Get to know our opponents in the upcoming Qualifiers

[Leicester City]

100% - he CQed us big time in the first match.....very tough to break down like CQ’s TM.

Yes, I agree.

But to be fair, Ehsan Hajsafi and and Majid Hosseini (players who had poor performance in Bahrain match) are not really TM quality. I prefer Yasin Salmani to the former and Aref Aghasi to the latter.

[Kiarash]

100% - he CQed us big time in the first match.....very tough to break down like CQ’s TM.

I agree he turned Bahrain into a solid team and we should definitely not take them lightly like last game. However CQ had much better players at his disposal and compared to then we have much more talent so based on that we must beat Bahrain whether Sousa is in charge or not.

[Ostad_Goosfand]

Bahrain is leaving a lot of space on the wings..

The key to team Melli isn’t going to be just throwing legionnaires on the pitch, we have to analyze Bahrain and Iraq weaknesses and take advantage.

Obviously taremi and Azmoun and gholi will be our front 3 but I can’t help but think Someone like Ghaedi will be critical towards breaking down Bahrain defense. No point in just throwing strikers on the pitch if we can’t get the ball to them..

[perspolis#1]

The key to team Melli isn’t going to be just throwing legionnaires on the pitch, we have to analyze Bahrain and Iraq weaknesses and take advantage.

Obviously taremi and Azmoun and gholi will be our front 3 but I can’t help but think Someone like Ghaedi will be critical towards breaking down Bahrain defense. No point in just throwing strikers on the pitch if we can’t get the ball to them..

I've watched 25 minutes from this game but there are a few things that are evident. Bahrain will have 5 defenders when defending in the backline and the midfielders stay low block to surround the strikers. They are 100% going to do this to Azmoun and Taremi to keep them shut down. The difference maker is whether our wingers/midfielders can break through and take long range shots, dribble through, or cross in dangerously.

I'm not convinced by Bahrain's goalie on corners either. I know Iran's corners have been like gambling since the end of Ando's career but if we have good corner strategies to put pressure on the goalkeeper we could cause damage.

[Ostad_Goosfand]

I've watched 25 minutes from this game but there are a few things that are evident. Bahrain will have 5 defenders when defending in the backline and the midfielders stay low block to surround the strikers. They are 100% going to do this to Azmoun and Taremi to keep them shut down. The difference maker is whether our wingers/midfielders can break through and take long range shots, dribble through, or cross in dangerously.

I'm not convinced by Bahrain's goalie on corners either. I know Iran's corners have been like gambling since the end of Ando's career but if we have good corner strategies to put pressure on the goalkeeper we could cause damage.

If Skocic goes with a midfield 3 of amiri-hajsafi-nourollahi then we have to pray Gholizadeh can get through the defense. It’s hard to justify taking off either one of taremi or azmoun but if we go through a scoreless/toothless first half against Bahrain like we did in the first leg we have to change the tactics! I hope skocic is flexible enough to realize that.

Something else that can work against Bahrain is a very high press, it would be a little risky and could lead to counter attack but I don’t think Bahrain is talented enough to hold possession in their own field

[Ghermez Agha]

Yes, I agree.

But to be fair, Ehsan Hajsafi and and Majid Hosseini (players who had poor performance in Bahrain match) are not really TM quality. I prefer Yasin Salmani to the former and Aref Aghasi to the latter.

Definitely agree on Hajsafi....Hosseini is TM quality when he’s not making mental errors like he did that game and in the AC. He needs a good stretch of consistent club performances before he can be relied on as a starter but for now deserves a TM call up as a reserve. Don’t like/trust any CBS outside PAG and seyed jalal who isn’t even in the TM picture.

I agree he turned Bahrain into a solid team and we should definitely not take them lightly like last game. However CQ had much better players at his disposal and compared to then we have much more talent so based on that we must beat Bahrain whether Sousa is in charge or not.

