WC Qualifying Round Deux: RUSSIA vs. SLOVENIA [R]

our striker/s are fine. the team has to compensate for sh*t defense and unpredictable goal keepers

 

not now...but in a few years...Pavel Mamaev will be a solid DM

tbh, i think he could do a better job than Denisov or Aldonin right as we speak...but of course Hiddink won't risk it.

Semak is country's best DM right now, and he's getting old....i dont know if he'll be in shape for WC....we certainly need a young, progressing DM.

Mamaev is that guy.

 

Best D-mid is Sima, 2nd best is Zyirya - both are universal players which fits Hiddink, and his dearly departed mentor.

 

I actually do like Mamaev and i thought he was good enough for the NT already.

 

Sima's certainly good but the times may be past him. Zyryanov is simply needed elsewhere. He could be a DM out of necessity but don't you think his talents are better used in different midfield positions?

 

Zyrianov isn't a natural DM and shouldn't be used as a DM. Zyrianov is a creator, not a destroyer. We need a natural destroyer DM.

 

wish Russia had someone like Yaya Toure

 

I've watched Sima since he was a kid outta the "Stable", up until 2001-2002 he was an insane apechitt workhorse tackler who got tons of reds, then under VVS he started to pass and hold his emotions back. To me, and I'll say it again - he is as good as DMid, as Tymo - altho' Z may chime in, since "T" left the vyishka I dont watch WWF - pardon - PFPL, but his passing and speed overshadow that fact.
At 31 he's far away from being too old - being a year older than Tymo.
D-mids can usually play longer than C-ones - or regress to that position a la Kolotov - due to different type of an effort needed - more anaerobic vs. aerobic , Keane, Haan, and especially Ardiles, etc. were quite good into their mid-late 30's.
Zyirya was a left wing as a kid had a tough time breaking into the "T" first team, made it as a wing/d-mid and has not lost those abilities.
It is quite amusing to hear of Rasseya D-mid whining when Sima is as good as anyone around right now, with Hiddink recognizing that fact instantly.

 

Wow time is flying, NT camps meet a week from today! This is going to be huge, hope they show the games on FSC and Gol

 

The Russia game is the most likely to end up on FSC.

 

I would have guessed IRL-FRA

 

My guess is there should be 2 games on FSC and hopefully the same with Gol....

 

Nope, Ireland matches get big audiences. Hence, they go on PPV.

 

Nope.

Setanta will have Russia-Slovenia. Bosnia/Portugal will go live on Setanta. Ukraine/Greece will go next day delayed on Setanta. Ireland France has apparently been sold to TV5. The only game on FSC is New Zealand-Bahrain.

 

That sucks!

 

I know what Dima will be doing at 1 am on Saturday morning.