{"id":46640,"date":"2022-09-09T20:45:54","date_gmt":"2022-09-10T03:45:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.persianfootball.com\/news\/?p=46640"},"modified":"2022-09-09T20:50:54","modified_gmt":"2022-09-10T03:50:54","slug":"hitc-5-iran-stars-england-must-be-way-of","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.persianfootball.com\/news\/2022\/09\/09\/hitc-5-iran-stars-england-must-be-way-of\/","title":{"rendered":"WC 2022: 5 Iran stars England must be wary of"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

HITC – GLASGOW, Gareth Southgate\u2019s England kick off their latest World Cup campaign against Iran on November 21st<\/sup>. But while the Western Asian outfit might be the least recognisable of the Three Lions\u2019 group-stage opponents \u2013 England will also go toe-to-toe with the USA and next-door neighbours Wales \u2013 no one should be taking this Iran side lightly. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not with the \u2018new Mo Salah\u2019, a Puskas Award nominee and Tottenham Hotspur\u2019s one-that-got-away in their ranks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALIREZA JAHANBAKHSH <\/strong>\u2013 FEYENOORD<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The only member of Carlos Queiroz\u2019s squad with Premier League experience on his CV, Jahanbakhsh might have been a \u00a317 million disappointment at Brighton and Hove Albion but \u2013 as Chelsea discovered a couple of seasons back \u2013 the winger\u2019s penchant for the spectacular should not be underestimated. Remarkably, he is the second player on his list to have scored an overhead kick against The Blues. It\u2019s a funny old game at times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And perhaps the best piece of advice we\u2019d have for Ben Chilwell, Luke Shaw or whoever starts in the left-back spot for England against Iran is this; expect the unexpected when Alireza Jahanbaksh is around. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now at Feyenoord, the 29-year-old won the Eredivisie\u2019s Golden Boot back in 2018 during a stellar campaign at AZ Alkmaar.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

SARDAR AZMOUN<\/strong> \u2013 BAYER LEVERKUSEN<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the summer of 2020, Azmoun only missed out on a move to Tottenham Hotspur after Zenit St Petersburg refused to let their free-scoring centre-forward go so late in the window. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI had offers,\u201d he explains. \u201cFrom Lyon, Roma, Bayer (Leverkusen), and Tottenham.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now plying his trade in a major European league for the very first time, Azmoun is not exactly showing Spurs what they\u2019re missing. He\u2019s scored just once in 18 games since joining Leverkusen last January. His razor-sharp movement and aerial ability could still give England\u2019s defence plenty of problems in Qatar however.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Especially when you consider that Azmoun, once labelled the \u2018Iranian Messi\u2019, has a staggering 40 goals from 63 caps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MEHDI TAREMI<\/strong> \u2013 FC PORTO<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps the most fearsome member of the Iranian roster, you only have to look at the goal Taremi scored against Chelsea in the Champions League to realise just how dangerous he can be, turning a half, maybe even quarter-chance into something very special. That was one of nearly 30 goals Taremi scored that season. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In total, he\u2019s managed one every other game since joining Porto; hitting a minimum of 20 across each of the last three campaigns. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALLAHYAR SAYYADMANESH\u00a0\u2013 <\/strong>HULL CITY<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

New Hull City owner Acun Ilicali is not afriad to make grand statements. Such as, for example, labelling the Tigers\u2019 new \u00a32 million winger the second coming of Mo Salah. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAllahyar is like a piece of my jewellery,\u201d Ilicali tells Hull Live of 21-year-old Sayyadmanesh. \u201cHe\u2019s very talented and is progressing.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think he can be the new Mohammed Salah. I\u2019m not saying he is that now <\/em>but he can be in the future. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen you look at the field of play, you see a guy who is moving quicker than everybody else. It\u2019s like on the Playstation, there\u2019s a player who is moving faster and you put him in the best positions. For me, Allahyar is that player.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

KARIM ANSARIFARD\u00a0\u2013 <\/strong>OMONIA NICOSIA<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The well-travelled frontman is close to 100 caps for the Iranian national team. But, even at the age of 32, Ansarifard still has a lot left to offer. He remains a regular source of goals at AEK Athens, and will have a point to prove in front of English audiences after a difficult spell at Nottingham Forest during the 2018\/19 season. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was Ansarifard who snatched a famous draw against Portugal in the 2018 World Cup too, channelling his inner-Ronaldo with a last-gasp penalty kick. Clearly, he can be relied upon in high-pressure moments.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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