Plastic Pitch: Asian Cup 2019 – Iran (Preview)

Plastic Pitch – DUBAI, By far and away the strongest team in Asia over the last four years, Iran illustrated perfectly their combination of tactical discipline and attacking talent on the world stage in Russia earlier this year. With the pressure off, they defied the odds and won around the neutrals, but now that they enter the tournament arena in high regard and under increasing pressure, can they lead the pack as Asian Cup favourites?

Times have changed in Iranian football. Up until recently, a tight defence, and an organised but unspectacular attacking game was a given from the national side. While we saw green shoots appearing four years ago at the Asian Cup in Australia, nothing could have prepared us for the depth in quality Iran took to Russia over the summer. Only a goal or a stroke of luck stood in their way of making history in progressing out of the group phase at the World Cup, in a section that included former champions Spain and current European champions Portugal no less.

The performances in themselves, balanced alongside Asia’s best performing World Cup to date, were at a level above what we’d ever seen before. A side, out thinking, out running and at times out playing top quality European players was a delight to have witnessed. From the highest peak of this current generation’s playing days, an Asian Cup falls straight off the back of their World Cup adventure, a tournament lead-up that has dubbed them as kings in waiting before a ball has even been kicked.

Throughout qualification, it’s to be said, they lived up to the expectation and their considerable favourites tag. Iran went 18 matches unbeaten, keeping 12 clean sheets in a row, to qualify seven points clear of second placed South Korea. Put simply, they obliterated the opposition, only dropping points on four occasions, finishing with a total of 40 points from a possible 48, as they sealed qualification with two games to spare.

Their success owed to both their past and future styles of play. Defensively they were incredible, organised perfectly in the mould of their manager Carlos Queiroz. As the World Cup demonstrated, irrespective of their personnel, the Team Melli defensive stamp is clear and unassuming. The key development however was linking this with their attack; the consistency of Sardar Azmoun, leading the line, the direct running of Alireza Jahanbakhsh, and the flexibility of Mahdi Taremi, all making for a multi-faceted front three, that sparked fear into any opposition they faced.

Over the last year, the additions of Saman Ghoddos, who’s started on top form since moving to France, Ali Gholizadah, a player already recording a goal every other game for his country and Kaveh Rezaei, now competing regularly in the European Champions League, illustrates the strength in depth Queiroz has to play with, and what firepower is set to be unleashed at the Asian Cup.

Picking holes in Iran’s on the pitch displays, is a difficult ask, any side that has only tasted defeat once (to Spain, of all teams) in a competitive environment since the last Asian Cup, is a side showing little weakness continentally. The concerns, as has regularly been the case, is in their off the field matters. The IFF had shown signs of change during qualification, only for it to be thrown back up for debate, upon their run up to the World Cup.

National team camps are regularly a mess in their organisation, friendlies treated as an afterthought (behind closed doors matchups and facing off against Sierra Leone ‘B’ for example), while their ongoing public war of words with manager Carlos Queiroz (who incidentally said he was leaving the managerial hot seat upon conclusion of the World Cup, for the nth time) is constantly burning a wedge at the heart of Iranian football. Captain Masoud Shojaei’s comments in November, calling out the ineptitude of the powers that be, was another nail in the coffin of the already unpopular Iranian hierarchy.

On the eve of this continental showpiece, with a squad that has the best opportunity of clinching their first final appearance since their home victory in 1976, a unified force from the top down would have seemed the logical starting point, but with Iranian football when is it ever that simple?

A smooth run in has rarely been necessary however, cases such as Sardar Azmoun’s return from early retirement, seen as the norm, and that signifies an important point; Iran succeed when they are forced into a corner.

How the game pans out on the pitch, will see them have to adjust accordingly. Once we enter the knockouts, teams will adapt and look to draw out Iran’s underdog spirit, which could prove to be a deficiency, given the array of talent they have to offer. Tactically Queiroz has continually shown that he’s able to strike the right balance on the big occasion, yet their quarter final exit to Iraq in 2015 will still weigh heavily in his mind, as a case of what could’ve been.

Destiny is set to be retold, as Iran face Iraq in their final group stage encounter in the UAE. By that point, it could prove irrelevant for both sides, but may offer the earliest of indications of how this Iranian side sets itself apart from the higher quality sides in the competition. Tasked with overthrowing the likes of Australia, Japan and South Korea, it might come down to the mood of the squad, rather than the impressive form. An emotional task, to pin to an already emotional coach, leading to the pinnacle of what has been a quite scintillating four years.

Key Men
Head Coach – Carlos Queiroz (POR)
Outspoken, tactical expert who has been at the forefront of Iran’s rise over the last 5 years. Initially formed a technically deficient side, into a team that was incredibly hard to beat. With the emergence of attacking talent, Queiroz has maximised their impact at both ends of the pitch. Infamous for handing in his resignation, only to go back on his word on several occasions.

Star Player – Morteza Pouraliganji
After an imperious World Cup, the central defender aims to do what few have done before him, in having three stand out tournaments in a row. The move to Europe for the first time in his career can only assist his already varied game, the 26-year-old alongside his younger colleague Majid Hosseini, look to have established the centre back partnership for the future of the national team.

Under Pressure – Ramin Rezaeian
A revelation in World Cup qualification, followed by stalled domestic transfer to Europe and a limp return to Asia has left him a divisive figure in terms of the Team Melli reckoning. Often unpredictable and capable of the brilliant in attacking areas but can be caught out defensively. Competition at full back, looks to have displaced him as a back four regular ahead of the Asian Cup.

Young Prospect – Ali Gholizadeh
In hindsight, he would’ve been a useful substitute option in Russia, but the 22-year-old has raised his game further than anyone in Iranian squad since the summer. Quick and direct, the Charleroi man can feature anywhere down the left flank, being used in a more attacking capacity most recently by Queiroz, opening his Team Melli account officially in November.