Iran vs South Korea Player Ratings | Post Match Discussion

[04041374]

Why cant we use Sardar? He got a yellow today but didnt get a yellow in the Uzbekistan game. Isnt it yellows in consecutive games that will garner the next match to be disqualified for a player or two yellows per round. I never understood that rule fully. Can you please explain.

He got a yellow against India as well, but I'm not 100% sure, if the cards from the 2nd round count as well.

I some AFC tournaments, it counted.

[Karimi 8]

Overall:
Our team executed their tactic perfectly throughout the entire game. We were maybe under pressure for only a few minutes, where Korea didn't get a single shot on target (neither did Uzbekistan). Korea talked a big game, and again got shut down completely and chartayee shodan :P. This game was the result of great coaching, the players are starting to understand Carlos' tactics and fully embracing them. Now no team in Asia can threaten us, and we will only continue to get stronger from here.

Individual:
Beiranvand - 7 (He wasn't really tested, however, he has shown a few times that he exits sometimes too much. Today was no exception).

Rezaeian - 9.5 (you can't really ask for a better performance. The guy was amazing, got an assist, never stopped running, created chances, dribbled and defended)
Hosseini - 9 (Perfect game, very solid)
Pouraliganji - 9 (He was first to the ball every time, he was solid and defended bigger players easily.
Mohammadi - 8.5 (played a good game and defended well. He won headers, and was first to the ball today which he needs to continue to do)

Hajsafi - 9 (Finally in a position where he can flourish. He was perfect)
Ezzatolahi - 8.5 (Take a moment to realize our captain Javad Nekounam, retired after 151 games, and this 20 year old has came, and calmly started to fill the shoes of one of our best players of all time. I am not comparing them, I am saying how much responsibility he has, and how great he has been. He will be a star.
Jahanbakhsh - 8.5 (strong performance by him. Nice dribbles, passes and shots. Needs to work on his accuracy)
Dejagah - 8.5 (amazing game by Ashkan. Effective dribbles, non stop hustle, great passes)
Amiri - 7.5 (nice hustle, drew fouls, good passes. However this guy is by no means an offensive threat)
Azmoun - 8 (Hard to rate, he scored an amazing goal, and other than that was not good. So he got the job done, but he seems sort of not himself lately)
----------------------------
Teymourian - 6 (did what he had to do for the time he was on)
Taremi - 6 (same as ando, interesting that in tm he is being played as a winger)

Carlos Queiroz 10/10

Important takeaway points:
- We have a few players that do not gas out at all, and the fitness of our team has become a big difference for our team.
- The switch of Hajsafi to midfield has been something I have been begging coaches to do for years. I never understood how or why every coach played him as LB. Other teams targeted this as well. At midfield he is a totally different player, with the support of Mohammadi, its a perfect combination of switching defense to offense and I think this was one our key to victories today
- Beiranvand is a great keeper but he needs to work on his exists. Also his long throws is an amazing asset, teams can't prepare for this and he is catching defenders off.
- Jahanbakhsh is our designated long range shot taker, and he needs to work a bit more on his accuracy
- We have the strongest bench of substitutes in Team melli history in my opinion
- We were first to the ball today, we won every aerial battle
- Pouraliganji is sometimes further ahead than our striker. He is a our target man on all set pieces because of his jumping and heading ability. He is a defender that we have not had in TM before with his pace, calmness, and attacking threat. I was worried about his size, but he stopped the taller Koreans on every occasion. He has a lot of potential.

Overall perfect game. We played so calmly that we almost made it look too easy. I am so proud of everyone. This was a great team performance. Thank you everyone for your hard work (coaching staff, players, and fans).

[Keano]

Thank you for beating Korea.

No problem Ahad jaan. We will complete the mission by beating you guys again, this time in Azadi. Hahaha a bit of trash talk won't harm anyone!

I hope Iran and Uzbekistan will advance from this group directly!

