Some of the moves [...]]]> If Dinamo had the most impressive transfer activity this off-season, most will agree that Lokomotiv Moskva had the loudest. Much of its amplitude was generated through the mouth of president Nikolay Naumov. It wasn’t all hot air; by the end of the transfer window there was a respectable accumulation of new bodies.

Some of the moves may have been overshadowed by the grander Naumovian schemes. First there was Naumov’s courting of Roman Pavlyuchenko. Day after day, endless reports detailing contact between Loko’s front office and Harry Redknapp’s henchmen bristled forth as a move was launched to wrestle the striker away from White Hart Lane. The transfer idea—like three-fourths of Naumov’s revelries–never materialized. Nevertheless, Lokomotiv is still convinced that at the end of the English Premier League season they have a good chance of sealing the deal. Stay tuned.

The Pavlyuchenko story was momentarily superceded by the attempted, and then eventually successful, acquisition of Oleksandr Aliyev. The epic (as in drawn out, bordering on laborious) deal was first sealed, only to be dissolved, and then rekindled all in the matter of two months. Aliyev’s history with coach Yury Semin appears to have initiated and finalized the move away from Dynamo Kyiv—and Loko and the RPL are the better for it so long as the midfielder can stay healthy.

Finally, there were endless tales of Marat Izmailov. His recent good health at Sporting (Portugal) has translated into great form, sparking Loko’s remembrance of the days of yore. Or, to say it otherwise, they wanted their midfielder back. For that is how the club sees Izmailov—Loko property—and come the summer he, like Pavlyuchenko, could very well be just that.

But what about the here-and-now? Lokomotiv will be disappointed with anything less than a top-three finish. Should we be startled by the tremendous ambition of Semin and his crew? Loko has had strong aspirations for some time, but after two seventh-place finishes in 2007 and 2008 it took something special (namely, the return of Semin) to really make good on them. Their fourth-place finish in 2009, which allows a return to European competition, can perhaps be even more concretely traced back to an 88th minute equalizer from Dmitry Sychev in the twenty-sixth round against FK Saturn. Never mind the fact they should have won the match, Sychev’s shot from the top of the area clinched a memorable draw that was made even more so by the Railroaders riding the wave of momentum generated that evening to finish off the season with four straight victories. The success was almost even strong enough to secure the Champions League qualification spot were it not for Zenit St. Petersburg having a superior goal differential.

Why should Loko not be convinced they are genuine title contenders? Of the clubs we have previewed thus far Lokomotiv has the greatest depth. The issue, however, is that most of that strength (ala Dinamo) lies in midfield, which poses an interesting challenge for Semin. Will he be able to quickly establish a starting XI that will be cohesive or will he opt for a juggling routine in which he attempts to appease all of his players who are hungry for playing time? The internal competition, in the end, will make the club even stronger as long as the coach can effectively handle any potential dressing-room conflicts. He certainly commands the respect and has the experience to suggest he is capable of sorting it out.

The first acquisitions in the middle were Dmitry Tarasov from FK Moskva and Vladislav Ignatyev from Krylia Sovetov. Astutely taking advantage of both players desperation for financial stability, they are solid midfield pick-ups acquired quite impressively as free agents.

Tarasov will be a starter but will need to become more disciplined, having committed too many unnecessary infractions last year. As a result, Denis Glushakov–who has had a great off-season–will really be competing to get his job back.

Ignatyev will also have to fight his way onto the pitch given that the club boasts so many talents on the wings. Peter Odemwingie, of course, will continue to threaten down the right side. The Nigerian, interestingly, appears ambitious this year, having made comments that he hasn’t ruled out the possibility of scoring 15 goals in 2010. Given that his total in the last two years combined is only slightly more than his magic number suggests it is a bit far-fetched. But should Semin play him up front more often—given the greater depth on the flanks—we could see him inch closer to that hopeful tally.

On the flanks, besides Odemwingie and the dependable Dmitry Torbinksy, the young and very promising Alan Gatagov is likely to have a strong year. Semin trusts the 19-year-old so much that he has flirted with the idea of having him play in a full-back role to get him onto the pitch. Whether or not that was merely a training camp experiment, of course, will be determined once the season gets underway. Haminu Draman, back from a loan with Kuban Krasnodar, will likely be sequestered to the bench—more proof that speed and skill is in abundance for the Railroaders.

In the center of midfield, not only has the inclusion of Aliyev will bring creativity and his own hard shot. The club will also welcome back Wágner—if, that is, he can smoothly recover from a hip injury this off-season. When he does return he too will add to a tremendously long bench. The Brazilian was refreshingly dynamic in his few appearances with Loko in the second half of 2009, not only scoring three goals in nine showings but also proving to be a crafty playmaker capable of assisting his fellow attackers. Expect him, unfortunately, to be out for the first two months of the season.

In the holding midfield role Tomislav Dujmović will receive the bulk of time with Charles likely to assist him. But here lies the real significance of acquiring Tarasov, it allows Semin to initially play an aggressive midfield without truly compromising defense in the center. If able to acquire early leads, Semin can bring in Charles to support the back-line even further.

Further up the pitch, Lokomotiv has some anxiety about the striking core. With so much attacking strength in midfield, however, should the club be so uptight? As it currently stands, they continue to have Dmitry Sychev slated as their starting forward. His 13 goals in 2009 were good enough for fourth best in the league, but Semin will expect even more production from the 26-year-old. There are lingering concerns, however, about his health that may delay or at least limit his time on the pitch in the early weeks of the season.

New signing Maicon has been brought in to support Sychev in attack

Being unable to finalize a deal for Pavlyuchenko over the winter, it looked as though Loko would just wait until mid-season and try again. But in the last few days Lokomotiv’s management appears to have gotten late jitters about their striker options. Repeating recent history, when in doubt  the club looked toward Brazil. On Wednesday, just before the transfer window closed, Naumov sealed the deal for 20-year-old Fluminense striker Maicon. The lean, incredibly quick youngster is not a true sniper but will function primarily in a withdrawn, supporting role for Sychev. Given his age he possesses close control and technical passing ability.

Lost behind all the moves, the most pleasant story of the off-season was the success of forward Dramane Traoré. The 27-year-old Malian, after several less-than-impressive years with the club, elevated his form during a good loan spell with FK Kuban Krasnodar in 2009 (scoring more than a third of the relegated club’s goals). Training once again with Lokomotiv, Traoré appears to have vaulted his game even further—scoring a healthy number of goals and showing some newfound passing skills. His size makes him effective at the tip of the attack, offering a strong presence that should work well with the quality and speed coming in from the wings of the attack. With concerns hanging over Sychev’s fitness, Traoré will get chances early in the season that he will need to capitalize on. If he can, his story could turn into one of the most intriguing of 2010.

As an aside, another interesting addition up top is 19-year-old forward Mirlan Murzaev joining the club from Kyrgyz champs FK Dordoi-Dynamo. While likely to spend most of his time with the reserves, it will be interesting to see if Semin gives the youngster any run-ons in 2010.

Defensively, Lokomotiv tied with CSKA Moskva for the third staunchest in 2009 in terms of goals allowed. No surprise given that a Yury Semin club is bound to be based upon a solid back-line. Like their Muscovite rivals, they have some aging defenders but their conditioning is nowhere near as suspect.

Renat Yanbayev and Oleg Kuzmin return to work the full-back positions—while not ostentatious, they are arguably one of the best, most versatile pairs in the league. Malkhaz Asatiani has grown into a strong central defender thanks to hard work and, in large measure, the trust of Semin. Brought to Lokomotiv in 2003 by the coach, the Georgian followed Semin to Ukraine and found his way back into the Loko starting squad once Semin took the reigns in 2009. With Loko’s captain Rodolfo being sidelined at the beginning of the year, Asatiani will have to continue the strong form he  exhibited at the end of the season while working alongside Marko Baša. With unused Jan Durica being shipped to Hannover 96 (Germany) on loan Lokomotiv is now concerned about defensive coverage, thus explaining the last minute acquisition of FK Moskva’s Branko Ilic—a solid move that ensures the club will have options throughout the year.

