AFC WCQ Round 3 Group A

I will book my ticket for the Korea-Iran match at Seoul scheduled on the late next month.

 

So there will be some attendance. How many K?

 

I respect if you have a different opinion but I make out of the group winner of Group A the best Asian team.

 

Considering increasing trend of Omicron variant positive cases, we may have limited number of attendance.

 

My view is as follows:
1- Iran has the most technically skilled side in the AFC, and the side that is physically (along with Australia) the strongest.
2- South Korea, under Bento, have often been the best pressing side in Asia. And appear the best side tactically. But they do tend to fade when they have the lead.
3- Japan are the most difficult team to play in Asia when they have the lead, although Iran is a close second. And Japan are still probably the most composed side in the AFC.
4- Australia are a very competitive side that, while not good enough to be counted among the top 3, can defeat any of them as often as it may lose to them.
5- Saudi Arabia is right now a slightly more lethal, and now better managed (with all due respect to Bert van Marwick), version of the UAE: it thrives on keeping possession through rehearsed plays, but while more opportunistic and lethal than the UAE, it doesn't have all the necessary creativity, confidence, and experience, to do as much with the ball as they should. Nonetheless, within the AFC, they have advantages that make them a side I like Iran to avoid like the plague.

 

Australia is definitely a top tier team in the AFC. And I rate Australia above Saudi Arabia overall, although no team in Asia (not Iran, not S. Korea, not Japan etc) can be assured of beating them.

Besides, all teams, like all players, have their ups and downs. And different teams match up differently against the same opponents. The overall results, however, are IMO captured and summarized roughly accurately by the ranking formula used by FIFA. Our eyes may sometimes tell us those rankings are off, but that is often because we are too focused on the last match or tournament we have seen. But there is a reason Saudi Arabia's ranking is worse than Australia, despite all the points they had earned in these qualifiers: overall, Australia have better results.

 

Australia has a clear coaching problem. The current technical team is either incompetent or arrogant or both. They don’t seem to have studied opposition, have no respect for team shapes. I watched the Vietnam game in the stadium and it was shocking! Even though results was OK!

 

where will the AFC fourth round be and what day?

 

The ethics committee of the IFF has suspended Iran's top central defender, Hossein Kanani for the 2 matches against S.Korea and Lebanon and levied a fine against him. Besides Kanani, at least two other starters will miss the S.Korea clash: Sadegh Mohrami, Iran's right fullback. who earned a red card against the UAE, and Iran's defensive midfielder, Saeed Ezatlolahi who picked up his 2nd yellow card in that same game.

 

Things like this is why I am glad the Spanish and not the British colonized us. (Mexico)

 

The squad is expected to be announced this Friday. I prefer to not see the following players in the list at least this time: Kaveh Rezaei (Injured and most likely will not be called up), Ansarifard, and Hajsafi.

I would like to see the following players in the list: Danial Esmaeilifar, Mehdi Mehdipour, and Rouzbeh Cheshmi.

My preferred starting lineup (4-3-1-2): Abedzadeh, Esmaeilifar, Khalilzadeh, Cheshmi, Noorafkan, Mehdipour, Nourollahi, Amiri, Jahanbakhsh, Taremi, Azmoun

What I think the lineup will be: Abedzadeh, Mohammadi, Khalilzadeh, Hosseini, Noorafkan, Nourollahi, Hajsafi, Amiri, Jahanbakhsh, Taremi, Azmoun

I think Gholizadeh will be used as a sub this time although I do not mind seeing him in the starting lineup.

Moharrami and Ezatollahi miss the next game due to suspension. kanaanizadegan missed the next two games.

 

While Kanani is suspended for the next 2 games by Iran, there is an appeal supported by Iran's coach to have the suspension overturned or at least postponed. We have to see if his name is announced as part of the squad and if his suspension may be overturned. We will need him against S.Korea and neither of the central defenders you have in your lineup inspire any confidence.

The good news is Majid Hosseini's recent injury turned out not to be that bad. He was able to play the full 90 minutes for his Turkish club a few days ago. Under the circumstances I'm pretty sure he will start for Iran if Kanani remains suspended.

