Iran vs Uzbekistan 9/11/2018 Match Thread

[The Realist]

Ghafouri reminds me of Kimmich. He can be very valuable, don't write him off already

From our hero to zero.

It’s not his fault, he’s been playing for his club as a winger for the last few months. It goes to prove why CQ left him out from the WC squad and then every tosser “Karshenas” criticized him. I guess he brought Vouria back to shut them up.

[mahestan]

Not sure why Gucci had to retire while Shoajei still gets to play??!!! Gucci is way better!!!

Someone needs to have a serious talk with Shoajaei.

[eerooni]

Not sure why Gucci had to retire while Shoajei still gets to play??!!! Gucci is way better!!!

[H.Behzadi FAN]

WHAT GAME WERE SOME OF US WATCHING ?
May be some of us just have our minds made up already.
I just watched the game over. Specifically to see how SHOJAEI played.
He replaced EZATOLLAHI when our team was at it's most dangerous. EZATOLLAHI was a beast. Making long passes that almost became a goal (to TAREMI) and venturing into the UZBEK box to add number to attack which ended up IN our goal.
And then .. he was subbed out soon after... right After he took a shot from about 35-40 yards out which went to the sky, he was taken out in the 69th minute..
1. He has to go Paris and then, hopefully, to Reading. So he didn't need to play 90 minutes once we got the lead.
2. SHOJAIE played in his place against MORROCCO, so he knew what he had to do.
-
so .... SHOJAIE came in ... only missed his target / lost the ball ONCE while receiving a pass while challenged and the ball got away from him in the 73rd minute. That led to an UZBEK breakaway, basically 2 attackers (one which was chased by SHOJAIE into the Iran half)and 4 Iranian defenders.... that was the attack which ended when their #21 lost to ball to a throw in carelessly and his captain came up to him and slapped him on the shoulder, telling him not to give up trying.
Before and after that play SHOJAIE (as Captain and anchor of midfield with EBRAHIMI) basically made sure we had possession. Quick one touch passes in triangles to make the opposition midfield play chase and get tired as the game wore on.
If we win every game in ASIAN CUP against the top opponents like this, I won't care. Quieroz is experimenting and testing the different combinations of players.
I think once we start to connect better when the ball in near the opposition penalty box, then we will score even more goals.
SHOJAIE and his experience is what matters now. Not much else. He had 2 fouls. Which slowed down potential attacks by Uzbeks. He knows what his role is and is capable of being that defending meidfield when EZATOLLAHI is not in the team.
so, all of us who just automatically think he is useless and the team's standard of play goes down with him in there, need to watch this game again. He is coming in there to do a specific job and in this match he did it pretty good.
Here is the link to the full match.
Have a good day everyone.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwiEVbfubuw --- SHOJAIE is easy to find because he is the only one with WHITE boots.
Can't wait til Asian Cup.

[Futbaldoost]

My guess is that CQ sees the value of Masoud's leadership for the team. Younger players look up to him.

[diz]

Wonder if Cq strategy with Shojaie is to have him slow the game with fouls?

That would work if only Masoud wouldn't give the ball away 50% of the time (still love the guy though!).

[tiesto]

Wonder if Cq strategy with Shojaie is to have him slow the game with fouls?

[Bi-honar]

I just watched the full match and it was a really good preparatory game for the Asian Cup, although I must ask the question: Shojaei?!!!!

[persian_pooya]

LMFAO, Y'all need to stop acting like this Dollar store Ali Daei is the end all be all of Iranian strikers. Not much would have been different if we had Azmoun up there today.

Could you imagine if Azmoun had the same hunger and attitude as Ali Daei?! If he did I'd have no doubt he'd be one of the world's best strikers right now playing for a top 5 club.. It''s not entirely too late yet though. Hopefully he can have a really good season this year in Russia and then move to a better league. But as each season passes my optimism reduces.

[ferdowsi]

hey guys i could unfortunately not watch the game due to wokr but just watched a 15 min highlight video on youtube . I know it is not the same as watching the complete game live on tv but i am trying to get an opinion of the game. I read party of the thread and also trying to rate amirs performance in goals and especially his a little risky exits.

