It is hard to score against CQ's team .

[Go_Daei]

If we don't have a pool of players, coaches like CQ can only do so much. You're correct that this team could tip toward disaster more than it can tip toward playing a professional game.. sad but true.

We gave up 3 goals in the QF's. How was it possibly a good performance by TM?

I havent elaborated on our performance in the Qatar game yet, because I was very happy with the final outcome of the game and that was the 3 points. Before I get to this, I want to say that result counts for me at the end of the day and I don't want to complain. Our boys fought and worked very hard. I don't doubt their drive and passion.

But god, I was shocked and terrified by what I saw from TM. To be brutally honest, Qatar played better than us. At some point they were even dominating the game and us, and we were bunkering again. We looked tactically lost and everything went wrong. I can't remember any game in the history from 2004 till now that Qatar was the one creating more danger. Perhaps they have improved, but WE had the home crowd advantage.

Every time they launched an attack from the left side, my heart skipped a beat because Hajsafi can't defend if his life depends on it. He will cost us certain goals sooner or later on. Dear lord, save us if we play a decent team like South Korea. We have to find another left back, it is HIGHLY URGENT.

It disappoints me that CQ still hasn't succeeded in giving TM a attractive and stable football after 5 years and being paid so many millions. At this rate, we literally have no business at the WC 2018. He has the team under his whelm for 5 years now, and we still need 90 minutes and a mistake from the Qatari GK to beat Qatar in Azadi. Makes you wonder, what is all these world class preparation good for? What does his ''impressive'' resume (Man U, Real) actually mean? Is CQ really a good tactician, as some say here? Are we aiming more than 1 point out of 3 games and and another group stage exit at the next World Cup? If so then we should play like this.

I hope the situation can improve, despite the very important 3 points. I will wait to see the China away game, things will be more clear by then. We should tie them at the bare minimum.

[PSGman#19]

If we don't have a pool of players, coaches like CQ can only do so much. You're correct that this team could tip toward disaster more than it can tip toward playing a professional game.. sad but true.

Kiarash is completely right from A to Z. The pool of players is not a good excuse. That's true we don't have the depth of Spain, Brazil or Argentina, that's true the pool of players was very poor when CQ arrived (that's why he called Gucci and Dejagah), but we have so many option, combinaison possible and yet CQ doesn't try them. Just a remainer, CQ excluded Mazaheri, Ali Karimi, Soroush Rafei, Shabhazzadeh from the squad and didn't try Shojaeian, Mohammadi, Ghafouri in the last match

[Doctor DOOM]

It is hard to score for CQ's team as well.

Agreed.

Overall, the quality of the opponents is the key in such stats. Whether on goals for or against.
Not only that, the nature of the match (friendly or official) also is important. Friendlies, due to insignificance of the results usually allow teams/coaches to be more stress-free , whereas in official games the result, goals scored and conceded actually are of most importance.
Third factor is the game tactics, which determine our approach to any given game.


For example Argentina suffered to score on us, so did Nigeria. But a couple of days later, the much weaker (and one that was already eliminated, with zero hope, unlike us) team Bosnia easily scored 3 on us!

In the past two years we must see how many OFFICIAL games we've had, and against what QUALITY opposition. Were they on par with us ? Above us? Or below? How many?
That table, if provided, can be helpful to get a better understanding of what we actually are made of.

[Doctor DOOM]

If we make a table with various categories like friendly vs official. Also under quality of opposition (loosely based on ranking) ; higher than 6-7 ranks , on par (within a range of +7 to -12 for example) and lower than 10-12 ranks, we may get a more accurate understanding of this issue.


I mentioned the nature of the games because in some a team goes for pure defending (park the bus and multi layered defending), like meeting a very strong opponent, so naturally it'll be hard to score on them. But at the same time, such a team will spend less time up field to score too.

But the same team may face a team on par, where they will try to have both attacks and defense. In such games the defense is more exposed and the true nature of their capability is on display.

In other matches where the team faces inferior opponents, due to the lack of threat by the opponents, the team's defensive abilities cannot be calculated.

So a table has to be made.

[Kiarash]

If we make a table with various categories like friendly vs official. Also under quality of opposition (loosely based on ranking) ; higher than 6-7 ranks , on par (within a range of +7 to -12 for example) and lower than 10-12 ranks, we may get a more accurate understanding of this issue.


I mentioned the nature of the games because in some a team goes for pure defending (park the bus and multi layered defending), like meeting a very strong opponent, so naturally it'll be hard to score on them. But at the same time, such a team will spend less time up field to score too.

But the same team may face a team on par, where they will try to have both attacks and defense. In such games the defense is more exposed and the true nature of their capability is on display.

In other matches where the team faces inferior opponents, due to the lack of threat by the opponents, the team's defensive abilities cannot be calculated.

So a table has to be made.

