WC 2018 Group B: Spain Portugal Iran Morocco

I didn't watch the game so far. The result is quite surprising for me. Still, I doubt Saudi Arabia can get something out of their first two games. We will see their true value when something is at stake. I think Russia will beat them somewhat comofrtably with two goals, Uruguay might hammer them. Everybody is speaking about how they lost only 1-2 to Germany and Italy but Peru beat them very easiliy 3-0. I think it's rather the Peru game that we should take as a benchmark.

 

Yeah, it was a full control easy spar for Germany, plus KSA penalty was a joke.

But back to this exciting group: I think Morocco will give their 120% to frustrate Portugal, and Spain. I would not write them off - they will go out there to give Iberians some fight for sure.

 

It would be full control easy spar for Germany against lots of teams.

To be fair, one of Germany's two goals against Saudi was an own goal.

This should have ended in a draw.

 

Well, Russia has the entire country behind them. It can be a daunting task for many teams to play them in the first game. Despite that, i think the two teams are quite evenly matched.

I think Russia will control quite well for the first 15-20 minutes due to the atmosphere but then it will turn into a back and forth.

 

Since I don't want to disappoint you, a lil bit more than general dislike.

We will put an end to your dream boy. Have some patient. You don't need to boil your blood over a comment.

 

Your name has Portuguese influences.

At least you like our names.

 

If Iran was using these friendlies to experiment and test ideas, we are finished with our friendlies with a bunch of failed experiments and tests!

On the other hand, having thought a lot about the issue and trying to make sense of what Iran is doing, the most favorable interpretation I can give to what Queiroz has been doing isn't that he has been testing and experimenting, nor necessarily so much focused on fooling opponents (although that is somewhat in his nature), but that he has been preparing certain players who are weak in certain attributes to become stronger in those attributes by playing them out of their normal position. Basically, recognizing that Iran will need almost all but 1-2 of its players to help out defensively, we may have been rotating various forward players to play more defensive posts so they learn to become better defenders.

Take Masoud Shojaie. He is to me our most technically gifted midfielder and player, but he simply never helped out defensively and the criticism against him was that he sometimes wouldn't pass the ball quickly enough and would dribble too much. By forcing him to play D-mid, as he did against Turkey and 2nd half against Algeria, I suppose Queiroz was perhaps trying to improve exactly those things he was weak in and make him participate more defensively and better aware in terms of distributing the ball.

Or take Karim Ansarifard. He is a target forward at the club level, but for Iran, his post would have generally been as a wing forward. By playing him one position further back, in central midfield, perhaps Queiroz wants him to learn to help out more defensively, expecting that most of our team would be defending against the likes of Spain and Portugal and even Morocco.

The same for Rouzbeh Cheshmi. Playing him as CB might help him improve his weaknesses for the post that he is better suited to play, namely D-Mid. As a CB, his reckless and late tackles are a penalty and playing him in that position, he might be better prepared not to commit such tackles (and be better aware positionally) when he plays his normal post as a D-Mid again.

The main problem with my theory is that we need at some point to then put these players in their normal posts and build chemistry between the players in their normal positions. Which is something we obviously haven't done.

Anyway, after all has been said and done, whether these were failed experiments or meant to prepare offensive minded players better for their defensive duties, at this time I have to the following conclusions:

1- Iran needs to play from a 4-2-3-1 formation with 2 real D-MIDs. The 4-3-3 and 4-1-4-1 formation isn't working well for us.

2- Rouzbeh Cheshmi should start as one of our D-Mids against Morocco. He should not play CB.

3- We need to play compact in the back, with 8-9 players usually behind the ball, and look to counters and quick, direct, build up of attacks. We should not try to play any of our opponents, even Morocco, from any other type of set up or try to press them too much in their own field.

 

Hajsafi will be used more as a CM but as I predicted he will be our second choice for LB position and Torabi is in the squad just as a backup for both winger and RB positions.

 

Well, Hajsafi is one of the rare players who has started for us in his regular post in midfield in these friendlies and, certainly, has played as L-FB and can back up Mohammadi in that position. No argument with you there.
No argument about Torabi either and I am not sure what you are referring to.

