€40m and shameful déjà vu of Rubin in Petersburg

Lazy passport owners found at Zenit

The game of the Kazan players with Lucescu's players ended the programme of the seventh leg of the Russian Premier League. The victory in this match would rank the Blue-White-Sky Blues third with a four-point margin from the leader of the championship. One of the highest-paid football players with a 'correct' passport delivered a speech on that day. The story of Kokorin's visit to a nightclub in Monte Carlo left behind, but he wrote a new one. In a talk to a TASS journalist, Aleksander rather pecualirly estimated the appropriateness to join a European club without the loud word 'top'.

'What is the point? I think Zenit is one of the strongest teams of Europe. And there is no sense in going to West Bromwich. If it is Europe, it must be a top club. For example, Barcelona. I have said many times I'm ready to go to this team even by foot. If not, I don't have a clue.'

Have you ever had any offers from Europe?

I have told about it. I have had an offer from Arsenal recently. But it would be a loan. The English club offered it Dynamo on the last day of the transfer window. Everything was confused. As a result, there was not any transfer.

Right, such a star can't join even Arsenal if there is a confusion, God forbid. And nominal West Bromwich is, of course, not for Kokorin. But he will have to work hard in every match of EPL. And there are only 38 games in the championship, exclusive of domestic cups (of England and the League). And what if he reaches Eurocups. It is better to play 30 matches in the Russian Football Premier League at best, 6 matches in the European League and friendlies in the national squad (if he is invited, of course). But he will have money and a guaranteed position on the pitch.

The story of Kokorin's visit to a nightclub in Monte Carlo left behind, but he wrote a new one

Extra Rubin players to benefit of Russians and to the detriment of foreigners

It seems that Javier Gracia meant Zenit when he insinuated lazy passport owners and defended his players: Kanunnikov, Ozdoev, Burlak&Co. in the interview to the author of these lines. By the way, there is a grain of truth in the words of the Spanish specialist. The overload in the 'roaster' doesn't allow the Kazan passport owners to rest on their laurels. Nabiullin was warming the bench not a long time ago. Now Ustinov has cemented a place there. Ozdoev started his second match with bench warming. We saw Burlak in the first team a long time ago. An excess of Russian players at Rubin creates a competitive pitch that other Russians lack at other clubs of the Russian Premier League.

On the other hand, the team made up of foreigners at Rubin is playing against the Kazan club. Foreigners one by one say they knew what they would face. But to know and experience it first-hand are different things. How to explain Zambrano why he could not play because of his passport and gave his place to Burlak. Or Moritz Bauer who observed Ustinov from the bench. This list of unfairness and murder of sports competition named after Mutko in Russian football can be continued for long.

It is clear Javier Gracia has to rack his brains to be within the limit before every match. I remember our readers the puzzle that the Spanish specialist faces before every game. Today Gracia confirmed the topicality of the problem in the interview.

Gracia's puzzle and hope on Mutko

In every match fans and journalists try to guess what position señor Gracia will 'sacrifice' for the limit on the number of foreign players. Does this problem exist?

Sure, it is a new situation for me. A good analysis is needed before making a decision. It is not only difficult to choose a foreigner for sacrifice. I should think about it during a match, and make changes depending on the course of the game. It is an uneasy task, a puzzle for a coach. I have to think it over: if this player leaves this position, who will play here? It is not a usual task of a coach when you just choose the best players at a certain moment.

Tell the truth, if the limit did not exist, who of the Russians would be in the first team of Rubin regularly except Ryzhikov?

No one has a guarantee that he will be fielded. But I think that, for example, Maksim Kanunnikov is demonstrating a very good level. Denis Tkachuk is useful. I can also mention Ozdoev, Nabiullin, Burlak. Every player has good and bad luck. As a coach, I have to choose a moment when a player shows his best qualities. In addition, I need to keep my mind on the limit.

Javier Gracia has to rack his brains to be within the limit. Photo: Oleg Tikhonov

We can only hope that pre-election promises of Mutko in Kazan about the cancellation and a less strict limit on the number of foreign players won't be just an empty word, and only hope because it is very difficult to believe him. We can only wait for some luck to free the coach of Rubin from this bothersome burden.

Why there was no room for Lestienne in the starting line-up

At the moment this problem is topical as ever before. Belgian Maxime Lestienne who brightly substituted his teammate in the match against Ural was the main 'sacrifice' of the limit of Rubin at Petrovsky. And it is unclear how the player was not in the starting line-up in the game against Zenit. First of all, Gracia fairly did not take a risk to add a second Russian to the defence. The attack of the Petersburg players would be too delighted. The attack of the host team did not have any big problems while coping with the defence of the Kazan players.