Friendlies since CQ is in charge since July 2011, from best ranked team to worst:


Iran 2-0 Chile (Rank 5)

Iran 0-1 Albania (Rank 37)

Iran 1-3 Sweden (Rank 40)
Iran 2-2 Tunisia (Rank 45)
Iran 1-0 South Korea (Rank 48)
Iran 1-1 Japan (Rank 49)

Iran 1-2 Guinea (Rank 66)
Iran 2-0 Trinidad & Tobago (Rank 68)

Iran 0-0 Belarus (Rank 70)
Iran 2-2 Jordan (Rank 79)
Iran 0-0 Jordan (Rank 79)

Iran 0-0 Montenegro (Rank 95)

Iran 6-0 Kyrgyzstan (Rank 105)
Iran 1-3 Oman (Rank 107)

Iran 1-0 Iraq (Rank 113)
Iran 7-0 Palestine (Rank 115)

Iran 1-0 Madagascar (Rank 129)

Iran 1-1 Angola (Rank 132)
Iran 3-1 Macedonia (Rank 138)
Iran 6-1 Tajikistan (Rank 144)

[Lorestani]

Friendlies since CQ is in charge since July 2011, from best ranked team to worst:


Iran 2-0 Chile (Rank 5)

Iran 0-1 Albania (Rank 37)

Iran 1-3 Sweden (Rank 40)
Iran 2-2 Tunisia (Rank 45)
Iran 1-0 South Korea (Rank 48)
Iran 1-1 Japan (Rank 49)

Iran 1-2 Guinea (Rank 66)
Iran 2-0 Trinidad & Tobago (Rank 68)

Iran 0-0 Belarus (Rank 70)
Iran 2-2 Jordan (Rank 79)
Iran 0-0 Jordan (Rank 79)

Iran 0-0 Montenegro (Rank 95)

Iran 6-0 Kyrgyzstan (Rank 105)
Iran 1-3 Oman (Rank 107)

Iran 1-0 Iraq (Rank 113)
Iran 7-0 Palestine (Rank 115)

Iran 1-0 Madagascar (Rank 129)

Iran 1-1 Angola (Rank 132)
Iran 3-1 Macedonia (Rank 138)
Iran 6-1 Tajikistan (Rank 144)

Are those the current rankings or at the time of the matches?

[Ali.Karimi79]

My worries:

Are there any decent alternatives to Hosseini and Montezeri ?
Why on gods frickin earth, is Hajisafi playing LB?
Dejagahs fatigue.
Taremis scoring skill.

[Soosk]

Honestly if i had to choose between a great defensive team melli or a great offensive one, I would always choose the defensive one. Not because a defensive team melli is fun to watch but because a defensive team melli has a chance to get results out of any match. With our good defense we are basically never out of any match. Certainly we are never out of any match against asian teams with our defense. Basically a great defense will keep you in the game. There is an old saying that defense wins championships and in a lot of sports this is definitely true.

Ideally I want a team melli that's great on both ends of the pitch but if i had to choose I would pick defense over offense any day of the week as defensive has more benefits.

[Taz]

Teams of inferior ability do not overachieve through playing open, expansive football against superior teams.

In contrast, there's countless examples of limited teams achieving incredible successes on the back of playing shit-on-a-stick football and focussing on defence first and relying on counter-attacks whilst giving up the majority of possession and territory to the superior teams.

In Asia where we aren't an inferior team, this tactic will annoy people as we struggle to break down crap teams but the World Cup should have been the end of this discussion, it's quite clearly the correct strategy and we have to stick by it during these Asian games if we are to become confident and skilled enough in it in order to do our best on the world stage.

[Doctor DOOM]

Actually the more precise saying is '' A good defense wins you LEAGUES, a good Offense, wins you TOURNAMENTS''

In a tournament, You could have a rock solid defense and allow 0 goals, if you dont score or have a productive offense, you'd be eliminated in the group stage itself.
Why is it different from the league format? In a league format you get 30+ games, depending on the number of teams, with teams ranging from weaker than you to stronger than you. I repeat 30+ games. Meaning you can have ups and down, and a decent amount of chances to ''come back'' or recover after slip ups.


In tournaments usually the first stage is group format, with you playing 2 or 3 games. Followed by 1 game at a time. You slip up in one game, you're pretty much on the ledge.
You dont get too many chances to 'come back'' or gather points or ... . in other words, you have a very limited window to get points.


Therefore these are two very different formats where criteria for success also differ

[Doctor DOOM]

Friendlies since CQ is in charge since July 2011, from best ranked team to worst:


Iran 2-0 Chile (Rank 5)

Iran 0-1 Albania (Rank 37)

Iran 1-3 Sweden (Rank 40)
Iran 2-2 Tunisia (Rank 45)
Iran 1-0 South Korea (Rank 48)
Iran 1-1 Japan (Rank 49)

Iran 1-2 Guinea (Rank 66)
Iran 2-0 Trinidad & Tobago (Rank 68)

Iran 0-0 Belarus (Rank 70)
Iran 2-2 Jordan (Rank 79)
Iran 0-0 Jordan (Rank 79)

Iran 0-0 Montenegro (Rank 95)

Iran 6-0 Kyrgyzstan (Rank 105)
Iran 1-3 Oman (Rank 107)

Iran 1-0 Iraq (Rank 113)
Iran 7-0 Palestine (Rank 115)

Iran 1-0 Madagascar (Rank 129)

Iran 1-1 Angola (Rank 132)
Iran 3-1 Macedonia (Rank 138)
Iran 6-1 Tajikistan (Rank 144)

Thanks mate.
It helps to see how we do, even in friendlies.

