Your first 11 against Korea DPR

I have given up on these guys for many years …, I am tired of hoping in them and watching them fail ….
After a couple of good games, they always get arrogant and start letting it loose, and then screw you at the end …, I feel bad for the new coach!

Posted from  Canada

Dear Oldboy,

We have made 2 out of the 3 last World Cups. Many teams have not even made it once. I played in Iran. I also played in Holland and Belgium! I have to admit that level of footbal has gotten better in Iran. I think a lot had to do with Ali Daiee in Germany and addition of the rest of players to the list.

I bet if Iran plays Canada right now, they can win. What’s killing us, apart from all political stuff and bad football federation in Iran, is that we have not had top of the line goal keepers and defensive players. Other than that, we have Ando, Zandi, Mahdavi Kia, Hashemian, Karimi, Nekounam, and Shojaiee who are fantastic players. We did not lose the games because we had bad players. We lost them because we had no plan as to who to use, how to use them, and what to look for. Let’s just go and get this 3 points and take baby steps.

Best Iran game (I am 41 and have watched them since I was 3-4), was the one against Australia. Who would have thought they’ll come back, win, and make it to the World Cup. What a great feeling it was

testing!

All right guys, I believe, we always have had a good bunch of players, but they never got trained and organized properly. Federation and the management always got influenced by other affairs and the rest is history …, so let’s see what they do this week.

Posted from  Canada

Guys, I would have liked to take part in your discussion but I haven’t been watching that much football lately so my knowledge of Iranian players is not very deep but as far as Borhanit is concerned I totaly agree with Afshin’s earlier comment which said …..

“Borhani …. I can not figure that guy out. I am convinced his problem is mental. The guys has everything, speed, stamina, technique, but just can’t put the ball in the net if his life depended on it.”

I think the guy lacks self-confidence and his mind goes ahead of himself and when he’s put in scoring situations, instead of concentrating on finishing the job off, he panics and thinks to himself “what would happen if I missed the goal?” He definitely needs his mind sorted out first before he steps onto the pitch and on that score I would not play him in any of the remaining 3 games, since Iran cannot afford to miss golden opprotunities like the ones this guy has had in the past – his missing of the penalty kick in the final Esteghlal game was diabolical – he just fainted behind the ball.

Dear Old Boy.. I agree with your latest comments

Dear Hamid…

I agree with yours too; Having said that, Borhani seems somewhat egotistical and “AZ Khod Moteshakker.”

Whether it is his self-confidence issue or just because he becomes the Walt Disney Character ,Goofey (who used to day dream), Borhani’s ability to finish is always a matter of guess.

Question for everyone:

Who is the best finisher in our Footbal right now; especially in this Team?

That is right Afshin

That is why we need strategy rather than reliability. We can’t rely on guys who still need to figure out how to score. Nekounam and Shojaiee are in best shape comparing to other guys. I still think we need to counter attack. Speedy Teams need space; especially, if they cannot play in the air. We need to make the field congested as hell. N. Koreans are weak when have to go side to side. One interception, one steal, and it can end their dream. Who is the fastest to do that, if Mehdi plays fullback?

Salam bachaha!

Afshin jan – about the best scorer in TM; I must say if I were the manager, instead of trying to teach the players a tactical game, in the short time he has left, which would be successful in scoring, I would design plans for our technical players like Karimi and Shojaei to take on the players and score on their own, relying purely on their own individual skills – both these players have shown in the past that they’re really capable of creating some magical moments on their own – I saw videos of Shojaei’s games for his club and I thought one of his goals was spectacular; a bit like Maradona’s goal against England – so why not use these guys individual abilities to the full …? Because if we don’t, we will be very unlikely to get this team scoring through team-work or set plays as they are really useless in those departments. There’s just one shame that TM cannot play as a team, if they could, then they could send proper strong crosses from the wings so that Hashemian with his height and heading ability could have demolished the little Koreans (both South & North)!

Dear Hamid, Karimi and Shojaiee taking things on their own, since this is footbal game and not basketball, may lead to one goal at the most; if any at all. How about 25+ attempts they make that leads to loss of the ball and opportunity for Koreans?

You have the right idea which, probably, will be part of Ghotbi’s strategy. In football (soccer) in order for the players you have mentioned to buldoze the ball through 4-5 players, we do need pressure from our midfield. Once they push up and Shoajiee and Karimi lose the ball (in Farsi: Lo bedan!), then we will be in big trouble as we have always been. The best strategy to get the ball to them w/o losing control of the midfield, perhaps, is crossing the ball in Korea’s 18. With Hashemian there, we can make a difference and push Koreans’ back in their field. This will enable us to push up “as a team” and close the potential gap we usually create after we do individual plays which leads to loss of the ball. I think we will score a cheap goal off of someone’s deflection and a beautiful one by Shojaiee, Karimi, or Kazemian. Isn’t this fun to feel like I know everything :)

Mansoor jan, I really think the TM is a useless team – I think me, you, Afshin and the Oldboy could make a better football team

For decades Iran has failed to come up with a team which is tactically sound to compete at high levels – so what I meant in my previous post was that Shojaei & Karimi should run at the Korean defence from just outside the box and thrust through with their fine dribbling power towards the goal – I am sure this will result in one or two goals or at worst a couple of penalties!

Also, if Shojaei and Hashemian got into the centre of the box, if they were fed good crosses from the sides these two players would have a high chance of scoring with headers.

In general, I have more faith in Shojaei & Karimi as individual players than the manager Ghotbi, so that’s why I think these two players should be free to do what they like!

I would be extremely surprised if Ghotbi manages to put a team together which would be capable of performing well on any given day. Hope that I will be proven wrong and for once he (Ghotbi)shows he’s worth the money he’s paid!

Posted from  Islamic Republic Of Iran

Dear Hamid

I am all for it. Let’s form the team and go kick some tail

I agree with Karimi and Shoajiee piece. I am not sure we will be given any penalty there. It’s just a very nasty and freaky stadium. Refrees are scared to death to get on that field.

We scored two goals in Tehran; both were crosses. In fact, vahid did not even play. I think crossing the ball, winning some dead balls, and thrusting through their defense is great ideas.

We just need to ask our defense to release the ball faster. Just get it in the freaking air. I am sure we will win most of the challenges as long as the ball is landing anywhere near 18

Afshin jan, at the moment the only football that I can play with you guys being in the US and me in Iran is virtual football

Posted from  Islamic Republic Of Iran

Agha Hamid,

I bet with virtual football we do better any way. Not sure about you folks, but I will be 41 soon so I am done with reall football

Guys, I see you’ve given your ages away, I am not going to tell you mine but compared with me you can play in the “Javanan Team” but I am fit and slender and more skilful than Shojaei & Karimi put together

I might as well go ahead and order the CKSD for all of us now

Bacheha, is Karimi playing on Saturday?

Posted from  United States

Bacheha, Is Karimi playing

Posted from  United States