Photo: red-army.ru
The hottest vacancy in CSKA appeared after a terrible injury Igor Akinfeev. Eugene Giner immediately had a lot of advisers who offered him “win-win” options for solving the goalkeeper problem. The range of recommendations ranged from the return of Vladimir Gabulov from the Kuban to the emergency mobilization of Sergei Ovchinnikov.
The only question was - why, in fact, Benjamin Mandrykin for three years alternated games for the double with a peaceful sitting on the bench? Is it not in order to become the first number in such a terrible situation and adequately replace Akinfeev?
It is extremely interesting to compare two human stories - Gabulov and Mandrykin. Both chilled in stock a critical amount of time. The first one despaired of waiting for his chance and, having left for Krasnodar, did play out before calling for the national team. The second, risky remaining in CSKA for another season, also, as if in gratitude, had the opportunity to direct the measured course of his career in a new direction. Mandrykin has always been a mood goalkeeper, not always coping with nerves. It was in this respect that he had at one time hopelessly lost to Akinfeev, who had been bribing him with rare rationality from school. However, the contradictory property of Benjamin's character has a flip side. Catching courage, Mandrykin is really capable of much. The game with Zenit convinces that he was able to tune in to the right wave.
The defense of the army is a peculiar substance. Both due to the specifics of the Gazzaev tactical scheme, and because of completely special, in fact family relations within the defensive community. For example, what do all the other teams do when they discover a hole in the center of defense? They take a man there, a class superior to all available players. Great exit, but not for the defense of CSKA. Since the purchase of Ignashevich - and it has already been 3 and a half years - the army team has not acquired a single defender. More than indicative fact. Gazzaev almost more puts in defense on teamwork and a sense of elbow than on individual skill.
Obviously, this season far behind CSKA in the rear. Suddenly fading concentration in the last minutes has repeatedly entailed a lack of points. Nevertheless, it is difficult to imagine that such problems of a purely psychological nature can be solved by attracting someone from the outside. In addition, on Saturday, Ignashevich and the Berezutsky finally refreshed our true level in our memory. It remains only to begin to demonstrate it on a permanent basis.
Perhaps the army team should take advantage of the European intermission and recruit for a month Nikol Zhigich or Dimitar Berbatov
Less is said about the "wear and tear" of the attack, but it may turn out that during the approaching America's Cup there will simply be no one to generate attacking plans. Jo and Wagner are now both in Selesao. It turned out funny: a year ago, the red and blue lobby was actively outraged by Carlos Alberto Parreira’s reluctance to give Daniel Carvalho a chance, and now fans of the army hope that Parreira Dung’s successor will leave them at least Ramon in late June. We are not at all accustomed to the fact that the players of our clubs can be summoned to the leading world teams by the edge. Accordingly, the line of behavior in such ambiguous situations has not yet been developed. I would like to believe that the army management was aware ahead of time of the inevitably impending America’s Cup and conceived of a way - so far unknown to us - out of a piquant history. So far it remains only to fantasize ... Manchester United, for example, rented Henrik Larsson during the Swedish off-season. Perhaps the army team should take advantage of the European intermission and recruit for a month, say, Nikol Zhigich or Dimitar Berbatov. In the end, a non-trivial problem implies a non-trivial solution.
But what really can disturb Gazzaev this season is the supporting link. Here, it seems, in fact, one cannot do without fresh ideas. After all, without taking a tangible step back separately, Rakhimich and Aldonin, however, today they are much less impressive as a tandem than before. One can endlessly speculate why the judges this season are less tolerant of the Bosnian's usual sins, but the fact remains. The small foul tactics, which had previously been based on the defensive strategy of Gazzaev, have lost their previous effectiveness and relevance this season.
A slightly different story with teammate Rakhimich. Undoubtedly, in the art of “gnawing” the ball, Aldonin is almost the standard in our country. But what good is it if Evgeny is far from always succeeding in developing defensive success with an accurate pass? Marriage in broadcasts was and remains a fundamental shortcoming of the 26-year-old midfielder. He is already in the fourth season at CSKA, and during this time more than once the hope was born that Eugene was about to reach a new level. For example, in the spring of 2005, during a victorious step in the UEFA Cup or last summer, when the 22nd number of army men was awarded captainal powers in the national team from Guus Hiddink. So last Saturday, participating in the second goal against Malafeev, Aldonin once again hinted at the potential growth of his creative skills. Apparently, the initial non-call to the national team prompted Eugene to take a critical look at his own game.
The refreshment of the support zone is overdue - and, of course, it will be necessary to look for it in the transfer market. The acquisition of one or two newcomers - the central midfielder and, possibly, the striker - fits perfectly into the “point” selection canvas of CSKA. But there is no need for a total upgrade of the squad, for which it was recently so fashionable to advocate. In personnel stability, the army team objectively surpass all competitors without exception.
Denis ROMANTSOV