From Berdyev to Dzyuba: the national team that will save our football from shame

Goalkeeper Igor Akinfeyev, 30 years (CSKA)

Despite all opinions, but the irreplaceable keeper of Moscow CSKA is still No.1 in Russian football. Igor is one of few players of our national squad whose work at Euro cannot be criticised. Moreover, Akinfeyev performed mind-blowing saves in every match. The team could lose more without him.

By standards set for goalkeepers, Igor is in the prime of his life. 30 years for a custodian is equal to 25 years for a football player. In addition, Akinfeyev has rich experience. He made his debut in the national squad aged 18. What is more, Igor is a rare example of the player who have played at one club during his career. The goalkeeper started his career in the second team in the 1991s. The first game in the first eleven of the Moscow team was in 2002.

No one can question the competition for the place in goals of the first eleven. In our opinion, Artyom Rebrov (Spartak) and Soslan Dzhanaev (Rostov) can be in held reserve in the 2018 WC.

Right-back Mário Fernandes, 25 years (CSKA)

Now we are not going to discuss the strange combination of the limit on the number of foreign players with the naturalisation of players. Vitaly Mutko (tongue-tied, as usual) seems to be the only person who is able to explain what is going on. But the 'transfer' of the Brazilian to the national team of Russia has been the first purchase of a player who will be the best in his position in the national team. But naturalisation of the other Brazilian Guilherme and German Neustädter raise questions.

Mário joined the Russian Championships in 2012 from Brazilian Gremio and immediately cemented a position in the first team of CSKA. The best season of Fernandes was in 2014/2015 when he had 8 assists in 29 matches in the championships only. The last season was also successful for the player when he gained five (1+4) points for his results in 37 battles in all tournaments.

After Anyukov's departure, we pinned our hopes connected with right-back on Igor Smolnikov from Zenit. However, Euro 2016 crossed these hopes out – the player became one of the main losers of the squad. Igor is 27 (only God knows when a defender can retire), and we cannot completely give up considering him as a rival. This is why the Petersburg defender is a substitution in this position.

Left-back Elmir Nabiullin, 21 years (Rubin)

The pupil of Kazan football during the perestroika era at the Tatarstan club was granted playing time by Rinat Bilyaletdinov and managed to use this chance. Explosive speed and excellent ability to cover long distances together with a stunning ability to work allowed the guy to make a great debut in adult's football. All people remembered the player's stubbornness in head-to-head fights and cross in the penalty area.

Now Elmir is experiencing 'growth problems'. Undoubtedly, the player lost his time and did not develop in the last season. Valery Chaly (ex-coach of Rubin) did not exert himself. He did not work with young players, and 'Nabi' had problems with tactics and choice of position on the pitch. Consequently, the player became weaker during the selection. Injuries also did not have a positive impact on Elmir's progress.

Kazan fans hope the new specialist from Spain will be able to polish the young star and the national team will have its left-back for the proximate 10 years.

We easily chose Nabiullin's reserve player. CSKA's Schennikov did not impress with his game at Euro. It's time to allow Fyodor Kudryashov demonstrate his skills who will be 31 in 2018. This player joined Rostov during the season and became an ideal balance between defensive and attacking actions in the position.

Central defender Ivan Novoseltsev, 24 years (Rostov)

The 24-year-old pupil of a Moscow club demonstrated his talent at Rostov that he joined in 2014 from Torpedo Moscow. In the previous season, Novoseltsev became a player of Berdyev's first team and improved his mastery playing with experienced Cesar Navas. Ivan has 28 matches in the championships under his belt.

Novoseltsev is big and tall (190 cm) defender who is good in high battles and had a sense of position that was mastered, so he reached an optimal level under Kurban Berdyev. Ivan has never played in the national team of Russia at a younger level. But his debut in the first team was on 31 March 2015 in a friendly against the national squad of Kazakhstan (0:0). In general, the line of central defence is a weak link of Russian football. This is why Ignashevich together with Vasily Berezutsky have been playing without alternatives for many years. However, nothing lasts for ever. In 2018, Ignashevich will be 38, and the Berezutsky brothers will be 36. The sooner we start to prepare new central defenders, the easier it will be in the Mundial at home.

Central defender Andrey Semyonov, 27 years (Terek)

Semyonov is one of the underestimated Russian players of our championships. Unlike Novoseltsev, 27-year-old Andrey has been playing in the first eleven at FC Terek Grozny for three seasons. Admit, it is not the weakest team in the championships. Let's remind in the last season this club fought for a place in Euro cups till the end.

Semyonov also has enviable dimensions for his position on the pitch – height and power – he has it all. For this reason, rumours about his departure from Terek to one of the top clubs of the country are circulating during every transfer window. But now only his current club hinders the player from playing in the national squad consisting of Moscow and Petersburg players.

As a sub in the central line of defence, our editorial offers to include an experienced and prospective defender. As we have mentioned above, Vasily Berezutsky will celebrate his 36^th birthday in 2018. But this skilled CSKA player is one of those players who demonstrated their level at Euro. It is unknown whether Vasily will be able to play all 90 minutes but he is able to successfully perform from the bench and help in the atmosphere in the changing room. According to our version, 22-year-old Ilya Kutepov from Moscow Spartak is the second sub. This player is already well paid for 10 matches in the first team in last year's championships.

Attacking midfielder Dmitry Tarasov, 29 years (Lokomotiv)

Anyway, a game without an attacker is not our cup of tea. We witnessed it at Euro. It should be reminded, before Slutsky Guus Hiddink and Dirk Advocaat used a scheme with an anchorman – Igor Denisov. Our football doesn't have many players like him, but they do exist.

