Month: September 2024

Post Match analysis

Passing Woes and Twisted Logic

When players cannot pass properly to their teammates—a basic skill in football—what can you expect from them? These were the words of a veteran ex-Team Melli player commenting on the match. However, according to Ghalenoei’s logic, Iranian fans should be grateful to his players even turning up, because even Real Madrid, Australia, and South Korea have bad days too! Twisted logic at its best!

Kyrgyzstan’s Improved Performance

Kyrgyzstan, a third-tier team in Asia, was comprehensively defeated last time out against Team Melli. However, this time, we witnessed a respectable highly disciplined. The Kyrgyz team was more organized and defensively solid, even on the same atrocious turf that Iran was playing on. The good performance of the Kyrgyz team was aided by the Iranian players’ lackluster performance.

Goalkeeping Errors and Missed Opportunities

If it wasn’t for the unfortunate error by the Kyrgyzstan goalkeeper—his only mistake of the game, where he parried a long-range shot from Noorafkan—the match would have ended goalless. On the other end, a fingertip save from Beiranvand prevented a freak goal in the first half. The Team Melli keeper repeated his heroics in the second when he prevented Joel, the nifty African-Kyrgyz winger, from scoring at close range.

Iran’s Lack of Superiority

Let us remember that Iran scored due to a goalkeeping error and not because of the superiority of their players. The most noticeable weakness of Team Melli was the midfield. The old dependable player who dictated the rhythm and pace of the team is no more. Perhaps the turn-up by name, but NOT the performance.

Ghoddos and Ghaedi had a forgettable game, Gholizade tried but his final ball always missing target, even an empty net. Noorafakn was out of place and out of pace. The comp[position of the midfield was not ticking.

Pitch Conditions and Tactical Failures

The embarrassing shape and status of the grass field and the solid, compact defensive style of Kyrgyzstan caused Iran to run out of ideas. Ghalenoei failed to adjust the team tactics to counteract such a style. The quality was lacking in every aspect of the game plan for Team Melli—passing, penetration, crosses, covering spaces, and most definitely, dribbling were all poor. Ghalenoei must fundamentally rethink the defense line and midfield. If this continues, Team Melli will have very tough days ahead, especially when they meet UAE, who came out as winners against the AFC Asian Cup holder Qatar with a convincing 3-1 score.

Beiranvand’s Mixed Performance

Alireza Beiranvand was a mixture of heroism and stupidity. His fast reflexes saved Iran’s blushes when he stopped Kyrgyz winger Joel from scoring from close range. However, his stupidity was evident when he was caught lingering around the halfway line, taking a stroll due to no action on his side. The Kyrgyz player cleverly noticed this and sent a hopeful ball from inside Kyrgyzstan’s half toward the empty goal. Beiranvand had to make an Olympic-style dash to save his blushes with a fingertip save over top of the bar for a corner.

Substitution Decisions

Ghalenoei’s substitutions were mixed. He was quite right in pulling out Gholizadeh, Gaheydi, and Ghoddos as the trio were just not ticking. However, apart from Torabi, Jahanbakhsh and Ezatollahi were even worse.

Feeble Performance and World Cup Qualifiers

The players did not perform as expected. It is quite fortunate that at least eight teams from AFC Asia will qualify for the World Cup. If only 2 to 3 teams were to qualify, Iran would definitely face a huge problem based on such a feeble performance.

PLAYERS RATINGS:

Alireza BEIRANVAND: Although had not much to do throughout the match, two brilliant timely saves rescued Iran from an embarrassing result. Guilty of leaving his goal wide open for no reason.[6.5]

Amin HEZBAVI: Despite a solid performance, he was found wanting when outfoxed by Joel who nearly scored, otherwise an acceptable performance. [6.0]

Arya YOUSEFI: Surprisingly had much action and balls on his side. He had difficulties dealing with all the action. He was not assertive in his passing or positions. His decision-making was suspect although he did not have much defending to do. [4.6]

Shojaa KHALILZADEH: Facing an average side without much appetite for attacking, Khalilzadeah had an easy shift, however, he was the target of his head coach for some bad passing [4.9]

Milad MOHAMMADI: an easy day for defensive duties but much was expected from him on the left flank. Simply said, he failed to deliver and was disappointing [4.6]

