i must admit, first of all, the saudi game was the first TM game i've seen after WC06 but the current seems to be the weakest TM in the last two decades or so. the reasons why we we lost in fortress azadi to a relatively mediocre asian team is,i think, as follows:
1. apart from rahmati & nekonam, the spine of the team is non-existent ... we do not currently have good quality central defenders & a good centre forward (like ali daie in his youth) ... remember a fit ali daie would terrorise asian defenders, as he single-handedly tore apart the "good" sauid team in azadi in 2001.
2. unfit players, it was quiet evident that the team had completly lost the plot by around 70th min or so,the players (the stars!) were not there to take away the pressure of the saudi attacks.... it was only a matter of time before they scored & they did ... we needed fit,youthful, and quality players in midfield tocancelout the saudi attacks.... there appeared to be fighting spirit in the team .. but this was due to lack of fitness & leadership on the field, in my view.
3.we never dictated the game to the saudi... we needed to play a high tempo game.. constantly pushing the saudis into their own half ...but we did not have quality players to do this & lack of fitness did not help!
4. the team was very slow... we do not have fast &solid defenders, midfielders or forwards... the new players are not much good , the old "quality" players have lost it a little & we have not produced the likes of ali karimi, karim bagheri & daie & aziz in recent years ... the current TM does not scare even the average asian teams!
5.lack of height ...we were very weak on corners & free kicks ... this TM lacks height real bad! every time the saudis had a corner,they seemed dangerous.
6. when you consider that ali daie played 1 forward (rezaie) AT HOME in azadi against a mediocre saudi team,it tells you a lot about the current TM ... i think he should have played 2 forwards upfront maybe daie got it wrong here but he does not have a "daie"& "aziz".
7. lack of spirit, maybe it was tiredness or lack of fitness but this TM did not appear to have fighting spirit when it mattered most ... they seemd to have the "let's die attitude" after they went ahead 1-0 !
i'm not saying this team could not have won yesterday's game under a different management or tactics .... frankly i was disappointed by daie's decisions yesterdays ...but ultimately this TM is a very average asian team ... even with a different coach, we would have had problems ... if this team was just a little fitter & faster and maybe had a good, young centre forward, daie would have done wonders (would have at least qualified to WC10) but the IPL standard is a major problem
anyway, let's hope for better times ahead!
n
1. apart from rahmati & nekonam, the spine of the team is non-existent ... we do not currently have good quality central defenders & a good centre forward (like ali daie in his youth) ... remember a fit ali daie would terrorise asian defenders, as he single-handedly tore apart the "good" sauid team in azadi in 2001.
2. unfit players, it was quiet evident that the team had completly lost the plot by around 70th min or so,the players (the stars!) were not there to take away the pressure of the saudi attacks.... it was only a matter of time before they scored & they did ... we needed fit,youthful, and quality players in midfield tocancelout the saudi attacks.... there appeared to be fighting spirit in the team .. but this was due to lack of fitness & leadership on the field, in my view.
3.we never dictated the game to the saudi... we needed to play a high tempo game.. constantly pushing the saudis into their own half ...but we did not have quality players to do this & lack of fitness did not help!
4. the team was very slow... we do not have fast &solid defenders, midfielders or forwards... the new players are not much good , the old "quality" players have lost it a little & we have not produced the likes of ali karimi, karim bagheri & daie & aziz in recent years ... the current TM does not scare even the average asian teams!
5.lack of height ...we were very weak on corners & free kicks ... this TM lacks height real bad! every time the saudis had a corner,they seemed dangerous.
6. when you consider that ali daie played 1 forward (rezaie) AT HOME in azadi against a mediocre saudi team,it tells you a lot about the current TM ... i think he should have played 2 forwards upfront maybe daie got it wrong here but he does not have a "daie"& "aziz".
7. lack of spirit, maybe it was tiredness or lack of fitness but this TM did not appear to have fighting spirit when it mattered most ... they seemd to have the "let's die attitude" after they went ahead 1-0 !
i'm not saying this team could not have won yesterday's game under a different management or tactics .... frankly i was disappointed by daie's decisions yesterdays ...but ultimately this TM is a very average asian team ... even with a different coach, we would have had problems ... if this team was just a little fitter & faster and maybe had a good, young centre forward, daie would have done wonders (would have at least qualified to WC10) but the IPL standard is a major problem
anyway, let's hope for better times ahead!
n