On Monday morning Aleksandr Kerzhakov will officially join Zenit St. Petersburg.

The news was confirmed today on Zenit’s official website that the 27-year-old striker will make the move north, signing a four-year contract.

For the past two months Kerzhakov’s departure from Dinamo Moskva was to be expected after negotiations over [...]]]>

Aleksandr Kerzhakov returns to Zenit St. Petersburg

On Monday morning Aleksandr Kerzhakov will officially join Zenit St. Petersburg.

The news was confirmed today on Zenit’s official website that the 27-year-old striker will make the move north, signing a four-year contract.

For the past two months Kerzhakov’s departure from Dinamo Moskva was to be expected after negotiations over renewing his contract collapsed. Although a possible move to Hamburg was in the air, a return to St. Petersburg—effectively his home town club, where he started his Premier-Liga career—was considered more plausible.

Dinamo are expected to receive somewhere in the region of a €4 million transfer fee. As of yet, neither club has confirmed the final bill of sale.

Dinamo Moskva released their own statement on the club’s website later on Saturday, thanking the striker for his two years of service—where he played in 58 matches and scored 23 goals.

In remarks made to Sovetski Sport, Dinamo athletic director Konstantin Sarsania commented on the transition. “We are very happy,” said Sarsania, “that Aleksandr has finally determined his future. And we now have a better understanding of our future transfer plans. I want to thank Sasha for helping Dinamo for the past two years. And, of course, hope he has success with Zenit.”

Dinamo have made it very clear they are interested in bulking up their midfield attack. With the added monies from Kerzhakov’s transfer, we should expect that move shortly.

As for Zenit’s future plans, another forward is more than likely. Having unloaded Fatih Tekke to Trabzonspor and Sergei Kornilenko—whether to East London or southwest Siberia—being right behind him, there may be a yawning gap up front should Danny’s stay in St. Peterburg also be cut short. Stay tuned for more rumors from Italy.

It is the 31-year-old’s desire to stay near Moskva that now has FK Saturn Moskovskaya Oblast a-calling, according to Sport-Express.

Boyarintsev has effectively been made a free agent by Spartak, obliging [...]]]>

Denis Boyarintsev to stay near Moskva

• Yesterday we briefly chronicled Spartak Moskva’s favorite bald midfielder, Denis Boyarintsev, being eyed by FK Moskva.

It is the 31-year-old’s desire to stay near Moskva that now has FK Saturn Moskovskaya Oblast a-calling, according to Sport-Express.

Boyarintsev has effectively been made a free agent by Spartak, obliging the midfielder’s wishes despite being bound to a contract. Although he may have slowed a bit with age, the prospect of acquiring Boyarintsev’s experience without fee has Spartak’s cash-strapped neighbors making contact.

Joãozinho (the dude on the bottom) could fill-in on FK Moskva's left flank

• After losing Alexander Samedov and Edgaras Česnauskis to Dinamo Moskva, the FK Moskva are obviously lacking men on both flanks of their midfield.

The Citizens, perhaps sensing that their chances with Boyarintsev are slipping away, have been reportedly interested in PFC Levski Sofia’s midfielder Joãozinho. Club scouts will be deployed to Cyprus to observe the 21-year-old winger while the Bulgarian champs prepare for the second-half of their season.

Joãozinho was transferred to the Sofia club from Portuguesa (Brazil) in 2007 for €700,000. Expect him to move for a slightly larger fee this time around, perhaps €1 million.

• Never mind the fact that they have one of the top goalkeepers in the Premier Liga, Rubin Kazan has been giving a bit of thought to netminding. A day after bringing Leonid Musin into the fold to tryout for the club, Rubin has invited Moldovan goalkeeper Ilie Cebanu to their training camp in Turkey.

After a number of years wearing the gloves in Austria, Cebanu has been with Polish champions Wisla Kraków for the last year-and-a-half.

In his five Ekstraklasa appearances this year with the White Star the club has gone 5-0-0, earning 3 cleans sheets and conceding 3 goals.

• Amkar Perm’s right winger Mikhail Afanasyev could be switching clubs.

While he is contractually bound to Amkar through 2011, FK Krylia Sovetov Samara have whisked the Belarusian away from the banks of the Kama. At least temporarily, as the Feathers have brought in the 23-year-old for an evaluation.

The former FK BATE Borisov player received his first cap for his national team last November, but since joining Amkar in 2008 he has struggled for playing time.

And Some quick follow-ups:

• Soon Aleksandr Kerzhakov will officially join Zenit St. Petersburg.

According to BobSoccer the transfer from Dinamo Moskva is expected to be finalized as early as 13 or 14 of January. But it appears certain that by the end of the week the move will be made.

• Moussa Maazou’s French connection continues to grow stronger. Last weekend the 21-year-old striker flew to Monaco to settle the details on his move to Les Rouge et Blanc, according to L’Equipe.

Sergei Kornilenko could soon be in the EPL

Negotiations between the clubs haven’t gone without a hitch; the Ligue Un side is still attempting talk the Army Men down.

But it still appears likely that Maazou is destined for Monaco, who seem intent on taking the player on a 6 month loan, after which it is expected they will transfer him permanatly for a fee of around €5 million.

• The more-or-less banished Zenit forward Sergei Kornilenko will be with at Upton Park for the remainder of this week, undergoing the stop watches and measuring tape of West Ham United.

The Belarusian striker is apparently trying his hardest to find time, amidst the evaluation, to fill out paperwork to obtain a British visa. If all goes well Kornilenko will end up with West Ham on a loan deal.

Unbeknownst to Nikola Tesla, the work of his inventive mind inadvertently resulted in a major, long-lasting cliché employed in the world of sports journalism. Long story short, he did some fancy computations to establish frequency and electrical power levels that [...]]]>

Dinamo Moskva wanting the midfield talent of Mauro Fórmica, but Fórmica may not want Moskva

Unbeknownst to Nikola Tesla, the work of his inventive mind inadvertently resulted in a major, long-lasting cliché employed in the world of sports journalism. Long story short, he did some fancy computations to establish frequency and electrical power levels that led to early radar units that were subsequently used to detect the movement of objects. Soon thereafter “on their radar” began to be employed as a less direct way of saying, “x club is thinking of acquiring” or “x club is interested in.” So, a shout out to Mr. Tesla for allowing the following statement to make sense: bleeps are emanating from South America, where several footballers have suddenly shown up on the radar of two spend-happy Russian clubs.