[ramingeles2000]

I'm going to second Martin Reza and others and say it:

This is the best team melli I've ever seen. I've watched probably 95% of matches since 1998 and just don't know how to describe this. It's an unfamiliar feeling. A disciplined, confident team that plays for 90 minutes, and most importantly and remarkably, play for each other and with joy. You can see from the celebrations that this is a cohesive unit that's bought into the team concept engineered by CQ and his staff. Are we forgetting the TM of past, that used to pull back and essentially take a nap any time we were one goal ahead? the team melli of the past where our defenders - at least 2 or 3 times a game - would cause us near-heart attacks with bone-headed plays? where our defensive organization would become swiss cheese at the first sign of pressure? Where every game was shrouded with controversy and rumors about locker room turmoil, players leaving training camps, and so on?

Perhaps the biggest benefit for this team is that we don't have a superstar - a diva who sees himself as above the team. We don't have a Daei, Azizi or Karimi. And we don't need one. Our most famous team member is CQ, and that works perfectly for TM. No one is above the team. CQ benches Ando, benches Ashkan, benches Shojaei - no one is immune. CQ's popularity allows him to make potentially unpopular decisions with confidence. Unlike Branko, who felt pressure to play a 37-year old Daei in WC2006, CQ's stature and rapport with the players and fanbase allows him to operate TM as a pure meritocracy where performance attitude and fitness matters above all else.

Truth be told, I thought Qatar was our toughest opponent to date. After the China game, I believed that we'd regret losing 3 points to what has turned out to be the minnow of the group. But in the last two games against Uzbekistan and Korea, our team has clearly "gelled". We have a true 18-man deep rotation, a perfect blend of youth and experience, and here's the exciting part:

Ezatollahi, Azmoun, MilMo and Jahanbakhsh will be blossoming, with another season of European action under their belts right in time for WC2018. In international football, timing is a critical factor. You can't go out and buy players, so you need your best talent to be in their prime at the same time. In this respect we have luck on our side. This is just the beginning - I see us playing a more confident, forward-facing football in WC2018, with the confidence to know we can beat anyone with some luck.

We're seeing also the benefit of continuity. CQ at this point must be the longest-tenured coach in recent TM history (I didn't watch in the 70s and 80s). He's had time to groom and select his own players, implement his strategy, and learn how to navigate the complexities of being the TM coach. It'll be a sad day when he hangs it up and I truly hope that he'll stick around at through AC2019. The longer he stays, the more young players go to Europe and the more our domestic coaches can absorb and learn.

What a time to be alive - true team melli fans, we deserve this joy SO much. savor this era. Because we'll be talking about it for decades to come!

[Z Joon]

PAG's case is quite sad, so much potential but being wasted in China and Qatar...

[GolfePersique]

Beira - not tested

Seyed Jalal The most stable and consistent player of Team Melli,always at highest standard.

PAG was great today. He jumped a couple of times above that tall Korean substitute and won almost all battles

Rezaeian brilliant defensive and offensive skills. Amazing assist.

Mohammadi very promising. He'll secure our flank in the coming years.

Hajsafi pure class, a pity he was unlucky with his euopean career, but still youngish.

Ezzatollahi stepping into Neko's shoes and exceeding all expectations at this young age.

Dejagah his style of plays, technique (first touches), fighting spirit is just phenomenal.

Jahanbakhsh He was outstanding today, only a bit unlucky not to get his name of score sheet.

Amiri hardworking and totally team-dedicated.

Sardar his football IQ level is well above Asia. He has the same genes as Van Basten, Zlatan or Ali Daei. Simply a world class player. People are a bit harsh on him for not capitalizing every single time or passing.

King Carlos - God bless the person who brought him to Iran and Thanks to Mr Taj for addressing his concerns to great extent.

[Tehranto]

PAG's case is quite sad, so much potential but being wasted in China and Qatar...

I thought he was exceptional today. He really needs to move on. What he's getting paid in Qatar? Must be millions.

[GolfePersique]

PAG's case is quite sad, so much potential but being wasted in China and Qatar...

He is still young. Hopefully his great international performances will catch some eyes and with a bit of luck we might see him in europe before the Russia WC.

[Z Joon]

I thought he was exceptional today. He really needs to move on. What he's getting paid in Qatar? Must be millions.

He's playing for one of their richest teams, as if just playing for a random team of theirs wasn't enough. So I can't imagine how much he's getting paid...

[Lapayee]

Azmoon said in the post-match interview that he did try to pass the ball to Rezaiian in that one situation everyone is talking about, and that the defender intercepted the pass. I just watched the highlights again looking for that and Azmoon is right. Too bad he tried a bit too late.

