This was just so embarrassing (Korea-Iran)

[Nokhodi]

PSG jaan, do you recall our inability to produce any meaningful attacks in 2018? How do/did you expect us to advance from the group stage with the bus packing tactic in WC?
By the way in case anyone forgot, below is the possession % breakdown of each WC game in 2018:
vs Morocco (Iran kept ball possession 37%)
vs Spain (32%)
vs Portugal (33%)
In 2014 WC:
vs Argentina (24%)
vs Bosnia (38%)
vs Nigeria (37%)
In 2006 WC:
vs Mexico (47%)
vs Portugal (37%)
vs Togo (54%) and we tied
In 1998 WC:
No stats available

The Angola came is completely misremembered by our fans. We dominated the game and missed so many chances.

That entire World Cup went to shit because of the 2nd half versus Mexico. Even with all the division with the camp, if Mirzapour had ever learned to kick a ball we would have probably tied Mexico.

[Futbaldoost]

Time will tell. I do think he wanted to test some of the proven vets. Open the door for competition. Why risk burning youngsters self confidence versus a strong team in a hostile environment. Just look at Gholizadeh and his terrible play. Expect changes. Plan for the worst hope for the best. We need to be real fans and cheer cheer cheer no matter what. I believe in Skocic. 1 loss. Solid qualification.

Sent from my SM-G973W using Tapatalk

I agree with your first sentence doosteh man. I gradually gained confidence in Skocic and gradually lost it. I have a low level of confidence in Skocic to go to the next level and at least fight for better friendlies and learn from his mistakes to effectively use all the meager resources we have to prepare us the best way possible for WC. He goes with what IFF provides. No more, no less. I have no confidence in IFF to be competent. I still desire TM to win and be successful. With hope being a combination of confidence and desire, I have little hope for an acceptable outcome i.e. making it out of the group stage.

Time will tell

Go TM!

[O-ZoNe]

I agree with your first sentence doosteh man. I gradually gained confidence in Skocic and gradually lost it. I have a low level of confidence in Skocic to go to the next level and at least fight for better friendlies and learn from his mistakes to effectively use all the meager resources we have to prepare us the best way possible for WC. He goes with what IFF provides. No more, no less. I have no confidence in IFF to be competent. I still desire TM to win and be successful. With hope being a combination of confidence and desire, I have little hope for an acceptable outcome i.e. making it out of the group stage.

Time will tell

Go TM!

Ya don't disagree. I'm hoping that invitation happens and who knows...our boys in Europe pick it up...time will tell.

Sent from my SM-G973W using Tapatalk

[shahin2000]

The Angola came is completely misremembered by our fans. We dominated the game and missed so many chances.

That entire World Cup went to shit because of the 2nd half versus Mexico. Even with all the division with the camp, if Mirzapour had ever learned to kick a ball we would have probably tied Mexico.

Yes what I remember from that WC, and specially the Angola game, was Ali Daei's sitter that he usually converted 100 out of 100 times and unfortunately missed it in that game. The Mexico game even now bothers me after 17 years. And the Portugal game, we just did not have a chance specially after the Daei Karimi fiasco.

[Nokhodi]

Yes what I remember from that WC, and specially the Angola game, was Ali Daei's sitter that he usually converted 100 out of 100 times and unfortunately missed it in that game. The Mexico game even now bothers me after 17 years. And the Portugal game, we just did not have a chance specially after the Daei Karimi fiasco.

Yap, and even in the Portugal game we had a late chance which Esteghlal fan favorite Khatibi couldn't finish!
Football truly is about brief moments.

[Iran Doost]

I am not embarrassed, and I don't think TM should be either. Yes, we didn't play well, and were the worse team on the day.

[Reza_Abdolahi]

Doosteh azeez, for me, it was the build-up to this and Skocic's inability to use all the resources available to him. He could have called other players who are actually doing well in Europe/Qatar (e.g. Alipour, Mohebi, Ebrahimi) Or come up with a line-up that did not have so many out-of-expertise positions for our players OR do more decent subs earlier (Esmailifar for Shoja, Sayaadmanesh at half time, etc.). One measure of competency in life is consistently asking whether one is effectively using all the resources available. Skocic failed to do that. Considering his lack of urgency in the two months after qualification, I don't think he will correct himself. Hence the reaction by many of us.

Go TM!

Like I said, it could be prevented with a different tactic/line up. but still... its not like we lost 5-0 against India. under the circumstances it could be even worse. and lets not act like santa clara and maritimo's benchwarmers would turn a 2-0 into 2-3 against Korea. but I agree that they deserve a decent shot to prove themselves in team melli.

[shahin2000]

Yap, and even in the Portugal game we had a late chance which Esteghlal fan favorite Khatibi couldn't finish!
Football truly is about brief moments.

I remember that moment... in fact years later in an interview Khatibi himself said that he should have had more opportunities hinting that players like Daei took playing time from him.

[Nokhodi]

I remember that moment... in fact years later in an interview Khatibi himself said that he should have had more opportunities hinting that players like Daei took playing time from him.

Excuse me but Khatibi spoke alot of s*it. TM wasn't his training ground. Enayati would say garbage like that too and we saw how "good" they were.

Daei was horrible then, but its not Daei's fault Khatibi couldn't hit a cow's backside with a banjo.

