{"id":35788,"date":"2019-03-14T23:35:48","date_gmt":"2019-03-15T06:35:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.persianfootball.com\/news\/?p=35788"},"modified":"2019-03-14T23:36:57","modified_gmt":"2019-03-15T06:36:57","slug":"alireza-jahanbakhsh-loved-the-derby-now-bring-on-the-fa-cup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.persianfootball.com\/news\/2019\/03\/14\/alireza-jahanbakhsh-loved-the-derby-now-bring-on-the-fa-cup\/","title":{"rendered":"Alireza Jahanbakhsh loved the derby. Now bring on the FA Cup"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Argus – BRIGHTON, Alireza Jahanbakhsh, the man who \u2013 via our back page – called for cool heads at Selhurst Park, has lived through and triumphed in a highly-charged derby with Albion.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And he reckons a case of \u201csame again\u201d can get the Seagulls through their next test of temperament, at Millwall on Sunday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Albion go into the Lions\u2019 den for an FA Cup quarter-final buoyed by 2-1 success at Crystal Palace which completed a derby double.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a star player for Iran, Jahanbakhsh knows all about carrying the hopes of a nation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not least when his country take on Iraq, as happened recently in the Asian Cup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a huge responsibility involved and the hope is to make as many people around you as happy as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which means Jahanbakhsh has been well prepared for the last couple of weeks, in the run-up to a derby at Crystal Palace and now only the fourth FA Cup quarter-final of the club\u2019s history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He sensed a different feel ahead of the trip to Selhurst Park, which resulted in a 2-1 win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That left him braced for growing excitement this week as the Millwall trip looms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jahanbakhsh, back as first choice out wide in Albion\u2019s league XI, told The Argus: \u201cIt was amazing (at Palace). We needed the points to get higher and higher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEven the couple of days before the game, there was a lot of talk about just how important that game was and if we could win for the second time this season it would be great.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAway from home every game is tough, especially at such a stadium \u2013 really compact, Palace fans really loud. But everyone did a great job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen you are out in the street, on social media, everywhere, people showed us how important this game is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEveryone worked hard \u2013 the players who played, who didn\u2019t play, who came in all, the staff, everyone worked hard to get three points.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Asked whether the Palace game and a highly-charged quarter-final can be compared to something like Iran v Iraq, Jahanbakhsh referred to the responsibility players feel towards those cheering them on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He added: \u201cIt is kind of the same game because it is important for the people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou know if you win the game you give a really good feeling to the people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is incredible to win such a game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI have played in many games like this before and I know how it feels afterwards between the fans.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Palace fans were loud at times on Saturday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But they were not at their best by any means and that had a lot to do with what was going on in front of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of that was their own failings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The time when Palace really could have got on a roll came after their penalty equaliser but a lot of passes went astray at key times, which killed their momentum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Albion also took a lot of the credit for the way they were organised and disciplined, offering no real chances once the hosts had drawn level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Selhurst Park went unusually quiet once Anthony Knockaert had restored Albion\u2019s lead, right up until added time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still, it was pretty lively to start with, especially for a 12.30pm kick-off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The talk afterwards was of how Millwall could be something similar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jahanbakhsh said: \u201cEveryone has been saying it will be quite the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis felt a little bit nicer because it is three league points, winning, this gives you a better feeling which is hard to explain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe know how important it was for the players, for the fans and for the club.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was a double feeling. On the one side, we needed three points, on one side winning against Palace gives you a really good feeling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBoth league and cup are really important to us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe know it is going to be another difficult game away from home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut the most important thing is we just continue the same performance level, winning the games, get back to a good shape, get back to basics, which we always try to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPlaying in a semi-final and going further would be great.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jahanbakhsh has had some testing times but is back on a high with four starts in the last six games, including both of the last two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His many fans in Iran and those who supported him at last season at AZ Alkmaar follow his fortunes closely and are just waiting for him to explode as a Premier League star.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They will love the fact Albion have won seven of the eight games he has started in league and cup, the exception coming at Everton.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A first goal would be rapturously welcomed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He dipped a shot inches over at Palace and went even closer the previous week when he hit the bar with Huddersfield goalkeeper Jonas Lossl well beaten.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How timely would a goal against the Terriers have been?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jahanbakhsh was back at Alkmaar the following afternoon as VIP guest for the 4-2 win at home to Fortuna Sittard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was his official farewell to the club for whom he scored 21 league goals last term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said: \u201cThey always welcome me and it was a good feeling to see my old team-mates, coaches, everyone there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI always had a good feeling, being there with my team-mates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat is the feeling I get right now at Brighton and it is just getting better and better every single game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHopefully I can just perform better for the club.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey are following what I am doing and how the team is doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI went after the game against Huddersfield, which we won.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe shot in that game didn\u2019t go in. At Palace I also had one very close.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut we will be all right.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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