Bahrain - Iran (11/11/11) - WCQ

[Doctor DOOM]

First Half:

I’m seeing an un-usual number of useless and foolish lobs and hoofings by the team. As if we don’t have a midfield or the defenders just don’t like the midfield players and want to ignore them!! This TM is a very different team that we saw in tehran scoring 5 goals in 45 minutes. Could the difference be that red card that we were gifted, then? Because we shd be able to deliver even half of the quality we saw in Tehran from more or less the same team. And yet …!

It’s like our team has taken the game as granted and don’t want to put too much effort (physically & mentally) into delivering the goods. Almost as if it’s a friendly!

The Bahrain goal: a series of comical and silly mistakes by our players gifted the goal to them.
Starting with khalatbari’s stupid back-heel, followed by rahmati’s usual problem on long balls which he doesn’t know how to hold them and usually punches or parries them. But this time it was a half hearted attempt at both … as if he didn’t know whether to punch or parry and ended up merely caressing it for the Bahraini attacker!

Rahmati HAS TO get this sorted out for himself. Decide if he wants to punch (which he usually does) or if he wants to simply parry (he doesn’t do this as often on such shots) but he has to do it convincingly. not like this.

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

Second Half:

It’s like this game was destined to be the negative alternate to the first leg. Whoever that did well, did badly (like mahini who was very disappointing today, but was marvelous in tehran) and whoever didn’t do well, did fine in this one (Nekounam who had a poor game in the first leg did very well in fact), so was the situation with the teams and even almost the result (thanks to ghazi’s header and jabbari’s shot).
Very strange two legs.

TM had some good patches in the second half. But they were very patchy and far in between … even though they were applying increasing pressure on Bahrain (half due to Bahrain doing their usual thing and trying to park the bus in front of the goal).

A few points on players:
I think Ghazi is developing very well as a front strong-man (center forward) for the team. His games at TM (even those he hasn’t scored) have been more effective and impressive than the likes of the young ansarifard. But his best games are when our flanks perform well. Today was one of the poorest games by the talented Mahini and I hope this is going to stay as an exception for him.

Having Jabbari in the team I expected far more creativity from him (in absence of karimi and hadadifard). But today, he didn’t impress me as a playmaker. He wasn’t even half of what he was in the first leg.

All of which brings me to the matter of inconsistency among our lads. This level of extreme up and down in quality is simply not acceptable. You just cant have a great game and the next, such a poor one. This HAS TO be addressed by the staff.
I think kazemian came on as a sub. But I hardly heard his name (was watching the English commentary which was incredibly boring!!).

Bottomline: I think CQ aimed for a draw and was just too cautious. And we all know if you aim for a draw, there’s good chance that you may lose. He corrected his selection early into the second half and brought 2 attacking options, with ghazi providing what ansarifard failed.

Let this be a lesson to CQ not to aim for draws and always look for consistency in the team performance.

[yashar_fasihnia]

the biggest fault was our defenders for sleeping and allowing 4 of the bahraini's all alone to follow the rebound while all we did was just stand and watch!

the ball was too fast and far for rahmati to do better than that, it was right at the corner and rahmati had to fully stretch to atleast touch the ball..


anyone remembers this?? we dont seem to learn...

[Doctor DOOM]

1- yashar jan, if it was a finger-tip save, I'd have understood. but it wasnt. he clearly palmed the ball. you try to palm the ball ONLY when you mean to catch it. he looked hesitant and indecisive; while palming the ball, he also pushed it. that looks like he first decided to catch the ball but halfway through the act (maybe due to the speed or force of the ball), he changed his mind and tried to deflect it.
palming the ball away never gets the ball far enough as was the case here. a clear punch at least would have distanced the ball from the goal.

2- you are right. our defenders' reflex actions are very slow and have always been so. they ought to be more quick on their toes.

[yashar_fasihnia]

i think the hesistance was mostly in the beginning when the ball still had not crossed the wall and he still didnt see the shot. suddenly he saw the ball coming and he stretched fully.

anyways, even if rahmati was at fault, the primary fault still lies with our defense, because the defenders need to be alert enough for any rebound.
there is a chance the GK drops a shot, or the ball hits the wall and falls on the ground waiting to be picked up, or the ball hits the post and rebounds back. wat if the ball had hit the post and bounce back, would we still be blaming rahmati or the defenders?

only 1 defender retreating back while 4 bahraini players going for the rebound is inexcusable and clearly a problem with our defense which we saw against korea in tehran as well (ultimately cost us a worldcup qualification)
if 4 bahraini players have enough time to go reach for the ball which is moving away from goal and position themselves infront of our goal, so should our players but only 1 did while the rest just stood there and watched.

[Paradigm]

The goal Rahmati received today was the exact replica of the one from WCQ 2010 against South Korea (played in 2009). It was scored on a rebound from the same angle and our defenders were late to arrive at the scene. History repeats....