I have no clear idea what Queiroz has in mind. But the lessons I would take from these friendlies are the ones I mentioned. On the other hand, if we play a set up that in anyway resembles what we have been doing in these friendlies, Iran will have a very poor World Cup. I just don't see how any of it has worked or will work.

 

Many fans complained why Ghafouri is not in the squad. I was referring to that. CQ used most players in different positions in the friendlies but I think we will have a balanced line up for the World Cup.

 

I would have invited V. Ghafouri, but to me his absence is a lot more marginal in the overall equation and I even understand part of Queiroz's thinking in not inviting him. Ghafouri isn't that helpful defensively. The player whose omission is a huge mistake and I believe Queiroz should have definitely invited (and started) is S.J. Hosseini.

Anyway, that is water under the bridge and nothing can be done about it now. It is obvious that for whatever reason, Queiroz isn't thinking of playing Majid Hosseini much either as he hasn't been used in these friendlies. Even Montazeri hasn't been used enough in these friendlies and all that suggests that Queiroz will be using Cheshmi as CB. I am willing to be proven wrong, and would be thrilled if that is the case, but for now, I insist that is a terrible mistake.

 

7 days to go

 

I'll say what I can but we all got a fairly firm talking to from FIFA about what we can and can't share on social media so forgive me if I'm a bit vague in my posts.

I haven't been with the players as yet. Because I work for FIFA our work doesnt begin until they arrive in Russia which is tonight local time. There are FPF people at base camp but the official delegation is with the players. Training camp looks good with out being lavish. It's like our facilities are comfortable but we are here to do a job as a contrast Spain training camp is really luxurious, my good mate is covering them and was shown around Krasnodars facilities by their billionaire owner and he said it's like nothing he's ever seen.

 

i know it was only friendly's, but is it me or has our Iranian posters been very quite over Portugal last 2 games

 

What do you do for fifa? Pretty cool.

 

FIFA TV team portugal camerman. So all the pretty shot interviews and vision with the players during you host broadcasters coverage will be stuff from me and my producer

 

Perfect name for you here, the special one

 

Well, I guess Cheshmi playing CB for Iran is settled as well! Queiroz had a talk with journalists today and in response to questions about leaving out S.J. Hosseini from our roster and our central defense, began his comments sarcastically saying he doesn't know anything about football and hasn't coached any top clubs, but in his opinion Rouzbeh Cheshmi is a special brand of defender that Iranian football has not produced during the last 10 years!

 

Rússia, aqui vamos nós! #ConquistaOSonho

Russia, here we come! #ConquerYourDream pic.twitter.com/n5BLJ606UR

— Portugal (@selecaoportugal) June 9, 2018

 

While I have my doubts about Cheshmi too, don’t forget that the last World Cup, CQ turned a very shaky defensive midfielder named Pouladi, into one of the best left backs in the World Cup and Iran’s best player. So anything is possible with CQ.

 

Yes, I remember that and I hope and have no choice but to trust Queiroz on Cheshmi. But so far, Cheshmi has not done well when he has played for us.

 

It's getting ridiculous. I don't know what's up with Queiroz. Self-destruction maybe? If he starts Cheshmi as Center back Iran will easily lose all games.

 

I don't know understand things myself, but am hoping to be proven wrong about a series of rather strange decisions by Queiroz recently.

 

I heard a lot about solid Iranian defense by Iranian members here. What I saw suggests a completely different story. Iranian defense is in shambles. Iranian midfielders are mediocre and I didn't witness any adequate ball distribution, ball control, and enough key passes in final 1/3. Do you have any solid plan or strength somewhere else? I can only see a good right winger in your entire team.

 

Forget Iranian members: if you read any articles about Iran's team, it will start with praise about our defense and defensive organization. Unfortunately, however, our defense and defensive organization has indeed been in shambles ever since a series of strange experiments and lineup choices by Queiroz. The problem with Querioz, moreover, is that he is ultra stubborn: the more he has been questioned and criticized for some of these choices, the more insistent he has become in actually going through with them. While I like to keep my hopes and we will know the truth in less than a week when Iran plays its first game against Morocco, for now none of it makes any sense to me.