Goalkeeper Guilherme could very well be the weakest link—which is impressive for the club given his talent. Conceding fifteen goals and earning six clean sheets in seventeen appearances in 2009,  Semin will demand some improvement in the Brazilian’s game. If he stays healthy he will finally be given the chance to play a consistent role between the sticks. But, just in case, the club now has Aleksandr Krivoruchko—Lokomotiv-2’s best player in 2009. The 25-year-old was effectively promoted this off-season and given his Russian citizenship he appears a strong candidate for the job in the future (especially because Eldin Jakupović has been released).

Prediction: 3rd-4th. A cop-out prediction, admittedly–but it highlights the intrigue behind this club. As Loko currently stand, they have plenty of creativity up front but perhaps not quite enough finishing power to make the leap to a Champions League spot. Should they, against the odds and despite some injuries, establish themselves early with some impressive results (away at Rubin, Spartak Moskva, and Zenit within the first five rounds) and maybe pick up Izmailov and  Pavlyuchenko in the mid-season they will really challenge the hegemonic clubs at the top of the table.

Probable Starting XI (4-2-3-1): Guilherme; Renat Yanbayev, Malkhaz Asatiani, Rodolfo*, Oleg Kuzmin, Dmitry Tarasov, Tomislav Dujmović; Peter Odemwingie, Oleksandr Aliyev, Dmitry Torbinsky**; Dmitry Sychev***.

*Rodolfo will likely be replaced by Marko Baša at the start of the season while he recovers from injury.

**Torbinsky will miss the opening match against Rubin due to a yellow-card ban that has been transferred over from last season.

***Sychev will be splitting time with Traoré and possibly even Odemwingie in the lone striker role as he returns to full fitness.

A whirlwind of monetary chaos continues to sweep over Krylia Sovetov Samara.

Amidst so much uncertainty, one thing is certain: a team’s players going on strike is surely not a good way to start off a season.

Rumors are circulating on Monday that an undisclosed number of Krylia Sovetov [...]]]>

Coach Yury Gazzaev's financial worries continue at Krylia

A whirlwind of monetary chaos continues to sweep over Krylia Sovetov Samara.

Amidst so much uncertainty, one thing is certain: a team’s players going on strike is surely not a good way to start off a season.

Rumors are circulating on Monday that an undisclosed number of Krylia Sovetov Samara’s players have presented an ultimatum to the club’s management.  Apparently, if the said players do not receive wage arrears and bonues that date back as far as 2008 they will refuse to go on the pitch this weekend.

While few gave the club any real chance of winning their opening match against Zenit St. Petersburg, their management is understandably desperate to resolve the wage issue as quickly as possible. It remains unclear how easy such a resolution will be. Despite recent funds being pledged from the Russian government, the news of a possible strike only highlights the vagueness of Krylia’s financial situation.

With Krylia’s first match slated for next Saturday, 13 March at Metallurg Stadium, time is of the essence. Especially when one considers that the threat of a strike comes amidst concerns that Krylia could be unable to sign any of their new recruits. With the 10 March transfer deadline rapidly approaching, the club still needs to pay off creditors to be granted permission to sign new players. On Monday, potential players—who have been training with the club this off-season—did receive contract proposals. The only hitch is that Krylia’s management must, according to Sport-Express, resolve all of the financial conditions necessary to lift a registration ban imposed by the Russian Football Union before the players can even agree to join.

There was a time—only months ago, in fact—that you could hear within certain quarters of CSKA’s fan-base the stubborn cries of those convinced that Valery Gazzaev was CSKA [...]]]> He does not look the epitome of calm, twitchingly perched on the edge of the bench, but coach Leonid Slutsky has brought a much-needed composure to CSKA Moskva.

There was a time—only months ago, in fact—that you could hear within certain quarters of CSKA’s fan-base the stubborn cries of those convinced that Valery Gazzaev was CSKA Moskva, or that he was a mustachioed godsend, or that he was simply irreplaceable. Impassioned thinking, surely, motivated in large measure by 2009’s less-than-stellar performance from Zico and the misadventures of Juande Ramos. But now Russian patriots have Slutsky to tout as a homegrown coach with the wherewithal to understand the psyche of his players. Less overblown, others can simply point to the youngish nail-biter’s patient, steady approach and—regardless of citizenship—give the man props for competently knowing his personnel and acting accordingly.

The club’s disappointing fifth-place finish last year leaves much to be desired from the three-time Premier-Liga champs. An underdog victory against Sevilla in the second leg of their Champions League tie would go a tremendous way in erasing the memory of the chaos that was 2009. So to would it help the club wade its way out of financial troubles that, while hard to find true information about, are thought to be substantial.

Anything less than a top-three spot, and a trip back to the Champions League in 2011, will be deemed a failure in the eyes of CSKA’s officials. The fans want the championship, obviously, but there are obvious weaknesses in the squad that, because they were not immediately addressed this off-season, will linger throughout the year.

First is the obvious issue surrounding their back-line. Though only 27-years-old, twin brothers Alexsey (right-back) and Vasily Berezutsky (center-back) have been looking five years the elder. By no means are either incompetent, but their experience and strong positional sense only go so far when tested by swift attackers. Combine their shortcomings with the aging body of central defender Sergey Ignashevich and the tactical approach of their opponents becomes easier to predict. Granted, CSKA have one of the premier goalkeepers in the world in Igor Akinfeev—a fact often taken for granted, all the more exceptional given the growing problems in front of him—but the defensive questions are too hard for him to answer on his own.

Rounding out the defense is left-back Georgi Shchennikov, voted best young player in the RPL in 2009, who will have an even better year in 2010. With more focus being put on the central midfield in the upcoming year, a more aggressive Shchennikov will go a long way toward creating the necessary width to keep their opponents defenses honest. His youthful agility could be mirrored by the excellent pick-up Kirill Nababkin should Slutsky’s trust in Alexsey Berezeutsky begin to wane. Even if it does not, the coach should still try to find time for Nababkin, who offers a real, balanced talent at right-back.

Given the disheartening finish in the league, CSKA was relatively subdued with their moves in the off-season. The club leaves itself open to criticism with their allegiance to the core defensive players, not even giving a hint that they may have search the market for help beyond Nababkin. But setting aside that issue, the moves they did make showed some intelligence. First, they sealed a long-term deal with FK Sibir Novosibirsk keeper Sergey Chepchugov. As long as Akinfeev is present Chepchugov will be nowhere other than the bench for CSKA. But should CSKA cash-in on Akinfeev this summer they can rest content that they have a stellar keeper waiting in the wings.

The real strength of the squad lies in the midfield. And it has only grown stronger. That is, as long as Milos Krasic sticks around. One addition is the permanent signing of Sekou Oliseh, who has been signed to a five-year deal after impressing the CSKA staff while on briefly on loan in 2009 from Midtjylland (Denmark). While we have yet to see the real talents of the young Nigerian, his agility down the right could see him step into Krasic’s role on the flank when the Serbian departs in the summer. With that said, Pavel Mamaev has proven to be the most versatile midfielder off the bench last year and will also be slotted in as Slutsky sees fit. Another long-shot for the role is newly acquired 17-year-old Nika Dzalamidze. The Georgian starlet, on loan from Baia Zugdidi, will need some time with the reserves before he is truly ready, but scouting reports suggest that he could be the future of CSKA’s attacking midfield.

Should CSKA have an excellent payout for Krasic—and all signs suggest they will, with the likes of Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, and Manchester United considered possible buyers—the club may also be considering an expensive transfer of their own in the summer. There is a precedent insofar as they acquired Mark González after dealing Yuri Zhirkov to Chelsea last year. But with their current financial problems, however, this year’s mid-season transfer options remain more ambiguous.

The brightest pick up of the off-season was certainly Keisuke Honda. The attacking midfielder surprisingly surprised people with his performance against Sevilla in the Champions League given that he already showed his exceptional qualities—admittedly on a lesser stage—with VVV-Venlo earlier this season in the Eredivisie. His talents combine speed, intelligence, and an ability to shoot with power with both feet. While it may take a little time for him to adjust to Russia, he will be a standout performer throughout the year.

