Sobolev is constantly compared to Dziuba. But wasn’t Artyom cooler at Alexander’s age?
Georgy Ilyushchenko October 18, 2024, 08:30 Moscow time Audio version: Your browser does not support the audio element.
Statistics will give the answer.
Alexander Sobolev is often compared to Artyom Dzyuba. It is logical: a position on the field, similar dimensions, swimming to Tom, moving from Spartak to Zenit.
The second level is clear. No matter how they treat him for his scandal, he is one of the best strikers in Russian history. Not the best, but definitely one of the best – Kerzhakov and Pavlyuchenko, it seems, are more worthy of this title. What about Sobolev? How good is it compared to the successes of the second one? Let’s check. Furthermore, the occasion is favorable: today, October 18, they will play against each other.
Sobolev is 27.5 years old. He had three seasons with more than 10 goals in the RPL (two with Spartak and one with Krylya Sovetov), scored a double against Leicester and Napoli in the Europa League. In total, in the adult category he scored 101 goals (including 14 in the FNL and six in the national team) and 42 assists. Trophies include the Russian Cup. In addition to silver and bronze in the Premier League.
What has Dzyuba achieved at Sobolev’s age? At 27.5 years old, he had already played six months at Zenit and had scored six goals in the group stage of the Champions League: three against Lyon, two against Gent and one against Valencia. Do you remember your Spartak double against Tottenham in the UEFA Cup? He was also good in the RPL, where he scored four seasons with more than 10 goals: for both Tom and Rostov, where he also won the Cup, and for Spartak, with whom he took three silver medals in the Premier League. We include here the season that Artyom had not yet completed at that time: with eight goals before December, it was clear that he would surpass the double-digit mark. Dziuba did just that.
In terms of goals and assists, Dzyuba scored 96+45. That is, the figures are quite comparable to Sobolev’s. The only difference is that Artyom earned about half of his effective actions in teams far from the strongest, where he was loaned. While Alejandro is in Spartak.
Alexander Sobolev and Artyom Dzyuba
Photo: Dmitry Golubovich, “Championship”/Alexey Starostin, “Championship”
Perhaps the question is who did Dzyuba and Sobolev score against? The second most often surprised Krasnodar and Dynamo (10 and 9 goals, respectively), Zenit and CSKA – five and three times. The first at the age of 27.5 years: Ural and Dynamo six times each, Krasnodar – five, Zenit and CSKA – two times each. So it is definitely not a question of the strength of the opponents.
To be honest, the calculation results are surprising. Against them, it seemed like Dzyuba’s stats would be much better. However, it showed itself in all its glory after moving to St. Petersburg. Even in the national team, because Capello, unlike Slutsky and Cherchesov, did not trust him too much.
Sobolev has yet to reach a new level. So far it’s not working very well. Although a week ago he gave Vojvodina two goals and two assists in a friendly match. Maybe now he will trample, like nine years ago, an older colleague?
Busy time for Alexander’s current club:
Zenit defeated Barça in court, Sobolev once again captured the information field. The break in the RPL was fun.