Ali GHOLIZADEH: Skillful player without a doubt. His dribbling is at times a joy to watch, but the end result was disappointing against an average team. He was guilty of the miss of the match as a perfect pass from Taremi found him meters from an open goal, but he managed to shoot over the bar. It seemed to be easier to score than missing [5.0]

Omid NOORAFKAN: Poor ball distribution, suspect in defending in the middle of the field, slow in tackling, and generally seemed to be out of place in a midfield role rather than half back, His only positive efforts was trying to shoot, mostly inaccurate but one of them yielded a result. Perhaps, the midfield is not his optimal post [5.1]

Saman GHODDOS: Totally out of the game. A very disappointing performance from a player who at one stage was the maestro of the team. He lacked in every department. His performance proves for the umpteen times that regular competition and playing are vital for a player. [4.3]

Sardar AZMOUN: Disappointing day for such a star. There is no doubt in his abilities as a striker and lethal finisher, however, there are many questions about his attitude. His body language seemed to be of a player who was uninterested. Sardar contributed little to the team until he mysteriously fell on the ground late in the match for him to be substituted!. [4.3]

Mehdi TAREMI: Best of the lot. Scored Iran’s goal and his running and dynamism in changing posts, confused the opponent’s defense. Had his own shortfalls but no one can accuse this player of lack of effort [6.8]

Mehdi GHAEDI: a forgettable game for this tiny winger who could not do anything right. No contribution to the team’s offense and could not create any threat from his side after being tightly marked by the Kyrgyz defender [4.0]

SUBSTITUTES:

Mehdi TORABI -> Ali GHOLIZADEH (59): His efforts and runs, briefly, energized the midfield, however, on his own, the contribution was lost. Torabi needs to be utilized as a ball carrier as he was with Queiroz days as that is his best role. [6.0]

Alireza JAHANBAKHSH -> Mehdi GHAEDI (59): On paper, a perfect substitution but in reality, Jahanbakhsh was quite disappointing. Like Ghoddos , he is without a club and lacks practice which was quite obvious in his shaky performance. Many passing errors which brought the wrath of Ghlenoei on the sidelines [4.2]

Saeid EZATOLAHI -> Saman GHODDOS (66): Only recently out of injury and has not played for 3 months, yet Ghalenoei in his wisdom, chose him to play him hoping to revitalize the midfield against the Kyrgyz. When at his best, Ezatollahi is no more than average, with a lack of match practice, he was quite poor. It was a risk that the coach took a risk that could cost him high against better teams in the group [4.0]

Shahriyar MOGHANLOU -> Sardar AZMOUN (80)
Saleh HARDANI -> Arya YOUSEFI (80)

MATCH REVIEW: Iran vs Kyrgyzstan

Overview

Iran’s Team Melli played a historic match in Esfahan, marking the first time the team has played in this city since its inception in 1940. The sell-out, vociferous crowd of over 20,000 filled Fooladshahr Stadium in anticipation of a solid performance and result from the number one favorite of this group.

Team Line-up

Head Coach, Amir Ghalenoei, who has been sticking to the familiar names in his lineup, made an exception for the match against the Kyrgyz Republic sidelining team captain, Jahanbakhsh, central defender Kananizadegan and the defensive midfielder Ezatollahi.

Goalkeeper: Alireza Beiranvand retained his place despite some shaky performances in the league.

  • Defense:
    • Central Defense Partnership: Amin Hezbavi and Shoja’a Khalilzadeh.
    • Full-backs: Ariya Yousefi and Milad Mohammadi.
  • Midfield:
    • Midfield : Saman Ghoddos, Ali Gholizadeh, Omid Noorafkan, and Mehdi Ghayedi.
  • Forward Line:
    • Strikers: Sardar Azmoun, Mehdi Taremi.

Match Performance

Match Performance

As anticipated, Iran dominated possession, leaving little room for the Kyrgyz team to breathe. However, the hosts struggled to turn this domination into goals on a pitch more suitable for grazing than playing international football. The only goal of the match came in the 44th minute when Mehdi Taremi slotted the ball home after Noorafkan’s long-range shot was parried by the Kyrgyz keeper.

