Upcoming Ireland Qualifier Any updates on the team for the Ireland match. I think a tie would be a good result at this moment. Things seem a bet unclear on the Russian team. Can anyone give me a quick analysis Zenit? Shurik? Anyone?
Well, in normal times I would suspect more of the same lineup that we saw vs. Sweden. But this ain't normal times. Titov is out injured (no great loss, IMHO), Izmailov is injured as well (BIG loss), and of course Sychev has been dropped because of the contract row between him & Spartak. I'm no big fan of the Meat, but I have to say that Sychev sure is acting strange -- if he wants to go, fine, but at least let the club pay him a decent wage for now and shop him on the transfer market, much like Loko did with Nigmatullin. Dmitri Sennikov is out, as well, so Viktor Onopko's retirement party was a bit premature, unfortunately. Here's the 24 man squad: Ovchinnikov, Nigmatullin, Ignashevitch, Nizhegorodov, Dayev, Evsikov, Kovtun, Onopko, Smertin, Yanovskiy, Gusev, Solomatin, Semak, Loskov, Khokhlov, Karyaka, Arshavin, Semshov, Aldonin, Laktionov, Pimenov, Kerzhakov, Popov, Beschastnykh Ireland looks to have pretty much a full squad: Richard Dunne (Man City) and Andy O'Brien (Newcastle) the only notables missing: Given, Kiely, Colgan, Harte, Breen, Kelly, Cunningham, Finnan, O'Shea, Babb, McAteer, Holland, Kilbane, Healy, Kinsella, Carsley, Delap, McPhail, Robbie Keane, Duff, Morrison, Doherty On paper -- I'd have to say a draw would be a good result for the home side. But if Gazzayev can resist the temptation to give someone like Beschastnykh significant playing time and give the young horses (Pimenov, Kerzhakov) the opportunity to run with service from what is still a very good midfield (I don't see a midfield without Titov as much of a downer, would have been nice to have Izmailov but maybe this will be the game where Semak, Arshavin, etc. get more of a chance to show what they are made of) -- who knows? Ireland has the experience and talent edge, of course, but Russia has the home field and the younger forwards should be able to duplicate the pace of the Irish attack.
Popov, Pimenov, & Dayev all scratched because of injury. Won't be anyone left for the match, if this keeps up.
Zenit, what is the projected line-up. Can you list by position and club team. Also, maybee the bench. Frankly, as the underdogs (if Russia realizes this) the Russian team has a chance. If they go in overconfident all is lost. I see a tie 0-0. However, it there is a goal, if will be for Ireland and we could loose 3-0. Anyway, as you said, if Mostovoi is playing we have creativity and that is something Russia lacked at the WC.
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