Iran - Qatar WCQ 29/2/12

[Doctor DOOM]

FIRST HALF -

Good pace from the team and I liked how they pressed high and hard in the beginning of the game and they were awarded for their press with the great goal from Dejagah. Some really nice and slick passing that was sorely missing against Jordan.

I liked how Dejagah settled in so quickly and so well to combine with heidari and karimi on the right side. Shows his high intelligence. For someone who hasn’t really watched his games until today I must admit he used his physicality pretty well and controlled the ball very well. I think he is a very good addition to our TM, his debut goal notwithstanding.

Speaking of intelligence let me make a note on its shortage in our goal keeper, Rahmati. Once again his exit that led to the penalty showed he doesn’t really use all his faculties up there, while the Qatari player was going AWAY from the goal and had no place to go to! He could have merely formed a block to the player while the ball was speeding out. Somebody ought to work with him and somehow teach him to play a more intelligent football.

So far, in the first half, Karimi except a few nice tricks and dribbles has unfortunately been one of our weakest players …. surprisingly since he had a great game against Jordan. I hope he gets it together as he plays in a very important spot, right behind the center forward and in charge of playmaking. So this amount of turnover is alarming.

I expect the team to step it up and finish the job as we get close to minutes 75 or so.


SECOND HALF –

Wow. Pouladi’s crosses have been magnificent throughout.

I don’t care what you read on the score board . I’m gonna call it 3-2 just becoz of Nekounam’s cruise missile that hit the bar. Somebody check the goal post. There must be a massive dent on it now.

Absolutely delicious freekick by Dejagah who hasn’t wasted time to endear himself to the Iranian fans.

Khalatbari’s subbing was a bit of question mark for me. He was a live wire and doing great putting pressure on the Qatari right back, keeping him at bay. I thought a more straight forward exchange would have been Nouri for Karimi who wasn’t doing much and had a weak first half. I really want to know why Khalatbari and not Karimi. Does it have anything to do with seniority? Should that be a factor?

And becoz Karimi was weak, poor Ghazi was not fed properly and was reduced to merely running after loose balls, trying to make something out of them! So I really doubt our softie, Ansarifard’s soft, gentle touches are going to make much of a difference. I’d say Ghazi is far more useful for the team than Ansarifard who hardly participates in defense like ghazi, and has a very weak physical game (which fits his soft, gentle touches of the ball).

Qatar’s second goal. Once again we revisit Nekounam’s old weakness which is not marking/tailing his man. He takes a couple of steps in and surprisingly STOPS … allowing the Qatari attacker to head in with absolutely no hinderance! Well, what the hell? How many times are we going to see this from one of the most experienced players in the team?

I really hope our laxity in dealing with Qatar and putting them away doesn’t come around and bite our arses in the next round. Given their hosting of the WC and AFC/FIFA needing them to at least qualify on their own merit at least once, which means AFC will do everything possible to see them through. Which means a mountain of trouble for whoever that’s in their group!

[Doctor DOOM]

ok. after a couple of days, I think we can discuss a bit more clearly about positives and negatives of the team.
as usual I will emphasize on the negatives more than the positives with the hope that somehow there will be recognition of them and therefore an attempt to resolve them.

as I said earlier I really liked the first half. especially the pace of the team and all the movement seen in its attacks. I think if we can repeat this half and make it a total 90 minute performance we shd be steamrolling over most of the teams in our group.

the starting line up (despite my doubts on puladi's capabilities) did very well in attacks and putting pressure on the opponents. started with a high press and then slowed down but never really allowed too much freedom to the opponents except a few minutes here and there. had rahmati exercised a little sense, he would have allowed the ball to roll out and we would have finished the half 1-0 ahead.

************
Line up & roster

FORWARD
I like ghazi as the center forward. he is physical and can deal with most defenders and hold them off. he is pretty good in air too. not a daei, but among all the players we have in Iran, he suits the role the best. certainly not mister daisy ansarifard. and since CQ seems hellbent on 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3, and not 4-4-2, I guess there's no point talking about a two man forward line anyway!!!



with dejagah's inclusion and how he quickly adapted to his mates on the right side, I think he is the best option for that post.

in games where we want to adopt attacking options, I think khalatbari would do well on the left as i think he did well in the game. therefore my surprise in HIM being subbed out instead of more deserving players like Karimi. he is quick and very aggressive. he really makes opponent defenders suffer. whether with the ball or without it. I didnt see his usual immature tantrums and behavior. so hopefully he has matured and given up on these for good.

that leaves the spot behind the center forward. Karimi was brilliant 5-6 days back against Jordan when the entire team did poorly. but against qatar, it reversed totally. while the rest of the attacking players did very well, it was karimi who was the weakest on the pitch for us. and such fluctuations will become more apparent as pp starts its ACL games where they rely heavily on karimi to lead the team.
so where is CQ's promise of REJUVENATING the TM? more on this later



DEF-MIDS
for the DM's, I assume with ando's return, it will be the usual Nekuonam-Ando duo with little room left for Hadadifard or jabbari who may come into games depending on the needs of the game.
we know the vices and virtues of this duo. especially with nekounam's habit of loose marking, usually puts pressure on our CB's to cover more than they bargained for.