Despite Iran initially controlling most of the play in the first half, the final balls from the midfield players were poor, failing to provide quality passes to Azmoun and Taremi up front. Apart from Noorafkan’s shot that led to Taremi’s goal, there were no shots on target by the Iranians. The atrocious pitch with multi-colored patches was possibly a factor, but the main blame should go to the ineffective midfield, poor basic passing, and some arrogance issues. The trio of Ghoddos, Ghayedi, Noorafkan, and Gholizadeh were at their worst. Much was expected from Ghoddos in this game, but his lack of match practice was evident. Noorafkan, usually a right back, was deployed in the midfield, which proved to be a bad idea. Gholizadeh huffed and puffed and executed a few dribbles, but his final balls were wasteful. Remarkably, Team Melli had just one shot on goal, which was the one scored by Taremi.

Despite leading 1-0 at halftime, Ghalenoei was visibly upset by the poor performance of his team. It was a poor show for Team Melli against a solid, disciplined team with compact defending.

The second half was not much better despite the substitutions forced on Ghalenoei, where Ghoddos and Gholizadeh were replaced by Jahanbakhsh and Ezatollahi. With Team Melli failing to add to their single goal, the Kyrgyz team became bolder and more effective. The brilliance of Beiranvand prevented Joel Kpjo from equalizing after he cleverly left Hizbavi and Khalilzadeh chasing shadows. Beiranvand’s timely interception was a face-saving act.

Overall, this was a shaky start by Iran. Ghalenoei was less than pleased by some of the players’ antics. His changes may not have yielded results, but most of the blame goes to the players who failed to turn up and were found wanting by a team they beat 5-1 the last time they met.

In the same group, UAE is leading the table after the first round, having beaten Qatar 3-1 in Doha, while Uzbekistan narrowly defeated North Korea 1-0 in an earlier match.

Iran’s first goal came in the

Iran vs Kyrgyzstan: Match Review

On Thursday, Team Melli will face Kyrgyzstan for the fifth time at Fooladshahr Stadium in Esfahan. The two teams last met in the CAFA Nations Cup, where Team Melli secured a dominant 5-1 victory in Bishkek.

There have been few changes in both squads, with the most significant being the appointment of Maksim Lisitsyn as the new head coach for Kyrgyzstan, replacing Š. Tarkovič.

The teams first crossed paths in the preliminary round of the FIFA World Cup France 1998 in Damascus, where Team Melli comfortably defeated the newly independent Kyrgyz side with a 7-0 win.

With almost all key players available for Amir Ghalenoei, Team Melli is expected to secure a convincing victory. The forward line of Team Melli is arguably the strongest in Asia, featuring the likes of Mehdi Taremi and Sardar Azmoun up front, with Ali Gholizadeh, Alireza Jahanbakhsh, and Mehdi Ghayedi operating on the flanks.

However, concerns remain in defense, particularly with an aging center-back duo and a lack of defensive cohesion that has seen Team Melli concede goals against various opponents. Alireza Beiranvand, a stalwart in goal for many years, has experienced a dip in form, making his position less secure.

The midfield also presents challenges, as players like Saman Ghoddos, Jahanbakhsh, and Saeid Ezatollahi have struggled with match fitness and practice, with the first two currently without clubs. The team will rely on Gholizadeh to inject creativity and dynamism.

Despite these issues, Team Melli should have little trouble winning this match, and anything less would be considered a significant setback, especially in a competitive group that includes AFC Asian Cup holders Qatar and strong opponents like Uzbekistan and the UAE.

Teams Last 5 matches

Kyrgyzstan

Iran

25/01/24Oman1 – 1D
21/03/24Chinese Taipei0 – 2W
26/03/24Chinese Taipei5 – 1W
06/06/24Malaysia1 – 1D
11/06/24Oman1 – 1D
Kyrgyzstan
07/02/24Qatar2 – 3L
21/03/24Turkmenistan5 – 0W
26/03/24Turkmenistan0 – 1W
06/06/24Hong Kong2 – 4W
11/06/24Uzbekistan0 – 0D
Iran

Head2Head Results

H / A / NMatchesWDLGoals+ / –
H22009 – 1+8
A11005 – 1+4
N11007 – 0+7
Total440021 – 2+19
DateComp.H / A / NFinal scoreVenue CityAttendance
16.06.2023CAFA Nations Cup A5 – 1Bishkek10000
07.06.2016FriendlyH6 – 0 Tehran4500
09.06.1997World Cup QualifierH3 – 1Tehran50000
04.06.1997World Cup Qualifier N7 – 0Damascus25000
The matches

Ghalenoei Criticizes Lack of Suitable Stadiums for International Matches

Amir Ghalenoei, the head coach of Iran’s national football team, expressed his frustration over the inadequate stadium facilities available for international matches in the country. Speaking at a pre-match press conference ahead of Iran’s game against Kyrgyzstan, Ghalenoei did not hold back in addressing the shortcomings.

