Alireza Jahanbakhsh @ AZ Alkmaar | 2017 - 2018

[Perseus]

In AZ Jahanbakhsh sometimes played as supporting striker too. Who would be the competition for the position behind the center forward in the 4-4-1-1 at Brighton?

A good question. This would be the reason that Brighton fans would like to see him sign. We signed Locadia who can drop deep, but the position is up for grabs and Leicester already have Vardy. Pascal Groß operates in the hole behind the main striker who he is more of a creator than a goal scorer.

Brighton play deep defence more than the pressing game. Leicester are a a very good counter attacking team, which is down to Vardy scoring the extra goals, with help from Mahrez last season.

The three major problems Brighton have to rectify are:
1) stop conceding goals from set pieces (21 worst in the EPL)
2) more pace and goal scoring away from home
3) start scoring from set pieces and counter attacks (5 worst in the EPL)

Arguably a striker who scores goals, and more work on the training ground will solve these problems

Strong points
Not conceding from open play (last season, second only to the two Manchester clubs)

[Sly]

So 4-4-1-1 and playing mostly carefully and defensively, huh?

Well, that's Jahanbakhsh playing in Iran's national team! and we all know how that usually turns out!

This guy works well in a speedy attacking team. He's usually lost and invisibale in a defensive team. I hope both him and Brighton know what they're doing!

[Ararat Tehran]

It seems like he will be signing with Brighton:

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/s...s-live-1809796

[Perseus]

So 4-4-1-1 and playing mostly carefully and defensively, huh?

Well, that's Jahanbakhsh playing in Iran's national team! and we all know how that usually turns out!

This guy works well in a speedy attacking team. He's usually lost and invisibale in a defensive team. I hope both him and Brighton know what they're doing!

Exactly how quick is Jahanbakhsh ? Vardy is quick but he is just a goal poacher.

[Camran khan]

Exactly how quick is Jahanbakhsh ? Vardy is quick but he is just a goal poacher.

I think he clocked in around 32 km/h this world cup..

[Malkay]

As things stand, my preference of club for him would be Brighton.


Yes, on paper a move to Leicester appears the better option. He'd be a perfect fit to replace Mahrez, Leicester arguably has a better squad, a bigger reputation (they were champions 2 years ago, so more likely to attract higher profile talent) and is a more stable Premier League outfit than Brighton, who only promoted last season... but there are other factors we should be looking at in terms of which club offers the better proposition for ARJ:

- Brighton has long been an admirer of ARJ. The club tried to sign him before in 2015. That long-standing interest should count for much more than Leicester just seeing him as flavour of the month for his successes last season.

- Chris Hughton is about to begin his 5th season with Brighton (4th full season for the pedants) and has a lot of job security for where he's taken the club from (i.e. fighting relegation the season before trying to sign ARJ) and how he's built that squad. While there has been much speculation about Claude Puel's (Leicester) tenure as manager in the closing months of last season. If Puel gets the sack after a poor start a new manager that doesn't fancy ARJ could come in and look for a replacement in January. Look at what happened to Ansarifard at Olympiacos last year, missing out on Champions League football.

- Squad harmony appears to be much higher at Brighton. They all want to be there and play for the shirt. He'll also have 2 Dutch players (Locadia and Pröpper) to help integrate him into the squad. Meanwhile at Leicester, the likes of Maguire, Schmeichel, Musa and Slimani will likely leave this summer. Lots of transfer market uncertainty generally affects team chemistry.

- Brighton wants him right now. Leicester are still looking at other targets and will likely not make a decision for a couple more weeks. He needs to have a full pre-season with any new team.


The only negative I can see here is that Brighton has more wingers and direct competition for ARJ than Leicester. He will either have to unsettle a fan favourite in Knockaert or Hughton needs to find a way to play both of them. Still, solid competition could be exactly what ARJ needs to reach that next level in his career.

[DR Strangemoosh]

Exactly how quick is Jahanbakhsh ? Vardy is quick but he is just a goal poacher.

Very quick, thunderous shot, good with both feet, has an arsenal of different passes, excellent at dribbling, unselfish and good crosser who generates a large number of aerial balls for teammates.

Its pretty unheard of for a player to get his stats for a "lesser" Dutch team of 23 league goals and 12 league assists.

He has the potential to be a world class player in an attacking team. But not a defensively minded one where he might fade away.... He still hasn't quite clicked to place in Iran's pragmatic Team Melli as he has for his club at NEC and AZ. The World Cup was different because every player had a role and he did his fine.

[Sly]

Exactly how quick is Jahanbakhsh ? Vardy is quick but he is just a goal poacher.

He's not exactly Mbappe but he's actually faster than he looks.

Here is a video of his last season highlights. It will give you a broad picture:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZulfwFbXWo

[The Realist]

Whichever team he joins, JB will find the pace of EPL welcoming but a lot more challenging than theDutch league.

I don’t expect him to have as much space and time to pick his passes like he finds and does in the Dutch.
league.

With the type of price tags mentioned, fans will expect a lot from him from the moment go and in EPL he will be a bit of an unknown, specially that given the lull between WC and the start of the league in a couple of weeks time, I’m not sure what kind of shape he is in. There’s no time to waste - he needs to start practicing and get some match experience with his new team mates.