One of the major questions looming over CSKA appears to be how to accommodate the overlapping talents of Alan Dzagoev—deemed the latest savior of Russian football–and Honda, whose pressure from his home country of Japan should not be underestimated. Greater than even the issue of dealing with Krasic’s absence come the summer, this central playmaking quandary will be the greatest test of Slutsky’s pluck.

What appears as the most likely solution is Slutsky playing, for all intents and purposes, a 4-1-3-2, with Honda finding a spot in central midfield as a playmaker at the expense of a holding player (most likely Deividas Semberas). This would require Dzagoev to be pushed further into attack as a supporting striker for Tomas Necid.

As an offensive move this sounds quite nice, initiating a very aggressive style in the midfield. The tactic, however, comes with the threat of exposing the listless central defense of Vasily Berezeutsky and Ignashevich. While Yevgeny Aldonin has shown his ability to cover for the back line, is he fit enough to handle the role without Semberas as a partner?

If Stlutsky is feeling less adventurous, another possible way to utilize Honda would be to occasionally place him on the left-wing in replace of Mark Gonzalez. Currently, however, Slutsky has preferred to have Pavel Mamaev available as a late substitute for the Chilean, but with Daniel Carvalho sent on loan to Al-Arabi (Qatar), Honda does provide additional coverage. But using Honda wide is less likely, even though he does have experience on the wing, given that he is a natural playmaker who excels more with short, quick passes rather than long crosses.

But no matter how Slutsky handles Dzagoev and Honda, there is the unmistakable absence of Vágner Love up top. While Necid does show moments of real strength and Guilherme has good speed, both lack Love’s tenacity. It is easy to understand the trepidation of CSKA supporters who bemoaned Love’s return to Brazil (where he currently is on loan with Flamengo). He was undeniably the core of CSKA’s attack for five seasons.

That is where Seydou Doumbia belatedly comes in. The widely coveted 22-year-old Ivorian, currently finishing the season with BSC Young Boys (Switzerland), will be available in July, at which time CSKA have high hopes that he will continue to excel inside the box, striking a balance of pace and power that CSKA enjoyed from the braided wonder for so many years. Granted, Doumbia’s youth could be an issue at first, but his tallying nineteen goals in nineteen appearences this year (and thirty-nine in less than two years of action) for the Young Boys, is the effect of creative play and an ability to sniff out good chances in the area—something CSKA is lacking at the moment.

In the meantime, there remains an issue of depth up top that, at least when one scans the list of strikers on their books that they have loaned out to other clubs around the world, the club seems unconcerned with. The virtual cavalcade of loans include Ouwo Moussa Maazou (Monaco, France), Ricardo Jesus (Larissa, Greece), Dawid Janczyk (Germinal Beerschot, Belgium), 18-year-old Nigerian Ganiyu Oseni (Espérance Tunis, Tunisia), Nikita Burmistrov (Amkar Perm), and Aleksandr Kudryavtsev (FK Shinnik Yaroslavl). Some of the loans are a sign of experiments gone awry, the result of the club looking to cut its losses. Others are young talents that CSKA is willing to patiently wait for with the hopes they will blossom. But either way, one gets the sense that Slutsky has enough faith in Necid and Guilherme, and the occasional appearance from young Anton Zabolotny, at least until Doumbia’s summer arrival. That faith is not blind, but it could be dangerous.

Prediction: 4^th place. The competition for the top five spots in 2010 is the fiercest in years–if not ever. While CSKA have a very good chance of grabbing a Champions League place (we could have easily predicted 3^rd for them), the issues surrounding the forward position in the first half of the season will be coupled with poor defending later in the year as the back-line grows even more sluggish.

Probable Starting XI (4-2-3-1): Igor Akinfeev; Alexey Berezutsky, Vasily Berezutsky, Sergey Ignashevich, Georgi Shchennikov; Yegeny Aldonin, Kesiuke Honda; Milos Krasic, Alan Dzagoev, Mark Gonzalez; Tomas Necid.

The Super Cup between Rubin Kazan and CSKA Moskva on Sunday at Luzhniki is undeniably not a friendly. That is, as long as you listen to the words of CSKA Moskva coach Leonid Slutsky. The skipper, who will start his first full season with CSKA [...]]]>

Will the Super Cup mark Alan Dzagoev's return to health?

The Super Cup between Rubin Kazan and CSKA Moskva on Sunday at Luzhniki is undeniably not a friendly. That is, as long as you listen to the words of CSKA Moskva coach Leonid Slutsky. The skipper, who will start his first full season with CSKA next Friday, has said in the run-up to the cup match that he is certain it will be a battle but that he hopes by the end of the afternoon that he will walk away with his first Russian trophy.

CSKA do know a thing or two about this specific hardware. In the Super Cup last year the Army Men came away with their fourth such trophy, an impressive account given that only seven have been handed out. The defeat of Rubin Kazan in the 112^th minute–when an unmarked Tomas Necid found his way onto a pass in the box that he was able to chest past Roman Sharonov and kick past a diving Sergey Ryzhikov—appears not to have stung Rubin as badly as CSKA fans may have wished. Sergei Semak, for one, has gone on record as saying that he sees the challenge as mere preparation for his club’s Europa League match-up against Wolfsburg on 11 March.

Regardless of opinions about the significance of the match going in, spectators should expect a stimulating match once it begins. While both clubs are likely to not want a repeat of the extra-time of 2009–what with the 2010 season starting in one week’s time and both clubs having European engagements to still attend to—it will still be hard fought.

For both coaches it will also be an opportunity to tinker with their starting XI.

Rubin will be without Aleksandr Ryazantsev, still out with an injury picked up in the first leg of the club’s Europa tie against Hapoel Tel Aviv. His absence will once again allow Alan Kasaev to receive playing time—and should he perform well we should expect to see him even more often than we had in 2009.

Gurban Berdiýew will once again be able to experiment in finding the right combination for his back line. With Roman Sharonov out, Lasha Salukvadze is bound to receive a start in defense. However, Berdiýew will need to decide if it will be at right-back or in the center. Recent outings have seen Yevgeny Balyaikin play as the full-back, but with the arrival of Jordi we could see a novel look for Rubin.

Finally, Berdiýew may allow young striker Igor Portnyagin to get a run-on. Having been impressive throughout the training sessions this off-season, a good showing could go a long way in securing a less-fleeting spot on Rubin’s roster.

Turning to their competitors, CSKA Moskva will be without the services of Yevgeny Aldonin. Slutsky will be glad his defensive midfielder’s injury does not appear serious but may be equally happy to try out a different look in central midfield. If Alan Dzagoev is healthy enough to play, the Super Cup may be the first time in which he and Keisuke Honda are able to play alongside one another. With similar playmaking abilities their mutual presence may strike some as redundant, but Slutsky—if feeling aggressive—may want to see what a more attacking-minded approach would look like.

With the transfer window shutting in a matter of days, here is a run down of late activity in the Russian Premier-Liga:

–Zenit St. Petersburg has signed Danko Lazović from PSV. Reports have suggested that Zenit acquired the versatile forward for €5 million.

–FK Moskva left-back Dacosta Goore has finally [...]]]>

It's official: Dacosta Goore joins Alaniya Vladikavkaz

With the transfer window shutting in a matter of days, here is a run down of late activity in the Russian Premier-Liga:

–Zenit St. Petersburg has signed Danko Lazović from PSV. Reports have suggested that Zenit acquired the versatile forward for €5 million.

–FK Moskva left-back Dacosta Goore has finally signed a contract with FK Alaniya Vladikavkaz. The deal has been set for three years.

Alaniya director Aleksandr Stelmach has stated in an interview with Sport-Express that he does not believe Goore is his club’s last purchase:“There are a couple of positions that we hope fill with either experienced or promising young players.”

–Terek Grozny announced today they have signed a loan deal for Cruzeiro defender Anderson Mineiro. The 23-year-old has most recently been playing Náutico.

