Spartak has every chance of success. The current Zenit is the most difficult in recent years
Dmitry Zimin August 20, 2023, 11:05 Moscow time Audio version: Your browser does not support the audio element.
Semak’s team was affected by the departure of Malcolm, problems with Wendel, injuries and a new renewal of the lineup. Spartak is much more balanced now.
How quickly things have changed. In the spring, we talked for a long time with Sergey Semak, who rightly called the team of the 2022/2023 season the most balanced in recent years. When the spread started in the direction of Dziuba/Azmun, there was no obvious position dependency, and points were constantly flying onto the table. Zenit confidently led and flew to the fifth championship. The team seemed to be getting stronger. And zero prerequisites for at least a minimal crisis.
Summer has arrived. Traditional rumors about the discontent of some Brazilians, which in St. Petersburg have become accustomed in recent years. Information that someone is about to leave. But it certainly did not affect the mood. Malcolm, Claudinho, Douglas, Mantua started training. Yes, there was no Wendel. Kuzyaev left. And? Zenit has always been willing to let anyone go. And found an equivalent replacement.
And then Malcolm was gone. And we saw an ambiguous start to the season. Tough victory in the Super Bowl. It is not easy: about “Pari NN” and “Akhmat”. Then a draw with Rostov, a loss against Dynamo, a very difficult match in Samara in the Cup and a difficult match against Fakel. If before it seemed that Zenit’s safety margin extended to almost all rivals, now that feeling has disappeared. And there will be almost no passing matches, when it was possible to retire on individual ability.
We have solved the problems here:
Zenit in the first rounds of the RPL is an ordinary team. There is simply no one on the field to make a result.
Yes, four key players left the team. From four key positions. Rodrigao has been undergoing treatment for several months, Kuzyaev has gone to France, Wendel recently returned to normal training and Malcolm is scoring with power and force in Saudi Arabia. For any coach, even a champion, this situation is a nightmare. After all, not only Rodrigao flew out of the center of defense, Chistyakov also broke through with Rostov. Therefore, numerous experiments and restructuring, which proved that the game structure of “Zenith” is not at all a robotic system for victories. Any configuration change causes problems. And it’s not so easy to switch to three central defenders when one of them is Karavaev. It is not so easy to immediately turn on the power of Mario, which he has not played for six months. And replacing Malcolm, considering Mostovoy’s injury, is a separate quest.
Mario Fernandez
Photo: Elena Razina, Championship
I don’t rule out that it was so hard for Semak and his squad for a long time. Since the height of the coronavirus, when the Champions League had to drop youngsters due to the fact that the players were being relegated one after the other. Every coach wants stability. Now Zenit does not have it for personal stories. What if Wendel leaves? And if Mario doesn’t go? What to do then? As always, look for a way out of a situation that is further complicated by external circumstances.
In addition, transfers to the attack are needed. Let Cassierra start scoring, but there is some kind of problem on the flanks. It’s hard to win a championship when your main option is Zelimkhan Bakaev or Aleksey Sutormin. Naturally, the competitors should take advantage of this moment of the season, when Zenit is objectively weak. And for Spartak it is just a gift that the face-to-face match will take place on Sunday.
We remember the confrontation between the two capitals in the championship season:
Do you remember when Spartak was ahead of Zenit before heads-up? Good sign for Abaskal!
We already wrote that Spartak, for the first time since the championship season, is approaching a match with a main rival higher in the table. And it also seems that he is seen as a favorite for the first time. Due to fewer problems and a balanced composition.
But Semak is no stranger to getting out of sticky situations beautifully. Will it work this time?
The officiating this season is clearly not in Peter’s favor:
Zenith should again have questions for the judges. Table of refereeing errors after the 4th round of the RPL
