FC Moscow v Zenit St Petersburg preview

By: j | August 1st, 2008

First of all, if you were to take a quick glance at the tables you’d get a very inaccurate idea of Zenit’s play this season. The defending Russian and UEFA Cup champion are in many ways a victim of their own success. With five of their top players a part of Russia’s squad at the Euro’s, the challenge hasn’t simply been the tough competition of the Russian Premier League but the burden of fatigue from playing roughly eighteen consecutive months. Their original schedule was adjusted to suit European competition and are now playing in their ninth match in less than a month. Nine matches in a month is simply ridiculous amongst the elite levels and far beyond the acceptable limits within practices and proper recuperation and preparation. Couple that with the massive distraction of the Andrei Arshavin saga, their brilliant manager Dick Advocaat has had more to deal with that is far outside the realm of the pitch. Zenit sits tenth in the table a full ten points behind league leader Rubin Kazan and needs to start amassing victories if it is to have a chance to secure a European spot.

Recent Form (prior five matches)
FC Moscow - combined ( 1 W, 3 D, 1 L) ( 3 GS, 4 GA)
April 15 FC Moscow 1 - 1 PFK Samara Kryliya Sovetov
July 9 Saturn Moscow 0 - 0 FC Moscow
July 13 FC Moscow 0 - 0 Terek Grozny
July 20 CSKA Moscow 0 - 2 FC Moscow
July 27 FC Moscow 0 - 3 Lokomotiv Moscow

FC Moscow - away ( 3 W, 2 D, L) (7 GS, 1 GA)
April 27 Spartak Moscow 1 - 1 FC Moscow
May 2 Spartak Nalchik 0 - 3 FC Moscow
May 10 YFK Shinnik Yaroslav 0 - 1 FC Moscow
July 9 Saturn Moscow 0 - 0 FC Moscow
July 20 CSKA Moscow 0 - 2 FC Moscow

Zenit St. Petersburg - combined ( 1 W, 3 D, 1 L) ( 3 GS, 2 GA)
July 16 Luch-Energiya Vladivostok 0 - 0 Zenit St Petersburg
July 19 Zenit St Petersburg 2 - 0 FK Amkar Perm’
July 23 Zenit St Petersburg 1 - 1 Lokomotiv Moscow
July 26 Dinamo Moscow 1 - 0 Zenit St Petersburg
July 30 CSKA Moscow 0 - 0 Zenit St Petersburg

Zenit St. Petersburg - home ( 2 W, 2 D, 1 L) ( 12 GS, 7 GA)
April 13 Zenit St Petersburg 1 - 1 Samara Kryliya Sovetov
July 6 Zenit St Petersburg 5 - 1 FK Tom’ Tomsk
July 9 Zenit St Petersburg 3 - 4 Spartak Nalchik
July 19 Zenit St Petersburg 2 - 0 FK Amkar Perm’
July 23 Zenit St Petersburg 1 - 1 Lokomotiv Moscow

Reviewing recent matches could possibly lead to inaccurate findings if you did not consider that Zenit has played five matches in the last two weeks, including a energetic CSKA Moscow on Wednesday. Equally most of FC Moscow’s away matches were in May and April and completely irrelevant other than to say they have an affinity for playing on the road. FC Moscow has additionally only scored twice this month in four matches, both against CSKA and for the most part appeared unfocused. Advantage Zenit, but barely given the level of fatigue.

Key areas to watch is the return of Turkey International Fatih Tekke to Zenit, back from a one-match suspension, the slick play of Argentine Alejandro Dominguez upfront with Andrei and the highly versatile Konstantin Zyryanov patrolling midfield. Dick Advocaat will attack FC Moscow relentlessly and like any champion with their backs against the wall, I expect them to be ruthless. However the question is whether the weight of the last month be too much and FC Moscow will pounce on any opening. The second of three great matches today that you don’t want to miss out on.