CQ revealed his true intentions and goals for the WC

[Doctor DOOM]

[Doctor DOOM]

Allow me to amend my remark on 0-0 screlines here.
It is one thing for CQ to dream and fantasize about a shut out. But lets face it, for all our boasts about being able to defend, we hardly were tested by anything even remotely close to what we'll face.

In the entire WCQ's plus the test games and friendlies and ACQ's , the only ... let me repeat, THE ONLY decent team we faced that was somewhat close to what we'll face is south Korea. And we still remember how lucky we were thanks to Ahmadi's miraculous blocking and diving and interceptions.
Saves that on a normal day would have been goals and we'd end with a 3-1 loss.

So if you think our defense is impenetrable, then think again.
We NEVER EVER faced any team close to Nigerians or Bosnians. Am not even counting the argentine.
So how sure are we about this defense?

[faraz]

So to be fair, I don't think Iran has much hope regardless of team selection but...
Very disappointed to see Azmoun and Khalatbari dropped. Both are somewhat rare in this newest generation of Iranian football players - the creative-type who could, possibly, create the one or two individual moments of brilliance that result in goals. Aside from Ashkan, Jahanbakhsh and a few "true" strikers - it really looks like a squad packed to the brim with defenders and defensive midfielders.

EDIT: ..and wtf happens if we're down a goal - which is far more likely than not conceding? Who do we have to throw in there to give us a glimmer of hope of scoring?...ugh.

[St_Mark]

If Iran is relying on Counter, then they need a MF who is quick and one touch passer like Rahmani . In Foulad he does that well with Rezaei , Luciano or Afshin. Let's see if CQ has that in mind. He run even more than Ando

Good thing about WC games there going to be stats and we can see how players perform.

[Martin-Reza]

We are playing 4-2-3-1 and have exactly 2 players for each position, also for the 4 offensive positions. Of course the players are versatile too so each position is backed up several times.

It was always clear we would repeat the tactic we used in South Korea during World Cup.

Seriously, how could anyone be surprised?

[faraz]

It was always clear we would repeat the tactic we used in South Korea during World Cup.
Seriously, how could anyone be surprised?

Tactic? Which tactic? The one that had Ahmadi making a miraculous sprawling save, or the one where we crossed our fingers and prayed to the football gods that S.K would miss the point blank headers, breakaways, etc?

I can't seriously understand how we can assume or be so certain that the same "tactics" that "worked" against lesser opponents will work against the likes of Nigeria, Bosnia and company.

Hope I'm wrong...

[Doctor DOOM]

^ the perfect post that we all shd remember whenever we erroneously (and sadly, consistently) bring up to excuse the inexcusable.
Relying on luck and miracles is NOT tactics.

If Iran is relying on Counter, then they need a MF who is quick and one touch passer like Rahmani . In Foulad he does that well with Rezaei , Luciano or Afshin. Let's see if CQ has that in mind. He run even more than Ando
Good thing about WC games there going to be stats and we can see how players perform.

I seriously doubt Rahmani would see even a minute of playing time. I just can't see CQ giving him this chance. Not that I think he doesn't deserve a 15/20 minutes.

[Doctor DOOM]

We are playing 4-2-3-1 and have exactly 2 players for each position, also for the 4 offensive positions. Of course the players are versatile too so each position is backed up several times.

It was always clear we would repeat the tactic we used in South Korea during World Cup.

Seriously, how could anyone be surprised?

"'theoretically'' a lot of things can be explained or even justified.
But keeping in mind our real abilities, recent years' experiences, potential and performances, ... especially in the matter of goal scoring, this name-based positioning wouldn't explain how we would react to falling behind.

How many of these supposed ''strikers'' can score goals? How often do the likes of heidari, Dejagah or shojaei score goals? What are their stats to at least give us some indication they can help scoring goals if our recognized forwards fail to?
This season how many goals were scored by these three, as an example?

I am not saying if Khalatbari were present, he'd have scored a bundle. No. For all we know he may not have got even one.
But judging from each player's capabilities and games, we can say chances of Khalatbari scoring is much MUCH higher than the likes of heidari, shojaei, Dejagah, ...