[shahin2000]

Excuse me but Khatibi spoke alot of s*it. TM wasn't his training ground. Enayati would say garbage like that too and we saw how "good" they were.

Daei was horrible then, but its not Daei's fault Khatibi couldn't hit a cow's backside with a banjo.

lol cow's backside with a banjo... I will keep that in mind

[Medzdidz]

Bro, can you not talk about our former Tottenham Hotspur player like that?

All joking aside, what was he doing, did he try to catch a swerving Son shot? This is where experience of facing top quality players comes into its own and where Beiro trumps Abedz.

Did Beiro meet them at his film premier or was it playing FiFa ? Partly joking but the only players Beiro has been facing lately are those opposite him playing football on the pitch.
I will always respect the saves he made in the last World Cup and his beautiful penalty saved from Penaldo but I rewatched the games lately and my heart was in my mouth at points with him in goal. I also have a lot of time for him and his story, he is an inspiration. But I’m worried his best days are behind him.

[OFFSIDE_1]

better to have a tough game today to reveal our weakpoints than it is to see them for the first time in the first match of the WC. With JB and Taremi and ezzatolahhi, the score would not have been 2-0, so I wouldn't be too embarrassed about the result.

The most important takeway from th is match is that we have 3 or 4 players which are question marks, and one or 2 that should be crossed off the list. Gholami and Hajsafi are those 2 players who should be gone. Gholami, even if he was playing out of position left his man open so many times. The second goal was completely on him. He showed nothing on either end of the field. Hajsafi is outright useless, even as a utility player.

Mohammadi is a one dimensional player. He has speed and can cover alot of ground and even if he leaves a player open, he makes up for it through his speed and recovers. He is a good defender . On attacks, however, he's a black hole. I have never seen this player go up the sideline and at least deliver a decent cross. It seems he has no foot strength.

Gholizadeh should not start, period. He would be effective in the 2nd half playing against a tired defense given his explosiveness. Abedzadeh to me is a question mark. He is small compared to most of the top Goalkeepers of the world. A GK needs to have a presence in goal, and every time I see him, he seems to be one of the smallest players and it is scary to see him on set plays against top teams. Whether Beiro is in shape or not, at least you felt he had control of the aerial game due to his size. And ofcourse the mistake Abedzadeh made against Korea was inexcusable. Either he's too cocky, or he was overpowered. I hope that was his cocky side.

As for our coaching staff, I hope we retire this stupid 4-3-2-1 formation. Sardar Azmoun surrounded with 4 defenders will not give you results especially when you lack a creative playmaking midfielder.

[inarsenewetrust]

Did Beiro meet them at his film premier or was it playing FiFa ? Partly joking but the only players Beiro has been facing lately are those opposite him playing football on the pitch.
I will always respect the saves he made in the last World Cup and his beautiful penalty saved from Penaldo but I rewatched the games lately and my heart was in my mouth at points with him in goal. I also have a lot of time for him and his story, he is an inspiration. But I’m worried his best days are behind him.

I think beiro does have more top level experience compared to Abedz. WC, AC, even stressful ACL games.

Just in the EL he produced a really strong game vs Tottenham that included Son, Kane, etc.

Issue is he is so out of practice given benching in portugal there is no way he can take abedz spot atm.

And Abedz showed with quick bounce back within 15 mins that he is mentally in a much better place than beiro.

[Hosseini]

Excuse me but Khatibi spoke alot of s*it. TM wasn't his training ground. Enayati would say garbage like that too and we saw how "good" they were.

Daei was horrible then, but its not Daei's fault Khatibi couldn't hit a cow's backside with a banjo.

Remember Khatibi's world-class penalty, smashing it right down the middle into Lee Won Jae's leg during AC 2007? Lol

[Hosseini]

better to have a tough game today to reveal our weakpoints than it is to see them for the first time in the first match of the WC. With JB and Taremi and ezzatolahhi, the score would not have been 2-0, so I wouldn't be too embarrassed about the result.

The most important takeway from th is match is that we have 3 or 4 players which are question marks, and one or 2 that should be crossed off the list. Gholami and Hajsafi are those 2 players who should be gone. Gholami, even if he was playing out of position left his man open so many times. The second goal was completely on him. He showed nothing on either end of the field. Hajsafi is outright useless, even as a utility player.

Mohammadi is a one dimensional player. He has speed and can cover alot of ground and even if he leaves a player open, he makes up for it through his speed and recovers. He is a good defender . On attacks, however, he's a black hole. I have never seen this player go up the sideline and at least deliver a decent cross. It seems he has no foot strength.

Gholizadeh should not start, period. He would be effective in the 2nd half playing against a tired defense given his explosiveness. Abedzadeh to me is a question mark. He is small compared to most of the top Goalkeepers of the world. A GK needs to have a presence in goal, and every time I see him, he seems to be one of the smallest players and it is scary to see him on set plays against top teams. Whether Beiro is in shape or not, at least you felt he had control of the aerial game due to his size. And ofcourse the mistake Abedzadeh made against Korea was inexcusable. Either he's too cocky, or he was overpowered. I hope that was his cocky side.

As for our coaching staff, I hope we retire this stupid 4-3-2-1 formation. Sardar Azmoun surrounded with 4 defenders will not give you results especially when you lack a creative playmaking midfielder.

Great analysis