Football expert Ruslan Pimenov, in an exclusive interview with the publication "Euro-Football.Ru," evaluated the match against the Iran national team, the start of the season for the "Lokomotiv" team, and the upcoming match against Bolivia. This was reported by Euro-football.ru.
According to Ruslan Pimenov, the Russian national team's attacking line is strong, and the entry of players from the bench helps improve the team's play. However, there are problems in defense.
He predicted conceding a goal from the Iranian team in advance, and that indeed happened. However, this did not negatively affect the overall team performance.
The Iranian team played confidently and calmly, but Russia needs to improve its defense. The Iran national team can advance from their group in the World Cup, but this largely depends on their opponents.
If they face strong teams such as France or Germany, their chances are low. The Russian national team is considered stronger than Iran because it includes legionnaires and representatives of the younger generation.
The team plays well when the game speeds up, but when it slows down, it gives the opponent an advantage. In recent matches, various players have been tested in the Russian national team.
Initially, there were fifty players on the list, but now the number has decreased to thirty. This indicates an improvement in the team composition.
The main problem is the lack of defenders. It is necessary to develop young players and trust them.
In the match against Bolivia, the opposing team plays with individually strong, creative players, but their team play is not strong. This will be an interesting test for the Russian defenders.
Regarding the news about Yuriy Somin managing the "Vitebsk" club, Pimenov commented that if such an opportunity had existed, he would have already worked there. Older coaches can also have successful careers.
For example, Mircea Lucescu is such a case. In Russia, older coaches are also managing the national team.
The "Lokomotiv" team has been showing good play since the start of the season. However, due to the lack of central defenders, they need to strengthen further in the fight for the championship.
Trusting young players is important. Although the team has recorded many draws, it is currently in second place in the tournament table.
The main rivals of the Russian national team are considered to be the "Zenit," "Krasnodar," and CSKA teams. Especially, CSKA is currently showing the best performance in the Russian championship.
"Spartak" and "Dinamo" are noted as not yet ready to compete for the gold medals. Interview author: Elena Grigorievskaya.