“There has been a clear lack of effort and attention to this issue, which has resulted in this unfortunate situation,” Ghalenoei stated. “However, I appreciate the efforts of Zob Ahan Club and its management for preparing Fooladshahr Stadium for this match. Their work has saved us from potential embarrassment.”

Ghalenoei further mentioned that other provinces, despite having larger and more suitable stadiums, refused to cooperate with Team Melli, leaving them with limited options. “Fooladshahr has a decent pitch, but it requires proper maintenance. The turf has an expiration date and should be regularly cared for to remain usable,” he urged.

Analyzing the Opposition

Turning his focus to the upcoming game, Ghalenoei praised Kyrgyzstan’s new head coach for his deep understanding of the nation’s football system, having coached at both grassroots and youth levels. “They are a hardworking team, especially strong defensively,” Ghalenoei remarked, noting that the match would be challenging.

The coach also commended the preparation of his own team, highlighting the success of their training camp. “The conditions have been excellent, and this has been one of the best camps we’ve held. The players are motivated and training with high intensity.”

Balancing Youth and Experience

Ghalenoei acknowledged the ongoing criticism surrounding squad selection, especially regarding the balance between experienced players and younger talents. “Every time we announce a squad, we face criticism. We are working to lower the average age and bring in younger players to support the national team in the future. But these changes must be gradual and measured, ensuring we still get results while protecting the young players’ development.”

He emphasized the importance of careful selection: “Our choices are based on thorough analysis. We’ve been watching the players throughout the league, and while mistakes can happen, our process is transparent. The national team is open to everyone.”

For Ghalenoei, age is just a number. “It’s about quality and readiness. Our goal is to field a team that can combine youthfulness with strong performances. If we don’t get results, the same people who ask for rejuvenation will criticize us for not winning. So, we remain focused on our work and welcome constructive criticism, which helps us improve. Some of our critics are our own advisors.”

An Offensive Football Philosophy

Ghalenoei reaffirmed his commitment to an aggressive, offensive style of play. “Systems don’t win matches; players do. My approach is to play attacking football. My teams have a strong scoring record, and we will maintain this style, even if it costs us a result tomorrow. I can’t change my philosophy because it’s what the fans want to see. I’m here to serve the national team, and the players understand that we have to play a dynamic, spectator-friendly game.”

He also spoke highly of Mehdi Taremi, stating, “We’ve given Taremi the freedom to move across the field, supported by another striker. The players know exactly what’s expected of them.”

He also spoke about the leadership role that experienced players like Taremi play on the field, describing them as the “arm of the coaching staff” who help manage the team during matches. “We don’t expect anything extraordinary from Taremi. We just want him to be himself.”

Reflecting on Challenges

Ghalenoei touched on the challenges faced by the national team, including the strength of teams from the CAFFA region and the high expectations of Iranian fans. “If the players don’t give their best, I will hold them accountable. We’re here to bring joy to the people.”

He recalled a past experience to illustrate the dedication he expects from his players: “I remember when Ali Daei got injured during a match against Bahrain. I was the first person by his side, and he played 70 minutes with that injury. That’s the level of commitment I expect.”

Venue and Federation Challenges

Regarding the choice of venues, Ghalenoei admitted that some of the options for hosting matches were less than ideal, while there were better options “We could have played in better stadiums, but we had to make do with what was available from the people who welcomed Team Melli.”

Despite the difficulties faced, including the fact that the coaching staff have not been paid for months, Ghalenoei remained optimistic. “Our priority is the people. When they’re facing hardships, it’s not right for us to worry about our own financial issues. The Federation and management are doing their best, and so are we. The people’s happiness is what truly matters.”

Ghalenoei and Ghoddos on touchline

The Declining Quality of Players in Iran’s Domestic League: Are Selections Truly Based on Merit?

The latest roster for Iran’s national football team, announced for the upcoming FIFA matches against Kyrgyzstan and the UAE, has sparked significant debate. The declining quality of players in the Iranian Premier League has left Team Melli’s coach, Amir Ghalenoei, with difficult choices. While Ghalenoei has made efforts to address fans’ concerns and silence his critics, especially regarding his tendency to select the same veteran players, his latest squad decisions have raised questions about whether the selections are truly merit-based.