Terek director Gregory Esaulenko has stated that the club will decide as early as May whether or not a long-term deal will be made for the left-back.

Mineiro, while typically a left-back, can play a more advanced midfield role. An all-around full-back, he has the speed needed to go forward as well as a tenacity tracking back and enough presence in the box to help on set pieces.

–Spartak Nalchik has acquired two players. A six-month contract has been signed with Congolese forward Patrick Echkini and 21-year-old defender Ivan Lapin has also been acquired on loan from Zenit St. Petersburg.

Last season Lapin appeared on loan with FK Rostov, where played in three matches. A member of Zenit’s reserves since 2007, he typically plays at left-back.

In addition to the acquisitions, two possible Slovenian recruits appear to now longer be options; striker Aleksander Rodić and  defender Boris Mijatovič have left Spartak’s camp, according to Sport-Express.

Coach Yury Krasnozhan has confirmed that the moves conclude Nalchik’s off-season recruitment.

–Tom Tomsk has finalized a deal for 20-year-old Korean defender Park Hye-Sun. A three-year deal has been brokered for the young right-back, who has most recently been with Incheon United (Republic of Korea).

Initially being invited to train with Tom’s youth squad, Park made a favorable impression on the club’s coaching staff—prompting the long-term deal. While no information was forthcoming from the club, he may even be included in the club’s senior squad in 2010. He becomes the third Korean player to join Tom Tomsk this off-season, joining compatriots Shin Young-Rok and Kim Nam-Il.

Winning the First Division championship is nothing [...]]]> The last time FK Anzhi Makhachkala was promoted to the Russian Premier-Liga they made a dramatic, immediate impact by finishing in fourth place and earning an invitation to the UEFA Cup. Ten years later, however, bookies and analysts alike see a repeat of such history to be highly implausible.

Winning the First Division championship is nothing to sniff at, of course, but it is a widely held belief that the Dagi’s rise, while impressive, may have unfortunately been premature. Anzhi’s coach Omari Tetradze admitted as much when shortly after winning promotion he openly declared that his club needed ten new players if they were to be competitive in the RPL. Not quite the vote of confidence that his players were probably hoping for. And a tad uncouth given the fact that Tetradze knew that his budget—one of the smallest in the top-flight–would not allow such rampant expenditure.

Perhaps the coach’s statement was an old-school, psychological ploy to motivate his squad, a less-than polite suggestion that no one’s spot is safe. On the other hand, given that the number of Anzhi newbies has almost reached his audacious benchmark, Tetradze’s proclamation actually seems more than a tactical ploy.

Anzhi’s strength last year stemmed from their stamina. At the point when the form of most clubs plummets they pulled off some impressive victories late in the marathon season to eclipse Sibir Novosibirsk for the title. But that strength appears to have come at a cost, as Tetradze has admitted this week that he and his staff have major concerns over the club’s conditioning, a suggestion—or caveat to the fans–that some troubles may be in store early in the season.

Add that disconcerting physical condition to some emotional preseason events and Anzhi have an even steeper hill to climb. First there was the totally baffling dustup during a friendly that saw one Anzhi staffer throw punches at a Ukrainian referee (fines pending). Then, not wanting to be topped on the absurdity scale, recent recruit Youssef Rabeh decided to lose his mind. Two weeks ago Rabeh unexpectedly announced he was retiring from football (at the age of 24!), but only after he robbed his roommate Todor Timonov and went missing for a week. Not only did he create a major distraction within the ranks, Rabeh’s behavior has left Anzhi with a legal battle with Sofia Levski, his former employer, as they try to reclaim the transfer funds. The soap-opera exploits have certainly cast a shadow over Anzhi’s final preseason preparations but, it should be remembered, Rabeh’s addition could have been a real boost to the club’s back line. A strong, albeit erratic, presence in the center—when he can harness his chaos he is a tough defender. (Not too surprisingly, Rabeh has reportedly decided to come out of his early retirement and reports out of Morocco today have suggested he may resurface with Maghreb Tetouan back in his home country. If true, Anzhi may look to add another defensive player to the squad, but time is running out.)

Rabeh-gate highlights one aspect of Anzhi’s plight that Tetradze is all too familiar with: players are simply reluctant to move to Makhachkala. Those that do join the cause, the coach has suggested, typically lack a real desire to fight for the club—a deficiency that will be exponentially more important in the battle they face in the top flight.

Given their modest ambitions and limited resources, however, the club has done relatively well on the transfer market. No marquee names have been brought it, but that’s not Anzhi’s style. Instead, Tetradze has cautiously looked toward plugging a few of the more obvious holes in the squad.

The first significant acquisition was made to address the club’s problem at right-back. Mahir Shukurov, transferred from Inter Baku in January, is a noteworthy upgrade from Edik Sadzhaya, who has moved on to FK Volga Nizhny Novgorod. Shukurov, who has 38 caps for his home country of Azerbaijan, is of relatively small stature but quick and intelligent down the flank. His work will be supported by 25-year-old Rasim Tagirbekov, who was voted the best defender of the First Division in 2009 after appearing in every match for Anzhi—no small feat. He will certainly be tested alongside a new partner, Mitar Peković, who joins the club from Serbian side FK Vojvodina after being acquired on a free transfer. Stepping in for the Rabeh, he may lack in speed but Peković is a no-nonsense defender whose imposing frame makes him proficient in the air.

Not to be underestimated, Georgia international keeper Nukri Revishvili has also joined from Rubin Kazan. The 23-year-old is considered to have a bright future ahead of him and his talents will be called upon, for sure, throughout the season. He will have some competition for keeper duties, however, as last-year’s netmonger Ilya Abayev is also competent.

The left-back position appears to be Anzhi’s weakness in defense. Whether Kébé will finally come to life or young hopeful Ali Gadzhibekov will get more on-the-pitch experience still remains uncertain. But that issue may also be compounded by a relatively weak defensive midfield. Zurab Arziani has only recently begun to train with the squad and may be unavailable at the immediate start of the season, perhaps making recent pickup Andrey Streltsov (from Khimki) fill-in alongside Mikhail Bakaev.

With the loss of Otar Martsvaladze, Jan Holenda will be even more vital up top for Anzhi (Photo: Associated Press)

Anzhi’s offensive-minded midfield is highlighted by Nicolae Josan, who has put in two solid seasons with the club since joining from  Iskra-Stal Rîbniţa (Moldova). Aggressive when given space, the 26-year-old combines decent passing with a hard shot to lead his club’s forward advances. But their solid, if unspectacular, midfield seems the least of Tetradze’s concerns once we consider the striking core.

While we can only speculate on the true cause of his departure, the loss of forward Otar Martsvaladze, the club’s top goal scorer last year, is a gigantic loss for the club. Signing on with FK Volga Nizhny Novgorod in the last few days, Anzhi’s attack has, as a result, become rather anemic. Martsvaladze had battled back from injuries to become a hard-working, efficient striker. The former Dynamo Kyiv player scored 13 goals in 21 appearances last season and his production will be sorely missed.

But Anzhi’s strength has been its communal approach in attack. Close to twenty players scored a goal for the club in 2009 and by the end of the season Anzhi had the highest tally of any club—58 goals over the course of 37 grueling matches.

The same piecemeal approach will be instituted, but this time with a significantly trimmed squad. Anzhi did scour the market for a striker earlier this year and came back with a promising body; 24-year-old Jan Holenda, from Sparta Prague, who  brings with him a strong right boot and some experience in European competition. The Czech player’s rendezvous with Anzhi marks his first assignment outside of his home country so adaptation may be an issue. After seeing Holenda build a nice partnership with Bony Wilfried at Sparta—operating more as a supporting attacker rather than pure striker—Anzhi initially saw him as a good fit alongside Martsvaladze. Now, however, it appears that his own goal scoring abilities will be put to a greater test.

The absence of Martsvaladze may also effect the use of Anzhi’s other new attacking threat, CSKA Sofia’s Todor Timonov. Typically a left-winger, Timonov could be asked to push even further forward and hopefully develop a strong chemistry with Holenda.

