The incredible tour of the Russian championship immediately after a long break for the Russian national team brought only three wins and five draws. Furthermore, all three victories were with a clean sheet. When forming the symbolic team for the eighth round, the editorial team of “Soviet Sport” will once again rely on the statistics kindly provided by the company “Rustat”. This time the 4-4-2 formation of the players on the soccer field is taken as a basis.
Goalkeeper – Mikhail Kerzhakov, Zenit
“Rubín” – “Zenit” – 0:3
Mikhail Kerzhakov has always been considered a goalkeeper who exclusively takes his own balls in the game. And Zenit’s defense is built in such a way that usually little reaches the St. Petersburg goalkeeper. However, in Kazan it was Mikhail’s turn to help the team. There were spectacular saves from point-blank shots, a quick fist ball outside the penalty area and even a pre-goal assist for Wilson Isidore’s first goal. Pass accuracy was 79% and the number of attempts to complete short, medium and long passes was 29.
Left back: Douglas Santos, Zenit
“Rubín” – “Zenit” – 0:3
If nothing changes in the RPL in the coming months, then Douglas Santos can be given the title of best left back by a landslide. And he really is the best. 88% percent accurate passes! And the Brazilian doesn’t care who his club plays with. Whether Rubin or anyone else, Santos operates at the highest level. 80% of fights won is another indicator of Douglas’s isolation from other footballers in the Russian championship.
Photo source: RIA Novosti
Right back: Darko Todorovic, Akhmat
“Akhmat” – “Krasnodar” – 1:1
…And if Akhmat, with all his probable capabilities, could also beat the championship leader Krasnodar, then Todorovich would definitely be in all the top lists according to the results of the last round. The Bosnian defender played almost a dominant role in the draw against the Bulls. 85% accurate passes, 100% successful tackles, 70% duels and dribbles won. What else do you need to feel like a top defender at the RPL level?
Central defender – Srdjan Babic, Spartak
“Spartak” – “Sochi” – 1:0
Spartak’s Serbian centre-back played an important role in the match against Sochi. He started by not allowing shooting situations in his area and ended with the only winning goal in the match already in added time. In addition, Babich has a cosmic percentage of accurate passes in a match: 99% and 85% of duels won. And finally – 100% on selections. Definitely one of the best players in the eighth round.
Photo source: RIA Novosti
Central defender – Strahinja Erakovic, Zenit
“Rubín” – “Zenit” – 0:3
The Serbian central duo in the symbolic team of the tour is not a coincidence. Balkan players are distinguished, in principle, by their ability to avoid tying situations in the area and by their ability to play well with their heads. Erakovic has 91% of accurate passes, 80% of fights won on the second floor and 75% of successful tackles. Decent performance to make you one of the best not only on your team.
Defensive midfielder – Wendel, Zenit
“Rubín” – “Zenit” – 0:3
Zenit’s game as a whole depends on Wendel’s mood. And after Malcom’s departure, this Brazilian’s role as a leader on the field multiplied. The leader of the St. Petersburg team took, passed, snatched seemingly dead balls from Rubin’s midfield and created scoring opportunities for his players. Two assists per game, 90% first pass accuracy, 100% accurate passes to the penalty area, 78% successful dribbles. It was a match in which the Brazilian fell, despite the fact that he himself did not score any goals.
Photo source: FC Zenit.
Defensive midfielder – Vilmar Barrios, Zenit
“Rubín” – “Zenit” – 0:3
The Colombian, along with Douglas Santos and Wendel, is the jewel in the crown of the Russian championship. Fellow journalists often ask what a footballer of such high quality is doing here. But if Vilmar himself is satisfied with everything, let him continue showing us examples of real and interesting football. In the match with the Kazan team, Barrios had 89% accurate passes, 100% accurate passes into the area, 100% single combats and one dribble won from above. Where could it be better?
Left midfielder – Abbosbek Faizullaev, CSKA
CSKA – “Wings of the Soviets” – 2:2
Let this be a definite breakthrough for the Uzbek footballer, because he has not yet gotten used to the RPL, but the match against Samara “Wings” showed that the army team strengthened in the summer off-season with high quality. offensive midfielder. It was he who participated in the team’s scoring combinations and, in fact, saved the team from defeat. 100% accurate passes to another’s area, 75% of duels won in attack. Not a bad start for a man little was known about in Russian football.
Photo source: PFC CSKA
Right midfielder – Nikolay Rasskazov, Krylya Sovetov
CSKA – “Wings of the Soviets” – 2:2
There was a time when Rasskazov’s home club, Spartak, sent Nikolai wherever they could to practice. But in the end the midfielder managed to establish himself in the status of one of the leaders. In the match between the “wings of the Soviets” and CSKA, Rasskazov’s role was almost the main one. He not only arrived on time everywhere, but also scored a goal in the second minute of the match. In total, successful tackles: 100%, accurate passes: 73%, duels won: 100%. If Nikolai continues like this, then Spartak will start biting their elbows, if they haven’t already.
Forward – Mateo Cassierra, Zenit
“Rubín” – “Zenit” – 0:3
The forward, who was on a starvation diet last season, this season scored 8 goals in 8 games! The Colombian is going according to plan with one goal per game and at this rate at the end of the championship he will be able to rewrite all scoring records. In the match against Rubin he had enough instinct to send the ball into the Kazan goal after an excellent pass on the flank.
Photo source: FC Zenit.
Forward – Anton Zabolotny, CSKA
CSKA – “Wings of the Soviets” – 2:2
Anton Zabolotny has been showing for several games in a row that it was in vain to have buckets of cold water thrown at him for some goal errors. He is currently in perfect condition, the army’s coaching staff trusts him and the striker rewards them with confident play at the forefront of the attack. Anton had 100% successful dribbles during the match against Samara, 75% successful passes to the final third of the attack and 50% penetrating passes into the penalty area. Why not the leader of the army’s attack formations?