[oldcoach]

This game very much reminded me of the ONE unforgettable game we lost 3-1.
I am curious to know CQ and players reactions.
Let's face it Rahmati has a problem, but he is the best we got at this time.
Khalatbari just had an awful awful game. Neku had a very bad first half but somewhat improved in the second.
The only two players that were close to their normal self were Ghazi and Maydavoodi.
BTW, I didnt notice Meydavoodi getting a yellow card, but apparently he did and will miss the next game.

[Martin-Reza]

Good job by TM and good result. We are in excellent position now and I don't see much to complain about CQ so far. I don't think playing in Manama is easy and you can't always shine.

[Paradigm]

Should CQ give Reza Noroozi a chance? If Meydavoodi is not there for the next game....

[Doctor DOOM]

i think the hesistance was mostly in the beginning when the ball still had not crossed the wall and he still didnt see the shot. suddenly he saw the ball coming and he stretched fully.

anyways, even if rahmati was at fault, the primary fault still lies with our defense, because the defenders need to be alert enough for any rebound.
there is a chance the GK drops a shot, or the ball hits the wall and falls on the ground waiting to be picked up, or the ball hits the post and rebounds back. wat if the ball had hit the post and bounce back, would we still be blaming rahmati or the defenders?

only 1 defender retreating back while 4 bahraini players going for the rebound is inexcusable and clearly a problem with our defense which we saw against korea in tehran as well (ultimately cost us a worldcup qualification)
if 4 bahraini players have enough time to go reach for the ball which is moving away from goal and position themselves infront of our goal, so should our players but only 1 did while the rest just stood there and watched.

I agree.
this isnt limited to iranian players though. you see, in such set pieces, the attacking team's players face the goal and rush towards it, while the defenders mostly have their backs or their sides to the goal and lean away from the goal. so in majority of cases the attackers have the advantage of getting to the goal line faster than those defenders who have to pivot on their heels and change trajectory.
But I agree. that's still not an excuse to let 4 guys through with 1 guy retracting.


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

in defense of the idiot khalatbari, I must say although that back heel was one S.T.U.P.I.D. act to do so close to one's box, he didnt have a more awful game than the other 8-9 players in the team. He did steal a few balls from the opponents and did his usual "tying the defenders in a knot" dribbles a few times. I wouldnt say he was the worst on the pitch by no stretch. not when we have ansarifard who was strolling in the park as if on a picnic most of the time! and certainly not as bad as mahini (despite being on my favorites list) who had a very disappointing and forgettable game

[yashar_fasihnia]

payman jan,i think both teams players look at the ball while the shot is being taken.the forwards look to head the ball if needed, the defense the same.

if they see the ball doesnt reach them but is going straight to the goal instead, they both should turn and go towards the goal to clear it.
its not like the forwards have their back to the ball and just run towards the goal aimlessly, they look where the ball is going and move accordingly. the defense does the same.

[Martin-Reza]

Also for me bahrain's goal was very much khalatbari's fault, who amateurishly caused a turnover in the own defensive third due to a sloppy backheel pass leading to the freekick. You simply don't do that.

[maij]

You would not imagine the shout that came out from down deep at minute 90+3...it was so satisfying and beyond imagination. The fact is , that joy and elation had very little to do with the actual football as it was much beyond that.

I actually made the effort to go to the stadium an hour and a half before kickoff and returned back home from the National stadium just before kickoff to watch the match on TV! Now that is another story for a separate thread.

SO , WHAT ABOUT THE MATCH?

Result was fine, but the football was really embarrassing at times and SPECIFICALLY in the first half. I don't remember such a tedious, meager, amateurish, lackluster football in one half from TM players for a long time...Just , what the hell was that ?

Is this the same team that was running over Bahrain like a steam roller with those nice smooth plays , beautifully taken goals of which one even made it as the world best? How on earth can a team deteriorate so much? Bahrain league has not even started yet , while Persian Gulf League in Iran is nearing the midway break ! Is this the consistency that Carlos Quieroz claims the team has achieved? Does consistency in English has a different meaning than consistency in Portuguese?

There was absolutely nothing in the first half to brag about but plenty to be embarrassed about . All things aside , that marvelous (…) back heel just outside TM's own box by Lionel Khalatbary was a masterpiece!!!!. Not only this player has displayed low productivity for Team Melli up front in as many matches as he played, he could have very well put the qualification to the next round in great jeopardy by an act of pure negligence and poor execution that typifies the mentality of this player.
Granted that other mistakes followed that resulted in the goal to be conceded at a critical time , but single handedly , Khalatbary’s injudicious , foolish move has started the ball rolling . I have mentioned this player’s poor attitude and mentality many times before. The guy has coordination problems and poor intelligence and mental awareness, I have nothing against him, I just do not like him to be part of the starting 11.

Rahmati was never a top notch keeper and shall never be one either. He is definitely not in the class of the great Goalkeepers of Team Melli , but like our defenders , it seems that we have to accept him as being the best of the worst. A clever GK would have dealt much differently with such a ball.
Kudos to Carlos Queiroz for his substitution, which I personally believe was the catalyst for the equalizer, BUT , CQ is not the most Courageous , adventurous and confident coach that TM had in its long illustrious history. In fact , he is a coward. I remember how Peyman was accusing Branko of lack of adventure and things like that, what would you say to CQ , I wonder?