• How do you spin the climate of Moskva?

While Andriy Voronin’s link to Dinamo Moskva awaits greater development, the White-Blues continue to look for other recruits.

The Policemen are currently huddled up, preparing their best arguments to convince Newell’s Old Boys’ Mauro Fórmica that Russia ain’t that bad.

Dinamo currently has plans to send a representative to Argentina to scout the midfielder / second striker during a pre-Clausura tournament set for 19-20 January.

“I’ve heard rumors [of Dinamo’s interest],” said the player, “but nothing concrete. When I get an offer we’ll talk.”

The interest in Fórmica should come as no surprise given how he has proved himself to be a dynamic player for Newell’s over the course of the last two seasons (in that time scoring 11 goals in 38 appearances). In addition to showcasing his scoring abilities, Fórmica was one of the contributing factors in the success of teammate Joaquín Boghossian, using his finesse and vision to set up the Uruguayan striker.

The 21-year-old, however, has serious reservations about committing himself to Russia: “In terms of the language and climate it would be difficult.” It is believed that the player will hold out for offers from Spain or Italy, but the story awaits further development.

“Money does not buy happiness,” Fórmica continued, “nor the love of family.”

Needless to say, Fórmica has never met Voronin.

• If you can’t rekindle Love try his friend.
  

  CSKA hope to pull off an upset: Diego Souza

CSKA Moskva cannot sit still. While the preseason inches closer, the army club still continues to snoop around, having every intention of making one or two more deals this month. Today the club’s rumors have circulated around Palmeiras’ attacking midfielder Diego Souza.

The 24-year-old has been with the Verdão for two years, but it was his stay at Fluminense that brought the Rio-born footballer to prominence, eventually leading to Benfica (Portugal) bringing him on board. Unfortunately he failed to really break though into the main squad while in Lisbon and was quickly farmed back out to Brazil, playing on loan first with Flamengo and then Grêmio.

The transfer fee four Souza is rumored to be near €7 million, but at the moment Palmeiras president Luis Gonzaga Belutstso has insisted that the player will not be leaving São Paulo in the near future.

• Salvio-ation

Zenit waiting to see if they can coax Eduardo Salvio

Zenit St. Petersburg has expressed some interest in 19-year-old Argentine striker/left-winger Eduardo Salvio.

With the talented youngster feeling that he has outgrown Lanùs, he is eager to make a quick move abroad. The likely candidate is Atlético Madrid, who has already claimed to be in the final stages of an agreement with the player. However, should the estimated €4 million transfer money not turn up in time perhaps Zenit could scoop up the player.

Salvio had several impressive performances this past year with El Granate —most memorably his late brace in the first leg of his club’s tie against River Plate in the Copa Sudamericana. At 19, he still has room for improvement. Regardless, he has already received 2 caps for Argentina and, while improbable, could find himself occupying a spot on the national squad in South Africa.

• Kerzhakov’s fate to be determined next week. Semshov hopefully has a bit more patience.

Dinamo athletic director Konstantin Sarsania answered questions posed by Sportbox regarding the situation connecting Igor Semshov with a return to the Policemen and the transfer of Aleksandr Kerzhakov to Zenit St. Petersburg.

“The first meeting of the squad will be without Semshov. The question of whether Igor will return to the Dinamo, however, will be clearer closer to 20 January.”

Igor Semshov could very well return to Dinamo

Semshov also offered his own perspective in earlier comments to Sportsbox, saying, “At the moment I am a Zenit player . . . as for Dinamo, as with proposals concerning any player moving to a different club, such negotiations are also usually made between the two clubs. So I do not know what is happening. I don’t know whether there are negotiations or not. The future is hazy  . . .  I’ve heard, of course, that Dinamo would like to have me back, but again, there are no specifics. We will wait for news.”

On the topic of Kerzhakov, Sarsania insisted, “he will not be with the Dinamo squad until 12 January, as we offered him the opportunity to train individually. By that time [the situation] will be made clear.”

• Lokomotiv Moskva has sent 20-year-old goalkeeper Artyom Gomelko on loan to FK Naftan Novopolotsk of the Belarusian Premier League. The deal has been designed for one year, according to Press-Ball.

The move will no doubt benefit the young keeper, who seeks consistent playing time prior to the final three qualification fixtures for the Belarus U-21 national team in August and September. The Belarusians have fared well thus far in the run up to the European Championship, having won 4 and lost 1—good enough for second place in Group 10.

• FK Alania Vladikavkaz, with thoughts of promotion in 2010 keeping them up at night, looks set to capitalize on CSKA’s strong youth program.

Today it has been reported that the North Ossetian club had two 19-year-old CSKA players in tow as they traveled to their first training camp. CSKA’s reserve-squad striker Aleksandr Kudryavtsev and midfielder Alan Alborov, who has been playing with Second Division squad FK Irtysh Omsk, will travel to Turkey with the Vladikavkaz club for a two-week camp.

According to Alania’s website, decisions on whether to offer contracts to new recruits will be made by 15 January. We could expect year-length loan agreements for the two CSKA youngsters if the club sees fit.

Unexpectedly, Dinamo Moskva strikers both of yesteryear and of today grace this version of spletnik. First we have the faintly remembered Anatoly Baidachny–who served the Policemen between 1969 and 1974. He’s grown older, and been around the [...]]]>

CCCP national team, circa 1972. If you look closely, Anatoly Baidachny is the furthest player to the left

Unexpectedly, Dinamo Moskva strikers both of yesteryear and of today grace this version of spletnik. First we have the faintly remembered Anatoly Baidachny–who served the Policemen between 1969 and 1974. He’s grown older, and been around the Eastern European bloc, but he’s back in the news taking over the head coaching job at Terek Grozny. Fast-forward 25 years or so and we encounter the present day turmoil surrounding Dinamo stirker Aleksandr Kerzhakov. Dinamo’s preparations for 2010 have begun but Kerzhakov is nowhere to be found.

