Former Zenit player Konstantin Lepyohin shared his thoughts on the club's situation at the beginning of the season in an exclusive interview. This was reported by Euro-football.ru.
According to him, the most important thing for Zenit is to secure the championship. Lepyohin does not consider the start of the season to be perfect, but he does not evaluate it as unsuccessful either.
The team is operating in a work mode, but there is a high probability that the season will be as difficult as the previous ones. Expecting easy victories is incorrect, as opponents have strengthened or there are problems within Zenit.
He also emphasized that it is difficult to assess the physical condition of the players through television. Sometimes a player may have strength but may not want to move on the field.
These situations can lead to incorrect assessments of external appearances. Lepyohin also commented on the conflict between coach Semak and player Glushenkov.
If Glushenkov helps the team, Semak should try to prevent conflicts. Otherwise, such a player should not remain in the team.
He also noted that even if a player does not fit the team's playing scheme, if they are strong and motivated, they can still showcase their skills. The problem is not in the scheme.
He talked about the impact of having a problematic player on the team's morale. While this situation used to have a significant impact, it is difficult to speak clearly about the current team's mentality.
If a player determines the result, such problems become less significant. However, Glushenkov has not been able to determine the result for Zenit in several games.
This issue needs to be resolved by the coach. In the upcoming game, Zenit will meet CSKA on the field.
Lepyohin says that there is no need to approach this game with excessive anxiety. Zenit is still considered the favorite, but the chances of victory are not as high as they were five years ago.
Opponents have strengthened, so it is not out of the question that Zenit may lose.