Three other, more marginal, forwards will also see playing time. We should first not discount the services of the club president’s son, Magomed Magomedov, who was moderately effective as a substitute striker last year, tallying four goals in nineteen appearances. In addition, Revazi Barabadze has returned to the club after a year-long absence. The young Georgian proved he still has a knack for goal this week, heading in a nice goal for his country’s under-21 team in their defeat of Estonia. Finally, veteran striker Vital Bulyga—currently with BATE Borisov, but most known in Russia for his tenure with Krylia Sovetov Samara, has been training with Anzhi and appears to be close to finalizing a deal.

Prediction: 14^th place. With little depth, injuries may play a major role in Anzhi’s struggle to stay afloat. But should they stay healthy, the club will sort out initial defensive problems to give mid- to lower-mid table clubs some difficulty, particularly at home in Dinamo Stadium. There RPL future will be decided late in the season, but regardless of the final outcome Anzhi’s matches against Caucus rivals Terek Grozny, Spartak Nalchik, and Alaniya Vladikavkaz are bound to be memorable.

Probable Starting XI (4-2-3-1): Nukri Revishvili; Mahir Shukurov, Mitar Peković, Rasim Tagirbekov, Ali Gadzhibekov; Mikhail Bakaev, Zurab Arziani; Gocha Khojava, Nicolae Josan, Todor Timonov; Jan Holenda.

With their fundamental [...]]]> Their fans will think otherwise, but FK Alania Vladikavkaz should relish in the general lack of expectations that awaits them in 2010. Inclusion in the Premier-Liga, of course, was a belated surprise for the Snow Leopards and has ushered in hurried moves by their management in order to cobble together a competitive squad.

With their fundamental task being the avoidance of relegation—a mission that appears quite realistic–there are still real concerns about both the defense and the attack.

Most would agree that new head coach Vladimir Shevchuk–most recently an assistant to Valery Gazzaev at CSKA Moskva and Dynamo Kyiv–has a stiff challenge facing him this season. After signing on with the club in the off-season, the former Saturn and Khimki manager was in no hurry to acquire players, most likely given budget constraints. But while enough quality was observed in the squad to foresee Alania being title contenders in the First Division, the assessment rapidly shifted upon the RPL invitation. But with the greater challenge comes a greater budget—not spectacular enough to meet the rabid fans’ ambitions but certainly enough to add some core strength in defense and some strategically placed loans to handle attacking responsibilities.

Much of the difficulty in evaluating the current instantiation of Alania is due to the clean slate they appear to be working with. Having released fifteen players in total, the only players that remain from the starting squad are central defender Ibrahim Gnanu—who, incidentally, becomes the first Burkinabé player to ever appear in the Premier League—the Bazayev brothers, Jambulad and Georgy, and possibly striker Serghei Dadu, their highest goalscorer last year. Dadu’s position in the starting squad has become questionable, however, after Alania has secured the loan services of Eldar Nizamutdinov and Serhiy Kuznetsov. The squad shuffling brings with it questions of chemistry—a fact certain demonstrated in Alania’s poor friendly results at the end of February—but a few weeks into the season should give us an indication of the real cohesion of the club.

In February Alania, in a rather comical bid to show their RPL intent, expressed an interest in buying out FK Moskva’s remaining players. There was no further word on whether their wholesale purchase was ever seriously attempted—we should expect not–but we do know it did not materialize. Instead, the club has signed nine players from around Russia and nearby countries—and more could be on the way. Ivorian full-back Dacosta Gore, however, could join them shortly, which would make him the only former Cap. Alania director Aleksandr Stelmach maintains negotiations with the defender are ongoing and a final decision should be made shortly.

Keepr Dmitry Khomich returns to Alania in 2010

Not a point that needs belaboring, but an anxious club worrying over relegation does themselves a good service when focusing on defense. Grinding out results will be pivotal and for Alania one of the most important acquisitions to that hopeful effect has been the return of Spartak Moskva goalkeeper Dmitry Khomich. Rejoining his hometown club, having played with Vladikavkaz between 2001 and 2004, the 25-year-old is certainly a talented player. Finding consistent playing time will certainly be mutually beneficial for Khomich, who has most recently shared time between the sticks while on loan with Spartak Nalchik, and his new club. Alania have also added Zenit St. Petersburg keeper Mikhail Kerzhakov on loan for the year as cover.

As support for their new keeper, defender Ivan Ivanov has been transferred from CSKA Sofia. A disciplined center-back, he will certainly help take the pressure off partner Gnanu. Of adequate but not exceptional size, Ivanov will also help out on set pieces—the Bulgarian international has had a knack for the goal over the last two seasons.

Abdoul-Gafar Mama has also recently been added to the back line, arriving from Sheriff Tiraspol (Moldova). While a major boost to the right side of Alania’s attack, his forward momentum has often left a gap in the back. Shevchuk may be inclined to reel him in, but will that would minimize his effectiveness. Instead, Alania will require strong defensive support from new defensive midfielder Sani Kaita to cover back from midfield. On loan from AS Monaco (France) Kaita’s stint with Alania marks a continuation of his stay in Russia, having played with both FK Kuban Krasnodar and Lokomotiv Moskva last season.

And, finally, to round out the defense, Dacosta Goore is likely to join the club. He is a technically sound left-back who is not too adventurous going forward—or at least was fairly limited in his advances with the conservative-minded FK Moskva. However, he is able to make clean passes and uses his speed well to protect down the flank. He will be a hugely important addition.

In the midfield, winger Ivan Stoyanov, also in from CSKA Sofia, will likely be the biggest surprise addition once his talents are made aware to RPL clubs. Some clubs do already know of him; both Spartak Moskva and CSKA Moskva sought his right-foot abilities. With a dangerous shot and decent crossing abilities, much of Alania’s offense will be funneled through the winger.

Just today, Dinamo Moskva has announced that central midfielder Yury Kirillov will spend 2010 on loan with Alania. At 20-years-old Dinamo see him as a major prospect but just not ready for the limelight. He will certainly get more playing time with Alania—making it a great loan deal—but it will be interesting to see if Kirillov competes for a spot with one of the veteran Bazayevs.

Also, not to be underestimated, experienced holding midfielder Anton Mashukov has been picked up from Spartak Nalchik—one of the core members of a surprisingly impressive defense last year.

The forward position remains the weakest element of Alania’s squad. Alania settled on two loans; Eldar Nizamutdinov, from FK Khimki, and Serhiy Kuznetsov from Karpaty Lviv (Ukraine). In 2009 the 28-year-old Nizamutdinov spent the second half of season on loan with Spartak Moskva, where he played in five matches and picked up one goal. Though not the most talented of strikers, Nizamutdinov has enough RPL experience to be a decent contributor. Kuznetsov has looked decent for Karpaty in the first half of the Ukrainian season—netting five goals in 16 matches. Talented in the air, Kuznetsov has a solid frame and enough finesse to make a real impact in Alania’s attack. The question, however, will be whether or not he can be consistent. But Dadu and Nizamutdinov will get their chances regardless.

Significant departures for Alania include Andriy Proshyn, who has moved to FK Rostov. Having played 23 matches last season he was a useful member of the squad’s defense but Ivanov’s addition should be considered an upgrade.

Also, midfielder Tomáš Čížek and defender Nikola Valentić have left the squad for FK Sibir Novosibirsk—jumping ship before Alania’s promotion was made official. Striker Aleksandr Yarkin’s loan from Rubin Kazan has expired and has subsequently ended up with FK Krasnodar. And, finally, the loan of CSKA’s forward Dmitry Ryzhov has expired and the 20-year-old has been dutifully sent to FK Ural for his next loan spell.

Out of the Premier League for four years, Alania haven’t finished in the top half of the top flight in over a decade. While the cynically minded could point to the Red and Yellow only being given their invite on account of FK Moskva’s demise, it still should be noted that Alania’s management has miraculously turned the club around in a very short period of time. Don’t call it a resurrection, but with many considering Alania likely to finish twelfth or thirteenth in the league this year it certainly looks to be a good start. Especially if you recall that at this time four years ago the club was planning how to handle a harsh demotion to the Second Division. Those Spartak Vladikavkaz days–back when they were led by the striking ability of one Stanislav Dubrovin–seem oh so long ago.