• It’s Baidachny time.
  

  Terek Grozny's newest signing: coach Anatoly Baidachny

Anatoly Baidachny has been appointed the head coach of Terek Grozny.

The 57-year-old has been away from coaching since being fired by FK Darida Minsk Raion (Belarus) in 2007. However, Baidachny had been working as a consultant with interim coach Shahin Diniyev in Grozny after Vyacheslav Hrozny resigned at the end of October 2009.

Last month Shahin Diniyev had signed a three-year contract with Terek, but now he will take a back-seat to the former Belarus national team coach and appears content to return to his duties overseeing the reserve squad.

Baidachny,  a former Dinamo Moskva striker, is no stranger to Russian benches, having coached the now defunct FK Zhemchuzhina-Sochi (1998-99), FK Chernomorets Novorossiysk (2000-01) and FK Rostov (2001-02). In addition to the aforementioned Belarus national team (2003­-05), Baidachny served as manager on two separate occasions with Dinamo Minsk (1997, 2003).

“I was able to gain a familiarity with Terek at the end of last season,” said Baidanchny. “It is an interesting teamwith a good group of players It is also nice that they have a group of promising young players, some of whom we were able to check out near the end of the season. We plan to strengthen the squad in the near future at a few more positions and as we come closer to the end of the training camp we will have a clearer sense of the objectives for the new season.”

• Terek have also made reportedly signed a three-year contract with 25-year-old defender Antonio Ferreira. The 6ft. 3in. Brazilian Ferreira had been with Spartak Nalchik in 2009 after coming over from SK Liepājas Metalurgs (Latvia).

• The Case of the Missing Kerzhakov.

Where or where will Aleksandr Kerzhakov be in 2010?

Not exactly the stuff of Sherlock Holmes, but a bit of mystery surrounds disquited Dinamo Moskva striker Aleksandr Kerzhakov. The 27-year-old has managed once again to make headlines in the Russian press today after failing to appear at Dinamo’s first training session, reigniting speculation over where his boots will fall come March.

Dinamo began the pre-season at their camp in Novogorsk on Monday with almost the entire squad in attendence. Luke Wilkshire, who is currently in his final days in Australia on assignment with his national team, was unable to attend. As was defender Leandro Fernández, who remains in Rosario (Argentina) while attempting to regain his passport after reports of his home having been robbed. Kerzhakov was also not around. However, his is the only notable absence, as it were, without an excuse.

With no new rumors of interested parties having surfaced of late, we should still consider Lokomotiv Moskva, Zenit St. Petersburg, and Hamburg (Germany) to be the most likely candidates for Kerzhakov’s employment should he in fact leave the White-Blues.

The official Dinamo website offered up the club’s two-cents on the matter, albeit briefly, stating, “he can extend the expiring one-year contract, see out the remainder of the existing contract, or be sold.”

Despite the hubbub surrounding Kerzhakov, coach Andrei Kobelev did take the time to introduce the four newest additions to the Dinamo squad: Alexandru Epureanu, Aleksandr Samedov, Edgaras Česnauskis, and Yuri Kirillov.

Also on hand for the training session were goalkeepers Vladimir Gabulov, Anton Shunin, and Sergei Panov; defenders Marcin Kowalczyk,  Denis Kolodin, Aleksandr Denisov, Vladimir Garnet, and Sergei Terekhov; midfielders Dmitry Khokhlov, Dmitri Kombarov, Kirill Kombarov, Adrian Ropotan, Luis Aguiar, Aleksandr Dimidko, and Artur Yusupov; and strikers Fyodor Smolov and Aleksandr Kokorin.

After some medical examinations this week, Dinamo is slated to leave for Antalya, Turkey for the first leg of its training season. They have scheduled three friendly matches to date, the first to take place on 17 January against FK Luch-Energiya, followed by a 20 January meeting with FK Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk (Ukraine) and a 23 January match against the Palestine national team.

• Saturn lock down a pair.
  

  Vadim Evseev hoping to bounce back after a disappointing 2009

Over the weekend, FK Saturn Moskovskaya Oblast announced the solidification of two player contracts. First, defender Vadim Evseev agreed in principle to an undisclosed contract extension. According to the club’s official website the official documents will be signed in mid-January after Evseev returns from Germany, where he has been since September undergoing rehab after his season-ending injury last July.

Official documents will be signed in mid-January, when Evseev returned from Germany, where he was undergoing rehabilitation after received in mid-2009 season injury.

Saturn also took the time to announce a new three-year contract for 26-year-old all-around midfielder Pyotr Nemov.

• Tom Tomsk has invited 26-year-old midfielder Artyom Fidler to their upcoming training camp, according to Sport Express. Fidler is a versatile midfielder who is capable of playing both in central and wide positions. He has been with FK Ural Sverdlovsk Oblast since 2005, playing 141 matches overall for the Ural men.

In addition to Fidler, Tom Tomsk will be taking 28-year-old midfielder Mikhail Vanyov, who had been on loan with FK Chita for the past two seasons. Three youth squad members have also received invitations: goalkeeper Yegor Ridosh, defender Ivan Tuyev, and forward Sergei Voronov.

Another wave of South American stories washes over RFN. Aleksandr Kerzhakov refuses to relinquish tabloid space, having his name comfortably nestled in print while his body relaxes on an undisclosed beach. FK Khimki will not fade into oblivion, announcing their new hire and new-found camaraderie [...]]]>

Vasco da Gama's Vilson will wear the red and white

Another wave of South American stories washes over RFN. Aleksandr Kerzhakov refuses to relinquish tabloid space, having his name comfortably nestled in print while his body relaxes on an undisclosed beach. FK Khimki will not fade into oblivion, announcing their new hire and new-found camaraderie with Dinamo. And, finally, some whispers emanate from central and eastern Europe to round out our Monday in review.

