Stable results, successful strengthening and skill of Semak: why Zenit left no chance for competitors in the RPL

Winning over competitors and no recessions

The championship of Zenit in recent years has become a constant of the RPL.

The team can lose leaders and buy new players, make misfires and go through difficult periods, but in the end it still finishes in first place.

With a high degree of probability, nothing will change this season.

The young daring Dynamo seemed ready to compete with the hegemon and even reduced the gap to three points, but at the decisive moment faltered, losing to CSKA in the Moscow derby.

In turn, the wards of Sergei Semak beat Krasnodar in class and opened their way to the next title.

In general, the blue-white-blue once again powerfully held the second part of the national championship and practically did not give the pursuers a chance.

After the resumption of the season, the team scored six wins in eight matches of the RPL, two draws and scored 20 points.

Unexpected can only be called a peaceful outcome with the "Wings of the Soviets" (1:1), when Samarans equalized the score in the 91st minute.

Also, Zenit failed to beat Sochi (0:0), but was much closer to success and, for example, delivered almost four times as many shots - 19:5.

A quick relegation from the Europa League also played into the hands, which allowed us to save strength.

For comparison, Dynamo took 16 points in the same segment, CSKA - 17, Sochi - 15, and Lokomotiv - 13, but has a game in hand.

Moreover, the St. Petersburg residents managed practically without recessions.

Usually, their problems began in the fall, when they had to be torn into two, and earlier, taking into account the Cup of Russia, into three fronts.

The current champion survived a small crisis this time too, when in October he suffered two consecutive defeats in the Premier League from Sochi and the outsider Arsenal, who were the only ones left.

However, as soon as the fans of other teams began to discuss the possible end of hegemony, the Semak team lowered them from heaven to earth.

First, he literally humiliated Spartak - 7:1, and then defeated the main pursuer, Dynamo - 4:1.

At the same time, it is important that Zenit produced the necessary results in confrontations with other giants and contenders for medals, if Sochi is not taken into account.

CSKA and Krasnodar were beaten twice.

In meetings with Dynamo, four points were scored, including a key draw in Moscow in the last round of last year.

Lokomotiv and Spartak will still try to stop their principal rival, but he will approach the matches with them with a solid lead over the second position.

Scheme with three central defenders and bet on the Brazilians in attack

Many believe that the victories of Petersburgers in Russia are a regularity, since the club has the most serious financial opportunities in the country and can afford to acquire expensive foreign players.

But do not belittle the work of Semak, who is close to bringing his wards to the championship for the fourth time in a row.

Over the course of several years, the specialist has been organically integrating new players into the roster and changing the team's game in a timely manner.

This season, he has repeatedly shown tactical flexibility.

If we take the line of defense, the coach unexpectedly decided to switch to a scheme with three central defenders.

And it totally worked.

If together the age-old and sluggish Yaroslav Rakitskiy and Dejan Lovren did not look too confident, then in the company of the nominal defensive midfielder Wilmar Barrios, their weaknesses were disguised.

And it was in this arrangement that Zenit played most of the games.

In the attack in recent years, everything was built around the interaction of Serdar Azmun and Artyom Dzyuba, but Semak decided to make serious changes here too.

The key roles began to be played by the Brazilians Claudinho and Malcolm, who from the flanks supported the Iranian advanced on the edge.

Dzyuba, on the other hand, was increasingly in the reserve, but at the same time he turned into a “joker” and scored 13 goals in all tournaments.

Even the winter departure of Azmun to Bayer did not become a tragedy, because he was successfully replaced by newcomers Yuri Alberto and Ivan Sergeev.

The club surprisingly guessed right with almost all of both summer and winter acquisitions.

Claudinho immediately became the leader of the team and the main designer of attacks.

The midfielder already has ten goals and four assists.

Compatriot Malcom flourished next to him, who shares fourth place in the RPL according to the “goal + pass” system (7 + 7).

Alberto scored six times, and Sergeev three.

Both forwards provided Semak with a choice in attack.

Finally, Dmitry Chistyakov became the main central defender, and Stanislav Krytsyuk became the goalkeeper.

Young Arsen Adamov and Nuraly Alip have not had time to prove themselves yet, but they ensured the depth of the squad.

This factor also helped Zenit to maintain its leading position.

The coaching staff always had on hand experienced players who could be thrown into battle at a difficult moment: Alexei Sutormin, Alexander Erokhin, Magomed Ozdoev and Andrey Mostovoy.

Only in the RPL, the players from St. Petersburg scored 13 goals out of 61 after coming on as a substitute.

The presence of a long bench helped to solve numerous personnel problems.

For example, in the absence of injured Kritsyuk and Daniil Odoevsky, Mikhail Kerzhakov became the first number.

In other cases, the versatility of individual performers helped.

For example, Douglas Santos and Barrios have repeatedly closed holes in the center of the defense after the departure of Rakitskiy and the damage to Lovren.

The risk of losing legionnaires and problems at the last frontier

However, it will not be easy for Zenit to defend the championship next season.

It is still not clear whether representatives of the country will take part in European competitions, but with a high degree of probability this will not happen.

In this case, some of the leading legionnaires may leave St. Petersburg, although in the spring they all expressed a desire to stay.

The club will also have to seriously work on strengthening individual lines.

The goalkeeper position is represented by age Kerzhakov and Kritsyuk.

The latter was acquired as the main goalkeeper, but in important matches he often acted uncertainly.

In addition to them, Semak has only a talented, but young Odoevsky.

In the center of defense, in fact, only Chistyakov's position is unshakable.

Alip played a total of eight matches for the team, but has not yet answered the question of whether the St. Petersburg residents would want to buy the rights to him from Kairat.

And Lovren, even if he does not leave the team, is prone to injury and has long crossed the 30-year milestone.

Dzyuba will turn 34 in August.

This season, he has already scored significantly less than last season (13 vs. 22).

And it’s not a fact that the contract expiring in the summer will be extended with him.