Evaluating the last 2 matches and focusing on the next 2 ahead...

[Ghermez Agha]

First and foremost congrats to all on a great 3-0 result today

We have 2 full 90 min matches to now really evaluate our team going into the last 2 crucial do-or-dies and we have seen lots of good and not so good things IMO.
I’ll start with HK....

Positives: thought that the wingers and fullbacks did a great job hustling on the flanks and linked up well, especially JB who was playing in good balls for the forwards and Gholi especially did a great job using his skill and technique in those tight spaces. It’s never easy to play against any team when they are defending with so many men even if it’s a weak team and I thought our wingers especially showed they were able to crack through.

Subs all did great IMO with the exception of kaveh who looked a little lost and out of sync at times. Saman and Torabi brought a different dimension into the game Torabi with his pressure and creativity and saman with his ball distribution.

Weaknesses:

Very clear to me IMO - 3 things....set pieces (both offensively and defensively), dealing with aerial balls, lack of urgency from our striker duo (Taremi and azmoun). Just look at the difference in movement off the ball in the second half from them today and compare it to the prior 3 halves....totally might and day and a huge difference maker.

Now vs Bahrain today.....

Positives: really a super solid 45 mins of footy and showing with the right group, we can break down a disciplined team like Bahrain that pretty much nobody including ourselves have been able to do in this round of qualification. We saw in the end of the first half when we pressed them they were vulnerable and I take my hat off to the coaching staff for clearly identifying it and instructing the guys to come out in the second half and really push again thought the subs were brilliant as well and all elevated the game especially again Torabi and saman again being the key guys.....both MUST START VS IRAQ! Skocic cannot afford to get this wrong again!

Weaknesses: huge lack of urgency the first 45 mins. Guys were walking not even jogging as if they had nothing to play for. Defensive miscommunication and poor positioning again led to some chances for Bahrain that if repeated vs Iraq will result in goals in our net. With wilmots our defense has had too many moments of looking vulnerable and Skocic is yet to address and fix that issue. I think having a leader like PAG in the back with that in mind is absolutely vital.

Overall:
Positive vibes going forward but we should not be partying too hard just yet. We can celebrate and be happy tonight but when we wake up tomorrow it’s a new day and a new challenge that we must be prepared for. That means no more halves of football looking totally lost and unmotivated like we did today and really kick it into another gear treating every game like a final for 90+ mins like we did with CQ. If Skocic can successfully do this then he deserves our respect but so far he has a fair amount of positives and shortcomings in these first two matches. Hopefully we build off these games, especially today and make those extra strides

[puddha]

Our defense scare me. Pre CQ days. Looked very lackadaisical…. We are going back to the days of bezan zeeresh boro. Those long, hail mary lobs forward. We are playing 1996 football in 2021

[orbicular]

Game Against Cambodia

I know Cambodia is thought of as a lightweight opponent, but Iran cannot just look past its next game simply because this Asain team has been a pushover so far. The fact is, at this point, they have nothing to lose and they'd be thrilled to make a name for themselves by shocking one of the most powerful teams in Asia. And as we all know, soccer can be a pretty unpredictable game, especilly if things do not go your way on a given day (Lucky counterattacks have happened before). So, I hope the coaching staff adequately prepares the team and incorporates enough defense into their repertoir in order to get a satisfactory result against this team.

[Philosophy_King]

I know Cambodia is thought of as a lightweight opponent, but Iran cannot just look past its next game simply because this Asain team has been a pushover so far. The fact is, at this point, they have nothing to lose and they'd be thrilled to make a name for themselves by shocking one of the most powerful teams in Asia. And as we all know, soccer can be a pretty unpredictable game, especilly if things do not go your way on a given day (Lucky counterattacks have happened before). So, I hope the coaching staff adequately prepares the team and incorporates enough defense into their repertoir in order to get a satisfactory result against this team.

I agree at the same time we need to give our key-players some rest, means Azmoun, Taremi, Amiri ( hope he will be back from his injury), Ghoddus, MIMO, Gholizadeh

I would play 4-3-3:

----------Abedzadeh---------
Nemati--PAG-Kanani--Shoja
-----------Haysafi-----------
----Gaedi----------Torabi----
ARJ------Ansarifard---K.Rezai

Subs: Niazmand, Majid Hosseini, Esmailfar

[rjafari]

I agree at the same time we need to give our key-players some rest, means Azmoun, Taremi, Amiri ( hope he will be back from his injury), Ghoddus, MIMO, Gholizadeh
I would play 4-3-3:
----------Abedzadeh---------
Nemati--PAG-Kanani--Shoja
-----------Haysafi-----------
----Gaedi----------Torabi----
ARJ------Ansarifard---K.Rezai
Subs: Niazmand, Majid Hosseini, Esmailfar

Luckily, as you lay out here - i think we can rest players and still put a strong line up that should be able to get the job done

[BacheLot]

our 2nd teamers are plenty good enough to handle comfortable victory over Cambodia ..!
they are quick and hard running bunch who have given up on chasing points and are unconcerned about their table positioning. they are just thrown out there to play their open and attacking game regardless of who they are facing and final outcome. tally.!
that means that although our victory is most probable vs them, we would still have to spend a ton of energy and hard running in that game in order to guarantee it, and since GD concerns doesnt really figure in this likely win, we must then focus just getting a safe victory while preserving energy and most importantly avoiding Fatigue to key likely starters in the next match vs Iraq..!



----------AMIRI---------
Esmailfar--PAG-Hossaini--Salmani
--------------Hajsafi-----------
----Nourolahi----------Torabi----
ARJ------Ansarifard---Ghaedi

[Ghermez Agha]

our 2nd teamers are plenty good enough to handle comfortable victory over Cambodia ..!
they are quick and hard running bunch who have given up on chasing points and are unconcerned about their table positioning. they are just thrown out there to play their open and attacking game regardless of who they are facing and final outcome. tally.!
that means that although our victory is most probable vs them, we would still have to spend a ton of energy and hard running in that game in order to guarantee it, and since GD concerns doesnt really figure in this likely win, we must then focus just getting a safe victory while preserving energy and most importantly avoiding Fatigue to key likely starters in the next match vs Iraq..!



----------AMIRI---------
Esmailfar--PAG-Hossaini--Salmani
--------------Hajsafi-----------
----Nourolahi----------Torabi----
ARJ------Ansarifard---Ghaedi

I think fielding entirely a second team can be risky going into the Iraq game...I’d throw a couple more guys I’d want to start vs Iraq like Taremi and mohammadi in there. I’d also from your lineup 1000% start saman and Torabi who are absolute musts vs Iraq as they have been the best two players in their positions in the opening 2 games