I doubt Daniel Esmailifar will start against S.Korea! Unlike Esmailifar, Hardani at least has 1 or 2 caps as a substitute for Mohrami, including when he Moharami was red-carded against UAE. Iran's best choice as RB to fill in for Moharami, however, would be a player Skocic has said he won't invite in the past, namely veteran Ramin Rezaian.

I'm also hoping another WC18 veteran, Omid Ebrahimi (who is doing very well in Qatar) is also invited to help fill the gap in midfield caused by Saeed Ezatollahi's suspension.

Beyond that, I agree with you on Kaveh Rezaie and Haj Safi but not Ansarifard. On the other hand, the younger/newer players in Iran right now that I like to see be given a chance are Esteghlal's Hosseinzadeh, Mehdipour along with Jafar Salmani. Add Sepahan's Yasin Salmani and Esteghlal's Hardani, these pretty much are the only younger/or new players with potential IMO. Sepahan's Daniel Esmailifar is average (MR Hosseini of Sepahan to me could play deeper and do better than Esmailifar), while Roosbeh Cheshmi would strictly be a total emergency option for now.

 

Ramin Rezaeian! I am glad he is not in the team anymore. Hardani needs to improve defensively. Esmaeilifar has been the best right back of the league so far. He can also play as RW. Mayeli Kohan said Moharrami is good but he prefers Esmaeilifar over all options for the RB at the moment. IMO he deserves a chance.

محمد مایلی کهن: کی روش با نتایجش در کلمبیا برگردد که چه بشود؟ / اسکوچیچ باید بماند | طرفداری (tarafdari.com)

Magiran | روزنامه ایران (1400/04/15): محمد مایلی کهن در گفت و گو با «ایران» مطرح کرد : می گویند پول شام و ناهار نداریم، مگر یک فوتبالیست چقدر باید غذا بخورد؟

Khalilzadeh, Cheshmi, and Hosseini are the best option for CB at the moment with absence of Kanaanizadegan. We need to start trying new options for some positions. That is why I put Esmaeilifar and Mehdipour in my preferred starting lineup. Ebrahimi deserves to be in the squad based on the performance but I prefer to give that chance to a younger player like Mehdipour, Sarlak, Yasin Salmani, etc. Ansarifard has not done anything especial to be in the squad.

 

I wouldn't experiment with a side with as many totally uncapped players against S. Korea in Korea. That may even hurt the future prospects of promising players, as these players are more likely to be nervous and make mistakes if they aren't slowly integrated into the team. This is particularly true of players who have never played outside of Iran, not even at the club level (e.g.,in the AFC CL).

In any case, my depth chart for the RB post for Iran would be as follow if everyone is healthy/available:
1- S. Moharami 1- R. Rezaian 3- S. Hardani 4-V Ghafouri 5- J Salmani- 6- D. Esmaiiifar
For Central defenders:
1- Kanani 2- Majid Hosseini 3- M. Pouraliganji* 4- S. Khalilzadeh 5- S. Yazdani 6- O. Noorafkan (out of position) 7- R. Cheshmi 8- Khanzadeh
For D-mids and c-mids:
1- S. Ezatollahi 2- A. Noorollahi 3- O. Ebrahimi 4- A Karimi* 5- Mehdipour 6- Y Salmani 7- Sarlak 8- Kamiabinia

 

Kanani's suspension has reported been lifted and he is one of 28 players called up for our next 2 games. The list includes both Moharrami and Ezatollahi despite both being ineligible due to red/yellow cards. The main surprise to me was the fact that Skocic didn't call S Hardani, despite Hardani's excellent defensive and offensive showing in the Persepolis-Esteghlal Derby.

