What is your expectation for Team Melli's performance in 2023

[PSGman#19]

Kim becomes the 6th most expensive defender in history - the top five are english, french or spanish.

Fair play. I think western pundits are going to be impressed with the core of the top asian sides when the next world cup happens. And depth - Japan has a bigger and better range of attacking midfielders, wingers and wing-forwards than England does

In the meantime, our country's lynchpin has gained 20kg since he burst on the scene, and our defenders need their phones confiscated on buses.

Who knows, maybe as our fellow member says the only problem with iran is queiroz and with Ghalenoei we will see wonders being accomplished... maybe.

Japan and SK can do what they want, they will always be annihilate by physical and/or defensive quality sides.

Both side are unable to go further than WC R16, except controversial SK run at home in 2002

[perspolis#1]

Has anyone changed their expectations, based on recent issues surrounding TM?

I still think the key players will drag us to quarters on gheyrat alone but I can't see us reaching the semis. Would love to be wrong though, just my instinct...

Its pretty depressing for gheyrat to be a factor in any of the tournament before the Quarterfinal.

We are playing a war torn country(Palestine), a Chinese possession(Hong Kong) and UAE in the group FFS. Followed by likely a Syria/Lebanon. (Wartorn and quasi-wartorn) or Oman in the R16.

Gheyrat should not even come into play until QF vs SK.

"Shackles off" would be if we were at baseline a Barcelona/Man City team. Unfortunately "Shackles off" is what led Rezaian to be out of position and made Uzbekistan equalize

[peiman92]

2024 should start with a title in Qatar and end with at least 16p from our first 6 games in 3rd round of WCQ.
Anything other than that will be a disappointment for sure.

[Nokhodi]

Its pretty depressing for gheyrat to be a factor in any of the tournament before the Quarterfinal.

We are playing a war torn country(Palestine), a Chinese possession(Hong Kong) and UAE in the group FFS. Followed by likely a Syria/Lebanon. (Wartorn and quasi-wartorn) or Oman in the R16.

Gheyrat should not even come into play until QF vs SK.

"Shackles off" would be if we were at baseline a Barcelona/Man City team. Unfortunately "Shackles off" is what led Rezaian to be out of position and made Uzbekistan equalize

“easy”group stages usually mean late round struggles for TM.
we need to be challenged before playing decent teams, otherwise we never step into a higher gear.

I also really think we need a Bagheri type on the bench. Someone to slap Kanaani types around if they mess around.

[mehdi13]

Its pretty depressing for gheyrat to be a factor in any of the tournament before the Quarterfinal.

We are playing a war torn country(Palestine), a Chinese possession(Hong Kong) and UAE in the group FFS. Followed by likely a Syria/Lebanon. (Wartorn and quasi-wartorn) or Oman in the R16.

Gheyrat should not even come into play until QF vs SK.

"Shackles off" would be if we were at baseline a Barcelona/Man City team. Unfortunately "Shackles off" is what led Rezaian to be out of position and made Uzbekistan equalize

Wait, I’ve seen this movie before. Or maybe something very similar. TM will easily beat these half-baked football programs and by end of group stage we’ll consider ourselves to be the best in Asia and favorites to win the tournament. Then we face a half decent team in knockouts and suddenly…. those who call him General will start calling him madarj**** and ref will have been paid by Bin Hammam. Of course, don’t forget any plot twists. Which gas station cashier masquerading as a professional footballer will be responsible for the usual meltdown?

[mehdi13]

I also really think we need a Bagheri type on the bench. Someone to slap Kanaani types around if they mess around.

yani chi? is this professional football or chale maydun laat bazi? We don’t need donkeys in the team to need to be slapped to be professional nor do we need some guy with best coaching quality being slapping and yelling to be involved in a national team.

[DR Strangemoosh]

"Shackles off" would be if we were at baseline a Barcelona/Man City team. Unfortunately "Shackles off" is what led Rezaian to be out of position and made Uzbekistan equalize

By shackles/chains, he is referring to Queiroz....

[Nokhodi]

yani chi? is this professional football or chale maydun laat bazi? We don’t need donkeys in the team to need to be slapped to be professional nor do we need some guy with best coaching quality being slapping and yelling to be involved in a national team.

yes you do. These aren’t first violins for the London symphony.

[DR Strangemoosh]

Queiroz specifically brought in one of the world's best sports psychology scientists to help our players' mental preparation for the last Asian Cup

https://www.sbs.com.au/sport/article...guru/yoakdxdgd

These are key for the business end of a tournament, where temperament can make all the difference.

Even then, the best in the world wasn't enough as our players still mentally lost it on the pitch against Japan. I just don't see our players with the mental discipline of our rivals once we get to the quarter finals

[perspolis#1]

Wait, I’ve seen this movie before. Or maybe something very similar. TM will easily beat these half-baked football programs and by end of group stage we’ll consider ourselves to be the best in Asia and favorites to win the tournament. Then we face a half decent team in knockouts and suddenly…. those who call him General will start calling him madarj**** and ref will have been paid by Bin Hammam. Of course, don’t forget any plot twists. Which gas station cashier masquerading as a professional footballer will be responsible for the usual meltdown?

