lousy Iranian defenders and the constant headache. What is the solution

[Dreamer]

It's not our defenders, it's our discipline / team functioning as a unit. If you look at any games where the opposition attacked (like the SK game), the players don't know if they're zonal marking, or if they're man marking. In fact, they don't know who is marking who, when to press, anything. We only rely on luck right now.

The reason some of the players like Skocic is because they don't want to have instructions like they did with CQ. Remember the Spain game when Azmoun was criticized for not attacking? It's because his role was to mark the opposition defenders.

We have zero instructions with Skocic, it's just bezan ziresh and hope for the best.

[PEJ]

Our RB and LB are in essence wingers who sucked at being wingers.

[Iranianarsenal11]

Beitashour. I keep saying it but call this guy up. Defensively sound and reliable transition play!

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He's 35 and has 3 caps for Colorado this season... Do you really think he'll make a difference or play better than Moharrami? Come on...

[Iranianarsenal11]

I think our central midfield is more worrying than our left and right backs. At left back we can always play Vahid Amiri and get away with it. Noorafkan is very limited defensively and it worries me a lot. Milad ke is a lost cause right now lol... And Hajsafi shouldn't even be allowed on the team.

As for right back, Moharrami is our best choice even though his defensive positioning is very worrying. Shoja can play RB and to be honest, if this was CQ's team I would prefer Shoja over Moharrami at RB since Shoja is a better 1 v 1 defender. That being said, Skocic's style depends on left and right backs pushing forward and overlapping with the attacking wingers. This style in itself may leave us vulnerable in the World Cup I'm afraid, but let's see what happens.

[O-ZoNe]

He's 35 and has 3 caps for Colorado this season... Do you really think he'll make a difference or play better than Moharrami? Come on...

Colorado has played 5x. He has already assisted a goal directly. His team's every year set MLS points and goals against records. Ya I rate him above Moharrami. Why is it bad to have another option at RB? Particularly one that will be in fine form come WC time?

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[Iranianarsenal11]

Our central midfield is just a huge LOL. I mean, our most consistent starter is a semi-pro player in Qatar who barely started for a relegating Danish side? Not to mention he is very out of shape... Yet he's still our best duel winner and CDM. Very worrying.

Nourollahi is at best a backup or guy you bring in to preserve the lead/draw and for him to hustle his ass off for the last 30 minutes. This guy is no where near the level of starting for team melli.

Mehdipour has really impressed me so let's see if he gets more playing time, but I have a feeling these guys at IFF/Skocic don't even watch game film and just keep the same list anyways

Yasin Salmani is also a must. When healthy I think he's the best midfielder in Iran and is even worthy of a World Cup start if he gets acclimated with Team Melli in upcoming friendlies.

[naderb94]

Anyone know why he fell out of favor? Seems like he should at least be in competition for R side.

He couldn't connect with other players.. His Farsi was very rusty and just couldn't relate to those guys.. Plus he wasn't given much playing time so he just lost interest..

At this point, Moharami is way better than him.

[mehdi13]

He couldn't connect with other players.. His Farsi was very rusty and just couldn't relate to those guys.. Plus he wasn't given much playing time so he just lost interest..

At this point, Moharami is way better than him.

Source?

[naderb94]

Colorado has played 5x. He has already assisted a goal directly. His team's every year set MLS points and goals against records. Ya I rate him above Moharrami. Why is it bad to have another option at RB? Particularly one that will be in fine form come WC time?

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It's hard to bring a player in who hasn't played for TM in like 8 years and expect him to gel with the team and provide any benefit all in a very short span.. If anything, I'd rather just bring back Ramin or Vouria as backup to Moharrami over Beitashour.

[naderb94]

Source?

Him losing interest is mainly based on my speculation.. They started not inviting him so he mainly just focused on his club career.

In all the TM videos back around 2013/14, he would usually be to himself and distant from the other players.

[khodam]

lousy Iranian defenders and the constant headache. What is the solution

CQ was the first coach who stated to teach TM to defend as a team. This is not an individual issue. There must be very methodical transitions and positioning to close the space and prepare for subsequent defense to offense change over. We don’t produce this consistently.

Under Skocic I can see that the TM defense has started to fade again.

[taremiscores]

CQ brought great discipline to our team and we were a tough nut to crack. His offensive schemes weren't the best and he often played conservatively against teams we were far superior than (i.e. Iraq, UAE etc.)

[DR Strangemoosh]

CQ was the first coach who stated to teach TM to defend as a team. This is not an individual issue. There must be very methodical transitions and positioning to close the space and prepare for subsequent defense to offense change over. We don’t produce this consistently.
Under Skocic I can see that the TM defense has started to fade again.

We've gone back to 2009 style team shape.

I remember the pundits I met in Russia (I bumped into Lawro in Saransk) were saying Iran plays like a well-drilled club side, "as if they've been playing non-stop together for years".

To me, that's the only option when we have such a dearth of international calibre footballers in midfield and defence, and we need a coach who can build this if we are not to be humiliated in the world cup. I'm still surprised reading here what people were expecting against teams like Morocco and Bosnia which had squads with players playing regularly throughout the highest levels in Europe....