Morocco NT : Probable squad and news

Discussion in 'GROUP B: Portugal, Spain, Iran, Morocco' started by pogoss, Dec 11, 2017.

  1. Fataliste

    Fataliste Member

    Feb 3, 2018
    Fez
    Boutaib Yeni Malatyaspor 9 goals
    El Kaabi RS Berkane 6 goals
    Alioui Nimes 9 goals
    Azaro Al Ahly 12 goals
    Bencharki Al Hilal 1 goal (but many others in African CL)
    Mahi Groningen 7 goals

    3 of these strikers will be in the group of 23

    Other options :

    El Arabi Al Duhail 21 goals
    Hadji Nancy 9 goals
    Enneseyri Malaga 1 goal
     
  2. Iranian Monitor

    Iranian Monitor Member+

    Aug 18, 2004
    Nat'l Team:
    Iran
    #52 Iranian Monitor, Feb 13, 2018
    Last edited: Feb 13, 2018
    My take on Morocco's starting 11 would be as follows.

    Goalkeeper: Munir (CD Lumancia, La Liga 2, Spain)
    On transfer market, Morocco's top goalie would be Bono (Girana FC in La Liga). But in terms of who gets to start for Morocco, I gather it is usually Munir.

    Central Defenders
    : Benatio (Juventus FC, Italy) - Saiis (Wolves, English championship)
    Benatio is arguably Morocco's highest profile player, although 2nd to Ziyesh in value on the transfer market.
    Saiis moved to the Wolves from the French first division.

    Right Fullback
    : Hakimi (Real Madrid, Spain)
    While Hakimi could probably start for many lesser clubs, for Real he is usually a bench player. He moved to Real in 2017 from the Spanish 3rd division for pittance (300,000 Euros) but now has a transfer value of 5 million Euro being on the roster for the Spanish giants.
    Left Fullback: Dirar (Fenerbakhe FC, Turkey)
    Dirar is distinguishable from most of Morocco's players as he was born in Morocco.

    Defensive Midfielder
    : El Ahmadi (Feyenoord, Holland)
    He is often regarded as one of the better defensive midfielders in the Eredivisie.
    Central Midfielder: Bellhanda (Galatasaray, Turkey)
    He moved to Galatasary from Dynamo Kiev in 2017. He is valued highly enough on the transfer market (7.5 million Euro).
    Central/Attacking Midfielder: Boussafa? (Al Jazira, UAE) or (maybe Harit, maybe Boufal)
    There are many good players Morocco can put in this position (Ziyesh, Boufal, Harit and several others, even Labyad) who rate above Boussafa on the transfer market. But Boussafa (despite his much lower transfer market value -- 1.5 million Euro) is the guy who typically starts.
    Boufal has only 1 cap in World Cup qualifying, and was often either not on their squad or was on the bench. Harit, similarly, has only been really capped in a friendly (besides an appearance as a late sub). Ziyesh, on the other hand, is used by Morocco on the left wing.

    Right Attacking Winger
    : Amrobat (maybe Harit or Boufal)
    Amrbat (CD Leganes, La Liga) is the guy who starts for Morocco as their right winger. As one of their more consistent players in qualifying, it is unlikely he will not start for Morocco in the World Cup. But it is always possible that they will opt to use someone like Harit or Boufal out of their central attacking position and instead on the wing. More likely, though, if Harit or Boufal (not both) start at all, it will be to replace Boussafa -- at least, based on what I can gather on the issue.
    Left Attacking Winger: Ziyesh (unless he is moved to play attacking central midfielder and Harit used in this post)
    Ziyesh (Ajax, Holland) is Morocco's highest valued player on the transfer market. My take is that he typically plays this post on the left wing (instead of central attacking midfielder) for Morocco because Morocco's choices in terms of real wings aren't as stellar in comparison to their choices for central attacking midfielders (Harit, Boufal, etc).