Yes, exactly. Mental strength has been missing for our team. Think about how cold and precise teams like City or Bayern are when they try to beat their opponents regardless of name.

We can't control who is in our group but we can use sport psychology to realize that this is not one tournament, the group stage is basically an invitational and the knockout rounds is when the actual tournament begins.

We go out first game vs Palestine and (sorry for all they are facing back home) but try to kill the game ASAP. That way we can play some B teamers against Hong Kong and still get a win. Then UAE for the easier ticket in the R16. I think we can beat them for sure with a good plan/structure

Most Arab teams besides Saudi are actually terrible at scoring goals and only try to seize on counterattacks and mistakes. If we don't make any, no goals for them.

“easy”group stages usually mean late round struggles for TM.
we need to be challenged before playing decent teams, otherwise we never step into a higher gear.

I also really think we need a Bagheri type on the bench. Someone to slap Kanaani types around if they mess around.

Unfortunately there is not a lot of quality in Asia after the best 12 teams at most. Just saying its inexcusable that we drop out before the QF because our opponents should not be bothering us.


The first two games(the ones that likely cement us going to R16 and first place by goal difference), should be a normal day at the office for a team that plays crisply with a good setup of our level.

I think UAE with some of their rando 30+ age Brazilians will have our team step up as a practice run for the R16 so thats nice.

I agree we never got another domineering figure like a Nekounam or Bagheri to keep people in check and the googooly magoolies infiltrated the team. GN could try and show some balls and bench anyone showing signs of trying to mess things up and banish them for the rest of the tournament. I would rather play the backup than have disharmony in the team.

By shackles/chains, he is referring to Queiroz....

I know, which I thought was a dumb comparison. If our team was full of Joga Bonito Brazilians or Machine-like chance creators like Germany maybe but we don't. Calling structure "shackles" is misinformed especially when our lack of "shackles" is why we blew a 2-0 lead to Uzbekistan.

[Hosseini]

Realistically, how far do you expect TM to go?

The 5 people who voted winner. Please give me what stuff you're on ASAP..

[DR Strangemoosh]

I know, which I thought was a dumb comparison. If our team was full of Joga Bonito Brazilians or Machine-like chance creators like Germany maybe but we don't. Calling structure "shackles" is misinformed especially when our lack of "shackles" is why we blew a 2-0 lead to Uzbekistan.

We are competing against teams with a huge amount more attacking threat than we do

The only hope is to rely on an organised defensive unit, otherwise there will be an embarrassment in the quarter finals

The expectation for Ghaleneoi, who although very flawed is the best Iranian coach, should be to reach the quarter final. If he reaches the semi final then to all intents and purposes he has over-achieved by giving us the equal top place finish since the seventies with a group of players which is now a lot worse than our main rivals

Needs strong leadership to get through psychological hurdles though

[perspolis#1]

We are competing against teams with a huge amount more attacking threat than we do

The only hope is to rely on an organised defensive unit, otherwise there will be an embarrassment in the quarter finals

The expectation for Ghaleneoi, who although very flawed is the best Iranian coach, should be to reach the quarter final. If he reaches the semi final then to all intents and purposes he has over-achieved by giving us the equal top place finish since the seventies with a group of players which is now a lot worse than our main rivals

Needs strong leadership to get through psychological hurdles though

Are we?

Palestine has one striker who is slightly above average for Asian standards.
Hong Kong is bekesh ziresh.
UAE has Ali Mabkhout and a couple old Brazilians.

our R16 opponents( Syria/Lebanon/Oman) are dire especially since Omar Al Somah was not called up.

The only teams with more cohesive attack than us are Saudi, Korea, Japan. Uzbekistan didnt impress honestly, we threw the game away.

All of them could be countered depending on the tactics.

Rigid defense with counters or overloading them and pushing their wings back. Unfortunately the midfield plan needs to be solid for any of it work

[DR Strangemoosh]

Are we?

Palestine has one striker who is slightly above average for Asian standards.
Hong Kong is bekesh ziresh.
UAE has Ali Mabkhout and a couple old Brazilians.

our R16 opponents( Syria/Lebanon/Oman) are dire especially since Omar Al Somah was not called up.

The only teams with more cohesive attack than us are Saudi, Korea, Japan. Uzbekistan didnt impress honestly, we threw the game away.

All of them could be countered depending on the tactics.

Rigid defense with counters or overloading them and pushing their wings back. Unfortunately the midfield plan needs to be solid for any of it work

HK have a good coach

Everton is very fast and all their brazilian strikers are goal threats. Plus this new Nigerian lad is a strong forward.

My concern is if they are underestimated as can sometimes happen when a lot of teams like this have suddenly brought new players that we wouldn't have seen 3-4 months ago

Otherwise I agree with you, but it's just the gulf between Korea and Japan's attacking players and ours which is more than i've seen before.

[Kavian]

We will win take it all home!