I cannot focus on this tournament at the moment because of world cup. I almost think about CB and CM positions for the WC everyday.
I did not care about AC 2019 draw. Which team from each pot did you want the most before the draw and why?
To be honest I'm glad with the draw, except for Iran. I'd rather face you guys in the knockout stage, because the matches are too tense and not suited for the group stage. The first place is more important than ever and it's the difference between winning the title and going out in the QF's.
haha thats the problem with this tournament in the year after the world cup, but it will give you new hope come the end of july
The entire calendar in the AFC is off. I don't get why they gave teams who didn't qualify for the final stage of WCQ a year off; They should have started ACQ at the same time as WCQ for a start. The finals tournament cannot be six months after the end of the World Cup. It was better when it was an even year tournament; Not sure what they'll do with the 2023 edition- are we going to go straight from the World Cup (ends in December) to the Asian Cup?
Usually it has been a summer tournament, but since Qatar they are hosting it in the winter. Maybe we'll return to the summer in the 2023 Asian Cup?
I think both Qatar and UAE are a bit to hot to host in July. In Australia it was held in the southern hemisphere summer, but grounds are a lot harder to obtain in reasonable condition in the Australian winter so a January tournament suited us.
http://www.the-afc.com/asiancup/news/injured-ezatolahi-ruled-out-uae-2019 Iranian player Ezatolahi will miss the Asian Cup due to injury.
A general bit of advice for you, as well as a reminder for our longtime posters: we're all here for the football. With that in mind, we here are taking a zero-tolerance policy towards expressions of racism, sexism, discrimination based on sexual orientation, xenophobia, ad hominem attacks, insults (towards a group of people, countries, or fellow posters) and trolling. Infractions will get you booked - and if you ask where was your warning, this is it. If you see a fellow poster insulting you or a part of your identity (race, sex, nationality, etc.)? Don't respond in kind - REPORT IT. It is the fastest way for us mods to handle the offending posts. So, with that said, good luck to both sides, and let's enjoy!
y no smack talk? no smack talk makes Valk a dull boy... no smack talk makes Valk a dull boy... no smack talk makes Valk a dull boy...
It's time to win the trophy after 43 years. Now our strength is miles ahead of other AFC teams and we showed it in the WC. The only obstacle Iran has to go through is Japan but still they are meh. We can beat anyone in Asia if we are able to play evenly with the likes of Spain and Portugal. South Korea is just our punching bag. I'm not worried about Son at all. He is always crap when playing for NT and even our U-21 defenders shut him up in the Asian games. The main reason he does well in EPL is that he is surrounded by good players and he can't do anything alone. Australia was the worst AFC team in the WC. The 0-8ers are just 0-8ers. Anything less than a championship is a disappointment.
Speaking of which, my memory is a bit hazy but I do recall that distinct look of anguish and sudden fall into the sunken place on your coach's face when Australia was seeded in Group B. Lol, thanks, old habits die hard.
I am usually more enthusiastic and anxious before the start of a tournament like the Asian Cup, but this time my enthusiasm is tempered by (among other things) the fact that expansion of the tournament to 24 teams has lessened the excitement of watching the group stage for me. Of course, that doesn't mean that a team that looks easier to beat on paper will always prove to be; only that the reward for the victory will not be as sweet. Once the group stage is over and if Iran has managed to do what it definitely would be expected to and qualifies for the later rounds, I will obviously feel more anticipation for those matches. My own view is that Iran is obviously capable of lifting the tittle but in football you always need a bit of luck and the ball bouncing your way to go far in any tournament. In any case, as we see regularly enough in football, not all favorites manage to live up to the billing. Germany, one of the top favorites to lift the 2018 World Cup trophy, found itself exiting at the group stage for the first time in many decades. And such a fate can fall on any of the favorites in this tournament, which include the likes of Japan, Australia, South Korea and Iran. I will, however, be quite happy if Iran actually does win a trophy it has deserved the win so often in the past but which has eluded it since 1976. Hopefully, we will make history and break that spell. Good luck to Iran and hope to see a good tournament with some exciting games.
4 years ago these topics already had multiple threads! I think it was a really bad decision to increase the teams. Makes the tournament less attractive. Best game of this group will definitely be the Iran - Iraq game though
I think the beginning of the knock-out stages are gonna be attractive for most people. The group stages are almost like friendly matches because it's almost impossible not to qualify for the next round. As for group D the first place is very important for an easier path to the final and that's why I'm hyped up for that.
Hey everyone, I am new to the forum and I am the host of Team Melli Talk, a podcast and YouTube show about the national team of Iran! I am hoping Iran can finally end the long drought by winning the 2019 Asian Cup. In the meantime, I would appreciate if you check out my latest videos on YouTube!