Final thoughts: I don’t think that tactical issues and technically speaking, Team Melli is in turmoil , nor is it short of talents. The problem lies in the mind. I have said it before, and will say it again. It is the mentality of the players and coaches that is the team’s greatest adversary rather than the opposition. There is a mentality issues here than needs addressing much more urgently than technical.

If a team lacks the will to win , it surely will not win matches. That was Team Melli against Bahrain on 11/11/11

[Kaiser Amir]

Is this the same team that was running over Bahrain like a steam roller with those nice smooth plays , beautifully taken goals of which one even made it as the world best? How on earth can a team deteriorate so much? Bahrain league has not even started yet , while Persian Gulf League in Iran is nearing the midway break ! Is this the consistency that Carlos Quieroz claims the team has achieved? Does consistency in English has a different meaning than consistency in Portuguese?

Exactly my thoughts, maij Jan!
Especially the bolded part.

http://www.persianfootball.com/forum...ot-in-Portugal

Of course, when I mentioned Team Melli's alarming lack of consistency, performance-wise, this is one of the replies I received:

This fool is just from another planet! his expectations are like beyond and unreasonable!! fukking ignorant...

All things aside , that marvelous (…) back heel just outside TM's own box by Lionel Khalatbary was a masterpiece!!!!.

Believe me when I say that as soon as Khalatbari did that, even before the goal, I thought of you



I thought to myself: I wonder how would maij describe that move in a post-match analyses



Unfortunatly, this is where we don't see eye to eye.
Despite his error today, I still love Khalatbari.
And, please, don't take away from his greatness by calling him "Lionel Khalatbari".
He was and shall always be: Diego Armando Khalatbari


P.S. - Why did you went all the way to the stadium just to return home and watch the game on TV?!?!
Especially since the game wasn't sold out...

[maij]

Exactly my thoughts, maij Jan!
Especially the bolded part.

http://www.persianfootball.com/forum...ot-in-Portugal

Of course, when I mentioned Team Melli's alarming lack of consistency, performance-wise, this is one of the replies I received:








Believe me when I say that as soon as Khalatbari did that, even before the goal, I thought of you



I thought to myself: I wonder how would maij describe that move in a post-match analyses



Unfortunatly, this is where we don't see eye to eye.
Despite his error today, I still love Khalatbari.
And, please, don't take away from his greatness by calling him "Lionel Khalatbari".
He was and shall always be: Diego Armando Khalatbari


P.S. - Why did you went all the way to the stadium just to return home and watch the game on TV?!?!
Especially since the game wasn't sold out...

Well , it seems that we do have something in common.

I have watched khalatbari in many matches and way before his selection for Team Melli. In fact I remember that I supported his selection for TM on these pages in PFDC. I have always admired his dribbling until I slowly realized that there is a major flaw in his style. It took a few more focusing and debating with other friends whom I watch some matches with and ironically we all figured that this guy , who has undeniable talents and is full of running , is not or cannot channel it towards his team and teammates. He is also highly inconsistent , undisciplined and has a short fuse making him volatile which can be easily manipulated by the oppositions. He is simply NOT a good , consistent , reliable player. He does a lot of silly things to categorize him as a liability.


Now , if he turns up against Indonesia and scores a hat trick with one of his goals , he dribbles 12 players ( 11 players and the goal post ) and scores , then his second goal resembles a guided missile from 40 meters , do you think I would change my mind about him ?....hardly.

I will mention the route back home in a separate thread tomorrow , I hope.

[Keano]

After 5-6 hours of final whistle I have managed to cool down, take a deep breath and use my judgment in a more logical and fair fashion.

Let's face it, Bahrain is not as weak as what their first leg score-line suggested, keep in mind in that home match and before 70K+ fierce fans we battled a 10 men team for over 90 minutes, so the circumstance of the match were quite different to that of what we witnessed today in Manama.

We historically suck in Manama, the record speaks for itself: We have never won a single match in Manama, we have played 5 matches for we lost 2, and drew 3, quite disappointing results in Bahrain!

Our defense is as shaky and unreliable as always, we have historically sucked at rebounds in our own box, both our defense and GK have been very sloppy in covering the rebounds, thus giving away easy scoring opportunities to the opponents. Rahmati's shortcoming in his exits on most aerial balls, plus his incomplete blocks have cost him and us in several occasions, one being in today's match, where he should have punched the ball away, yet he hands down the ball in front of the goal, feeding the opponent with some great scoring positioning!

Rezaei and Khalatbari IMHO should not start our next match against Indonesia, for many reasons, first their height problem, Indonesia is a short team, should we take advantage of our taller strikers with header skills such as Ghazi and Ansarifard we will definitely benefit from their aerial superiority in front of the goal, plus both Rezaei and Khalatbari have had dismal display at best for these past few TM matches!