... not prior to bayern ) and skillful player than him.
so the choice goes to karimi.

he cant play kia's.
so dont waste time on this position.

he cant defend properly, so he cant be used as DM , ahead of nekounam either.

striker?
defender?

I say bench him.
no taarof here.
this is TM and WC.
taarof , bi taarof.
lets keep our priorities as TM's success ... not x or y's comfort or acceptance or hospitality or ... .

we must be RUTHLESS in our desire to get the absolute best from TM.

[yashar_fasihnia]

doctor jan, plz make sure u include this in ur joke at the next party as well,
"SURPRISINGLY/COINCIDENTALLY", A WORLD CLASS COACH LIKE FELIX MAGATH PLAYS A CENTRAL MIDFIELDER LIKE ALI KARIMI AS A RIGHT OR LEFT MIDFIELDER IN A WORLDCLASS TEAM LIKE BAYERN IN THE EXACTLY SAME 4-4-2 DIAMOND FORMATION

maybe its time u accept the fact that coaching is not wat ur or my eyes as a fan see, its something way beyond that, and yes, it requires some kinda education but more importantly, experience and practicality. remember, we are talking about felix magath here, not a "3rd Rated Assisstant conservative Wimp"

but i agree with u in being TOTALLY RUTHLESS in getting the best for TM which means zandi, daei, hahsemian, karimi, kia or whoever needed (plz notice needed doesnt necessarily mean out of form or something, it simply means that we can have another player who can make a better contribution to the team overall)

[Mr.Good]

Add this one to your jokes also,

"KaKa, a world class central attaking midfielder of AC Milan is played out of position as a right midfielder in a 4-4-2 diamond in the Brazillian NT."

Do you need more jokes?