According to Mehr's reporter, Moharram Navidkia, head coach of Sepahan, said at the press conference after the Mes Shahr-e Babak match on Sunday evening, October 25: We tried to make good use of our left and right defenders and we also created decent chances. Overall, we delivered a quality performance.
He added: From the start we expected a difficult game ahead, but the opponent's player being sent off in the opening minutes somewhat disrupted that team's order and cohesion; nevertheless, playing against teams that focus more on defensive work has its own difficulties.
Navidkia stated: In such conditions we try to keep possession of the ball as much as possible; we played very well in the first half; it is true the opponent was continuing with 10 players, but breaking through the defensive layers of such a team requires good ball circulation, and our players did that well.
The Sepahan coach said: In the second half we also tried to keep possession, but the opponent seemed to have changed its system and even dropped one of its forwards deeper to continue the game in a five-four formation.
He continued: They were trying to preserve the defensive structure they had formed in the first half, and they did not take many risks until late in the game.
Navidkia, noting that in the final minutes the opponent tried to take more risks by making substitutions, said: We too decided, from around the 60th minute, to rest the players we thought we would need more physically in the coming weeks.
The Sepahan coach said: Our substitutions were made mostly to manage the players' physical condition and were less tactical; we wanted some players to rest and younger players to get more opportunity to be on the pitch.
He continued: Especially from the 75th minute onward, the game did not go as I expected, but overall we created good chances. Limouchi's one-on-one opportunity and the chance Kasra missed were among our very good opportunities.
Navidkia stated: Creating chances in such conditions is really difficult, and I believe our players performed well in this respect; when the team is ahead by four goals and substitutions are made because of the players' physical condition, the team's cohesion may not be maintained as we expect.
The Sepahan coach said: When you make five substitutions, you have in fact changed 50 percent of the team's lineup; so it is natural for the game's conditions to become somewhat different.
He added: A team that plays with a proper, coordinated structure may, after such changes, drift somewhat from its initial state. Of course, the match against Zob Ahan was different from the recent game.
Navidkia, stating that he gladly accepts the criticism raised about the Zob Ahan match, noted: Because in that game my team played somewhat cautiously and with fear, although we also created many chances. However, that does not mean we should give chances to the opponent, or even concede a goal, against a team playing with 10 men.
The Sepahan coach said: The conditions of the recent match were different from that game. Our players created good chances, and if the one-on-one opportunities had been converted, we might have scored five or six goals.
He continued: Overall, I cannot compare the team's performance this week with the Zob Ahan match, because I was truly satisfied with my players' performance in the recent game; I am not fully satisfied with the performance of some of the players who came on. These players are young and must know that they need to play within the team's plans.
Navidkia stated: Young players naturally want to show their abilities and reach the starting lineup, but this should not cause them to lose the ball too often or play with excessive risk.
The Sepahan coach said: I have higher expectations of some young players, especially Askari, Aria and Shafiei-Doust. I know these players have returned to the pitch after a period of injury and their physical condition is not yet ideal, but they must be able to play sensibly so the team does not face such fluctuations.
He continued: Seven weeks of the competition still remain, and raising such discussions in the current circumstances is far too early. I am satisfied with the team I have. I am not saying our team is flawless, but at present I consider the conditions suitable. We must continue the matches and see what happens in the future.
About the selection of Yahya Golmohammadi to lead Iran's national under-23 football team, Navidkia said: This appointment can certainly be a good one. Golmohammadi's work record and the championships he has won show that he is a coach with his own style. I have always enjoyed watching the play of teams under his leadership, and I think this can be a positive development.
The Sepahan coach said: I hope this appointment ultimately benefits our country's football; of course, a very difficult job lies ahead of him, and leading the U-23 national team in such circumstances — given the limited opportunities and the difficulty of the path to Olympic qualification — is a very high-risk decision.
He continued: I hope Golmohammadi succeeds and the best things happen for him and the U-23 national team. I hope conditions go well and the U-23 national team can reach the Olympics. Overall, in my opinion, this appointment has been a very appropriate decision.
About the possibility of keeping the starting lineup and giving players more experience while the team was ahead of the opponent by several goals, Navidkia added: I agree with this point, but we must also consider the conditions of the upcoming matches; in this game we tried to put less pressure on players who are older or have played many matches during the season. In five days we must face Kheybar in Khorramabad, and that match is a very important one for our team.
The Sepahan coach noted: For this reason, we decided to rest players such as Hadi Mohammadi and Ehsan Hajsafi, as well as other players who have played many minutes during the season and in consecutive matches, given the conditions of this game. If the interval between this match and the next one had been longer, we could have made a different decision and carried out the substitutions differently.
He said: We preferred to rest the more experienced players and those who have played more matches during the season. Nevertheless, I completely agree with the point raised, and I hope conditions arise in the future so we can manage this matter better as well.
Source: Mehr News Agency
