Russia have been one of the surprises of the tournament so far.
They opened the World Cup with a 5-0 thumping of Saudi Arabia, before seeing off Egypt 3-1.
A 3-0 loss to Uruguay was harder to infer much from, given a lot of Russian changes
and a red card.
It could be said that Russia folded against the first good team they played, but there
is much to be admired about the way former USSR, CIS, and Russian international ‘keeper
Stanislav Cherchesov has set up the team he now manages.
Many pundits expected Russia to use the 3-5-2 system that characterised them for years,
but Cherchesov has switched to a 4-2-3-1 for this tournament.
The full backs push up aggressively, perhaps a legacy of their use as wing backs in the
old system, but Russia now have width higher up the pitch as well, while retaining their
flexibility and compactness in the midfield area.
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The central midfielders are crucially, especially Yuri Gazinsky, who drops deep to act as an
additional centre back when required.
The full backs, Yuri Zhirkov and Manuel Fernandes, push very high in the wide press, covered
if necessary by one of the central midfield pair, who drops in behind from a more advanced
position – this allows Russia to either win the ball back wide, or force the opposition
to switch the ball back inside, although it can be risky if the full backs misjudge.
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Defensively, as well as this quick, assertive pushing up of the full backs, Russia create
a flexible rhombus of markers centrally.
The striker and a midfielder, usually the central attacking midfielder, push forwards,
and the other four midfielders form a sort of circle behind them aligned towards whichever
side of the pitch the opposition are attacking.
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As the opposition switch play, this circle flexes to create two lines, then groups again
as the opposition approach the other flank.
This allows Russia both to block opposition attacks centrally, and block inward passing
lanes when the ball is out wide.
When the snapping up of the full backs is added to this defensive posture in the opposition
half, it means Russia can make it hard to pass through them.
It does require a lot of effort, though, which is one of the reasons Russia have run so far
in this tournament already, and why they made changes for the game against Uruguay to rest
key players.
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One change that was not a choice, though, had made a significant, positive impact for
Russia.
In their opening match against Saudi Arabia, playmaker Alan Dzagoev was forced off through
injury.
Denis Cheryshev came on and scored twice, but more crucial was the move inside from
inside left to number 10 by Aleksandr Golovin.
Golovin has a central playmaking role from central midfield for his club side, CSKA Moscow,
and his start on the left, while reasonably effective with little jinks inside and doubling
up with Zhirkov, was not getting the best from him.
From the number 10 role, Golovin was able to run the show, dropping off to link with
the more robust central double pivot, while Cheryshev injected pace and direct running
on the left to add thrust to Russia’s attack.
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Fedor Smolov, who started against Saudi Arabia and ran the channels hard, has been replaced
by the man mountain Artem Dzyuba.
Dzyuba leads the line brilliantly, using his aerial ability to bring in the wide players
making inside runs, or laying the ball back to Golovin.
He has no little skill, either, as shown by his neat control and finish against Egypt.
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Russia like to attack out wide with rapid exchanges between the wingers and the full
backs, while Golovin offers an inside option, and the defensive midfielders sit back in
case Russia need to switch the ball, which they look to do often if one wing is cut off
by marking.
Russia will also try to win the ball back in the wide areas and counter immediately.
The aim is to get the ball in to Dzyuba, who then can offer a shooting or heading threat,
or lay it back to other players bursting on to the ball.
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Russia have skilful attacking players, pose a significant threat from set-pieces both
directly and because of strong headers of the ball like Dzyuba, Gasinsky, and Ignashevich,
and have a strong spine through central midfield.
While captain and ‘keeper Igor Akinfeev has a track record of errors in big games,
and the central defensive pairing are not the quickest, Russia are a tough challenge
for any side.
Buoyed by a partisan home crowd and, in Aleksandr Golovin, one of the players of the tournament
so far, Russia have proved already that pre-tournament assessments were wrong.
Just how wrong, remains to be seen.