Group D analyzed on USATODAY ,LOOL !!

[Saaman]

GROUP D
USATODAY.com analysis: Mexico squeezed into the top eight, and they've been rewarded with one of the easiest draws imaginable. Despite its controversial top seed, Mexico is one of the top ten squads in the world and should make it through. Even with Ali Daei well past his exceptional prime, Iran has a chance of advancing thanks especially to its smattering of German-based players on the roster. Angola edged past Nigeria to qualify for the first time but won't frighten Mexico or Portugal, which underachieved in losing to the U.S. in 2002. After its run to the Euro 2004 final, ultimately losing to Greece, Portugal is primed for a better run here.


Iran (19)
Coach: Branko Ivankovic. Key players: Ali Daei, Mohammad Nosrati.
World Cup record and best finish: Third appearance; first round (1978, 1998). Last appearance: First round 1998.
World Cup odds: 500-1.
How qualified: Second in Asian Group B.
Scoop: Iran's ranking more reflects the standard of teams it plays rather than the impact it can make at the World Cup. It might not finish last in its group, but is unlikely to do much better.



Sorry if someone alredy has showd this ,but I thougt it was funny it says Key players ,Nosrati ,loooool ?

[Taz]

They should stick to their baseball and 'football' and stay out of 'soccer' :D

[AliOlia]

Hahaha

[taha]

key player nosrati looool

taha

[Martin-Reza]

lol @ Iran's key players

Man, if they got no clue they don't have to comment it...

[Saaman]

Maybe in Usa you are a key player if you score the goal that takes the team to the wc ;P

[EKBATAN]

Its obvious they have no clue

[mr.taheri]

in a sad way those 2 are "key players" ... we know what to expect from the others but we need great games from those 2 players to advance.

[Amin_]

I bet they just looked for the one who scored Iran's goal which got us qualified (Nosrati's against Bahrain) and just assumed he's our key player...

[princeofpersia1]

Funnily enough The players i want least in Iran's starting lineup are apparently our "Key Players"

[yashar_fasihnia]

and let me guess, they predicted they themselves would qualify over italy and ghana? :rolleyes:

[Arzhang]

They should stick to their baseball and 'football' and stay out of 'soccer' :D

mashallah, lol

[SirPlayAlot]

its sad because if USA thinks that Iran's key players are nosrati and daei then they should know who's comin after them Mahdavikia, Karimi, Hashemian, Zandi and Rezai. LOL
Im still laughing my ass off from the Nosrati and Daei thingy HAHAHAHA

[RezaAli]

LOL Nosrati??? key player??? he barely even appeares for TM. and rofl@Daei even though the whole world thinks he's our best he's realy not.

[babak_australia]

This is a good thing boys. Hopefully our opposition will read this and research the players and how to counter them. :rofl: Meanwhile not knowing who our reall key players are ;)

Then on matchday when they have done all there research on Nosrati and Daei. Nosrati wont be on the field which will confuse them. :rofl:

Out real stars will then have free reign and we will beat all the team 3-0 :D

[kurosh]

quick, someone send the article to nosrati, it could be one of his biggest achievements to be known as a key player by western media

[kasai]

Thanks for the great laugh on the key players... USA today has some great graphics in it, but don't worry too much about their acual reporting.

[KasraKhan]

Thanks for the news. What a joke..

[Suprah]

I would love to see Italy, Ghana, and Czech Republic giving USA a real nice @$$-whooping in Germany just to show how good of a 4th ranked FIFA team they really are :rofl:

The key player comment made me laugh....they so ignorantly forgot the European-based lads in Mahdavikia, Karimi, Rezaei, Zandi, and ofcourse Hashemian. Hell they humbly forgot of even Kaebi, Nikhbakht and Nekounam. :rofl:

No wonder these badbakhts call it "soccer" :rofl:

[sadra]

Come on, do You think how much we know about Mexico?

[Liberty]

GROUP D
USATODAY.com analysis: Mexico squeezed into the top eight, and they've been rewarded with one of the easiest draws imaginable. Despite its controversial top seed, Mexico is one of the top ten squads in the world and should make it through. Even with Ali Daei well past his exceptional prime, Iran has a chance of advancing thanks especially to its smattering of German-based players on the roster. Angola edged past Nigeria to qualify for the first time but won't frighten Mexico or Portugal, which underachieved in losing to the U.S. in 2002. After its run to the Euro 2004 final, ultimately losing to Greece, Portugal is primed for a better run here.
Iran (19)
Coach: Branko Ivankovic. Key players: Ali Daei, Mohammad Nosrati.
World Cup record and best finish: Third appearance; first round (1978, 1998). Last appearance: First round 1998.
World Cup odds: 500-1.
How qualified: Second in Asian Group B.
Scoop: Iran's ranking more reflects the standard of teams it plays rather than the impact it can make at the World Cup. It might not finish last in its group, but is unlikely to do much better.
Sorry if someone alredy has showd this ,but I thougt it was funny it says Key players ,Nosrati ,loooool ?

Very uniformed, *ALL* the knowledgeable American football fans understand that Iran is not to be underestimated.

BTW Daie, Nosrati? Get the **** out of here

[Taz]

USA are quite a decent team actually.

[Shayan_M]

and let me guess, they predicted they themselves would qualify over italy and ghana? :rolleyes:

Whaaaat ? they expect themselves to win the tournament , how about that ?

