I take a look at Thursday’s fixtures in the RPL, featuring Lokomotiv and Dynamo. Loko will be looking to continue their good form and will be full of confidence after beating Dynamo last week. Dynamo, on the other hand, need to start picking up wins if they want to be challenging for the European places come the end of the season.
Amkar will be hoping Peev is on top form.
Amkar v Rostov
These two teams come into this match with contrasting form. Amkar have lost just 1 of their last 5 games, whereas visitors Rostov have lost 3 of their last 5. Amkar’s win at Kuban at the weekend was very impressive and they will be hoping for more of the same in this match. The wheels seem to have come off somewhat for Rostov, who were flying high after the first few rounds, but they will be positive about their chances of picking up points in Perm.
Injuries and Tactics
The hosts will only be without Rebko for this game, he got injured last week, so Cherchesov has a lot of players to pick from. I expect them to start in a variation of a 4-5-1 with Kanunnikov and fans favourite Peev providing support to the striker, who will probably be the Slovakian Jakubko.
The visitors still have former Liverpool man Florent Sinama Pongolle sidelined until October, but like Amkar they have a near full fit squad to pick from. They will probably line up in a 4-4-1-1 with the exciting prospect Ananidze playing behind fellow Spartak loanee, Dzyuba. ‘Keeper Stipe Pletikosa will be hoping for more support from his defence, who have conceded 8 goals in their last 4 games.
Prediction: Amkar 1-1 Rostov
Can N’Doye find the net again today?
Ural v Lokomotiv
The visitors travel to Yekaterinburg full of confidence after their derby victory over rivals Dynamo. Loko have the chance to move into 3rd and leapfrog CSKA who started the week top of the table. Ural haven’t made a bad start to life in the RPL, but as they sit in a relegation play off spot, they will know that points from their home games will crucial if they want to have a chance of surviving automatically.
Injuries and Tactics
The hosts still have midfielder Sapeta and goalkeeper Kot out, so they will probably line up in a 4-4-2 with last weekend’s goalscorer Gogniev partnered by Armenian Sarkisov. The back 4 will have to be solid if they want to keep out a strong Lokomotiv side.
Loko still have keeper Guilherme out, but aside from that have a fully fit and a highly confident squad to pick from. I would expect Kuchuk to name a similar starting 11 to the one that beat Dynamo, as it seems wrong to change a winning formula. However, players such as Tigorev and Maicon will be pushing for a start in this match.
Prediction: Ural 0-2 Lokomotiv
Berdyev has selection problems ahead of the visit of Dynamo.
Rubin v Dynamo
Both teams suffered poor defeats at the weekend, and neither were particularly impressed with the standing of officiating, so both Rubin and Dynamo will be aiming to put that right in the late kick off. Both sides are in mid-table, a position neither want to be in at the end of the season, so games like this are crucial.
Injuries and Tactics
Rubin suffered a big blow in the defeat to Tom at the weekend - in-form striker Salomon Rondon injured his metatarsal and is ruled out until December. Rubin will now need to find someone else to get the goals, and with Ryzantsev suspended, the onus is on players like Karadeniz, Eremenko and Natkho to rise to the challenge. Berdyev will have a difficult job selecting his team today, as he doesn’t want to unbalance the side by shuffling too many players around.
Dynamo will probably line up in a 4-4-2 f0rmation, with Kokorin and one of Voronin or Kuranyi up top. One of Fernandez or Samba will come in for the suspended Douglas. Petrescu will be hoping that he gets to use both of his wide men for the full 90 minutes in Kazan, as they are a real threat when on top of their game. Noboa and Denisov will anchor the midfield with Noboa allowed to push on when Dynamo counter attack.
Prediction: Rubin 1-2 Dynamo
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