Former Zenit coach Boris Rapoport explained what the blue-white-blues lacked to finish at the top of the RPL table at the end of the first part of the season.
“At the beginning of the season, it was very difficult for Zenit, because the departure of players like Wendel and Kuzyaev could not help but have an impact. Then Wendel returned from vacation and took over the game. And she began to get better. But Zenit still did not have stability. We lost points in matches that went well for the team – we lost to Dynamo, Lokomotiv, remember. This season in the RPL there is confrontation, resistance – something that was not there in previous ones. And Zenit was not ready for this. Because the reserves with which the team played in recent years are no longer there. It’s good for our football that there is such competition. “Dynamo” has caught up, “Krasnodar” is playing well, “Spartak” is always somewhere on the way. Zenit needs to improve after the break. I believe that the current squad – although it needs to be strengthened – is sufficient to win the title. Sergei Semak just needs to decide on a scheme. Now the old one is not working, he is looking for new options, but not everything works out,” Rapoport said.
After 18 rounds, FC Krasnodar is in the lead in the Russian Championship, two points ahead of St. Petersburg.
Source: Rosbalt
Mario Twitchell is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his insightful and thought-provoking writing on a wide range of topics including general and opinion. He currently works as a writer at 247 news agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