• Karpin’s Brazilian spoils.

Spartak Moskva head honcho Valery Karpin has returned from his South American escapades. In addition to a lovely tan, Karpin has brought back word of a purchase for his club. The People’s team has signed a contract with Brazilian defender Vilson (birth name Vilson Xavier De Menezes Junior), who had a strong showing last season with Vasco da Gama, while on loan from Madureira. Vasco, in 38 matches, conceded an impressively miniscule 29 goals.

The 21-year-old central defender cost Spartak €1 million.

The 6 ft. 2 in. player had attracted attention from several European clubs, but Spartak had been tracking Vilson for quite some time, and as a result were said to be one of the first clubs to make a specific proposal.

Although Vilson is young, and may require some time to find his legs with the squad, his acquisition does beg the question: are Martin Stranzl’s days numbered at Spartak?

As an aside: recent speculation had also linked Vasco midfielder Alex Teixeira with Spartak, but those rumors failed to come to fruition; today it was announced that Teixeira has agreed to terms with Ukrainian powerhouse Shakhtar Donetsk, pending a medical examination.

• Loko linked with Fritzler.
  

  Excitement building around Lanús' midfielder Matías Fritzler

President of Lanús (Argentina) Nicolás Russo said that his club has received a proposal to acquire central midfielder Matías Fritzler.

“We have a very serious proposal for Fritzler. We need to study it,” Russo posted on Lanús’ website. “Is it from Spain? No, it’s from Russia.”

Recently thought to be on Espanyol’s radar, the Russian club in question appears to be Lokomotiv Moskva. The 23-year-old defensive midfielder has been with Lanús for five years, proving to be more-than-competent in carrying out his holding role.

• Going back to Grozny.

26-year-old striker Shamil Asildarov will be returning to Grozny, signing a contract with the Chechen side, having played with Terek back in 2007.

“We finalized an agreement with Asildarov for three years,” said Terek vice-president Haidar Alkhanov.

Joining Spartak Nalchik mid-season, Asildarov proved to be in fine form—scoring 8 goals in only 14 matches. He had previously been linked with a return to his hometown club Anzhi Makhachkala, but apparently Omari Tetradze’s club could not muster the funds.

Nalchik officials have denied any agreement between the player and Terek, insisting that they are still engaged in talks. However, it looks almost certain Asildarov is set for a departure.

• Tarkhanov named FK Khimki’s new coach, preparing for an overhaul.

FK Khimki's new head coach Aleksandr Tarkhanov

Aleksandr Tarkhanov has been named the new manager of FK Khimki.

The former manager of CSKA Moskva (1994-96), Torpedo Moskva (1997-98), Terek Grozny (2005-06), FK Krylia Sovetov Samara (2007), and FK Kuban Krasnodar (2008) has agreed to a one-year contract with the recently relegated side.

The move was apparently orchestrated by Konstantin Sarsania, former FK Khimki manager and current sports director at Dinamo Moskva. Tarkhanov, after the announcement of the appointment, was candid in suggesting a strong future affiliation between the two clubs, suggesting that Dinamo will in the future help the Khimki side stabilize their current situation.

To prove he wasn’t just having a laugh, Tarkhanov’s good tidings with Dinamo Moskva have already led to the release of Khimki’s 19-year-old midfielder Yuri Kirillov to the Blue-Whites. Kirilov had already been rumored a month ago to be on his way to the city, and Sarsania appears to have finally sealed the deal.

The talented young central midfielder played in 19 matches in 2009, primarily as a substitute.

Time will only tell if the exchange between Khimki and Dinamo is not simply one-way. When asked about the future of the club, Tarkhanov was a bit vague, saying, “I can say that the team will be new. Of course, some players from last year will remain, but there will be quite a few new recruits. In particular, I have a few good players in mind that I’ve seen over the last year.”

In an interview with Sport Express, however, Tarkhanov did admit that goalkeeper Roman Berezovsky and captain Dragan Blatnjak—two of Khimki’s more able-bodied players—are likely to be leaving the club this winter.

• The Bundesliga to be home to another Russian striker?

Several German clubs appear to have committed themselves to a struggle over displeased Dinamo Moskva striker Aleksandr Kerzhakov.

The most aggressive club at the moment is Hamburger SV, said to have offered the 27-year-old Russian international a three-year contract (with an option for two additional years) chalk full of lucrative bonuses.

Two additional German clubs, Borussia Dortmund and Hertha BSC, have also expressed interest.

But native interest still exists; Lokomotiv Moskva has not given up on a bid (which may still include a switcheroo involving Dmitri Torbinski), and have reportedly become more aggressive with their bargaining once the news of a deal with Zenit St. Petersburg fell through. Loko officials are currently engaged in negotiations with the player’s agent. However, for any move to take place Dinamo must give its blessings—the striker has another year remaining on his contract with the Moskva club.

• Grozny propositioned by an unwanted Zicu.
  

  Is Ianis Zicu's potential just waiting to be unlocked by the right manager?

Dinamo Bucureşti midfielder Ianis Zicu has apparently been pimped by his agent to Terek Grozny, offering the services of the 26-year-old.

Dinamo are currently marred in a fiscal predicament so dire that they could no longer keep loanee defender Gabriel Tamaş. The former Spartak Moskva player, currently on the books at Auxerre, has agreed to a move to West Bromwich Albion (England). With a standout performance from Adrian Cristea this year, the relevance of Zicu’s presence has been mooted–having been deployed primarily as a substitute.

The left winger was attached to Internazionale between 2004-07, only ever being loaned out by the Nerazzuri (first to Parma before Dinamo Bucureşti and Rapid Bucureşti), and finally transferred to Dinamo in 2007.

If Zicu does not land with Terek, he is considering the option of moving to CSKA Sofia (Bulgaria).

• FK Moskva’s Hubník to stay abroad.

Despite the recent loss of Alexandru Epureanu to Dinamo Moskva, FK Moskva has decided not to bring central defender Roman Hubník back into the fold at Streltsov Stadium.

