In the absence of Quincy Promes, the youngsters score for the rojiblancos.
TWO ABASKAL COMPOSITIONS
At the end of January, it’s time to take a closer look at the friendly matches of our teams at the winter training camp. As we always say, it’s not worth drawing far-reaching conclusions from early games, however early schematics need to be reviewed.
The interest in the match with the Bulgarian ‘Botev’ also lay in the fact that it was a potential opportunity to see the rojiblancos newcomers Alexis Duarte and Tomas Tavares. In fact, the second did not enter the application, and the first was in the reserve and came out only for the second half. After just three minutes, he lobbed the ball to Shamar Nicholson with a long pass and he took the team’s first shot on target (yes, I didn’t mix anything up, it happened only after the break).
Guillermo Abascal in Dubai is in no hurry to reveal his vision of the main team. So, in the first half, among others, Georgiy Jikia, Roman Zobnin entered the field, and in the second – Alexander Sobolev and Shamar Nicholson. So look closely at the compositions of the meaning is not so much. But I’m glad that in the absence of Quincy Promes, fan favorite Anton Zinkovsky has a chance to make himself known.
We add that Mikhail Prokopiev, known to fans of the media league under the nickname Prokop, entered the application of the Bulgarian club. It is also noteworthy that only one Bulgarian came out in Botev’s starting lineup.
WITHOUT DOOR
Training camps are always difficult for soccer players, so much more often than you might expect from friendly matches, they give us conflict on the pitch: soccer players lose their nerve faster. From this point of view, we are considering the episode that happened at the beginning of the match, when Jikia fell under the rude provocation of an opponent and rushed to choke him, for which both received a warning.
Unfortunately, there is no need to talk about the speed and quality of the game just yet. “Spartak” had more possession of the ball, but, as usual, without creating sharpness. Most of the ball deliveries to the penalty area were made by Zinkovsky, but the accuracy of his serves and crosses was not enough. Of the remarkable: the exchange of positions of the attacking trio (from left to right) Zinkovsky – Keita Balde – Mikhail Ignatov. I was surprised by the moment when Ignatov went to the center, Balde moved to the left, and Anton, respectively, moved to the right.
I also remember Daniil Khlusevich, although he spent these 45 minutes ambiguously. Two great tackles and several connections on the right flank went to his asset, and two Abdoulaye Traore jet pulls went to his own. In the first case, the forward lunged forward and forced Nikita Chernov to fill it with his hands, and in the second, he missed the empty goal from a few yards (although the referees scored his teammate offside assisting him). He got attention in general, so I wouldn’t be surprised if Russian clubs try to attract him.
FISH RATIONS ARE GOOD WEAPONS
During the break, Abaskal completely changed the lines of defense and attack and replaced the goalkeeper, but the trio Ruslan Litvinov – Danil Prutsev – Roman Zobnin left in midfield, which in itself is significant. There are clearly not enough players in Spartak’s midfield. Anyway, healthy and functionally ready. During the second half, the very young Ivan Pyatkin, Daniil Zorin (18 years old) and Dmitry Ivannikov (17) took turns playing.
The former even participated in a productive attack in the middle of the half, although other players did everything there: Maciej Rybus sent from the left to the far post, Daniil Denisov threw his knee to the center and Pavel Meleshin opened the scoring with a powerful shot from the crossbar. Here it is worth noting that the goal and the passes prior to the goal are made by two extreme defenders, that is, the attacking style and the activity on the wings of the team are noted.
In the second half it is worth highlighting Rybus. That signing in his performance was not the only one that found its recipient in the penalty area, and this is an optimistic indicator. In the fall the Polo seemed completely useless, but now it looked more interesting at the front and more reliable at the rear. Well, Nicholson is worth praising. He didn’t do anything special, but he was active and diligent. In any case, against the background of Sobolev.
This game ended Spartak’s first winter training camp in Dubai. The next one will take place in Abu Dhabi from January 30 to February 11, where the rojiblancos await matches with Rostov, Krasnodar and Sochi as part of a traditional friendly tournament.
Friendly match
Spartak – Botev – 1:0 (0:0)
Goals: Meleshin, 67 – 1:0.
Spartak (first half): A. Shitov, Khlusevich, Chernov, Jikia, Klassen, Litvinov, Prutsev, Zobnin, Ignatov, Zinkovsky, Balde.
Spartak (second half): Maksimenko, Denisov, Maslov, Duarte, Rybus, Litvinov (Pyatkin, 64), Prutsev (Ivannikov, 74), Zobnin (Zorin, 64), Sobolev, Meleshin, Nicholson.