But to truly assess a team's prowess, be it in defense or offense or tactics or ..., what reveals the most are the OFFICIAL games where each goal scored or conceded, each point gained or dropped truly matter.

Anyone has the list of official ones?

Off the top of my head I can start with the WC, followed by world cup premilinary stage and asia cup final stage.
I dont know their ranks AT THE TIME, so I'll just put + for better and - worse ... I hope I remember correctly.
I hope someone can fill it up properly and correct my mistakes. My memory iant as good as it used to be

Nigeria (+ rank) 0-0
Arg. (+ rank ) 0-1
Bosnia (? rank ) 1-3


WCQ's prem stage
Tajikistan (- rank ) 1-1 & 1-0
Oman (- rank ) 2-0 &
Guam (- rank) 6-0 & 4-0

Asia cup
Uae (- rank ) 1-0
Bahrain (- rank )
? (- rank )
Iraq (- rank ) 3-3

[04041374]

^
All official games after the 2011 Asian Cup and since CQ is in charge

WCQ 2014 - Second Round
Iran 4-0 Maldives
Maldives 0-1 Iran

WCQ 2014 - Third Round
Iran 3-0 Indonesia
Qatar 1-1 Iran
Iran 6-0 Bahrain
Bahrain 1-1 Iran
Indonesia 1-4 Iran
Iran 2-2 Qatar

WCQ 2014 - Fourth Round
Uzbekistan 0-1 Iran
Iran 0-0 Qatar
Lebanon 1-0 Iran
Iran 1-0 South Korea
Iran 0-1 Uzbekistan
Qatar 0-1 Iran
Iran 4-0 Lebanon
South Korea 0-1 Iran

WC 2014
Iran 0-0 Nigeria
Argentina 1-0 Iran
Bosnia 3-1 Iran

AC 2015
Iran 2-0 Bahrain
Qatar 0-1 Iran
Iran 1-0 UAE
Iran 3-3 Iraq

WCQ 2018 - Second Round
Turkmenistan 1-1 Iran
Iran 6-0 Guam
India 0-3 Iran
Oman 1-1 Iran
Iran 3-1 Turkmenistan
Guam 0-6 Iran
Iran 4-0 India
Iran 2-0 Oman

WCQ 2018 - Third Round
Iran 2-0 Qatar

[Ali.Karimi79]

^
All official games after the 2011 Asian Cup and since CQ is in charge

WCQ 2014 - Second Round
Iran 4-0 Maldives
Maldives 0-1 Iran

WCQ 2014 - Third Round
Iran 3-0 Indonesia
Qatar 1-1 Iran
Iran 6-0 Bahrain
Bahrain 1-1 Iran
Indonesia 1-4 Iran
Iran 2-2 Qatar

WCQ 2014 - Fourth Round
Uzbekistan 0-1 Iran
Iran 0-0 Qatar
Lebanon 1-0 Iran
Iran 1-0 South Korea
Iran 0-1 Uzbekistan
Qatar 0-1 Iran
Iran 4-0 Lebanon
South Korea 0-1 Iran

WC 2014
Iran 0-0 Nigeria
Argentina 1-0 Iran
Bosnia 3-1 Iran

AC 2015
Iran 2-0 Bahrain
Qatar 0-1 Iran
Iran 1-0 UAE
Iran 3-3 Iraq

WCQ 2018 - Second Round
Turkmenistan 1-1 Iran
Iran 6-0 Guam
India 0-3 Iran
Oman 1-1 Iran
Iran 3-1 Turkmenistan
Guam 0-6 Iran
Iran 4-0 India
Iran 2-0 Oman

WCQ 2018 - Third Round
Iran 2-0 Qatar

In other words:
only 4 Losses.

Dame CQ & TM garm.

[Doctor DOOM]

Thanks.
Leaving aside the very weak teams and considering teams that are slightly below to those slightly above us, I'd say we've done rather well.
Meaning Teams like UAE, qatar. Iraq, korea, and Uzbekistan. I'd say ur record is pretty good. Yes, we've let in a few goals. But we've scored a few too ... although I'd have liked this stat to be more. 11 fpr, 4 against.
That's pretty good

[eerooni]

Thanks.
Leaving aside the very weak teams and considering teams that are slightly below to those slightly above us, I'd say we've done rather well.
Meaning Teams like UAE, qatar. Iraq, korea, and Uzbekistan. I'd say ur record is pretty good. Yes, we've let in a few goals. But we've scored a few too ... although I'd have liked this stat to be more. 11 fpr, 4 against.
That's pretty good

Keep in mind that CQ took over a team wrought with defensive problems. Rife with physiological issues and completely weak in most areas. What he did In the last 5 years was that he systematically has built a strong team from the bottom up! A team that will stand tall long after he is gone. CQ has built a legacy! No coach has done this for us ever! We should all thank him for this !