Agree we must beat Bahrain no matter what.....but it is as tough at it has ever been and that is of course due to Sousa and how he turned things around for them. Bahrain 2011-2019 was not even a top 15 Asian team IMO and now they’re playing like a top 6-7. A coach who can turn a team around like that and instill that level of tactical discipline is scary bc if you underestimate them they will take points away from you or beat you. That’s what we saw in the first game and we cannot let that happen again.

[perspolis#1]

If Skocic goes with a midfield 3 of amiri-hajsafi-nourollahi then we have to pray Gholizadeh can get through the defense. It’s hard to justify taking off either one of taremi or azmoun but if we go through a scoreless/toothless first half against Bahrain like we did in the first leg we have to change the tactics! I hope skocic is flexible enough to realize that.

Something else that can work against Bahrain is a very high press, it would be a little risky and could lead to counter attack but I don’t think Bahrain is talented enough to hold possession in their own field

That 3 man midfield cannot do a high press. If Ezatolahi being in Iran is any indicator of him being invited we can rely on him to circulate the ball to create chances.

[peiman92]

Bahrain away in Manama have never been easy for TM. It will be a very tight game.
Most likely a draw or narrow win for us.

[Ostad_Goosfand]

It’s 11PM and 95 degrees in Manama Bahrain 🥴🥴🥴. Daily highs are around 104-110

[Keshwardoost]

With high press, and 0-0 id like to sub in Sayyadmanesh early in second half, somewhere between 45-60 min to get him in together with Taremi/Azmoun. Taremi, Azmoun and Allahyar can really work their defence hard and maybe get a cheap goal from a misstake from their defence from their constant pressure... this requires a high perssing midfield also to work properly.
Or, if Azmoun is having a poor game then sub him in for Azmoun. Taremin stays on no matter what, dude never has a poor game.

Edit. 95 degrees Fahrenheit = 35 degrees Celsius! thats hot! isnt there a rule after 37-38 degrees Celsius games has to be paused or stopped since its dangerous to play? i recall something about that
Edit 2. i found this on google. dont know if it stands for AFC/FIFA but never heard of shortened halfs, but waterbreaks i have heard of..

HEAT INDEX RECOMMENDATIONS
90°-99° Mandatory two-minute water breaks per half with running time. Each half shortened by five minutes.
100°-104° Mandatory two-minute water breaks per half with running time. Each half shortened by ten minutes.
105°+ Suspend Play


the warm weather means that its hard with constant high press though, id switch the tactics to possession play, playing fast to get the other team running and getting exhausted and then putting high pressure at the begginging and end of the halfs..

[diz]

It’s 11PM and 95 degrees in Manama Bahrain 🥴🥴🥴. Daily highs are around 104-110

Totally predictable and known in advance by AFC/FIFA. Awarding the games to Bahrain was intentional and devised to put TM at every disadvantage possible (including heat stroke).

[Keshwardoost]

I've watched 25 minutes from this game but there are a few things that are evident. Bahrain will have 5 defenders when defending in the backline and the midfielders stay low block to surround the strikers. They are 100% going to do this to Azmoun and Taremi to keep them shut down. The difference maker is whether our wingers/midfielders can break through and take long range shots, dribble through, or cross in dangerously.
I'm not convinced by Bahrain's goalie on corners either. I know Iran's corners have been like gambling since the end of Ando's career but if we have good corner strategies to put pressure on the goalkeeper we could cause damage.

ARJ was taking some of the corners in a Brightong game recently. it looked to be ok. dont know how much he will be playing though. we also have those long throw ins that can shake things up,, maybe we should get Jalal Hosseini back for his good positionong on defence and great heading skills. Then we have atleast Taremi, Azmoun, J.Hosseini that are strong in the air. i believe we have a few more to?

[Keshwardoost]

https://eu.usatoday.com/story/sports...eaks/11106571/
so there may be waterbreaks.

Court orders FIFA to implement water breaks
AP
TERESOPOLIS, Brazil (AP) — A Brazilian court on Friday ordered FIFA to introduce mandatory breaks for players in World Cup matches played in high temperatures.

