Amir Ghalenoei, seems to be living in denials with some of his post-match statements proving that. Despite winning 1-0 against Kyrgyzstan, that match was one to forget for Team Melli supporters who are surely least interested in Ghalenoei’s justification that Real Madrid HAS NOT STARTED THE SEASON WELL! an improved version of the match report:
Hamid Derakhshan , a former Team Melli player, was one of the persons who expressed concerns and doubts following the narrow victory calling it a wake-up call for the team. Derakhshan evaluated the performance, stating, “This game did not meet our expectations of Team Melli. Although we secured three points, this result does not align with our World Cup aspirations. We need to make changes in our gameplan, player selection, and tactics to improve quality and tactics.”
The system that Ghalenoei has implemented has created a dependency on individual performance, hence his pre-match statement about giving Taremi the freedom of the field. Derakhshan emphasized the importance of teamwork and a robust game system, warning, “If we rely solely on individual creativity, we will face significant challenges.” He urged for changes in the type of game, tactics, and system to enhance player performance and spectator enjoyment.
Addressing the poor field conditions, Derakhshan dismissed it as an excuse, noting, “The pitch was equally bad for both teams, yet Kyrgyzstan played better. We must acknowledge our shortcomings and seek realistic solutions rather than blaming external factors.”
Despite having skilled players in attack, midfield, and defense, Derakhshan pointed to systemic issues. “Our problem lies in the game system and teamwork. We have quality players, but we need to use them effectively to advance and increase their technical knowledge.”
In his assessment of the Kyrgyz team, Derakhshan acknowledged their strong performance, adding, “If not for a mistake by their goalkeeper, we might not have scored. We expected to score at least three goals against them. This result is a clear signal that the national team needs immediate improvements.”
one of the statistics that amplified the poor performance of Iran against Kyrgyzstan was in the shots on goal. While Team Melli attempted 20 shots, only 3 were on target. Kyrgyzstan attempted 7 shots on goal of which 6 were on target and thanks to Beiranvand, they failed to score. This figure is alarming for Team Melli. Whether these wayward shots were due to a lack of discipline where players just randomly shot way off target, or if it was part of the coach’s game plan, it went wrong.
PLAYERS’ SELECTION
There is little doubt that Ghalenoei picked his best lineup. Playing the likes of Yousefi and Hezbavi in defense, and Gholizadeh and Noorafkan in the midfield was a sound decision on paper. Unfortunately, the team as a whole performed badly and that is little to do with the selection. To make matters worse, the substituted players were nowhere near as good as the ones they replaced. What remains for Ghalenoei is a re-think of the game plan and strategy. He has immense power at the front, but they are not being served well by the midfield and the backs.
PLAYERS THAT NEED TIME OFF.
Jahanbakhsh: undoubtedly a key player when fit and in form, the records prove that. Without regular competitive matches, he remains less of an ordinary player who cannot compete at the highest level.
Yousefi: A player for the future with some good potential, however, his few appearances with Team Melli indicate to us that it is too early for this player to be in the lineup.
Noorafakan: Slow thinking, short of pace, and easily out-maneuvered, which makes him a bad choice for midfield.
Ezatollahi: Still that ineffective player who cannot influence that game and has no individual technique to cover much of his weaknesses. His continuous selection and playing for Team Melli remains an Enigma especially since he played against Kyrgyzstan after being out of action for 3 months!
And finally, Saman Ghoddos. What happened to that creative, Dynamic player of the past is indeed sad. He was way off his best against the Kyrgyz, however, the alternatives in Team Melli are lacking. Simply said, Iran’s domestic football lacks creative and influential midfield players. We can only think of one player that could perhaps be a good replacement, Mohammad Javad Hosseinnejad the 21-year-old who plays like a seasoned professional, however, he is not even in the squad.
PLAYER SORELY MISSING.
Ramin Rezaeian. Surely the omission of the Esteghlal right back is not based on performance, but more personal or other factors. It is not also based on age as those older than him are in the squad. His magic run, shots, dynamism, and even goal-scoring, were missing against Kyrgyzstan. Ghalenoei needs to re-think his exclusion and come to terms with that.