Probable starting line-up (4-2-3-1): Dmitry Khomich; Abdoul-Gafar Mama, Ivan Ivanov, Ibrahim Gnanu, Dacosta Goore; Sani Kaita, Aslan Mashukov*; Jambulad Bazayev, Georgy Bazayev; Ivan Stoyanov; Kuznetsov/Dadu

*Holding midfielder Aslan Mashukov, who has only recently been transferred from Spartak Nalchik, will be out for two to three months after suffering a leg injury. We could expect Vitaly Chochiyev to fill in at the start of the season.

The Russian football media has been abuzz after a Dutch report has linked PSV forward Danko Lazović with a move to Zenit St. Petersburg.

The Russian transfer window remains open for two weeks and Zenit coach Luciano Spalletti is eager to add a new striker. [...]]]>

PSV's Danko Lazović (R) linked with Zenit (Photo: Reuters/David W Cerny)

The Russian football media has been abuzz after a Dutch report has linked PSV forward Danko Lazović with a move to Zenit St. Petersburg.

The Russian transfer window remains open for two weeks and Zenit coach Luciano Spalletti is eager to add a new striker. According to a story in De Telegraaf, the Bald Eagle’s latest object of intrigue is the 26-year-old Serbian international.

After five years in the Netherlands, Lazović appears interested in moving abroad. He has already stated that he would welcome a move to Zenit–where a lucrative personal contract surely awaits—but only at the end of the Eredivisie season. The forward is concerned, however, that his current club is not interested in making the move and has insisted that it is out of his hands. His contract is valid through 2012, but given the Red White Army’s current budget deficit, moving the attacker is a strong option.

Zenit will most likely have to up their initial offer, which was believed to be in the region of €5 million, a low bid given PSV’s €7 million payout to Vitesse for his transfer in 2007.

PSV coach Fred Rutten has made it clear that he wants Lazović to stay in Eindhoven. No surprise given that Lazović has been a major contributor to the side, which currently sits at the top of the Dutch league with nine rounds remaining in the season.

Comments made by general manager Jan Reker suggest that the club’s front office will be discussing the transfer in the upcoming days but he did not disclose any further details.

For Rutten, Lazović has been deployed as a right forward in PSV’s characteristic 4-3-3, a formation that has utilized the Serbian’s dangerous right-foot more for its service abilities than for outright goal-scoring. With that said, Lazović does have five goals this season in 24 league appearances and one additional goal in Europa League competition. He has also been quite successful for the Serbia national team, scoring 10 goals in 33 matches.

Spartak Moskva is the latest club to profit from FK Moskva’s liquidation.

As anticipated, over the weekend Spartak Moskva announced the signing of FK Moskva’s Aleksandr Sheshukov.

For the 26-year-old defensive midfielder the transfer marks the return to the club he virtually began his career—playing [...]]]>

Aleksandr Sheshukov returns to Spartak after seven years (Photo: Dmitry Korotayev/Epsilon/Getty Images)

Spartak Moskva is the latest club to profit from FK Moskva’s liquidation.

As anticipated, over the weekend Spartak Moskva announced the signing of FK Moskva’s Aleksandr Sheshukov.

For the 26-year-old defensive midfielder the transfer marks the return to the club he virtually began his career—playing with People’s team in 2002-03. Prior to joining FK Mosvka in 2008, Sheshukov also spent over three years with FK Luch-Energiya Vladivostok.

The club has stated that a “long-term contract” has been agreed upon, but no further specifics have been revealed.

Sheshukov has already begun training with Spartak, playing 57 minutes of their friendly against Terek Grozny on Sunday.

A bit less expected is the news that Branko Ilič is also close to a move across town to join Spartak. The 27-year-old defender’s “99 % chance” (according to his agent) makes sense in light of Spartak’s recent announcement that Roman Shishkin may be sent on loan shortly—a move that would have left them with out much coverage at the right-back position. However, Shishkin continues to train with Spartak.

Ilič, who joined the Citizens permanently from Real Betis (Spain) last September after spending part of 2009 on loan in Moskva, is also able to play as a central defender. He has also occasionally lined up as left-back for the Slovenia national team.

Spartak, in order to make room for their new acquisitions, continues to sent players out on loan assignments. Over the weekend it was been revealed that 21-year-old defender Andrey Ivanov will return on loan to Tom Tomsk. According to Sport-Express, the clubs have agreed to one-year assignment for the player, who should be joining his new club 5 March. For Ivanov this will be his second year with the Siberian club, where he played in 19 matches overall in 2009.

Here is Bill’s map for the 2010 Russian Premier League:

Click on the map for [...]]]> One of the most useful tools for football fans with a global curiosity is Bill’s Sports Maps.  For various leagues (not just football), Bill Turianski gives a geographic identity to teams that would otherwise be nothing more than names in a report.

Here is Bill’s map for the 2010 Russian Premier League:

Click on the map for a full size version which, thankfully, is much bigger. It also has 2009 attendance figures for each of the league’s clubs as well as some historical information on each team’s past accomplishment, through which you can see five clubs in the league have been in the league for each of the Premier’s nineteen seasons.

Bill’s site can be a bit addicting. The maps are so well done that you’ll end up clicking through maps of Asian baseball leagues, defunct hockey leagues (World Hockey Association), and if you’re so inclined, the other kind of football: gridiron.

Particularly for a league like Russia – taking place in such a huge country, a country people in the West know little about – Bill’s maps are a great tool for getting people more interested in the league.

Spartak Moskva has trimmed their defensive squad, announcing one loan move and apparently readying a second.

On Friday Spartak revealed that the club has decided Egor Filipenko will not return to the fold for 2010. The 21-year-old has been sent on loan to FK [...]]]>

Egor Filipenko has been sent on loan to Sibir (Photo: AP/Efrem Lukatsky)

Spartak Moskva has trimmed their defensive squad, announcing one loan move and apparently readying a second.

On Friday Spartak revealed that the club has decided Egor Filipenko will not return to the fold for 2010. The 21-year-old has been sent on loan to FK Sibir Novosibirsk for the year.

After starting last season on loan with Tom Tomsk, the young defender returned to Spartak in the summer, featuring in five matches and even scoring one goal. With the loan addition of Marek Suchý this off-season the club now has a number of options in central defense. While Filipenko has continued to improve his game, Spartak’s managment see his prospects for more match time, obviously, to be elsewhere.

The former FK BATE Borisov player has already been capped 15 times for the Belarus senior squad.   

In addition to moving Filipenko, 23-year-old full-back Roman Shishkin, who spent last year with Krylia Sovetov Samara, will most likely be returning to Krylia or joining Spartak Nalchik on loan for 2010.

Shishkin has been training with Spartak’s main squad and was scheduled to leave with the squad for their final training sessions in Turkey on Friday. Should he leave Spartak for one of the loan options, coach Valery Karpin will, of course, still has Sergey Parshivlyuk  scheduled to start at right-back with Yevgeni Makeyev as cover.

FK Rostov has made what appears to be their final moves of the offseason, signing midfielder Dragan Blatnjak and securing the loan of striker Aleksandr Pavlenko from Spartak Moskva.

Blatnjak, a former Khimki player, holds the distinction of being FK Moskva’s last signing after he committed [...]]]>

Dragan Blatnjak is the latest acquisition in Rostov busy off-season

FK Rostov has made what appears to be their final moves of the offseason, signing midfielder Dragan Blatnjak and securing the loan of striker Aleksandr Pavlenko from Spartak Moskva.

Blatnjak, a former Khimki player, holds the distinction of being FK Moskva’s last signing after he committed to a two-year deal with the Citizens in December. Able to play throughout the midfield, it is expected that Blatnjak will provide coverage for an aging Aliaksandr Kulchiy in the center (though he tends to play a more advanced position)—as well fill in for Igor Lebedenko and Timofei Kalachev on the wings.