DEFENSE
the most suspect area in TM (yes, even more than rahmati's lowering of form & reflexes) is our traditional one; central defense. these two have played a gazillion games together and somehow they still show suspect and have lapses that sometimes make us pay dearly. nekuonam also is very unhelpful in this matter and makes things more difficult for the already suspect zone.
isnt it time to try a different combo. maybe retain one of the aghili-hosseini duo and bring in another? but when?
the jordan game and other test games are the best time to try this, which CQ wasted.

Heidari is doing well as RB and I really doubt anyone will replace him. Mahini is another fantastic option. so whichever player is picked, we are pretty much insured for this spot.

for LB, pouladi did extremely well in going forward and crossing. but we already knew his attacking game would have been fine. it is his DEFENDING under pressure that was a question mark for me and unless CQ decides to play against bigger teams we'll never know how he'd do until it may be too late and ... .
hajsafi also falls in the same category. great going forward, but not very reliable defending.
Mahini, imo, does very well in this post too. not only his attacks are of high quality, his defending also has been proven in zob ahan's games.



GOALKEEPER
and finally rahmati. I think I've said what's needed to be said.
he is our best option. but he may be getting complacent. his reflexes are not what they used to be and he's been leaking goals that a year or so ago would have been unheard of. on top of this, his usual hesitation in coming out of the box on crosses and poor choice of actions (like how he gifted the penalty for qatar's first goal) is cause for a pause.


************

now, back to CQ's promise.
yes, we have seen mahini and pouladi brought in. but they are hardly "young". I think around 25-27.
and yes, reza haghighi is young. but I doubt he'd be used in a spot where we have nekounam, ando, hadadifard and even jabbari.
Afshin may be injured. so I wont speak about him for the moment.
Ansarifard's case is unique. he hardly performs at TM and we really have to squint to find a good patch of play by him.

now, why the talk of age? becoz the WC is about 2 years + 3-4 months later.
lets see how many of our players will be on the wrong side of 30 or even hovering around 30 by that time (I'm not counting the GK though):
karimi, nekounam, jabbari, aghili, hosseini, ando, montazeri, rezaei, nowrouzi, ...
with the rest of the team like ghazi, khalatbari, hadadifard, heidari, dejagah, hovering around 27-28 (which is fine, btw)
but for all the aged players and slow legs, we must have enough fresh young legs to compensate for the pace and movement. where and who are they? when are they going to be introduced to them team? during the all important WCQ's?


secondly, what are we going to do with karimi's spot?
do we really think he can carry on for another 2 years?
if no, when and whom are we going to groom for this crucial spot in the team?

[zzgloo]

Payman jaan Salam...
Long time.....!!as I have been away for far too long.....
I read your assesment..and it was mostly on the moneyas usual....you do a very good job of objective analysis...
.....
You Judement of Rahmati ( The keeper ) is 100% correct.....he is the best we have but he is getting too comfortable not having to compete for the job....he is missing balls on the rebounds, and too agressive and careless when he is in trouble..yet, he is still the man.
......
Regarding Ghazi, you were right again....as he may be better than Ansarifard..and more ( Gholdor ! )....
.....
Dejagah..,proved how elementary the Iranian football may be, as the guy comes off a mid-level European club,with no experinnce in Iranian football, and out shines every one on his first attempt....., although he is a better force on the right side, and QC should have kept him there for the secound half as well.....and Khosro Hardai was a better mix with him, than Pooladi on the left as well.....
Dejagah's first goal..showed, once again, the neccessity of " Killer instict and " out muscleing " final extention for the forwards, that lacks in Irnaina forwards,since Ali daie.......,and his secound goal,was just pure projectile fast cross..that is multy-porpose.........
Dejagah will be big problem for the opposing teams during the next round.
.......
TM 's defense , appears to be the achilli's Hill for the next round if QC does not drasticaly do something about it......
......
QC ,while not perfect..is showing to be the right man for the job...although he needs to work on the Team speed,and defense before we get to the next round.

[Doctor DOOM]

cheers bahram jan.
I think if we (well, not "we, we", but CQ actually) iron out a few key issues in the team (roster as well as strategy), we shd be able to qualify directly.


btw, after watching ashjari's latest game, I strongly think he will be a magnificent addition to the overall roster of TM.
and this is unprecedented .... I think EVER ... in the history of iran's football to have 3 very good and reliable left backs options for TM.
and yes, seeing pouladi against alhilal has more or less convinced me that he is a reliable (at least) option for LB.

we've never had the likes of ashjari, mahini, pouladi for the LB (even if we leave out hajsafi)
can anyone remember when was the last time we had this many good options for this post? I cant.


another positive seen from the first round of ACL games is montazeri's good form. I think if he continues this, he can certainly push either of aghili or hosseini (mainly aghil, imo) to the bench.



things that I hope will happen before the WCQ's start as I really think the first 3 games (given uzbeks' predicament in the 1st game) are extremely crucial for us:

1- return to form of hadadifard coz without him I really dont know how much we can rely on karimi as a playmaker
2- guys like ando, reza nowroozi, and jabbari coming back from their injuries
3- if we get a nice combination of CD (either with montazeri or aghili getting his act straight)
4- forcing rahmati to get serious and remedy some of his shortcomings (his reflexes were great in ss' game in qatar. but I doubt he has reversed the trend)

I cant think of anything else. so if we get the above done with some good test games and trials along with CQ's open mind wt regards to the roster, we'd have a truly great team