Discuss Group B here

[PSGman#19]

I don't like the order of our games and the stadium they put our games (except the us one).

Starting straight with England will be brutal (specially if we have a sub-par friendly program) and could put pressure and elimination in the 2nd game.

Playing an already qualified England in the 3rd game would have been better

[ABalls]

1) listening to the pod with Markar now. Awesome to hear from such a great coach.

2) USA soccer write up of Iran: https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/202...-about-ir-iran.

[nisfejahan]

I don't like the order of our games and the stadium they put our games (except the us one).

Starting straight with England will be brutal (specially if we have a sub-par friendly program) and could put pressure and elimination in the 2nd game.

Playing an already qualified England in the 3rd game would have been better

I don't know about that. Clubs can release their players only one/two week before the start. So all teams will come in a bit cold. It may be the best time to cause an upset.

And depending on who is the other team, I am not sure England will have qualified by the last game. My money is on England to choke vs Scot or Wales. I mean a team that chokes vs a group of Iceland players with a dentist (or whatever he was) coach.....

[diz]

.
2) USA soccer write up of Iran: https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/202...-about-ir-iran.

The fact that they featured Hajsafi as a key player tells you all you need to know!

[Keshwardoost]

well, another one just for fun
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ua5GWcPjMjo

[Ostad_Goosfand]

Not so sure stadium will be majority Iranian as others think. Our stadiums r 40-45K people only, and England and US send a ton of fans always and FIFA will distribute tickets equally. Maybe on third market Iranians can buy them up but I doubt it…

[naderb94]

Part of me thinks... If we don't advance from this group, then we will never advance to the knockout stage under the IR regime..
Group B is the "easiest" group to advance from on paper that TM has ever had.

[perspolis#1]

The fact that they featured Hajsafi as a key player tells you all you need to know!

They also said its Iran's 5th world cup when it is our 6th!

[naderb94]

They also said its Iran's 5th world cup when it is our 6th!

Probably meant 5th under the IR regime.. Some consider IR of Iran a completely different country from Iran of Shah's regime.

[Artaxerxes]

Probably meant 5th under the IR regime.. Some consider IR of Iran a completely different country from Iran of Shah's regime.

And it really is... God knows when we will get our country back,

[Nokhodi]

They also said its Iran's 5th world cup when it is our 6th!

That's just oversight.
They show 6 appearances in the info graphic.

[perspolis#1]

Our ideal goal for prep should be Ghana, Japan, Australia and Croatia. More than enough practice for the physical and for teams that break you down(England).

Two things to improve the most on is solidifying defense and making our midfield better at chance creation/dealing with press.

Besides Pulisic and Reyna most of the US team in midfield like Yunus Musah,McKennie and Adams just press teams to death.

If we can bypass them, I feel good about our wingers and Azmoun/Taremi running at their defense. The US centerbacks have not played any strikers like Azmoun/Taremi in a long time. Most of their Concacaf opponents are diminutive in comparison and more pace based.

My only regret is that we are in a group vs the English speaking world and getting any chance of a Taremi penalty for a just cause is slim, even with VAR

[fairplay]

Now what is the best Asian team that plays similar to Iran? I think US and England can just stick to European teams for preparations as Iran plays more like some European teams than Asian's

[PSGman#19]

Our ideal goal for prep should be Ghana, Japan, Australia and Croatia. More than enough practice for the physical and for teams that break you down(England).

Two things to improve the most on is solidifying defense and making our midfield better at chance creation/dealing with press.

Besides Pulisic and Reyna most of the US team in midfield like Yunus Musah,McKennie and Adams just press teams to death.

If we can bypass them, I feel good about our wingers and Azmoun/Taremi running at their defense. The US centerbacks have not played any strikers like Azmoun/Taremi in a long time. Most of their Concacaf opponents are diminutive in comparison and more pace based.

My only regret is that we are in a group vs the English speaking world and getting any chance of a Taremi penalty for a just cause is slim, even with VAR

- If we can get euro friendlies (not possible bc of nation league and sanction) : (Nth) Ireland, scandinavian countries, belgium, poland Croatia, swiss or austria, Serbia, Macedonia or Montenegro, Turkey
Russia at least
- North America : Canada, Jamaica, Mexico
- Asia : Australia, Japan
- Africa : Nigeria, Senegal, Ghana, Cameroon, mali
- oceania : NZ
- South America : Brazil, Colombia, Uruguay.

[Equalizer]

Dragan is the one who needs a sports psychologists. Half our starters have played against Portugal and Spain in a World Cup. His biggest match was against South Korea last week lol

LLOOOLLL ... classic!