Formerly on loan to Sparta Praha (Czech Republic), the Moskva club has today announced an agreement that will send the tall Czech defender to Hertha.

Hubník will play out the remainder of the Bundesliga season with Hertha. However, the contract stipulates that Hubník will have the right continue with the Berlin squad—and sign a three-year contract–should the club stay within the top flight.

Currently Hertha sit in last place in the Bundesliga, having managed only 6 points in 17 matches.

Alekzander Kerzhakov's performing a slight of hand for Andrei Arshavin

After recent speculation that Kerzhakov could be returning to La Liga to rejoin his former club Sevilla, Russian news outfits are now claiming Zenit St. Petersburg have stepped up their pursuit of the 26-year-old striker.

It has [...]]]> Aleksandr Kerzhakov could be returning to St. Petersburg.

Alekzander Kerzhakov's performing a slight of hand for Andrei Arshavin

After recent speculation that Kerzhakov could be returning to La Liga to rejoin his former club Sevilla, Russian news outfits are now claiming Zenit St. Petersburg have stepped up their pursuit of the 26-year-old striker.

It has been reported today that Gazprom CEO, Alexey Miller, has given the go-ahead to Zenit officials to attempt to reacquire Kerzhakov.

While Kerzhakov’s contract is set to expire after next year’s season, he has denied Dinamo Moskva’s attempts to renegotiate his contract. Given his reluctance to stay, we should expect Dinamo to look to take the best offer on the transfer market this winter. As of yet, Dinamo have insisted that they intend to keep him. If he does move, however, he is expected to net Dinamo between 7 and 8 million euros.

Kerzhakov, then, appears to have two very different potential futures starring him down. If the Sevilla rumors are to be believed, he could be brought in by Sevillistas for reinforcement purposes, with Frederic Kanouté and Arouna Koné temporarily departing in January to participate for their respective countries in the African Nations Cup. We need not forget, however, that Álvaro Negredo and Luis Fabiano are not going anywhere. Acquiring Kerzhakov would be for coverage purposes, and after the return of Kanouté and Koné he could easily be warming the bench.

Zenit, on the other hand, are desperate to acquire at least one forward during the off-season. Kerzhakov is a highly logical acquisition. With their striking force already depleted this season, Zenit acquired Mateja Kežman on loan from Paris St. Germain mid-season. After mixed results, Kežman appears likely to return to France at the end of the year.

In addition, Fatih Tekke could also persuade Zenit to grant him a transfer back to Turkey, as Trabzonspor fans have recently placed pressure on their club to swiftly return him to their fold, chanting his name during league matches. Trabzonspor Vice President Hayrettin Hacisalihoglu, perhaps merely in a bid to silence the agitated fans, has announced that the club intends to do everything they can to steer Tekke back to the club. (Trabazonspor, it should be noted, is where Tekke began his career back in 1994.) Tekke’s transfer is made even more plausible by the fact that his contract with Zenit is only good through June of 2010.

An uncharacteristically undisciplined and frustrated Russian national team faced defeat at the hands of a well-organized, confident Slovenia on Wednesday night. In the end, the playoff would be decided by the vital away goal that Slovenia scored in the last [...]]]>

Zlatko Dedic scores for Slovenia and sends them to South Africa, defeating Russia 1-0

An uncharacteristically undisciplined and frustrated Russian national team faced defeat at the hands of a well-organized, confident Slovenia on Wednesday night. In the end, the playoff would be decided by the vital away goal that Slovenia scored in the last minutes of the first leg. Finishing Wednesday night’s match in Maribor with a 1-0 victory, Slovenia have earned a trip to South Africa for the World Cup.

Before the start, there was already news from the Russians, the effect of Guus Hiddink’s squad selection. While only making one change, it would prove to be a pivotal decision. By subbing out Sergei Semak and including Renat Yanbaev, Hiddink introduced a Tetris-like shift: Diniyar Bilyaletdinov would be moved right into the central midfield and Yuri Zhirkov advanced forward into the left wing spot. Yanbaev, of course, would take left back duties over from Zhirkov.

With this new look for Russia in place it was clear before the whistle even blew that much would hang on which team could control the midfield.

Early on, Hiddink would realize how grave a task his squad would be faced with in. Also evidenced early on would be Slovenia’s eagerness, willing to directly attack the center of Russia’s defense.

In the fourth minute, whether or not it was the result of a lack of focus on Russia’s part, an inconspicuous through-ball from Valter Birsa would evade Russia’s central defense, landing straight to Milivoje Novakovic. Left unabated, Novakovic was unlucky not to finish what looked like a sure goal, striking it directly at Igor Akinfeev.

Soon thereafter, the midfield battle would produce its first yellow card. Zhirkov would be the recipient, after a hard, misplaced challenge on Marko Suler.

Slovenia’s advance would continue. This time, with Andraz Kirm sending in a cross from the left of the attack that would almost be headed in by Sergei Ignashevich for an own goal. But, it would strike the post and be cleared away.

Russia's squad looking on during Wednesday's match in Maribor

Zlatko Dedic would then connect on a cross from Novakovic, beating Yanbaev in the air. Luckily, for the Russians, Dedic was unable to fully connect and the shot was saved easily. However, Slovenia would continue to show a relentlessness that put the Russian players on their heels.

Still only to the 18’, Russia would receive yet another scare when Robert Koren would send in a dangerous pass that would trickle all the way through a cluster of players in the box, ending up out of play.

Midway through the half it looked as though Russia would slow the tempo down and concentrate on maintaining possession, shifting their offensive movement from the left to the right side of the pitch. But regardless of the shift, the midfield struggle would continue to see Slovenia pushing Russia back, forcing them to play deep and, as a consequence, thwarting Russia’s ability to create quality chances.

Bilyaletdinov, seeming out of sorts, would be booked after a challenge on Birsa. That would then be followed by Kirm—now having temporarily moved to the right—getting off a shot that would take a deflection and be smothered by Akinfeev.