    Target Forward: Boutaib (or maybe El Kaabi?)
    For Moroccan fans who like to tout transfer market value, Boutaib (valued only 1.75 million Euro on the transfer market) isn't going to be impressive. But unless the new guy who scored a lot of goals for them in CHAN (El Kaabi) replaces him, Boutaib has been their typical starter upfront. Of course, El Kaabi plays in Morocco and his transfer value is around 500,000 Euro for now, but if he does get to move to Europe, I am sure those numbers will look a lot higher. As an aside, unlike transfer market values in the Iranian pro league which are a bit inflated at times (or, more accurately, are inflated for even mediocre players but
     
  3. Atlaslion18

    Atlaslion18 Member

    Raja Casablanca
    Morocco
    Dec 27, 2017
  4. Atlaslion18

    Atlaslion18 Member

    Raja Casablanca
    Morocco
    Dec 27, 2017
    Was just watching the first half of Asian Champions leaugue encounter between A Qatari club Al-Rayyan (the clube where Hamedallah earns hus living) and the Iranian team of Esteghlal that has like 9 Iranian internationals. Hamedallah scored once and gave another assist.
    Not really impressed by the Iranians. They seem to get frustrated quite quickly when dominated.
     
  5. MarocFAN

    MarocFAN Member

    May 18, 2006
    Morocco/Germany
    Salas033 repped this.
  6. Iranian Monitor

    Iranian Monitor Member+

    Aug 18, 2004
    Nat'l Team:
    Iran
    The bulk of Iran's national team players either play in foreign leagues (9-10 players) or for Persepolis. While there are quite a few Esteghlal players who have been capped by Iran, and 3-4 who will make our roster, at most 1-2 will get to play for Iran in Russia. Even those aren't fixed starters. You can check my post here and you will see our likely roster and check their clubs.

    That game, incidentally, you refer to ended 2:2.
     
  7. MarocFAN

    MarocFAN Member

    May 18, 2006
    Morocco/Germany
    Does anyone know which teams will have their preparation camps in Switzerland?
    Morocco will play all three may friendlies in Switzerland, but the teams are not named yet.
     
  8. zahzah

    zahzah Member+

    Jun 27, 2011
    Club:
    FK Crvena Zvezda Beograd
  9. Atlaslion18

    Atlaslion18 Member

    Raja Casablanca
    Morocco
    Dec 27, 2017
    Diop would be a big scoop for Morocco. He was together with Harit and Mbappe the spine of one of the best u20 teams ever. Barcelona is also interested in him. But for now it seems all a rumour.

    Machach is technichally very gifted, but is a real troublemaker. His contract with was terminated after he punched his trainer in the face. He was scooped up in januari by Napoli, but still has to make his debut.
    His position is also very crowded in the Moroccan team, so the chance of him going to the world cup is very slim.
     
  10. Atlaslion18

    Atlaslion18 Member

    Raja Casablanca
    Morocco
    Dec 27, 2017
  11. pogoss

    pogoss Member

    Wydad Casablanca
    Morocco
    Jan 15, 2017
    Japan
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    Morocco
    Machach wouldn't even deserve a place in a 50 men squad.
     
    MarocFAN repped this.
  12. pogoss

    pogoss Member

    Wydad Casablanca
    Morocco
    Jan 15, 2017
    Japan
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    Morocco
    Ziyech is actually used in the right wing.
    Also there is a player who should be mentionned before El Kaabi and it's Azaro, he's doing great in Egypt with Al Ahly. He scored 16 goals in the league so far, 4 goals in the African Champions league, 1 goal in the domestic cup (they have only played 1 match so far), 1 goal in the local super cup, 1 goal in the Arab Champions League and beside that he created 7 PK (6 of them shot by team mates).
     
    gfx_bq1, MarocFAN and Iranian Monitor repped this.
  13. pogoss

    pogoss Member

    Wydad Casablanca
    Morocco
    Jan 15, 2017
    Japan
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    Morocco
    Unusual to see how many strikers are performing : Boutaib, Azaro, Kaabi, Arabi, Hamdallah, Iajour, Alioui ... makes it hard for Renard

    Usually we have no goal scorers and many central backs but now with Saiss and Feddal injured, Da Costa benched Renard has less choices.
     

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