The 28-players who have been called up:
Goalkeepers:
1- A. Beiranvand (Boavista, Portugal)
2- A. Abedzadeh (Ponferradina, Spain Liga 2)
3- S.H. Hosseini (Esteghlal FC, Iran)
Defenders:
4- H. Kanani, (Al Ahli, Qatar)
5- S. Khalilzadeh (Al Rayyan, Qatar)
6- O. Noorafkan (Sepahan, Iran)
7- M. Hosseini (Kayserispor, Turkey)
8-- S. Maharami* (Dinamo Zagreb, Croatia)
9- M. Mohammadi (AEK Athens, Greece)
10- D. Esmailifar (Sepahan, Iran)
11- F. Faragi (Perspolis FC, Iran)
12- A. Gholami (Esteghlal FC, Iran)
Midfielders:
13- A. Noorollahi (Shabab, UAE)
14- S. Ezatollahi*, (Al Gharafa, Qatar)
15- E. Haj Safi (AEK Athens, Greece)
16- M. Sarlak, (Perspolis FC, Iran)
17- K. Kamyabinia (Perspolis FC, Iran)
18- M. Mehdipour (Esteghlal FC, Iran)
Wingers:
19- S. Ghdoos, (Brentford, England)
20- A. Gholizadeh, (Charleroi, Belgium)
21- V. Amiri (Perspolis FC, Iran)
22- A.R. Jahanbakhsh (Feyernood, Holland)
23- A.H Hosseinzadeh (Esteghlal FC, Iran)
24- M. Torabi, (Perspolis FC, Iran)
Forwards
25- M. Taremi (Porto FC, Portugal)
26- S. Azmoun (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany)
27- K. Ansarifard (AEK Athens, Greece)
28- A. Sayyadmanesh ( Hull City, England 2)

*ineligible against S.Korea

 

I replace Cheshmi with Kanaanizadegan now.

Jafar Salmani as a right back does not work. At the moment, IMO he is not national team material.

I personally would have invited someone like Rouzbeh Cheshmi instead of Farshad Faraji. Other than that, I am fine with the list.

 

I'm pretty sure Skocic will have Vahid Amiri move to the RB position against S. Korea. He is not going to task an uncapped player with responsibility to cover S. Korea's best player, Son. The probable lineup will be:
Abedzadeh (/or Beiranvand) --- Amiri, Kanani, Khalilzadeh, Noorafkan -----Noorollahi, Sarlak, Jahanbakhsh, Haj Safi ,--
Azmoun, Taremi

 

The failure to invite Hardani is inexplicable. The RB position which Skocic wants to reserve for S. Moharami at all cost, making sure no player who can potentially challenge him, first Rezaian now Hardani, is the one area that Skocic has opened himself to legitimate criticism. It is not polite to mention this, but Skocic has a conflict of interest when it comes to Moharami (who deserves being on the team but doesn't deserve having no competition. even when suspended). In any case, this is a good prodcast on the upcoming game, including on the inexplicable failure to invite Hardani.

 

I stated several times that I'm impressed by both South Korea and Iran and that I could see them making it to the knockout stage in Qatar if they get a manageable draw.

I want to see if this match can lift up to my expectations.

Iran's backline looked at times suspect to me in the first encounter. It will be interesting to see how they will handle South Korea's high press in an away game.

I think there's a good chance we might again see goals on both ends.

 

Some very bad news from Iran's camp makes me worried: Taremi, Jahanbakhsh along with Ghodoos have tested positive for Covid and it doesn't appear they will be able to join the team in Korea. We were already missing Ezatollahi in midfield and Mohrami, our right fullback, but the absence of Taremi in particular will be very damaging.

 

With all these missing players, I hope Skocic would immediately call up some players he should have invited (Hardani, Omid Ebrahimi along with Ramin Rezaian -- although fat chance of the latter being invited) and one who can now get a chance (either Mohebi or Alipour, both of whom play in Portugal making it perhaps harder to call them up on short notice?). He might also need to invite Ghaedi.

Anyway I have to wait and see who is finally cleared to play for Iran and possible new call ups, but for now if there is a new face in Iran's team I like to see given a chance even in Seoul against S. Korea, it would be Esteghlal's Hosseinzadeh. He is a winger, offensive midfielder and can also play withdrawn forward and if Iran is left without any of Taremi, Jahanbakhsh, or Ghodoos, and with the other absences, Hosseinzadeh (and Mehdipour in midfield) might get a chance.

 

Damn abscense of Jahanbaksh and Taremi will hamstring our offence.
And with Ezatollahi suspended this match, our defensive midfield will take a dive too. I predict Iran will park the bus in Seoul. Hopefully we can get away with a draw. Although for Iran to have a chance of getting a good seed in the World Cup draw, a win in Seoul is pretty much obligatory.