Rostov have not announced any specific details of a contract but the versatile Croatian has joined the club’s ranks in Turkey. One hitch is that at the moment Rostov are unable to sign new players until they pay debts they owe to former players Sergey Kuznetsov and Pyotr Gitselov, a decision handed down by the RFU on Friday.

Early this week Rostov also completed a deal to return Pavlenko to the squad, a move they had agonized over for many weeks. The 25-year-old striker attacking midfielder spent the second half of the 2009 season with RSM, contributing 3 goals in 9 appearances.

From the bitter cold of Kazan to a rare thunder shower in Tel Aviv, Rubin Kazan’s two-match fixture against Hapoel Tel Aviv will be remembered for its extreme weather. Down three goals on aggregate, the Tel Aviv club’s slim [...]]]>

From the bitter cold of Kazan to a rare thunder shower in Tel Aviv, Rubin Kazan’s two-match fixture against Hapoel Tel Aviv will be remembered for its extreme weather. Down three goals on aggregate, the Tel Aviv club’s slim chances coming into Thursday night were made even slimmer by heavy rain that slowed the pace considerably and allowed Rubin to patiently see out the ninety minutes comfortably.

Hapoel’s best chance of the half came in the first minute. The ball was crossed from the left to full-back Dani Bondarv whose shot took a deflection that forced a good reflex save from Sergey Ryzhikov.

An early goal would have dramatically changed the feel of the proceedings, but Hapoel could not sustain the burst of momentum.

Rubin were terrifically disciplined, keeping ten men behind the ball at almost all times. Knowing Hapoel were desperate to push forward, Rubin’s counterattacking approach almost put the fixture beyond any doubt in the tenth minute. A poorly headed backpass from Bondarv to Vincent Enyeama forced the keeper to drift well off his line. Aleksandr Bukharov beat the keeper to the ball and snaked his way toward goal. His pass back into the middle, however, could not pick out any teammates and the easy chance for a goal went for naught.

A second counter from Rubin came on the fourteenth minute from a poorly taken Hapoel corner. Alan Kasaev, filling in for Aleksandr Ryazantsev on the left, streamed down the flank and beat the final defender, Gal Shaish, in the box.  Tipping the ball back to Bukharov, the forward clumsily sent a six-yard shot wide of the right post.

Hapoel tried to move forward but were consistently flummoxed by Rubin’s well-aligned defense. One of their few chances came after a good run from Etey Shechter at César Navas that won the home side a twenty-eight yard free kick.  Bibras Natcho’s delivery was decent, but Douglas Da Silva could not head it down.

The last twenty-five minutes of the half lacked excitement, allowing Rubin to deflate the expectations of the Bloomfield crowd.

Hapoel started off the second half with another burst of energy, with Shechter beating a high offside trap to the left of goal. His angle was not the best and Ryzhikov effectively trapped the shot.

Bukharov found space behind Hapoel’s backline in the fifty-third minute, but missed another open chance–a dramatically different performance from a week ago. The forward hesitated enough to pull Enyeama of his line and beat the keeper to his left but the waterlogged pitch deadened the ball as it went across the goalmouth and squirted out of play.

In the last twenty minutes the Israeli side became a little more adventurous—earning a couple of chances inside the box by Schecter, off a corner, and Douglas da Silva but Rubin recovered.

Once again, Rubin found the better opportunities on their counterattack; but several more Kasaev shots were off the mark.

After one final golden chance from Tel Aviv that had Da Silva clip a shot off the post after a nice pass from Shechter, Rubin closed out the final quarter of an hour with little fanfare.

With the 3-0 aggregate victory Rubin Kazan advance to the round of sixteen in the Europa League. Their next opponent is a familiar one for Russian football. They will face Wolfsburg (Germany), who thumped Villarreal 4-1 at El Madrigal on Thursday to advance on a 6-3 aggregate. The first leg will take place in Kazan on 11 March.

Squads:

Hapoel (4-4-2): Enyeama; Shaish, Douglas da Silva, Badir, Bondarv (Kende, 56); Zahavi, Yadin (Huta, 82), Natcho, Vermouth; Shechter, Lala (Mare, 55).

Rubin (4-2-3-1): Ryzhikov; Ansaldi, Navas, Salukvadze, Kaleshin (Balyaikin, 51); Noboa, Murawski; Kasaev, Semak, Karadeniz, Bukharov (Kabze, 81).

Yellow Cards: Semak (48); Balyaikin (58), Navas (64), Kende (65), Shaish (65).

Referee: Pavel Kralovec (Czech Republic).

FK Alaniya Vladikavkaz has made initial strides to improve both their defense and attack.

On Thursday it was announced that the Snow Leopards have signed Spartak Moskva goalkeeper Dmitry Khomich as well as two CSKA Sofia [...]]]>

Dmitry Khomich is just one of several recent Alaniya signings as they rush to get ready for the top flight

FK Alaniya Vladikavkaz has made initial strides to improve both their defense and attack.

On Thursday it was announced that the Snow Leopards have signed Spartak Moskva goalkeeper Dmitry Khomich as well as two CSKA Sofia players.

While Khomich has been on the books of the People’s Team since 2005, he had most recently spent the better portion of two years on loan with Spartak Nalchik. Last season during his 11 appearances with Nalchik the club conceded 9 goals.

Alaniya CEO Aleksandr Stelmach, in comments made to Sovetski Sport, disclosed that the contract with the keeper is for three years.

Two additional signings have also been announced by the Vladikavkaz club. CSKA Sofia and Bulgaria national team midfielder Ivan Stoyanov and defender Ivan Ivanov have joined the club.

Stoyanov has penned a three-year deal while his compatriot has signed a four-year contract.

Stoyanov, a 26-year-old attacking midfielder, was strongly scouted by Spartak Moskva and CSKA Moskva earlier this off-season after scoring 8 goals in 13 matches for the Bulgarian Army club. In addition, Stoyanov showed himself to be one of Sofia’s best players during their Europa League campaign—time and again demonstrating his confident and powerful shooting abilities. His versatility in the midfield, being able to play wide as well as a central playmaker, is a significant boost to Alaniya’s attack.

Ivanov, a 21-year-old center-back, is most known in Russia for his match-winning header against Dinamo Moskva last August in the UEFA Europa League that sent CSKA to the group stage. While still not a fully polished central defender, Ivanov is the former captain of the Bulgaria U-21 national team and has five caps for the senior squad.

Several days ago Stelmach also announced his club’s loan acquisition of Sani Kaita from AS Monaco (France). The defensive midfielder was on loan with both FK Kuban Krasnodar and Lokomotiv Moskva last season. Kaita will be available for Alaniya during the first half of the season, hopefully allowing him to maintain match fitness in the run-up to the World Cup, where he hopes to participate for the Nigeria national team.

A second-half wonder strike from Mark González allowed CSKA Moskva to come away from Luzhniki with a 1-1 draw against a frugal Sevilla.

Having secured their away goal from a [...]]]>

An exceptional 35-yard strike from Mark González gives CSKA a fighting chance in the return leg of their Champions League tie against Sevilla (Photo: Alexey Ivanov)

A second-half wonder strike from Mark González allowed CSKA Moskva to come away from Luzhniki with a 1-1 draw against a frugal Sevilla.

Having secured their away goal from a tap-in from Álvaro Negredo, the visitors rather unadventurous approach had them on the ropes in the second half but was enough for them to return to Seville with the slimmest of advantages.

If only with possession as a barometer, Los nervionenses looked to have a slight edge in the early stages of the match. Fielding of a conservative lineup that had Negredo function as their lone striker and Adriano lined up on the left flank to try to neutralize Milos Krasic, it was clear from the beginning that Sevilla was going to focus on defense.

CSKA’s first decent chance came in the fifth minute, created by Tomas Necid jumping on a turnover in the attack to feed González in the box. The winger’s effort was rushed and too robust, sent well over the goal.

Sevilla recovered possession and had their own chance minutes later from Adriano, whose cross was just beyond the reach of Renato.