[yashar_fasihnia]

Whaaaat ? they except themselves to win the tournament , how about that ?
:rofl: :rofl:

i wonder is it excess etemad benafas, or football illiteracy or both! :rolleyes:

[leviathan]

at first they wanted to name mirzapour as one of the key players..but they desided nosrati is more of a key player..:eyebrows:

that is because he is always playing with his keys..

[Taz]

YES!!! Nosrati just scored the winner against Angola for me on this game http://www.mousebreaker.com/games/comboworldcup/play.php

I can now enter the draw to win a football shirt :cool: :D

[Shayan_M]

YES!!! Nosrati just scored the winner against Angola for me on this game http://www.mousebreaker.com/games/comboworldcup/play.php

I can now enter the draw to win a football shirt :cool: :D

that game sux ,lol

[Taz]

I know but ive been trying to get to round 2 all week so i can win one of those shirts, i so badly want the Argentina shirt, it looks so good, although i will burn it if we meet them in the second round :D

[baaghboon]

Lol

[Paradigm]

GROUP D
USATODAY.com analysis: Mexico squeezed into the top eight, and they've been rewarded with one of the easiest draws imaginable. Despite its controversial top seed, Mexico is one of the top ten squads in the world and should make it through. Even with Ali Daei well past his exceptional prime, Iran has a chance of advancing thanks especially to its smattering of German-based players on the roster. Angola edged past Nigeria to qualify for the first time but won't frighten Mexico or Portugal, which underachieved in losing to the U.S. in 2002. After its run to the Euro 2004 final, ultimately losing to Greece, Portugal is primed for a better run here.
Iran (19)
Coach: Branko Ivankovic. Key players: Ali Daei, Mohammad Nosrati.
World Cup record and best finish: Third appearance; first round (1978, 1998). Last appearance: First round 1998.
World Cup odds: 500-1.
How qualified: Second in Asian Group B.
Scoop: Iran's ranking more reflects the standard of teams it plays rather than the impact it can make at the World Cup. It might not finish last in its group, but is unlikely to do much better.
Sorry if someone alredy has showd this ,but I thougt it was funny it says Key players ,Nosrati ,loooool ?


This assessment is actually fairly accurate on paper. What is missing is the mention of the fact TM plays better as underdogs. There is a psychological factor which is missing in this evaluation.

I have a feeling Iran will perform very well against Portugal but not so well against Angola, simply because everyone already assumes angola will be a walk in the park.

[186forever]

someone should write for them a NBA article and mention Lakers' key players for this playoff series and name Luke Walton and Jack Nicolson

[Minmin]

They should stick to their baseball and 'football' and stay out of 'soccer' :D

100% true. why do the fools call FOOTball soccer, when in their FOOTball they only kick the ball once and then use their HANDS.

[Saaman]

They should wrote Esteli and Kia :D

[RaginG Inferno]

USA are quite a decent team actually.
I was especially convinced of this when they lost to Germany 4-1...

[Shahin K]

I was especially convinced of this when they lost to Germany 4-1...

and when they drew Jamaica 1-1

[Bobcat]

USA are quite a decent team actually.


Yes they are and have been better than Iran for many years now. They play well as a team even though individually they dont seem as strong as they actually are.

[Shahin K]

Yes they are and have been better than Iran for many years now. They play well as a team even though individually they dont seem as strong as they actually are.

they are not better than iran..

[Bobcat]

they are not better than iran..


Based on what? It cant be results thats what i base my opinions on and results is all that matter. Look at their achievements last world cup and their recent results against Mexico which Iran are expected to lose to. I would be surprised if Iran dont lose to Mexico by 2 or 3 goals. Anyway we will see soon and ill eat my words if the US get thrashed i think they will show that last time was not just luck.

[Shahin K]

Based on what? It cant be results thats what i base my opinions on and results is all that matter. Look at their achievements last world cup and their recent results against Mexico which Iran are expected to lose to. I would be surprised if Iran dont lose to Mexico by 2 or 3 goals. Anyway we will see soon and ill eat my words if the US get thrashed i think they will show that last time was not just luck.

outsiders think Iran will lose to Mexico!
but we can win definately!

and they also heve bad results too..if only Iran had better facilities and stuff..we would be 5 times better than them!

also Iran has more talent!

[Bobcat]

outsiders think Iran will lose to Mexico!
but we can win definately!
and they also heve bad results too..if only Iran had better facilities and stuff..we would be 5 times better than them!
also Iran has more talent!


Ill be supporting Iran against all the teams in the group and they can beat Mexico if they are playing 100% and Mexico 80%. I dont expect them to win but i would expect the US to beat Mexico if you know what i mean. I think the US is a great team with good (not great) players and Iran is an OK team with great players. This is why i think the US is better at the moment than Iran.

[RezaAli]

Ill be supporting Iran against all the teams in the group and they can beat Mexico if they are playing 100% and Mexico 80%. I dont expect them to win but i would expect the US to beat Mexico if you know what i mean. I think the US is a great team with good (not great) players and Iran is an OK team with great players. This is why i think the US is better at the moment than Iran.
US is highly overrated they lost to germany 4-0 which is bad for a team thats ranked 5th in the world?. Iran hasn't lost to any team more than 2 goal difference for a long time. US only good victories are Mexico and that's about it.