Yes they looked and were risky but he was always successfull and won the ball or cleared it in all occasions except for that last chance which almost went into goal but that was " just" miscalculating the cross. We have this saying that if the GK leaves his goal he has to have it otherwise its is his mistkake. Although his exits were risky he always got the ball. It reminded me of manuel neuers performance against algeria in 2014 WC where he was amazing in his exits and acted like an 11 field player. I agree that sometimes amirs exits were maybe a little to much and it looked like he tried to really rove himself with outstanding actions but this is modern GK play, To anticipate situations and be part of the game and be able to read situations well and take part in the game and this is what amir did today i think with his actions. he is a different kind of GK than beiro, a bit more modern also cuz he plays in europe and learns maybe a little different GK game where the keeper is part of the game and does not just kick out the ball blindly into the sky. I thinkamir can become soon a serious competitor to beiro...lets see.

I hope CQ gives abedzadeh a couple matches (maybe a friendly and a group stage match) so we can get a clearer picture of what he is capable of for TM.

[sirvan]

Yea, all those goals he scored in the world cup. How can I forget?
Meaningless opinion is watching the game today and coming to the conclusion that Sardar, Kaveh or anybody else would drastically change the outcome of the game. You know, considering that the striker didn't get much service. Maybe two decent chances at best (Ashkan's cross, JB's shot-pass).

Again his stats show that he makes a great impact (scoring many many goals as already at 23 he's our 5th all time goalscorer) when playing for TM. No Iranian striker comes even near him. Focusing only on his three world cup games against the likes of Spain and Portugal, where he did well, but just didn't score, is a silly and childish way to evaluate his input for TM. He has to be evaluated for all his work, which again his stats show us that he's done outstanding.

[Futbaldoost]

It's important to note that quick start from the back and speedy transition to forwards to create chances was part of the drills even before the WC (see CQ's comments after Turkey friendly and highlights of the friendly against Algeria). It's just that CQ had to adjust how often it was attempted and it's dependence on how far back TM had to defend based on who we were facing. We did more of it against Morocco and least of it against Spain. What we saw in the second half was a largely young group of committed guys who were told to do it many more times and our center backs sat closer to the middle of the pitch with Milad and Sadegh playing more like wing backs. We shall see the same adjustments in AC depending on the opponents we are playing yet I expect to see many more halves like the second half agains Uzbekistan.

[Babak agha]

Folks give Sarda argument a rest por favor. He is and has not been part of TM in 2 months. Why his name keeps being brought up in all Iranian football related threads? Faghat moonde in General forum's "General Donald Trump" thread raajebe Sardar khaale zanak baazi dar biyaarim.

We just finished our first friendly game after WC, won and played beautifully. There are so many positive and heart warming topics we can talk about today's match and win, yet we're bashing the kid, while arguing with one another.

Both Rexha joon and Margot joon say should anyone proceed with Sardar arguments, they will both spank you harder than you can imagine!

It's because despite all the name calling and childish behavior and comments that Sardar can go to hell and we don't need him the majority of people want him back in the team and are b-hurt that he has quit TM.

Otherwise why waste time and effort to keep bringing it up....

[Omids]

Wow what a transformation in such a quick time. The moth is turning into a butterfly and it’s brilliant colours are appearing. This was a completely different game plan and execution to that of TM at the WC. You could exactly see what the team had been drilled to do in this game as we prepare for the Asia Cup. And how well it was executed, especially in the 2nd half. At times you’d wouldn’t believe it is TM, such light paced one touch passes, such ball control, such silky touches, so much movement and options available, it felt like it was a training ground drill. Even when the Uzbeks dropped back and defended in numbers TM still retained the ball well and wasn’t afraid to play the ball in tight spaces with the physical Uzbeks. Sure finishing could improve but what I saw was very encouraging.

CQ has something good in the making, he now has the personnels to boss the pitch from the defence to the oppositions 18 yard box. if he gets the friendlies and support Iran will be unstoppable during the Asia Cup... woooohoooo!

[Abtin]

I watched the highlights. RIP to our opponents in January...