Keisuke Honda got into the mix early and had an exceptional first half in the midfield. His first fine touch would be a pass to Necid running toward the near right post. But Federico Fazio was too strong for the Czech forward and cleared the ball with a hefty tackle.

Two minutes later Honda initiated another attack, this time down the left. Eventually getting the ball to Milos Krasic on the far side, Fernando Navarro was the next Sevilla defender to calmly fend off CSKA’s growing confidence.

After setting up his teammates, Honda looked for his own shots. The first came in the thirteenth minute after too much space was conceded to the midfielder just outside the box. The attempt was solidly struck with his left foot but he only managed to find the side netting.

Sevilla calmly retained possession and controlled the pace soon thereafter, looking primarily through Jesus Navas for their moves forward. But once again CSKA looked threatening on eighteen minutes when Krasic, deep in attack on the right, crossed to the far side for González, who rushed a volley well off the mark rather than controlling the ball and looking for further options.

For their part, Sevilla looked solid in central defense. Julien Escudé’s experience and Fazio’s size were too much for Necid, who was taken out large portions of the match.

In the twenty-fifth minute Sevilla rushed into attack to score their only goal. The play was initially bunched along CSKA’s right flank. With the home squad slightly out of shape, Sevilla took advantage by pushing a ball through the middle to Adriano. Taking the ball in stride just inside CSKA’s half, the midfielder seemed to effortlessly catch Semberas too far forward, and swiftly sent the ball wide to Navas streaming down the right. After a momentary hesitation, Navas sent a perfect cross under the legs of Georgi Schennikov that evaded both the diving Igor Akinfeev, who couldn’t quite get off his line quickly enough, and the mistimed attempts to clear from Sergei Ignashevich and Vasily Berezoutsky. In the end the ball came to Negredo, who easily tapped it into goal.

With the tally Jimenez’s men could drop further back in midfield, keeping their shape while alternating between spells on the ball and patient sequences defending CSKA that saw them look to launch counterattacks.

Honda continued to look the most aggressive of CSKA’s offensive threats, showing some nice confidence with his shots, but they lacked the requisite accuracy.

Evgeny Aldonin, too, offered a shot just beyond the area that skipped wide right, but Sevilla looked comfortable absorbing the pressure and finished the half strongly.

CSKA, however, was a bundle of energy in the second half—sparked in the early minutes by a Krasic cross that Honda almost got on top of, which was deflected just wide of goal.

But Sevilla were more than willing to hold the ball, showing their satisfaction with the one goal lead. The corollary, for CSKA, was some hurried, anxious moves—particularly from González. In a stretch of open play the winger found was in space down the left but hurried a cross that was easily cleared.

Sensing a lapse in energy, Jimenez chose to sub out Adriano for Diego Perotti with a half hour remaining, an offensive change that almost had an immediate effect. In the sixty-third minute the winger exposed the slowness of CSKA’s central defense, earning a dangerously placed free kick for Negredo. The shot was not the best, though Akinfeev’s nervous attempt initially slipped out of his arms but was eventually corralled.

CSKA kept moving forward, and were awarded in the sixty-second minute with an amazing goal from González. The Chilean had been struggling all night, getting into space but not looking comfortable on the ball. But he made up for the earlier gaffs in style, finding some space in midfield and launching a 35-yard ball past Palop. A wicked top-corner goal.

The goal not only leveled the score but brought a wave of self-assurance—and fan support—for CSKA. With twenty minutes remaining CSKA placed a great deal of pressure on a Sevilla defense that looked anxious, but the home squad’s efforts were only rewarded with several corners.

Sevilla eventually recovered and slowed proceedings, doing well in the last ten minutes to push a little more forward to limit CSKA’s advances.

One final, golden opportunity did come for the Army club in the eighty-fifth minute. Vasily Berezoutsky fed a nice long pass to Necid, whose first two touches were well-worked to get past Fazio in the box. Palop, however, sped of his line to cut down the angle and made a desperate, lunging save—conceding only a corner. Necid will rue the missed chance, the striker’s best occasion to make up for a less than stellar performance.

With the match ending in a draw, a fair result on the whole, Sevilla will still feel the better-off squad. CSKA, however, have plenty to be proud of—particularly in their second-half showing—but will face the difficult task of having to be more aggressive in the second leg, needing at least a goal, while having to muster an even better defensive performance.

–

Starting squads:

Sevilla (4-2-3-1): Palop; Navarro, Fazio, Escude, Stankevicius; Zokora, Romaric; Adriano (Perotti, 59), Renato (Acosta, 89), Navas; Negredo (Kanouté, 76)

CSKA (4-2-3-1): Akinfeev, Schennikov, Ignashevich, V. Berezoutsky, A. Berezoutsky; Aldonin, Semberas; González, Honda (Mamaev, 83) , Krasic; Necid

Yellow cards: Aldonin (78), Gonzalez (80), Honda (82)

Referee: Felix Brych

FK Moskva and Belarus national goalkeeper Yuri Zhevnov has made a move to Zenit St. Petersburg.

On Tuesday Zenit announced the signing of the Citizens’ longtime keeper to a four-year contract.

Zhevnov had spent the last five seasons between the sticks for Moskva, playing in 128 matches overall. Last [...]]]>

Zhevnov heads to Zenit, but for how long?

FK Moskva and Belarus national goalkeeper Yuri Zhevnov has made a move to Zenit St. Petersburg.

On Tuesday Zenit announced the signing of the Citizens’ longtime keeper to a four-year contract.

Zhevnov had spent the last five seasons between the sticks for Moskva, playing in 128 matches overall. Last season, appearing in all but one league match for the Caps, the 28-year-old conceded 27 goals—a total somewhat tainted by the defensive collapse the club experienced at the end of the year.

For now Zhevnov will be excellent cover for Vyacheslav Malafeev, but given his experience and the fact that he is in the prime of his career it will be interesting to see if Zenit look to profit off his inexpensive acquisition by dealing him to another club in the future. Zenit will also have keepers Dmitry Borodin, back from a brief loan to FK Khimki, and Mikhail Kerzhakov available this season but sending either of them out on loan is certainly in the realm of possibility.

With the move, the list of Moskva players looking for employment is rapidly shrinking. Thus far Alex Rekbo has signed with Dinamo Moskva, Martin Jakubko seems to be headed to FK Saturn, and today it has been rumored that central defender Isaac Okoronkwo could soon be signing with Krylia Sovetov Samara. The 31-year-old Nigerian reportedly joined the Wings training camp this week, which is a positive sign for the club as they look to turn things around in 2010 despite their recent fiscal turmoil. An underrated defender, Okoronkwo had previously received interest from Steaua Bucharest as well as from clubs in Greece.

With only a few weeks before the season begins, the remaining Moskva players face the difficult prospect of finding immediate employment.

Reports have linked central defender/holding midfielder Aleksandr Sheshukov with a return to Spartak Moskva, where he briefly played in 2002-03.  There was also been some speculation that 24-year-old goalkeeper Anton Amelchenko could join FK Alania Vladikavkaz. However, in recent days the Belarusian himself downplayed the connection but did state that he hoped to stay within the RPL in 2010. Other speculations: defender Dacosta Goore may move to Terek Grozny or Alaniya Vladikavkaz and Branislav Krunić might consider a move back to Tom Tomsk.

Then in the second segment, your hosts say goodbye to Guus Hiddink as manager of the [...]]]>

Then in the second segment, your hosts say goodbye to Guus Hiddink as manager of the Russian National Team.  After briefly talking about how he may fair in Turkey, Chris and Andrew speculate the strong possibility of a domestic hire.  Then they set the table for continued discussion of the Kryliya Sovetov story and Alania Vladikavkaz’s invitation to the Premier Liga.

They close out the show by wrapping up a very good weekend for Russians Abroad and previewing CSKA Moskva’s huge showdown with Sevilla FC in the UEFA Champions League … all of this on the Russian Football Now show.

]]> http://www.russianfootballnow.com/2010/02/23/russian-football-now-podcast-26-europa-league-review-hiddink-to-turkey-kryliya-stay-flying-champions-league-preview/feed/ 3