Birsa would continue to show quality, helping Slovenia’s cause by feeding Novakovic in the middle just inside the box. Left with a lot of space, Novakovic would get a shot off that would not be struck hard enough.

Three minutes later, a poor clearing header from Vasili Berezutski would give the ball to Novakovic and left out of position. Novokovic would again fail to capitalize, missing the goal from outside the box.

After Russia would squander a couple of chances from set pieces, Slovenia would finally break through.

Zlatko Dedic celebrating with the Slovene fans

In the 44 minute Birsa, after again finding space on the right, would take advantage of Bilyaletdinov and Zhirkov conceding space. After flipping in a cross, a four-man tangle in the center of Russia’s defense would result in Dedic, slipping past his two markers, connecting with his right foot, scoring to the left of Akinfeev. The greatest goal in Slovenia’s short football history would end with a stunned Akinfeev unable to clear the ball from the net.

With his squad down a goal, Hiddink would make two changes at the half, reinstating Semak in the midfield and brining Aleksandr Kerzhakov in for Roman Pavlyuchenko. With Yanbaev departing, Zhirkov would go to left back, and Bilyaletidinov would move to the wing.

Despite an early run from Kerzhakov and Konstantin Zyryanov, the second half would again see Slovenia the more aggressive side. At the 50 minute mark Novokovic would be taken down deep inside the box by the left leg of Berezutski. Russia would only be saved by the referee, who denied what looked like a clear penalty.

Zhirkov would lead the Russian response. After a nice touch from the all-but-invisible Andrei Arshavin,  Zhirkov moved forward with his best run of the night. In the end, the ball would be just outside of Zhirkov’s reach and cleared away.

At 60’ an already frustrated Russia seemed to come undone. While in the attack, Russia would be called for an uncharacteristic offside in the box. Semak would then earn a free kick on the right that would amount to naught.

Moments later Zhirkov would send in a cross that would land just outside the reach of Kerzhakov and into the hands of Samir Handanovich. While still lying on the pitch, Kerzhakov’s emotion would take the better of him; kicking for the ball while it was still lying in Handonovich’s hands, a scuffle would ensue. After the dust cleared, Kerzhakov would been sent off with a straight red card.

It would take over 10 minutes, but Hiddink would finally bring on Pavel Pogrebnyak up front, coming on for Bilyaletdinov. Minutes after his coming on Pogrebnyak got on the tail end of a header, but Handanovich would be perfectly positioned to control it.

In the remaining 20 minutes the discipline of Slovenia outshone anything Russia could muster. Keeping immaculate shape, the Slovenes would be continue to quickly break down Russia’s advances, and with Dedic perfectly positioned they would clear the ball effectively and chew up the clock.

Zhirkov again would prove Russia’s best hope. Receiving a flick on from Arshavin, Zhrikov ran deep into the penalty box. But, pushed to a tight angle by Brecko, Zhirkov’s shot woud by swept aside by Handanovich. The ball would then be immediately pushed up the pitch to Dedic, who had an open counterattack opportunity that was driven out of play.

In the dying seconds Berezutski would have the closest chance for an equaliser for Russia, lifting a shot over the net from close range after Sergei Ignashevich’s flick.

Russia’s frustration would reach a feverish level when, in stoppage time, Zhirkov received his second yellow card after an altercation with a Slovene substitute on the by-line.

The 9-man Russian squad, seconds from the end, would barely avoid a goal from Novakovic. But, it was no matter, and Russia would be left dumbfounded. Slovenia saw out the remaining time and rejoiced in a historic victory that sees them advance to the World Cup in South Africa.

Whether to start Yuri Zhirkov remains one of Guus Hiddink's major decisions.

At Luzhniki, such authorities insist, Russia will have a walk [...]]]> For a country perhaps more known for its philosophers than its footballers, it comes as no surprise that many pundits have already written off the Slovenia National Team’s chances of travelling to South Africa.

Whether to start Yuri Zhirkov remains one of Guus Hiddink's major decisions.

At Luzhniki, such authorities insist, Russia will have a walk in the artificial park. But some of us cannot shake our trepidation about the outcome of the match.

On our site Richard Farley has already pointed to some of the reasons why the Slovenes should not be dismissed. Whether it is due to my constitutive pessimism or general anxiety, I’d feel remiss not to share a few more concerned opinions.

Of course, Slovenia is strongest in the back. We can only assume they will be even tighter and more focused on Saturday. Russia obviously needs to find ways to circumvent that strength.

First, how can Russia deal with Slovenia’s discipline and ability to keep their shape? It may not be wise for Russia to go into the match solely relying upon Arshavin to crack Slovenia open—a more concerted effort is needed. While, yes, he is the playmaker and his movement and creativity will certainly be instrumental, I think it will be imperative for those in the attack to be willing to take some longer distance shots rather than try to run through Slovenia’s defense.

We know that Russia’s advantage is in the midfield. Though, honestly, Robert Koren has the ability to frustrate and neutralize Sergei Semak. Russia should look specifically to exploit Aleksandar Radosavljevič—Slovenia’s weakest link—and test Rene Krhin (if he comes on as a substitute). For Russia to capitalize on their strength in the middle of the pitch they’ll have to be get behind Slovenia’s midfielders and be willing to take some quick chances, because Slovenia knows how to recover quickly.

A scene from Russia's open traning session today at Luzhniki

Aleksandr Kerzhakov, for instance, will need to be confident and aggressive outside the box. Given the strength of Marko Šuler and Boštjan Cesar, he will struggle if he gets too deep. The same applies to Pavel Pogrebnyak or Roman Pavlyuchenko, one of whom will be subbed on for Kerzhakov in the later stages. It would not be surprising to see Dmitri Torbinski come on once again—or maybe even Dmitri Sychev—as an early second-half substitute if Russia has yet to score. They both are willing to take long distance chances.

Most would agree that Russia will have the majority of possession. But, holding the ball is not enough. If Russia is too relaxed, Slovenia will maintain their shape, continue to frustrate if not demoralize Russia, and generally slow the game down.

