Friendly matches are almost never a good indicator of World Cup performances

[Iranianarsenal11]

Hello fellow PFDC members and congrats to the start of the 2018 World Cup!!!

Just wanted to make this short thread on the impact of friendly matches and world cup performances. People who are unconvinced by our performance in recent friendlies should take a deep breath and smile! Why?? Because friendly matches are almost never a good indicator of World Cup performances

Lets look back at 2014, when Costa Rica LOST every one of its friendly matches in 2014, before getting #1 in a group featuring Uruguay, England, and Italy!

Next? Look at Italy and France, who went undefeated in their friendly matches in 2010, before getting LAST in their groups!! France finished below South Africa while Italy finished below Paraguay, Slovakia, and New Zealand!!!

There are other great examples, but I'm not that bikar

Now lets look at friendly matches in 2018. Although we have only seen one half of Russia vs. Saudi Arabia, it seems Russia will hold on to win.

Lets take a look at Saudi and Russian friendly matches for this world cup:

Russia LOST EVERY GAME and only tied one team!!!!- Turkey, who they tied IN RUSSIA!!!!! IN RUSSIA!!!!

Saudi? They beat Greece, crushed Moldova, beat Algeria, and should've TIED ITALY AND GERMANY!!!


My point: Don't be upset if your team loses a friendly match. These games are meant to get players in shape and help the manager learn his lineup for the actual World Cup games.

[DR Strangemoosh]

I sometimes wonder if it is the first world cup people are following properly when they talk about friendlies. The proof of the pudding will be tomorrow.

[Iranianarsenal11]

I sometimes wonder if it is the first world cup people are following properly when they talk about friendlies. The proof of the pudding will be tomorrow.

Honestly!! Thank you!

If anyone has any other examples of friendly vs actual WC performance please post below!

I am actually starting to become confident that we can draw if not beat Morocco tomorrow

[50Toman]

Thank you for this post. Spot on.

[Azeem98]

Friendlies ? I would even say qualifiers aren't even relevant to World Cup the gap is too much.
Mexico barely qualified for the last World cup but performed beyond expectations.

[Hadi]

What’s your point? Everyone knows the results in friendlies does not matter, however HAVING friendlies matter

Iran’s problem is we didn’t have proper friendlies at all

[Bessos]

What’s your point? Everyone knows the results in friendlies does not matter, however HAVING friendlies matter

Iran’s problem is we didn’t have proper friendlies at all

Actually his point is that quite a few of us were upset about Iran's recent friendly matches, especially the one against Turkey. And were claiming that we have no chance in the WC.

Today's result should be proof that friendly match performances and results do not matter that much and often difference a lot from the actual WC match.

[milad_b]

What’s your point? Everyone knows the results in friendlies does not matter, however HAVING friendlies matter

Iran’s problem is we didn’t have proper friendlies at all

Hadi jan lots of people started bashing Team melli after we lost against turkey.

[sam20]

Hey guys, how't it going? It's my first time posting here. I just joined a couple weeks ago and I'm very excited to be here with all you great TM fans!

Iranianarsenal11 - great post! It's so true and backed up with some great facts! I remember Germany having bad friendly results so i looked up their's, and check it out:

Before World cup 2014 (CHAMPIONS): Tied Paraguay, Poland, Cameroon
Before Euro 2016 (Semi Finalists): Lost to USA, England, Slovakia

I know they use very experimental squads in these friendlies, but so does Queiroz. With so many players out of position, and less experienced players used, it's no surprise to me that our friendly results were also not great. Hopefully we see a different team tomorrow!!!

[dash_sina]

I think even though we had fewer friendlies compare to other teams, considering that we qualified so early, the team had ample time to prepare for the world cup. Hopefully we see a strong TM tomorrow that makes us proud.

[Fesenjan]

What’s your point? Everyone knows the results in friendlies does not matter, however HAVING friendlies matter

Iran’s problem is we didn’t have proper friendlies at all

The point is that performances in friendles are not always a clear indication/predictor of performances in competitive matches. A very valid point with evidence to support it.

[Iranianarsenal11]

Hey guys, how't it going? It's my first time posting here. I just joined a couple weeks ago and I'm very excited to be here with all you great TM fans!

Iranianarsenal11 - great post! It's so true and backed up with some great facts! I remember Germany having bad friendly results so i looked up their's, and check it out:

Before World cup 2014 (CHAMPIONS): Tied Paraguay, Poland, Cameroon
Before Euro 2016 (Semi Finalists): Lost to USA, England, Slovakia

I know they use very experimental squads in these friendlies, but so does Queiroz. With so many players out of position, and less experienced players used, it's no surprise to me that our friendly results were also not great. Hopefully we see a different team tomorrow!!!

Welcome to the forum Sam!!! Glad to see you on board!!

Awesome examples in your post as well!

[Sam van Dam]

the only issue i had with the turkey game is that we couldn't even make a crisp 10 foot pass. friendly not or even if you're playing out of position, theres no excuse for that

[Hadi]

anyone shitting on Iran because of the loss to Turkey in a friendly doesn't know what he is talking about because:

1- its a friendly
2- losing to Turkey should be expected. they are ahead of us in football