Iran vs. Japan - [Match Thread] | Asian Cup 2023 | Saturday, February 3rd |

[BacheLot]

Beiro

Ramin Kanani Shoja Milad

Ezatolahi Hajsafi

ARJ/Gholi Ghoddos Torabi

Azmoun

is our best chance IMO. Torabi is critical on the left, his defensive awareness and hustle is huge, plus he is instant offense by himself (bit like Ghol in that regard) and would ensure 3 different creative pipelines to sardar. Hajsafi partnered Saeid in midfield just last year at WC. They are a solid pair there which would give Saman the license to push up into more advanced roles. Milad has better physical attributes than hajsafi for dealing with japanese 1v1 and in transition, he just needs to be fully alert and focussed.

Please lets not waste critical mins with Mohebbi, Moghanlou, etc.

Torabi doesnt look in good form to me of late..!!? i think he'd be a definite defensive liability as a starter ... almost as bad as starting Ghaedi ...! he was in beast mode pre WC22 but idiot cq didnt play him ..!

i think Safer bet for LW would be a split time between HSafi and or Mohebi..!
Mohebi got yellow carded too soon after his intro last game and that really neutralized his most important asset as an energetic hustling winger/wb..!
i'd save the rusty seeming Torabi and defensively lightweight Ghaedi in more of a late 2nd half impact sub role ..!!

[BacheLot]

CHINESE REF TO DO A JAPAN match 🤣🤣
I can ask for better.

yea me too..!!
i think its only natural for folks to pull for folks with similar physical traits as themselves .... regardless of ancient adversarial history between them..!
woulda prefered an Aussie officiating this match ...!! Ben Williams anyone..??

[Kian Persepolis]

I like that line up - It's HAJSAFI* btw, I cringe every time these Paramount+ commentators say HAJEE SAFEE - Like come on it's been 4 games now, get it right

Pretty sure he said in an interview once in Iran that it's actually Haji Safi.

Says so on the jersey too:

[MR.ESTESNAII]

betting odds have japan winning 70% chance...3-0 Japan is has the highest bet

[Hosseini]

Chinese referee Ma Ning will be the referee, assisted by the Australians Faghani usually works with.

He's done many games with Iranian teams, namely Iran 3-0 Iraq in WCQ, Iran 3-0 Syria in WCQ, many ACL games with Sepahan, Nassaji, Persepolis. Very familiar with Persians. Typically a very punitive/harsh referee domestically in China, and has a reputation for being so, but not as harsh internationally, and is usually a very sharp, good referee. He is top two in Asia with Faghani now. Most recent team with an Iranian team was Al Nassr vs Persepolis in Saudi (0-0).



REF Ma Ning CHN
AR1 Anton Shchetinin AUS
AR2 Ashley Warwick Beecham AUS
FO Muhammad Nazmi Bin Nasaruddin MAS
RAR Mohamad Zairul Bin Khalil Tan MAS
VAR Sivakorn Pu-Udom THA
AVAR 1 Muhammad Taqi Aljaafari Bin Jahari SGP

[Hosseini]

Honestly, he is the best available, we get good results with him in charge. Typically a very fair referee. He's top two referee in Asia

Referee from China.

[Abtin]

Are we expecting the forum server to crash on Saturday if Iran somehow pull this off?

[Kavian]

Our super-duper smart coach took 26 players to this tournament. A good number are just filling the list and cannot be trusted for an important match! Makes you wonder what went on in our coach's brain when he put the list together. What criteria did he really use.

In his list there was no consideration for including back up for the key positions. For example, with Moharrami out, we have no replacement for Ramin, should he get injured or not able to play for whatever reasons (and not that he is anything hot at the moment). But he included two backup strikers in Moghanlou and Assadi who are just not at the level to be used in this tournament. Why did he bring these two is beyond anyone's imagination.

I have given this GN guy the benefit of the doubt, but at this point, I have to say I have no trust in his ability to lead the team, make proper decision on formation, player selection, or coming up with a strategy/tactics that is gonna get us anything special, no trust in his subs, Nothing! ... And worse, is the shenanigans he delivers in his interviews before and after each game. The man is always talking like he was watching a different game or he is not responsible for the mess, millions witnessed.

At this point, whatever that happens in Japan game, will rest on the shoulder of players on the field. They have to find a way to lead themselves. This man is useless.

[webmaster]

An issue nobody talked about here was the fact that TM games stadium against Syria was not suitable for the game. We saw the players were sweating bullets because there was no A/C in this stadium. It is always harder to play in heat and this had a lot of effect on our team IMHO.

I am suspicious that Qatar is responsible for all this as we saw how they put Qatar in the best bracket. Do you really think Qatar would play in the same stadium?? no way. The teams Qatar is facing and the stadiums they are using have all been cherry picked for them.

In my mind there is no doubts about this. If you think at this point of time with the AI capabilities and advanced programming, they can not change these stuff? if you say no, then it shows you are not paying attention to details.

[Ali Doust]

An issue nobody talked about here was the fact that TM games stadium against Syria was not suitable for the game. We saw the players were sweating bullets because there was no A/C in this stadium. It is always harder to play in heat and this had a lot of effect on our team IMHO.

I am suspicious that Qatar is responsible for all this as we saw how they put Qatar in the best bracket. Do you really think Qatar would play in the same stadium?? no way. The teams Qatar is facing and the stadiums they are using have all been cherry picked for them.

In my mind there is no doubts about this. If you think at this point of time with the AI capabilities and advanced programming, they can not change these stuff? if you say no, then it shows you are not paying attention to details.

I was wondering why the Japanese players didn't break a sweat after 90 minutes while our guys were drenched after 15 minutes. I didn't think about the A/C factor.

[Nokhodi]

I was wondering why the Japanese players didn't break a sweat after 90 minutes while our guys were drenched after 15 minutes. I didn't think about the A/C factor.

Yes, we literally had the only stadium with the coolers.

[Kavian]

I was wondering why the Japanese players didn't break a sweat after 90 minutes while our guys were drenched after 15 minutes. I didn't think about the A/C factor.

The other factor is Japanese are wearing high technology jerseys that absorb moisture and keeps them dry, while our player jerseys get wet and sticks to their bodies.

I noticed this not only in Asian cup with lower quality brands used by most teams, but also at African cup. There, aside from the top teams, all other are wearing horrible quality stuff. Colorful but horrible. Looks like they took a shower.

[Saam]

An issue nobody talked about here was the fact that TM games stadium against Syria was not suitable for the game. We saw the players were sweating bullets because there was no A/C in this stadium. It is always harder to play in heat and this had a lot of effect on our team IMHO.

I am suspicious that Qatar is responsible for all this as we saw how they put Qatar in the best bracket. Do you really think Qatar would play in the same stadium?? no way. The teams Qatar is facing and the stadiums they are using have all been cherry picked for them.

In my mind there is no doubts about this. If you think at this point of time with the AI capabilities and advanced programming, they can not change these stuff? if you say no, then it shows you are not paying attention to details.

The advantages of being a host, I guess. They get to decide which stadiums, with some additional influence on AFC I'm sure.

[DR Strangemoosh]

most depressing thing is that none of y'all are into uzumaki, tomie etc.... to get any horror manga references i've peppered into various posts

[mahestan]

most depressing thing is that none of y'all are into uzumaki, tomie etc.... to get any horror manga references i've peppered into various posts

Well rest assured most of us got the Captain Tsubasa reference you made on page 6. Both the line up and the Misugi heart condition. Most of us old folks have been around long enough to have heard all of the Captain Tsubasa references whenever TM has played against JPN.