But, Slovenia—given their reliance on the counterattack—is sometimes over-committed to getting it started. If Russia can maintain enough offensive pressure, Arshavin and Co. may not immediately break through, but if they can quickly win possession back they will have their best opportunities. Let’s call it the counter-counterattack.

Slovenia’s defense is weakest when dealing with set pieces. Not only can goalkeeper Samir Handanovič look anxious at times, the defense can lapse on their marking. This is somewhat logical given that set pieces, effectively, break a defense’s form and create panic.

I’m anticipating (or hoping?) Russia has the ability to win free kicks and treat them as an essential aspect of their attack. With their greater speed in the midfield they should hope to draw some fouls as well as some corners—given Diniyar Bilyaletdinov and Bystrov’s ability to push the ball deep out wide.  The question is, will they be able to take advantage of those opportunities?

A scene from Wednesday's training session.

Richard focused on the right side of Slovenia’s 4-4-2—particularly Milivoje Novakovič in attack and Mišo Brečko as support to challenge Yuri Zhirkov and Vasili Berezutski. I agree that this development should disconcert Guus Hiddink. But Hiddink should be just as, if not more, concerned about the speed and vision of Zlatko Dedič.

While Novakovič is a big presence, but with him still not fully recovered from a groin injury he should be containable. Dedič is likely to be more active—as the one up front creating chances, not only for Novakovic  but others who want to make runs. He seems to enjoy dropping back a bit to receive the ball and feed Robert Koren and Andraž Kirm on 1-2’s, and has enough speed to pull the defense out of position and open up some exploitable space.

And finally, we should not overlook Bojan Jokić. While he does not receive much playing time with Sochaux, Russia cannot afford to underestimate him. While it was only during a friendly, Jokić caused all sorts of problems for Shaun Wright-Phillips, Aaron Lennon, and Glen Johnson when Slovenia met England at Wembley in September.

Jokić is a good, quick defender and I expect that he will be a formidable obstacle for Vladimir Bystrov. The stress on Bystrov could very well cause him to migrate to the left, as he did against Germany. With Kirm being another sound player on the left, he and Jokić are also competent enough to thwart Aleksandr Anyukov’s offensive desires. To top it all off, Jokić is ready-and-willing to make his own runs down the flank. In short, there will be much intrigue on the left side for Slovenia.

Prediction (if I really must): Russia, 2-1. After being forced early in the second half to become more aggressive, the Russians suffer one slip up in defending the Slovenes counterattack.

Though Russia’s matches against Slovenia have not been met with as anticipation as last month’s fixture with Germany, these matches are so much more important. That should go without saying, but given the ease with which even the most ardent supporter is settling into this match, a reminder of the stakes seems necessary.

While a [...]]]>

Though Russia’s matches against Slovenia have not been met with as anticipation as last month’s fixture with Germany, these matches are so much more important. That should go without saying, but given the ease with which even the most ardent supporter is settling into this match, a reminder of the stakes seems necessary.

While a win last month would have punched the national team’s ticket to South Africa, Russia still had a safety net. With Miroslav Klöse’s first half goal at Luzhniki, the Russians fell squarely into that net – their only lifeline – making this 180-minute-match against Slovenia a do-or-die affair. Beat the Slovenians, and the Russians render October’s Moskva result insignificant. Lose and all the progress that’s been made since the European Championships becomes meaningless.

The Slovenian Men's National Team

Supporters seem to see Slovenia as a speed bump. While there was some anxiety before the FIFA draw that paired the Russians and Slovenians, avoiding Ukraine elicited a small sign of relief. The nation Russia did get paired with became relatively insignificant.

Since the Russia-Slovenia pairing was announced, there has been little meaningful discussion of this match-up. The assumption: Russia got a good draw and is going through to South Africa. Break out the Baltika.

Those sentiments may be true, but failing to consider Slovenia’s chances not only reeks of over-confidence but also fails to recognize a number of points in the Slovenians’ favor. Slovenia survived the deepest UEFA qualifying group, a group where five of six members could have advanced out of another group. They have the best defensive record amongst nations that were draw into six nation groups and have a team comprised of players plying their trade in significant leagues across Europe.

Slovenia, Attacking Russia

Beyond their resumé, Slovenia has at least one significant tactical advantage.

Slovenia's leading scorer, forward Milivoje Novakovic

Their ability to defend being a strong point, Slovenia could play conservatively an rely on the counter. If they did, they could exploit the left side of Russia’s back line – likely to feature Yuri Zhirkov at left back and Vasili Berezutski in the middle – with a strength of their attack: Robert Koren on the right, Miso Brecko coming up the flank in support, and Zlatko Didic coming from the middle to aid the build-up while leading scorer Milivoje Novakovic exploits a stretched back line.

Such a tact would attack the Russians at their weakest point. Zhirkov should not play, but he likely will. Given health considerations and their implications on form, Lokomotiv’s Renat Yanbaev is the Hiddink’s best bet at left back. Neither Yanbaev nor Zhirkov are going to win this match for Russia, but an out-of-form Zhirkov trying to deal with the right side of Slovenia’s attack could lose the match, particularly if Slovenia head coach Matjaž Kek uses his advantage correctly.

Playing A Little Poker, Slovenian Style

If Slovenia does have a decisive advantage in attacking Russian’s back left and Guus Hiddink doesn’t offset that by starting Yanbaev (and Denis Kolodin, who we’ll talk about later), it would behoove Kek to sit on that advantage. Try other ways to attack, bunker-in and just try to stay close after the first leg, but whatever you do don’t immediately show Hiddink that Russia has a fatal flaw.

Russia head coach Guus Hiddink has tough decisions to make at the onset of the playoff.

“Zhirkov was fine for the 120 minutes before the goal, and now we need to get one back. I don’t see a need for a change.”

Holding back would be a strange approach for Slovenia. For some, this will seem over-complicating or antithetical. You go out and play and the best side wins, that thesis holds.

But Slovenia is not the best side.

If you listed the Slovenia and Russia starters in order of talent, you could argue that the twelfth through twenty-second spots on that list would be occupied by Slovenians. But football is not a game about individuals, and nobody’s ever shown a correlation between goals and abstract evaluations of “talent.”

