Moscow's "Dynamo" team went to Caspian as favorites but returned without any result. This was reported by Euro-football.ru.
A recurring simple scenario in the Premier League: big clubs fall victim to their excessive confidence. But this time the situation is even more interesting.
"Dynamo" head coach Valery Karpin is working in two directions: one hand at the club, the other at the national team. It seems the coach has already decided which position is more convenient for him.
In response to questions, Karpin said: "It's not the first time, is it?" This is not just talk, but his working style and principle.
He is always ready to choose either the national team or the club. But where is the real responsibility in this situation?
The game in Caspian showed "Dynamo's" current weakness. The coach of the Makhachkala team, Hasanbi Bidzhiev, outperformed Karpin without much fuss.
Although their team did not show a brilliant game, they were patient at the right moment and took advantage of the opponent's mistake. In the 74th minute, the home team's defender Glushkov passed the ball to Mohammadzade, who brilliantly deceived goalkeeper Leshchuk and opened the score.
The final result was 1:0 and an unexpected victory. But this result is impressive only on paper.
In reality, under Karpin's leadership, "Dynamo" has lost five out of seven games. This is a systemic problem, not a temporary mistake.
Yesterday the team was fighting for the championship, today they seem to have forgotten how the ball moves on the field. Meanwhile, Karpin's life is different with the national team.
There he is a hero, building a new team, bringing Miranchuk and Golovin onto the field, giving calls to Paris and Atlanta. Ahead are games against Jordan and Qatar, which means a break, new opportunities, and fresh air.
At the same time, "Dynamo" remains alone with its problems. The question arises: is it easier for the coach to lose at the club so that he can return to the main face of the national team?
After all, results are not mandatory in the national team; every game is accepted as experience, and Karpin moves more freely. Currently, the capital club resembles a boxer who is still holding his position but whose legs are already tired.
The defense makes mistakes, the midfield is confused, and the attack relies only on individual actions. No matter how much Skopintsev and Maukub play, without a systemic game, it does not help.
The defeat to the Makhachkala team dropped "Dynamo" to ninth place in the Premier League standings. This happened before the derby with "Spartak."
The derby will be tense. If they do not win, "Dynamo" will be considered to have lost the season in September.
Karpin continues his work. He said he talked with the management and never regrets managing "Dynamo."
But for the fans, words are not important, victories are. So far, instead of victories, there are words like "It's not the first time, is it?" and a constant position exchange between the club and the national team.
In this situation, it becomes clear that Karpin has constant immunity. No matter how many defeats he suffers at the club, the national team welcomes him with open arms.
Two lives, two fields, two positions. Only the football fan is left alone—with the bitterness of defeat and hope, perhaps Valery Georgievich pays more attention to something beyond positions.
Maybe this is Karpin's main talent—to always find a way out, to remain "main" in any position, no matter which path the team takes and wherever it may stray.
