World Cup preview: Russia

The Road To The World Cup

Russia surprised some by finishing atop Group F ahead of Portugal in European qualifying, opening with four consecutive victories before doing just enough to hold off the late charge of Cristiano Ronaldo and company.

After failing to qualify for the competition in both 2006 and 2010 (and following that up with a disappointing group stage exit at Euro 2012) the Russians will be looking to bounce back in a big way.

Group Stage Schedule

Formation: 4-2-3-1 / 4-3-3 / 4-1-4-1

As with any team coached by Fabio Capello, Russia is well-organized and difficult to break down - as evidenced by the five goals they conceded in ten qualifying matches.

The Italian has instilled his tried-and-tested system of being solid in defense and making his team difficult to play against - something Milan, Roma, Juventus and Real Madrid fans know all about from his time with each club.

With the likes of Alan Dzagoev and Aleksandr Kokorin in attack, there is still flair in the side, and the combination of their defensive solidity along with that creativity has Russian supporters very excited heading into the tournament.

The one rather large asterisk casting a huge shadow over the team is the absence of captain Roman Shirokov, who will miss the tournament with a knee injury suffered back in April. He was called into the squad despite the ailment, but suffered a relapse in training last week and has been ruled out.

It's a crushing blow to the side. As noted by Michael Cox, the injury to Shirokov is not dissimilar in magnitude to that of Holland's Kevin Strootman, as it too could force Russia to use a different formation in Brazil.

Manager: Fabio Capello

Before Capello could implement his system with the Russians, he needed to sort out somewhat of a mess that was left to him by Dick Advocaat, who stepped down following the aforementioned group stage exit at Euro 2012.

The 67-year-old wasted no time making changes, naming midfielder Igor Denisov as his captain and giving the team a new identity as one built on a strong defense as opposed to the more fluid, attacking system Advocaat championed.

It may have been more fun to watch under the Dutchman, but you can’t argue with the results since the well-travelled Italian took his spot on the Russian bench.

The English FA - and those who support the Three Lions - may not like to hear this, but Russia is far better with Capello at the helm. In a tournament where keeping clean sheets is so vital, he may be the perfect man to help this team make an impressive run in Brazil.

Projected Starting XI

GK: Igor Akinfeev

LB: Dmitri Kombarov

CB: Sergei Ignashevich

CB: Vasili Berezutski

RB: Georgi Shchennikov

CDM: Igor Denisov

CM: Viktor Fayzulin

CM: Oleg Shatov

LAM: Aleksandr Kokorin

RAM: Alan Dzagoev

FW: Aleksandr Kerzhakov

Projected Substitutes

GK: Yuri Lodygin

GK: Sergey Ryzhikov

DF: Andrey Semenov

DF: Andrei Yeshchenko

DF: Vladimir Granat

DF: Aleksei Kozlov

MF: Denis Glushakov

MF: Alexey Ionov

MF: Pavel Mogilevets

MF: Yuri Zhirkov

MF: Alexander Samedov 

FW: Maxim Kanunnikov

The Star: Alan Dzagoev

The attacking midfielder was all the rage only a couple of years ago, as his performances for both club and country took the world by storm and had many teams in Europe ready to open up their wallets in order to secure his services.

After he scored three goals in as many matches for Russia at Euro 2012, it seemed Dzagoev was destined to move away from CSKA Moscow and land with one of the continent’s elite clubs.

Fast forward, and today the 23-year-old is still plying his trade in his homeland due to a combination of injuries and a dip in form, which has seen the transfer rumors all but come to an end.

However, this tournament will give the youngster another chance to showcase just how talented he is, and prove why so many teams were interested in his services only a short time ago. 

His combination of skill, speed and and eye for goal should make him one of the most exciting players to watch on a Russian side that doesn't really boast the star quality of the more illustrious teams in the tournament.

The Young Gun: Aleksandr Kokorin

While Dzagoev was tipped as the star of the future only a few short years ago, that label has now shifted to Aleksandr Kokorin.

You need only to look at the €19 million release clause that Dynamo Moscow tagged him with last year - before he was bought by Anzhi Makhachkala and subsequently sold back to Dynamo - to recognize that he is viewed as the star of the future in his homeland.

The 23-year-old, who is capable of playing out wide on the left wing or as a traditional striker, is expected by many to take the reigns from Aleksandr Kerzhakov and help usher in a new generation of Russian football.

His four goals in qualifying and five in the first nine matches of the Russian Premier League season certainly suggest he is more than capable of assuming that mantle.

The Swan Song: Aleksandr Kerzhakov

At 31 years of age, this will, in all likelihood, be the last time Russian supporters get to see the Zenit St. Petersburg striker in World Cup action. You know he’ll be looking to go out with a bang.

Kerzhakov led the team with five goals in qualifying, and his total of 25 puts him second on the country’s all-time list behind only Vladimir Beschastnykh (26). 

Football’s showpiece event is the ideal stage to set a new national record.

While he’s far from the best striker on display in Brazil, the veteran is capable of holding up the ball and linking with the likes of Dzagoev and Kokorin, and often times prefers to drop deep and initiate the attack from midfield.

That versatility and penchant for movement around the pitch could open up some holes in opposing defenses, if not for himself, then at the very least for his teammates.

Three Questions

1. Will we remember this side as an ageing one that couldn't keep up, or an experienced one that used its veteran guile to advance deep in the tournament?
2. Can Kerzhakov carry the team through arguably the weakest group in what will likely be his final World Cup?
3. Can the highly-touted duo of Dzagoev and Kokorin show that the future is now for the Russian squad?

Trivial Matters

Nicknames: Sbornaya (The National Team)

Most caps: Viktor Onopko (109)

Top scorer: Vladimir Beschastnykh (26)

First international: June 30, 1912. Finland 2 - Russian Empire 1

World Cup appearances: 9, beginning in 1956

Best World Cup result: Fourth in 1966

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