Tactics are one of the things that help bridge the gaps between talented sides and the teams that can beat them. Slovenia does not have Russia’s talent, but if they’re willing to take some chances in approach, they can beat Russia.

This is not to say Slovenia will beat Russia. Even if this tactic could work, the Slovenians are unlikely to employ it. Implicit in this approach is the acknowledgement that Slovenia is not as good as their opposition, something very difficult for even the greatest underdogs to admit. Even if they admitted it, Russia would then have to play along by making poor choices along their back line, and while that seems likely, we still don’t know that Slovenia will properly execute a plan like this. Just because Russia has a weakness and Slovenia can exploit it does not mean Russian will lose.

And even if they execute the plan to perfection, their attackers must been Igor Akinfeev.

Russia, Attacking Slovenia

If Russia scores goals – something easier said than done against Slovenia – their problems in defense would be rendered moot. The last goal Slovenia allowed with April 1 in Belfast against Northern Ireland. Only one of their goals allowed was at home, and one of the four was a penalty kick. They did not allow more than one goal in any qualifying match.

But while Slovenia’s defensive record is impressive, understanding it requires some context. While Slovenia came out of the deepest UEFA group, the group was decidedly lacking in offensive power. If you take out goals scored in matches against San Marino (one goal for, 47 allowed), the group’s teams averaged only 1.1 goals per match. The group’s leading goal scorers were Euzebiusz Smolarek (Poland) and Stanislav Šesták (Slovakia), not quite Edin Dzeko (Group 5, Bosnia), Wayne Rooney (Group 6, England), or Klose (Group 4, Germany).

Zlatko Dedic's work rate is a big part of Slovenia's qualifying successes.

What Russia does to break through Slovenia is simple: They execute.

Not even the most talented defensive teams have all the answers for Russia’s attack. Even when they were being shut out by Germany, Russia had numerous moments where their execution was the only thing keeping them from a goal. Slovenia will not give the Russians goals, but although they have that remarkable goals against record, the Slovenians have little to stop Russia from getting goals, provided sufficient ambition and execution.

That ambition and execution all comes down to Andrei Arshavin. He is their greatest goal scoring threat, their best playmaker, and their primary distributor. It will be incumbent on him to challenge the Slovenia defenders and create opportunities for Aleksandr Kerzhakov and Vladimir Bystrov. His movement will create space in the middle for Igor Denisov and Sergei Semak (should they start). Against a well-organized defense, Arshavin’s creativity is the one trait the Russians can rely upon to break their opponents down.

The Squads

Slovenia

As mentioned above, Slovenia play a fairly rigid, typical 4-4-2. All of their players play for major clubs across Europe, though the extent to which they play varies. Their leading goal scorer throughout qualifying has been Milivoje Novakovic (Köln, Germany) with five goals. No other players has scored more than twice, though five players have done that.

In addition to Novakovic, their main attacking threats are forward Zlatko Dedic, forward/midfielder Valter Birsa, and right midfielder Robert Koren (West Bromwich Albion, England). Koren is also the team’s captain and one of the players who have scored twice, though both of his goals came against San Marino.

Also in the midfield should be Tom’’s Aleksandr Radosavljevic (left midfielder) and Andraž Kirm (Wilsa Krakow, Poland). At the back – in front of goalkeeper Samir Handanovič – the Slovenians should player (left to right) Bojan Jokić (Sochaux, France), Boštjan Cesar (Grenoble, France), Marko Šuler (Gent, Germany), and Mišo Brečko (Köln).

Sergei Semak's omission from the Germany match was the most surprising of Guus Hiddink's selections.

Guss Hiddink surprisingly held Sergei Semak out of his starting XI for the Germany match, so predicting what he will do is more difficult than guessing Kek’s lineup. There are, however, a few people almost guaranteed to start.

Igor Akinfeev has continued to make his case as the best goaltender in the world. He will rarely be tested on Saturday, but when Slovenia asks questions, Akinfeev’s likely to have the correct responses.

In front of Akinfeev, Aleksandr Anyukov (right) and Sergei Ignashevich (right-center) are locks. Vasili Berezutski and Yuri Zhirkov are likely choices in the center and on the left, but the better choices would be Denis Kolodin and Renat Yanbaev.

In the midfield, the only sure bet is Vladimir Bystrov on the right. Sergei Semak is the next most likely to be chosen, but given what happened against Germany, that prediction needs to be qualified. Any of Igor Denisov, Konstantin Zyryanov, Igor Semshov, or Diniyar Bilyaletdinov could make up the other two spots.

Up top, Andrei Arshavin will support Aleksandr Kerzhakov, with the latter becoming a surprisingly consistent choice in (and performer for) this team.

What to Expect, Leg 1

This is a 180 minute match, and at some point the two sides should start treating it as such.

While it is possible the Russians will come out intent on establishing early control of the playoff, the match should eventually adopt a more even space. Either the Russians will have scored their first goals and adapted a slightly more protective approach or the Slovenians will have held out and, knowing they are in for a long, two-legged match, Russia will shift gears.

Prediction

On the podcast, both my co-host (Chris Riordan) and I picked Russia to score three goals. I thought Slovenia would get a goal while Chris thought Russia would keep a clean sheet.

Upon reflection, I find both of these predictions indefensible. Could those results happen? Of course. The history of the game has told us that. But to predict Russia will score three goals against a side that’s allowed only four in ten requires some special justification. While Russia did score three goals on four occasions through qualifying, they managed only one in 180 minutes against Germany. The team averaged 1.9 goals in their ten qualifiers.

Particularly given Slovenia will likely play conservatively and allow Russia to bring the match to them, I don’t see Russia getting the three goals I predicted Wednesday night. I look for Russia to control the match and, whether they do so as a tactic or for lack of choice, Slovenia to play much of the match on the defensive.

I like Russia to keep a clean sheet and win by one or two goals. A one goal win, and I think Slovenia is content. A two goal win, and I think Russia can be happy with their result.

Russia, 2-0