I noticed the same thing Azmoun claims; toward the very end he tried to pass- it was a little too late, but it seemed his intention was to pass.

[pres80]

I was very impressed especially by Jahanbakhsh, Amiri, Hajsafi, Pouraliganji, Rezaeian and Mohammadi, all of these were great!
Hajsafi was very very good in his new position, damesh garm!

We had 11 shots, 4 of which were on goal.
They had 1 shot, none on goal!

Simply put brilliant performance, we played so good that I was in the end kind of dissapointed that we only won with 1 goal..
A few things are certain in this world.

1.The sun will go up.
2.The sun will go down.
3. Iran with CQ will beat South Korea.

Hahaha did not expect that last part. made my day.

[Lapayee]

I guess I'll repeat what everyone's been saying about the game today; it was one of the best TM performances I've seen and I've seem quite a few...Great job players and specially fantastic job by CQ and coaching staff. Let's hope the remaining TM games will be played in the same awesome way....

[persianallstars]

babajan, when will Queiroz get a Iranian passport? This guy is a legend! I don't care just give him a caviar farm in Gilan!

[RaginG Inferno]

I'm going to second Martin Reza and others and say it:
This is the best team melli I've ever seen. I've watched probably 95% of matches since 1998 and just don't know how to describe this. It's an unfamiliar feeling. A disciplined, confident team that plays for 90 minutes, and most importantly and remarkably, play for each other and with joy. You can see from the celebrations that this is a cohesive unit that's bought into the team concept engineered by CQ and his staff. Are we forgetting the TM of past, that used to pull back and essentially take a nap any time we were one goal ahead? the team melli of the past where our defenders - at least 2 or 3 times a game - would cause us near-heart attacks with bone-headed plays? where our defensive organization would become swiss cheese at the first sign of pressure? Where every game was shrouded with controversy and rumors about locker room turmoil, players leaving training camps, and so on?
Perhaps the biggest benefit for this team is that we don't have a superstar - a diva who sees himself as above the team. We don't have a Daei, Azizi or Karimi. And we don't need one. Our most famous team member is CQ, and that works perfectly for TM. No one is above the team. CQ benches Ando, benches Ashkan, benches Shojaei - no one is immune. CQ's popularity allows him to make potentially unpopular decisions with confidence. Unlike Branko, who felt pressure to play a 37-year old Daei in WC2006, CQ's stature and rapport with the players and fanbase allows him to operate TM as a pure meritocracy where performance attitude and fitness matters above all else.
Truth be told, I thought Qatar was our toughest opponent to date. After the China game, I believed that we'd regret losing 3 points to what has turned out to be the minnow of the group. But in the last two games against Uzbekistan and Korea, our team has clearly "gelled". We have a true 18-man deep rotation, a perfect blend of youth and experience, and here's the exciting part:
Ezatollahi, Azmoun, MilMo and Jahanbakhsh will be blossoming, with another season of European action under their belts right in time for WC2018. In international football, timing is a critical factor. You can't go out and buy players, so you need your best talent to be in their prime at the same time. In this respect we have luck on our side. This is just the beginning - I see us playing a more confident, forward-facing football in WC2018, with the confidence to know we can beat anyone with some luck.
We're seeing also the benefit of continuity. CQ at this point must be the longest-tenured coach in recent TM history (I didn't watch in the 70s and 80s). He's had time to groom and select his own players, implement his strategy, and learn how to navigate the complexities of being the TM coach. It'll be a sad day when he hangs it up and I truly hope that he'll stick around at through AC2019. The longer he stays, the more young players go to Europe and the more our domestic coaches can absorb and learn.
What a time to be alive - true team melli fans, we deserve this joy SO much. savor this era. Because we'll be talking about it for decades to come!

Great post.

[Omids]

Great game by a team that really believes in itself and seems to handle pressure very well. If only we could finish 1 or 2 of those chances to make it a perfect score line as well.

The other thing I notice with this team is the fact that they don't play act. When they get fouled they get on with it. They are so confident in themselves that they look at time as an opportunity to control the game and score more. That says a lot about their thinking and their confidence levels. Totally different from what we are used to seeing in that part of the world. Bravo to them and CQ for bringing in this level of confidence in their individual and collective abilities.