The Biggest Challenge

The declining standard of Iran’s league and the failure of the system to produce quality players at age levels and senior level remains the greatest challenge to any selector. Watching a domestic league football in Iran leaves a bad taste for football enthusiasts. Poor tactical and techniques, lack of players’ skills, sub-standard coach, lack of professionalism amongst players and staff, poor status of the pitches and general lack of managerial and organizational management that is rife in Iran, have resulted in poor product that is getting worse over the years. As such, the hands of Team Melli’s coach are tied, but even considering all those negative factors, many believe that Ghalenoei can do much better.

The Controversial Selection Process

Ghalenoei’s player selections have often been met with controversy and inconsistency. What he preaches to the press does not always align with his practices on the field.

Players Who Don’t Deserve Their Spot, while others are ignored.

Critics argue that Ghalenoei has included players who are either not physically ready, out of form, or simply lacking the quality to be part of the national team. While other deserving players are excluded. For instance, the exclusion of Ramin Rezaian, despite his excellent performances for Esteghlal in the new season, is puzzling. Rezaian has scored two goals and provided one assist in the last three weeks, earning praise from critics and fans alike. When questioned, Ghalenoei would likely justify this by citing his new policy of injecting youth and energy into the team, exemplified by the inclusion of 18-year-old goalkeeper Arsha Shakuri.

On the other hand, players like Saeed Saharkhizan and Mohammad Javad Hosseinnejad, who have been performing admirably in the Russian league, were overlooked. Hosseinnejad even scored a brilliant goal last week for his club, yet this wasn’t enough to earn him a place in the national squad.

The Shortage of Quality Players

The lack of high-quality, young players in Iranian football has left Ghalenoei with no choice but to rely on experienced familiar faces. In the midfield, the same regular players have been selected, which is understandable given the circumstances. However, some of these choices are questionable and even indefensible.

Saeid Ezatollahi
Ezatollahi, who plays for Shabab Al-Ahli, hasn’t played a single minute for his club due to recovering from a three-month injury. While Sardar Azmoun, his clubmate, is scoring regularly, Ezatollahi has just resumed serious training and is not yet in form for league competition. Yet, in Ghalenoei’s eyes, a fit but out-of-form player is good enough for selection. Ezatollahi, who has struggled throughout his career, remains a contentious choice, especially when players like Rouzbeh Cheshmi, with a proven track record, are ignored.

Arsha Shakouri
The young goalkeeper Shakouri, despite his potential, has shown inconsistency this season. While he did keep a clean sheet against Zob Ahan, he conceded five goals in the matches against Khyber Khorram Abad and Tractor. Meanwhile, Mohammad Reza Akhbari, who has two clean sheets and former national team experience, was left out of the squad. This raises questions about the criteria used for player selection and whether these decisions are truly data-driven.

Questionable Veteran Selections

The inclusion of Saeed Ezatollahi, Alireza Jahanbakhsh, and Saman Ghoddos in the national team also raises eyebrows. Ezatollahi has not played since June 6 due to injury, while Jahanbakhsh and Ghoddos have struggled in Europe, losing their starting positions and failing to secure contract renewals. Both are now free agents, yet they remain key figures in Ghalenoei’s squad, highlighting the lack of depth in the Iranian domestic league and the challenges facing Team Melli.

Abolfazl Jalali
Jalali, a talented defender, has been selected despite being injured before the start of the season and having minimal playing time. While his quality is undeniable, the timing of his inclusion is questionable.

Ehsan Haj Safi
If Ghalenoei is serious about rejuvenating the team, excluding the captain might make sense. However, Haj Safi remains a regular starter for AEK Athens and continues to perform well. Ignoring him while selecting players like Khalilzadeh, who is 34 years old, seems contradictory.

Shoja’a Khalilzadeh
Khalilzadeh, a long-time national team regular known for his fighting spirit, has been selected again despite his declining pace and temperamental issues. Ghalenoei’s insistence on using the same defensive tactics and personnel, despite the defense being the weakest link, is a point of concern.

Conclusion: A Lack of Insight in Selections?

While a coach can only choose from the best players available, Ghalenoei’s judgment and decision-making continue to be questioned. His criteria for player selection remain an enigma, lacking clear insight and logic.