Unlike Denisov, Dmitry Tarasov is good at finishing attacks. His height, plus, an ability to act on the second floor allowed Tarasov to score 12 goals in his career. What is more, the player's destructive functions are not worse than Denisov's.

As for the sub for his position, the situation is clear. A 24-year-old 'clone' of Tarasov Roman Yemelyanov, in my opinion, spends too much time at Ural. We are going to see this giant (187 cm, 82 kilos) in one of the Moscow, Petersburg, Krasnodar or Kazan clubs in the short run.

Central midfielder Alan Dzagoev, 26 years (CSKA)

From my point of view, this player is the only representative of Russian football that can interest a good club at the level of Champions League from the top 5 championships of the continent. By Russian standards, the leader of CSKA just doesn't have weak links from playing and mental qualities to his age.

The 26-year-old halfback have played 322 matches in his club career and scored 71 goals. Moreover, Dzagoev can be considered as a veteran of the national squad because Alan already has 47 games and 10 goals under his belt.

Central midfielder Oleg Shatov, 25 years (Zenit)

Shatov made a name for himself at Ural. In 2013, he joined Zenit (via transit at Anzhi) that is the easiest road to the national squad. We should pay tribute to Oleg who did not take a back seat among the stars from the Neva banks but earned his place in the first team.

Shatov made his debut at the international level in 2010 in matches of the second teams of French and Russia. The halfback appeared in the first team of the country three years later. Shatov was not great at Euro as well as the majority of his partners, though Shatov made an assist to Denis Glushakov in the match against Slovakia.

For this position, we prepared a 23-year-old Rubin player Magomed Ozdoev and his age-mate from Zenit Pavel Mogilevets. Both of them are experiencing a tough period in their career. After a great season in Kazan under Rinat Bilyaletdinov, coaches decided to lower Magomed's position closer to the attack. This decision a bit worsened his game, so regularly lost balls appeared in the foreground. Nevertheless, the new coach of the Kazan players knows how to work with the young and is confidently preparing Ozdoev for the first eleven of his team. So, we still hope the young player will make a progress.

Meanwhile, Pavel Mogilevets has come out of hibernation. The halfback unsuccessfully tried to play at Zenit after a successful loan in Kazan. But then he was taken by Berdyev to Rostov, and the player demonstrated the best season in his career. Now he is at Zenit again. Will the story repeat? Let's wait and see, but no one doubts Pavel's talent.

Left winger Denis Cheryshev, 25 years (Valencia)

And this player is the only person who is in demand in the best European Championships right now. Well, it is not Russian football's merit. Cheryshev is a real pupil of Real Madrid. He was about to join the first team of the royal club several times. As a result, there were loans, and later he went to Valencia.

Denis is a modern left winger who has a good speed and technique. Often injuries are the only problem. Nevertheless, when he is fine, there must not be an alternative to him on the left flank. And 24-year-old Dmitry Poloz from Rostov can easily become a sub in this position. This player was unfairly thrown overboard of the Euro 2016, in spite of an inspired season in the Don team.

Right winger Maksim Kanunnikov, 25 years (Rubin)

This position in the national team seems to be the most problematic one. I thought to place Oleg Shatov here who plays in the centre of the field but looked good on the right flank at his Zenit. But players are more useful in their 'original' positions. This is why we chose Maksim Kanunnikov because we don't have anyone else. That Samedov is unlikely to suit us in 2018 by reason of his age. Above-mentioned Shatov or Dmitry Poloz, who is also able to play here, might substitute him.

Central forward Artyom Dzyuba, 27 years (Zenit)

The powerful forward and pupil of Spartak Moscow was considered as prospective for too much time. It was mainly connected with a deficit of trust of the administration and coaches of the club. The decision to join Zenit was the key one in Artyom's career.

Having such great partners as Hulk and Danni, Dzyuba finally demonstrated that he is able to attack. So, he scored in both domestic and European contests. Yes, the forward did not manage to score any goal. However, it is just impossible to question his commitment and total dedication. Generally speaking, the situation of forwards in Russian football is hopelessly bad. To tell the truth, even Dzyuba cannot be compared with the best representatives of the passing generation of forwards (in the prime of their career) – Pavlyuchenko, Kerzhakov, Arshavin or Sychev. Taking into account all the above-mentioned words, Dzyuba has only one substitution. It is Fyodor Smolov who has had the best season in his career. We don't have other forwards excepts this couple. It is another object for naturalisation, precisely.

Head coach Kurban Berdyev, 63 years

The head coach of Rostov is, undoubtedly, the best Russian specialist during the last 10 years. At Rubin and Rostov he proved he can achieve the best result having any set of performers. In the WC in Russia, the result will be given pride of place. Moreover, the national team of Russian looks like an underdog in the world football, to put it mildly. We would need Kurban Berdyev's ability to make a sweet of any disgusting substance.

Berdyev's ability to work with the Russian young is his advantage. In this context, we remember such surnames as Mukharov, Boyarintsev, Ryazantsev, Dyadyun, Novoseltsev, Poloz, etc. And here we have enumerated only Russian citizens. However, the Russian Football Union is unlikely to appoint an absolutely independent expert of such a calibre. With all due respect, Stanislav Cherchesov is a simpler coach. So, the newly-baked champion of Poland is likely to chair the national squad. But the sports staff of Realnoe Vremya is voting for Kurban Berdyev.

Photo: uefa.com, eurosport.ru, kazanfirst.ru. fc-rostov.ru, chechnyatoday com, rfsolokomotiv.ru, eadaily com, rubin-kazan.ru