[Martin-Reza]

Khalatbari is not a really good goalscorer, more a creator. He scored 5 goals in 60 appearances for Iran. Statistically, Ghoochannejhad, Ansarifard, Jahanbakhsh, Dejagah, Shojaei, Nekounam and even Teymourian are more likely to score. Counting out the DMs, who like the defenders are also not unlikely to score, I still think those five players bring sufficient goal scoring ability, especially for a gameplan which is based on conceding little goals.

[Paradigm]

My feeling is Rahmani will be much used in the midfield and will prove to be highly effective as Ando's sidekick. Also Ansarifard scored versus Angola pairing up with Hajsafi on the left. CQ has seen that too and will utilize the pairing in that side, so we should have a very functioning, dangerous left midfield/attack. As for the right midfield, there are Heydari and Jahanbaksh.

[Hadi]

playing defensive and bringing defensive minded players is the ONLY way forward and the only logical way to approach the world cup.

This is not about being "brave" or "ambitious". These terms lose their meaning when the difference in quality between Iran and world class teams is this huge.

CQ's approach has been simple. He has been working to improve the team's work-rate, stamina, concentration and mental qualities.
He cant teach a player how to pass, how to control a ball, how to cross a ball overnight. Our players are simply on a lower technical level than world class players so all CQ can do is make them work hard, run further and play in a more organized way.

People seem to forget that TM has not shown a decent attacking game ever since 2006. Our team is incapable of attacking, free flowing play. even our WCQ campaign was a disaster when it came to attacking and goal scoring. We got there in the end thanks to defensive resilience and some elements of luck.
Our team even struggles to play attacking football versus teams like Lebanon and Qatar, let alone Nigeria and Argentina.

Eliminating players like Azmoun and packing the midfield with defensive and central midfield was a very smart choice. Azmoun to me, is a pure joke. Sure he may have a bright future but a player who has not even developed physically yet and has never played in TM should not be brought to a world cup.

We have 2-3 wingers (Dejagah, Shojaie, JB) and 2 strikers (Karim, Gucci). That is more than enough for 3 matches where we MUST play defensively and keep our doors shut.

I am a little disappointed that Khalatbari was cut. I always saw him as our "joker" card and our game changer. He can draw a foul or two and is the only player who may be able to carve open defenses in a moment of brilliance. But I guess his exclusion could be down to:

1) His weak work-rate and physical attributes. CQ wants to bring big and fit players only
2) His attitude is not the best and is known to cause a trouble or two

[faraz]

^don't disagree with Azmoun as much as Khalatbari either. though I wouldn't go so far as calling Azmoun a "joke". Showed some fight/heart and given how young he is, this would have been invaluable learning experience for him.

btw - you don't necessarily need to stack a team with defensive players to play with a defensive mindset. in fact, you can use a pacy player like Khalatbari in a defensive scheme to good effect - he can hold/control the ball, draw the opposition into fouls to slow things down, and in the off-chance, can be a real asset in a counter attack.

quick edit: not familiar with his attitude problems so I'll take your word for it. in any case, Queroz must have seen something that we as outsiders don't see, so in the nature of having a positive attitude, so be it.

[Adesor Vafaseya]

CQ's approach has been simple. He has been working to improve the team's work-rate, stamina, concentration and mental qualities.
He cant teach a player how to pass, how to control a ball, how to cross a ball overnight. Our players are simply on a lower technical level than world class players so all CQ can do is make them work hard, run further and play in a more organized way.

Nor does he have to. This is the job of club level coaches.
National team coach can only bring the best possible option and organize them in the most suitable way. This is exactly what CQ has done.

In the end of the day, every coach should just follow my signature

[Paradigm]

So who is gonna take over for Saleh?

[yashar_fasihnia]

dropping khalatbari is really a crime, specially when we have so many central midfielders like nekounam, ando, haghighi, hadadifar or even bakhtiar who in emergency cases can play one line behind next to nekounam/ando/haghighi/hadadifar if by some miracle 3 of those 4 players go missing... khalatbari was probably our only "X-factor" who could create an opportunity out of nothing just like he did against russia, and against lebanon if i remember correctly cos to be honest, we are not good enough in creating opportunities through team work, so we should rely on set pieces and individual skills which has always been iranian football foundation... the rest of the team is more or less acceptable. my other concern is GK and davari has been a mess conceding unacceptable goals in every game he played for TM but in the absence of rahmati, i trust rahman ahmadi more than the rest..