A labor court in the capital of Brasilia issued a temporary injunction saying the breaks are required near the 30th minute of each half so players can get hydrated.

The breaks are now mandatory when temperatures reach 32 degrees Celsius (89.6 Fahrenheit) in the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature index, which takes into account factors such as time of day, cloud cover, wind, humidity and location.

The court said in a statement that the ruling was made after nearly two hours of failed negotiations involving FIFA and local prosecutors on Friday.

FIFA said it had already recommended the breaks in such weather conditions and told The Associated Press that the labor court had merely confirmed the pre-established guidelines.

The court earlier said that the injunction was necessary because there was nothing assuring that FIFA would enforce its own guidelines.


FIFA said that no World Cup match so far has had temperatures higher than 28 degrees Celsius (82.4 Fahrenheit) in the heat stress index.

Prosecutors wanted the breaks to be implemented when the temperature reached 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit) in the index, but the judge said that he would accept the higher FIFA limit because it wasn't evident that the small difference would "endanger the players' health."


"I think that obliging FIFA to enforce its own norm is not a measure that jeopardizes the competition," judge Rogerio Neiva Pinheiro said in his ruling.

He said FIFA must pay 200,000 reals (about $90,000) for each match in which the ruling isn't enforced.

The court also said football's world governing body is responsible for registering the temperature during matches by using certified equipment.

Brazil's players' union took legal again against FIFA recently, demanding it changed kickoff times of all 24 matches that were scheduled for 1 p.m. local time (1600 GMT) to avoid subjecting athletes to the risks of playing in "intense heat."

FIFA had said at the time that it would not change the start times, or make the cooling breaks mandatory, because it spent nearly two years analyzing the tournament's schedule and always took into consideration the players' health.

FIFA had previously altered the starting times of seven World Cup matches in the most hot and humid host cities.

Winter is starting in Brazil, but it remains hot and humid in many of the 12 host cities, particularly in the northeastern and northern regions.

There was special concern with the jungle city of Manaus, where humidity is expected to significantly affect players' performances. It happened in the England vs. Italy match last week, when players and fans complained of the conditions.

[Keshwardoost]

interesting.
Weather in June
June, the first month of the summer, in Manama, is a sweltering month, with average temperature fluctuating between 28.8°C (83.8°F) and 36.4°C (97.5°F).
Temperature
In Manama, Bahrain, the average high-temperature in June is essentially the same as in May - a very hot 36.4°C (97.5°F). In Manama, in June, the average low-temperature is 28.8°C (83.8°F).
Rainfall
June through September are months without rainfall.
Sea temperature
In June, the average sea temperature in Manama is 30.7°C (87.3°F).
Note: For swimming, other intense water activities, temperature above 30°C (86°F) is arguably unpleasant, as the water cooling effect is missing.
Daylight
The month with the longest days is June, with an average of 13.8h of daylight.
Sunshine
The month with the most sunshine in Manama is June, with an average of 11.3h of sunshine.
UV index
Months with the highest UV index are May through August, with an average maximum UV index of 12. A UV Index reading of 11, and higher, represents an excessive health risk from the exposure to the Sun's UV radiation for the ordinary person.
Note: In June, the average maximum UV index of 12 translate into the following recommendations:
Take all necessary precautions, as unprotected skin can burn in minutes. The Sun's UV radiation is most powerful between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. To the extent possible, limit exposure to the direct sun during these hours. A wide-brim hat offers excellent sun protection for eyes, ears, face, and neck. Sunglasses with UVA and UVB protection significantly reduce eye damage from sun exposure. Tightly woven, loose-fitting clothes provide additional protection from the Sun. A broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 30+ should be liberally applied and re-applied every two hours, and immediately after an outdoor workout or a swim. Beware! The reflection of water and sand dramatically increases exposure to the UV rays

So that means no rip off TM clothes or we will have exhausted players, hope its good quality on the kit, now when CQ is gone

[PEJ]

No matter how you cut it, Bahrain is a must win. Can not afford a tie with them. A tie with Iraq is less damaging than a tie with Bahrain.