Thanks for the informative comparison. I learned few new things.
Here are some questions and comments that came to my mind:
- I was wondering what is the predicated squad and why is it not listed? Is it to avoid distraction from the main topic or was it left for the reader to figure it out as a nice brain activity by listing those not included (the 6 players)?
While I can understand such a reason to not publish something that can bring about discussions with potentials to overshadow the focus of the article, I have to admit the brain teaser became a brain test for me which I did not pass
, got a bit confused and had to guess all along who are possibly there.
For example a list of 29 players invited to friendlies against Tunisia and Algeria is used as a reference. However, I only recall 28 players (see the post by Payandeh_Iran on TM thread quoting CQ's FB page:
TM list of 28), is Ashkan considered one of the invited players as he was camping with TM while nursing his injury, making the total to be 29?
In addition, 6 players (out of the 29) are mentioned as not to be part of the predicted final list, leaving the rest (23 players) as the possible predicted squad, yet Alireza Haghighi is mentioned as a potential addition to the final squad. Is he also part of the predicted list? with him it would become a list of 24.
Or 8 players are mentioned to be going to their second world cup, but there is no mention of Shojaei going to his third, does it mean he does not have a place in the predicted squad?
- These possibilities makes me wonder were there a second squad somewhat different than the one used in the article in the author's mind? if so how different was its stats compared to the one used?
- As for the general prediction made that other than A. Haghighi, it is highly unlikely to have any player outside the 29 who were invited make it to the final 23 list, I wonder about Majid Hosseini who was not invited due to injury. Same goes for Ashkan if he is not considered part of the 29 players.
I personally will be happy if CQ takes another look at Noorafkan and even Abdullah Zadeh during the camps in May (I know some also wish Rayan Tafazoli be tested and BeitAshour be called back, which in case of the latter I highly doubt it because of what supposedly happened the last time he was called up).
- I was under the impression that the current TM squad is much younger and less experienced than the one at Brazil WC. So it was very surprising and interesting for me to learn about the fact that it is indeed the other way around.
Is the average caps of the 2014 squad before the WC games played or after?
By any chance does the author have any comparison for minutes played (rather than number of caps)?
Not that I expected it to be used in this well written article, but I generally think it would be more accurate to use minutes played with consideration of level of the opponent (i.e. while the level of experience gained is different, a player gets same value and number of caps for playing 15 or 90 min, and whether playing likes of Guam or Chile).
- By the way, a minor thing:
On the second line under "Goals" subtitle, it is stated "Qualification for Brazil occurred with much greater ease than the previous campaign ..." I think Russia was meant instead of Brazil.
- It is refreshing to see how better our preparation has become (in comparison to WC2014) despite all the expectations and criticism.
Is there any reason that the friendly against Russia, who like Tunisia and Panama are going to be present at the World Cup, is missing from the list?
- I also very much agree with the conclusion stating:
"It was evident, against Tunisia and Panama, that some players lacked the physicality that will be needed in a World Cup in which you will play three games in ten days. If certain players are going to have the necessary stamina and win duels, aerial battles and 1v1 challenges, a further training programme will be, as Carlos Queiroz says, of paramount importance."
(I would only add Russia to the above statement, as it was specially obvious in the last 10 minutes of the game that some of the players did not have the stamina to continue and had hard time running or even kicking the ball).
Thanks again for the great effort.