maij
03-17-2006, 06:34 PM
World Soccer essential Guide
Forward Thinking
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The team have a strong attack, and the draw has not dampened hopes of reaching the knockout stages for the first time.
<O:p</O:p
THIS WILL BE Iran's third appearance at the World Cup finals, and the draw — they face Mexico, Portugal and Angola — has raised hopes among their football-mad fans that the team will make it beyond the group stage for the first time.
<O:p</O:p
Although Mexico are ranked in the top 10 by FIFA and Portugal were runners-up at Euro 2004, Iran supporters are hopeful that their side can nick a point or two from those two games and then beat the other underdog, Angola, in their final group game. African sides are notoriously unpredictable at the World Cup, and the theory is that the Angolans, who are debutants, will freeze in the spotlight on the biggest footballing stage.
<O:p</O:p
However, this optimism has hardly been justified by level club QPR last July and a 2-1 home loss to a second-string <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comhttp://persianfootball.com/forums/ /><st1:country-region w:st=Iran</st1:country-region>'s recent form. Although the team produced some dazzling performances at the 2004 Asian Cup, where they finished third, they were far from convincing in the World Cup preliminaries. Even the fact that they qualified with a game to spare did not appease the critics. The pressure on national coach Branko Ivankovic was hardly eased by embarrassments in two friendlies — a 3-0 defeat at English second <font face=" /><st1:country-region w:st="on">Macedonia</st1:country-region> in November.
</O:p
Since Ivankovic, a Croat, took over in 2002, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Iran</st1:country-region> have played in a 4-2-3-1 formation. However, in recent games, that has changed to a more attacking 4-4-2 to accommodate the growing band of talented Bundesliga-based midfielders and forwards — Vahid Hashemian, Mehdi Mandavikia, Ferydoon Zandi and Ali Karimi — to play alongside veteran striker Ali Daei.
<O:p</O:p
However, Zandi's lack of first-team opportunities at <st1:City w:st="on"><ST1:pKaiserslautern</st1:City> has put his place in jeopardy, with rising starlets Mojtaba Jabari and Moharram Navidkia pressing for inclusion instead. There should be no such problems for Javad Nekounam, whose consistency in the midfield engine-room makes him a shoo-in for a starting berth.
<O:p
While there are riches in midfield and attack, the defence is in need of repair. Deciding who will play at left-back is a particularly pressing issue, with Sattar Zare, Mohamad Nosrati and Ali Reza Vahedi-Nikbakht all vying for the slot.
<O:p</O:p
All in all, though, the positives appear to outweigh the negatives. With Karimi's flair, Hashemian's aerial ability, Mandavikia's crosses, Nekounam's tackling and Daei's experience, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Iran</st1:country-region> are well equipped to surprise a few people — if not their fans — at the finals.
<O:p</O:p
Adel Ferdosipour.<O:p</O:p
Forward Thinking
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The team have a strong attack, and the draw has not dampened hopes of reaching the knockout stages for the first time.
<O:p</O:p
THIS WILL BE Iran's third appearance at the World Cup finals, and the draw — they face Mexico, Portugal and Angola — has raised hopes among their football-mad fans that the team will make it beyond the group stage for the first time.
<O:p</O:p
Although Mexico are ranked in the top 10 by FIFA and Portugal were runners-up at Euro 2004, Iran supporters are hopeful that their side can nick a point or two from those two games and then beat the other underdog, Angola, in their final group game. African sides are notoriously unpredictable at the World Cup, and the theory is that the Angolans, who are debutants, will freeze in the spotlight on the biggest footballing stage.
<O:p</O:p
However, this optimism has hardly been justified by level club QPR last July and a 2-1 home loss to a second-string <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comhttp://persianfootball.com/forums/ /><st1:country-region w:st=Iran</st1:country-region>'s recent form. Although the team produced some dazzling performances at the 2004 Asian Cup, where they finished third, they were far from convincing in the World Cup preliminaries. Even the fact that they qualified with a game to spare did not appease the critics. The pressure on national coach Branko Ivankovic was hardly eased by embarrassments in two friendlies — a 3-0 defeat at English second <font face=" /><st1:country-region w:st="on">Macedonia</st1:country-region> in November.
</O:p
Since Ivankovic, a Croat, took over in 2002, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Iran</st1:country-region> have played in a 4-2-3-1 formation. However, in recent games, that has changed to a more attacking 4-4-2 to accommodate the growing band of talented Bundesliga-based midfielders and forwards — Vahid Hashemian, Mehdi Mandavikia, Ferydoon Zandi and Ali Karimi — to play alongside veteran striker Ali Daei.
<O:p</O:p
However, Zandi's lack of first-team opportunities at <st1:City w:st="on"><ST1:pKaiserslautern</st1:City> has put his place in jeopardy, with rising starlets Mojtaba Jabari and Moharram Navidkia pressing for inclusion instead. There should be no such problems for Javad Nekounam, whose consistency in the midfield engine-room makes him a shoo-in for a starting berth.
<O:p
While there are riches in midfield and attack, the defence is in need of repair. Deciding who will play at left-back is a particularly pressing issue, with Sattar Zare, Mohamad Nosrati and Ali Reza Vahedi-Nikbakht all vying for the slot.
<O:p</O:p
All in all, though, the positives appear to outweigh the negatives. With Karimi's flair, Hashemian's aerial ability, Mandavikia's crosses, Nekounam's tackling and Daei's experience, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Iran</st1:country-region> are well equipped to surprise a few people — if not their fans — at the finals.
<O:p</O:p
Adel Ferdosipour.<O:p</O:p