World Cup: Group A: Russia vs. Saudi Arabia, 6/14/2018

Result?


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    29
  • Poll closed .

Alex Jones

BIG BOWL 'A CHILI!!
Jun 8, 2009
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What about this Iranian generation? There's a lot of young players in that NT squad...Jahanbakhsh, Azmoun, Ezatolahi, & Hosseini...including their best players. And their youth NTs have been doing very well, haven't they?
This is true, perhaps I should have replaced Australia with Iran. Don't know they can compete with Japan/Korea.
 
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Terry Yake

Registered User
Aug 5, 2013
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What about this Iranian generation? There's a lot of young players in that NT squad...Jahanbakhsh, Azmoun, Ezatolahi, & Hosseini...including their best players. And their youth NTs have been doing very well, haven't they?

3 of the 4 guys you listed are already playing in europe. jahanbakhsh and azmoun definitely have the potential to make the jump

this is the best generation of iranian soccer in a very long time, if ever. iran is one of the better teams in asia along with SK/Japan/Australia but they've just never fared well in the WC. sucks because this year's squad is far better than the 2014 one but they ended up in a group with spain and portugal

crappy luck
 
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robertmac43

Forever 43!
Mar 31, 2015
23,094
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Oh I know. That was honestly the only good moment that comes to mind when I think of Elneny. Not that he's a bad player, he's just average and very safe generally.

I would tend to agree. Solid player, nothing special. Would be good on an 8-12 place team in the prem, I don't want him starting at Arsenal
 

cgf

FireBednarsSuccessor
Oct 15, 2010
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This is true, perhaps I should have replaced Australia with Iran. Don't know they can compete with Japan/Korea.

The aussies are in a weird spot. Their defense looks like it's fallen off, but they've got some solid midfielders who are already in europe. Plus Jacob Italiano was one the first 2001ers from outside a major nation to start getting international attention...and last summer, Gladbach's Eberl may have made a deal for Italiano to come to Germany next summer, when he'll be turning 18.

I think their Federation needs to be more ambitious & take advantage of asian qualifying to really build up an identity & playing style, even if they "struggle" more than they should to qualify because of some growing pains.
3 of the 4 guys you listed are already playing in europe. jahanbakhsh and azmoun definitely have the potential to make the jump

this is the best generation of iranian soccer in a very long time, if ever. iran is one of the better teams in asia along with SK/Japan/Australia but they've just never fared well in the WC. sucks because this year's squad is far better than the 2014 one but they ended up in a group with spain and portugal

crappy luck

And Morocco's not exactly a pushover #3 with their strong defense & murder of creative midfielders...even if spain implodes completely, that group is brutal.

How did the Iranians play in qualifying and the last AC? Did they actually create or was it more of a "defend & let our superior talent deliver a decisive moment" strategy?
 

ViD

#CBJNeedHugs
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Apr 21, 2007
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I'm genuinely surprised by what a successful career he's managed to have, despite clearly being cursed...
He was magic in 2012.
Definitely the strongest team Russia of the last 20 years. Trashed Italy 3-0, Czech 4-1 and then that dumb loss to Greece
 
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Terry Yake

Registered User
Aug 5, 2013
26,582
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The aussies are in a weird spot. Their defense looks like it's fallen off, but they've got some solid midfielders who are already in europe. Plus Jacob Italiano was one the first 2001ers from outside a major nation to start getting international attention...and last summer, Gladbach's Eberl may have made a deal for Italiano to come to Germany next summer, when he'll be turning 18.

I think their Federation needs to be more ambitious & take advantage of asian qualifying to really build up an identity & playing style, even if they "struggle" more than they should to qualify because of some growing pains.


And Morocco's not exactly a pushover #3 with their strong defense & murder of creative midfielders...even if spain implodes completely, that group is brutal.

How did the Iranians play in qualifying and the last AC? Did they actually create or was it more of a "defend & let our superior talent deliver a decisive moment" strategy?

not sure about qualifying but they were pretty unimpressive in the AC 2015, losing to a pretty lousy iraq team
 
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Eisen

Registered User
Sep 30, 2009
16,737
3,101
Duesseldorf
It is, but folks were hyping Egypt over russia just because Salah & Elneny play in the EPL. Not because they actually knew anything about either team.
Oh, I see. I sometimes have a hard time detecting irony on the net.
 
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Stray Wasp

Registered User
May 5, 2009
4,561
1,503
South east London
i am the only one who was suprised how technial and good passing the saudis had ?

I only watched the first half, but it struck me that in terms of technique, some of the Saudis had impressively quick feet. Unfortunately, at times their imagination far outran their talent.

Obviously, having no centre backs and no defensive central midfielders tends to undermine a team's chances of avoiding a hammering. But at least they weren't dull.
 
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