The players who won over Ural appeared in the midfield and attack. And the limit did not allow Lestienne to appear. Whom should the Belgian substitute? Song is fine. Rochina fought for being in the first eleven and is cementing his position by his game. Jonathas who spent numerous opportunities in the game with Yekaterinburg left. But here psychology comes into effect. As Gracia told before, the Brazilian has chances to score in every game. The forward is in good shape. It is obvious he must be fine after the first goal he scored, while a transfer of the forward to the bench can 'break' Jonathas. Moreover, he is vulnerable. Just remember his first interview in Russia with Realnoe Vremya when the player told many times that trust is of paramount importance to him. So it turns out that Gracia could not help but exclude Lestienne from the game with Zenit. It should be also noted that Kverkvelia and M'Vila, what is more important, have appeared on the bench. It would be interesting to see the latter in a combination with Song. However, there is a limit again. It would be good to find room for Lestienne.

Monopoly: to the detriment even on TV

By the way, the unprofessionalism of our colleagues from the federal Match-TV channel was an unpleasant surprise. The channel workers showed a formation of Rubin before the game – the 4-2-3-1, though Gracia used the classical 4-4-2 for the seventh time. Moreover, Kanunnikov was on the flank, and Maksim is the second forward in the centre of the pitch in all games under Gracia. Rochina is on the flank, but the experts from the capital decided to make him a forward for some reason.

It is clear when one local Kazan mass media used the analogous formation during four matches. It is a shame, it is unacceptable if we take into account the status of the news source. But one is waiting for accuracy and professionalism from federal sports journalism. Gracia already told us his club plays the 4-4-2. A representative of Zenit Vladislav Radimov noted it. But there are careless journalists who don't check information. And it happens on a federal channel. Whatever you may say, but monopoly is always to the detriment – even on TV.

But Moscow perfectly knows the squad and formation of Zenit. Well, it is no surprise because there are no revolutions on the Neva riverbanks if we don't count Hulk's loss. And Kerzhakov, Smolnikov, Zhirkov, Dzyuba and Kokorin were predictable five passport owners of the host team. Giuliano drew special attention in the attack of Zenit whose actions on the pitch almost made the Neva fans forget about the loss of Hulk.

Giuliano ruled the attacks of the host team from the kick-off

Black hole in defence of Rubin

Giuliano was the person who started to rule the attacks of the host team from the kick-off. Rubin almost possessed the ball at the beginning. All in all, Gracia is not good at positional attacks, and a couple of half-backs clearly did not cope with the triplet of rivals. As a consequence, in the 14 ^th minute, Song did not catch up with Zhirkov and hit his foot. Matyunin awarded a penalty, and Criscito was accurate from 11 metres – 1-0.

The host team's player continued to attack. Especially Bauer's flank where Zhirkov reigned failed. A goal was almost scored from the right side of the attack of the host team in the 32 ^nd minute. Nabiullin traditionally missed Smolnikov who assisted near the empty goals. It was good the ball flew above the goals. Ryzhikov knew this episode.

Gracia took drastic measures during the break and substituted Kambolov and Rochina. Lestienne and Ozdoev appeared on the pitch. If the first substitution was clear because Ozdoev is a more attacking player, Rubin's departure was not understood. And here the limit was underway again. It was clear that Kanunnikov was not bright in the first half. But he went to the right flank of Rochina who left the pitch because Lestienne could substitute only a foreigner.

Rubin's state of affairs turned bad from Kurban Berdyev's expulsion

These measures had only one effect – they broke the game system that gave a result in the last Kazan match. Giuliano could increase the margin first. And Lestienne who left the bench in the 53 ^rd minute reached the centre of the pitch to our goals (!) and approached Dzyuba to a striking position who assisted Mak near the open goals – 2-0. Then Giuliano corrected his mistake and scored the third goal to Ryzhikov's goals from the penalty area. The defence of Rubin in this episode looked like a 'black hole'. Dzyuba stopped hitting the Kazan players and scored the fourth goal. Jonathas was the author of a consolation goal in the 86^th minute. I am not sure about the consolation. But this goal must give the Brazilian more confidence in further games. In general, there was not any miracle. It was strange to count on success in Petersburg based on one successful match out of six when the season has just started. According to the results for seven matches, we have to conclude that Rubin that was renewed for €40m is a middling team at best. And the worst option is that the Kazan fans will have to 'enjoy' an interesting fight for survival. Let's remember the past – 6 April 2014. Rinat Bilyaletdinov marked a wallop 6-4 in Petersburg. Today the score is 4-1 with another coach and squad. Why should one pay more if there is not any difference?

The Kazan club has been maintaining its level since Berdyev left the post of the head coach – a shameful place. Who or what will return Rubin's name?