All in all I find it a huge challenge for him but I’m obviously very excited of the potential prospects of one of our own very best in the EPL. Wish him the very best. Go JB, make us proud

[DR Strangemoosh]

I just spread those sources around trying to essentially 'force a transfer' if possible.

....

http://www.persianfootball.com/forum...y-F.C.-(RUMOR)


Amoo, are you actually 17 or do people say that to knock you? If you are actually 17 then its OK to be a bit immature and excited about things, we all were at that age.

[Kiarash]

Alireza Jahanbakhsh @ AZ Alkmaar | 2017 - 2018

I fail to see why he should sign for Brighton. He could have taken the offer 3 years ago and he would be in the same situation. I seriously don’t understand why Alireza is going to the same team that he declined before he went to AZ. What’s the difference?

Back then they were Championship contenders and now they are a lower table PL team. For me it sounds like stagnation rather than progression. Another season without EL or CL football will just kill his development and international exposure.

Dissapointing move overall, with all due respect to Brighton and their fans. Not looking forward to a season of relegation football and a side who plays hoof the ball hackster type of football, something JB is totally not made for.

[BHAFC]

Quickly before I reply, can I just advise you to completely ignore @Perseus. He’s well known by Brighton fans online for being completely and utterly clueless.

Andy Horton, you nearly killed the club you claim to support, and you are an embarassment to Brighton fans everywhere. Please stop trying to represent the club online and go back to your rockpools. Your footballing knowledge is non existence and sooner or later you will start spouting rubbish so please just log off and don’t come back before that happens. Thanks.

So 4-4-1-1 and playing mostly carefully and defensively, huh?

Well, that's Jahanbakhsh playing in Iran's national team! and we all know how that usually turns out!

This guy works well in a speedy attacking team. He's usually lost and invisibale in a defensive team. I hope both him and Brighton know what they're doing!

Last year was certainly defence first, although as I said earlier that was partly down to a lack of attacking options. As the season went on we started to attack more, beating Swansea 4-1 and actually having more shots than Manchester United when we beat them. I would assume that next year it would be cautious defensive football away from home, but against the teams from 7th-20th at home we will actually try to play attacking football.

In AZ Jahanbakhsh sometimes played as supporting striker too. Who would be the competition for the position behind the center forward in the 4-4-1-1 at Brighton?

Pascal Groß plays as our second striker. He was our Player of the Season last year, with 7 goals and 8 assists which when you remember how rubbish we were going forward is stupidly impressive. If we sign AJ it would almost certainly be to used as a winger.

[The Realist]

I fail to see why he should sign for Brighton. He could have taken the offer 3 years ago and he would be in the same situation. I seriously don’t understand why Alireza is going to the same team that he declined before he went to AZ. What’s the difference?

Back then they were Championship contenders and now they are a lower table PL team. For me it sounds like stagnation rather than progression. Another season without EL or CL football will just kill his development and international exposure.

Dissapointing move overall, with all due respect to Brighton and their fans. Not looking forward to a season of relegation football and a side who plays hoof the ball hackster type of football, something JB is totally not made for.

Kiarash jaan, I hear you. I think one major difference this time around is the price tag associated with a top scorer and potential. If he performs very well he would be right in the view of the top 5 in EPL. Unless he does one of those emotional Iranian players fans-affinity and stays in a club like Leicester or Brighton for 3 seasons, given he would perform well, there is no reason why he cannot step up into the top 5.

[BHAFC]

I fail to see why he should sign for Brighton. He could have taken the offer 3 years ago and he would be in the same situation. I seriously don’t understand why Alireza is going to the same team that he declined before he went to AZ. What’s the difference?

In those 3 years we’ve been promoted, reached an FA Cup 1/4 final, signed nearly £100,000,000 worth of players and beaten some of the biggest teams in the country. No, you’re right there isn’t a difference at all.

Back then they were Championship contenders and now they are a lower table PL team. For me it sounds like stagnation rather than progression. Another season without EL or CL football will just kill his development and international exposure.

Last time we tried to sign him we’d finished 20th in the championship. We’ve just finished 15th in the Premier League.
I’ll take stagnation if it actually means massive leaps forward year on year.

Dissapointing move overall, with all due respect to Brighton and their fans. Not looking forward to a season of relegation football and a side who plays hoof the ball hackster type of football, something JB is totally not made for.

Can’t wait for us to play more hoofball like this:
https://youtu.be/N4-ssy7kTyw

[Sly]

Last year was certainly defence first, although as I said earlier that was partly down to a lack of attacking options. As the season went on we started to attack more, beating Swansea 4-1 and actually having more shots than Manchester United when we beat them. I would assume that next year it would be cautious defensive football away from home, but against the teams from 7th-20th at home we will actually try to play attacking football.

Well, if he does end up in Brighton, I hope your attacking games are at least as many as you say here cause that's when he'll be useful in you club. Don't expect a lot from him when defending.

Having said that, he may progress in that department in your club too, what do we know? In that case good for both him and Brighton.