Group G's General Discussion Thread

Egypt looked like the best of both teams. Belgium seemed afraid to score

 

Iran dominating then first time New Zealand comes near Iran's goal they get too much time/space and also with some luck get a goal. Iran started the game way too strong/fast in an irresponsible/strange manner as if they forgot the other team can/will also attack. The class of Carlos Quieroz vs the worst TM coach of all time Ghalenoie already seen. This is also our weakest WC team of all time but this New Zealand side does not seem impressive either, given the experience of our players this should not have happened.

 

There is no way Iran is coming back from this. It might even turn into an embarrassing scoreline. This New Zealand, what they lack in talent, seem to make up for good organization and coaching. They are going to play a smart and pragmatic game. Meanwhile Iran has a super attacking formation and players with a clueless coach with zero international experience and who still bases his tactics/mentality on 2000s Iranian domestic league. If Iran cannot score New Zealand can punish on counters. Either way I simply don't see Iran not losing.

 

New Zealand too weak to prevent's Iran's attacking onslaught/individual attacking power of Iran's players despite their superior tactics. It seems like there will be more goals. I don't know for who. Iran's defense is weak and New Zealand can counter, but at the same time when Iran attacks relentlessly New Zealand may concede again. I had predicted this match initially to be 1-1 but had said either team could edge each other. I still stand by that, but it seems like there will be more goals.

 

Exciting game.

 

I love the way the refs are not calling fouls every time a player flops over. It seems to be a directive. One of the best aspects of thos WC so far.

 

Tough game so far. New Zealand is playing well. Iran was doing alright but once New Zealand scored and gained in confidence, the match became one which was not as must have been scripted in our players' minds. Even though we hit the woodwork and scored an equalizer and had an offside goal, overall I felt New Zealand was controlling the tempo more than Iran.

The game has definitely been more exciting than I had anticipated. New Zealand is no pushover and will give all the teams in this group a run for their money.

 

New Zealand making Iran look like New Caledonia on these goals.

 

What a goal !!

 

2-2

 

Honestly it felt like Iran had the better players but terrible management, gameplay, and decision making.

New Zealand’s talent was quite inferior but were playing a lot smarter with better structure and organization.

The two cancelled out each other.

From a neutral fan perspective it was so fun to watch, but from a tactical analyst perspective it wasn’t a good football quality game at all.

 

Game went exactly as I predicted. That it would be exciting for the observer and Iran's offensive would be strong but defence would be weak and there would be goals but that it would be a draw or either team could gain the edge by the smallest margin, and that looked like happening throughout the game but ultimately it ended in the draw.

Iran with the individual better players but New Zealand being more organized. This is a coaching failure for Iran not to win this match. And the politics has nothing to do with it yet, the players seemed to be focused on football unlike 2022: the politics factor will kick in by the Egypt game when the players will become tired from the excessive flights. Arguably you can say politics resulted in a lack of proper friendlies before the tournament and lack of match fitness due to Iranian league being cancelled, but the friendly issue was always a thing.

This game was a do or die for Iran and Iran failed as we did not take the 3 points. The amount our players ran, plus the jet lag due to the flying in/out of the country after each game will make the last game against Egypt extremely difficult.

The defense is a major liability. Not sure what can be done about it, because this defense is too weak to even park the bus. So even if we park the bus against Belgium they will score at least 2 goals. And as mentioned the Egypt game is a lost cause: Egypt's offense is slightly stronger than ours, and our defense is significantly weaker than theirs, combine that with what I mentioned above and the Egypt game is a write-off from now.

What I would do is park the bus but not too extremely against Belgium: press them in the midfield to not allow them to build up/get too close to the the box, and play something like a 4-3-2-1 with rezaeian as a midfielder countering on the right wing and Taremi up front. But even this will take a lot of energy and will drain the players for the last match against Egypt, but there is no other option. And I would do the same against Egypt.

 

Iran ended up with better xG and more shots but New Zealand had more shots on goal. A fair result overall although Iran dominated the last quarter of the match and looked more likely to score the winner.

The comments here notwithstanding, I was actually impressed by some of New Zealand's players. They were pretty good upfront. Defensively, both teams looked they could give up goals too easily.

One tactical mistake from our side IMO was to allow New Zealand to build up comfortably for much of the game, until the last 30 minutes especially. Iran should have pressed harder upfront and caused turnovers while preventing New Zealand to build up comfortably up to the half line.

I expect New Zealand to give Egypt some trouble. I wouldn't be surprised if that game ends level or even if New Zealand win. I am not sure Iran's defense has much hope against Belgium, but Belgium didn't impress against Egypt.

 

Gotta disagree here. Egypt will go for it against New Zealand. It will be mostly Egypt attacking, and New Zealand will counter. But I don't think this New Zealand is strong enough to get a result from Egypt. A draw is possible but unlikely. Egypt is generally not too well organized but I think their offense is simply too strong for New Zealand. New Zealand could hardly hang on against Iran, Egypt will be tougher for them.

 

I don't think that game will play out the way you expect or describe. I agree that New Zealand's defense isn't stellar and Egypt will probably take advantage of that to perhaps prevail. But like their last encounter a couple of years ago, I wouldn't be surprised if possession and and shots prove even in favor of New Zealand. Both of them will need to put everything on the line in that game, but that is even more true for New Zealand since their last match is against the group favorite, Belgium.