Andrew (@AndrewRCFC97) - Scottish Russian football fan and CSKA supporter
Pavel (@russianpotter) - Vancouver-based young journalist and Spartak supporter
Matty (@Murray__Murray) - English Russian football fan, blogger and Lokomotiv supporter
Toke (@TokeTheilade) - Denmark resident, Russian football fan and Spartak supporter
Aleks (@aleksvee) - New York resident, founder of GoalChatter blog and Dynamo fan
Connor (@Con_027) - England resident, Russian football fan and CSKA supporter
Xavier (@AxeMurderer60) - French Russian football fan and CSKA supporter
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1) Top 5 at the end of the season & the Cup winner:
ANDREW: I would love CSKA to win the league again, but on paper Zenit has the strongest team, so my top 5 is:
1) CSKA Moscow or Zenit
2) CSKA Moscow or Zenit
3) Dynamo Moscow
4) Lokomotiv Moscow
5) FC Krasnodar
Cup winner - CSKA Moscow
PAVEL: 1) Vacant
1-5) CSKA/Dynamo/Krasnodar/Zenit/Spartak
Cup winner: Torpedo\Ural
It is very, almost impossibly hard to guess a title holder at this point. None of the teams listed in 1-5 have everything needed to win the league just because they are the best. Yet any of those teams have the ability to finish first. I would say that what’s going to be essential this season is stability. We’ll see which team is going to be the most stable one in the end. Who finishes out of first is dependent on this condition.
I also did not mention Lokomotiv here. Explanation: Since it sounds like they are going to sell Diarra and Boussoufa and their transfers in are mediocre, I think the season is going to be a hard and disappointing one for the Railway Men.
Let’s say we’re going to see a Wigan 2013 FA Cup-like miracle and the underdog will snap the title off a favorite’s hands. The only RPL underdogs I like are Torpedo and Ural.
MATTY: 1) CSKA
2) Spartak
3) Lokomotiv
4) Zenit
5) Krasnodar
Cup Winner: Lokomotiv
I think that CSKA are still the best team in the league, with Doumbia being utterly brilliant. Dynamo will falter without Petrescu. I can see Lokomotiv winning the cup, I really like the way that Kuchuk has got the side playing
TOKE: 1) Zenit
2) Dynamo
3) CSKA
4) Lokomotiv
5) Spartak
Cup: Spartak
It is always very difficult to predict how the league will end before it starts. Last season all the big teams had some terrible runs during the season and before the last round, three clubs could have won the championship. I am afraid it will not be as close this season. I have Zenit as major favourites for the title this year. Even though they did not win the league last season they improved a lot after Andres Villas-Boas took over. This season they have added Garay and they should be a level or two higher than the opponents.
If Dynamo finally manages to close the signing of Valbuena, I think they can take the silver medals or maybe even challenge Zenit for the title. At the moment, it looks very close between the Moscow teams (besides Torpedo, obviously) but with Valbuena they have an edge. I do not expect CSKA to compete for the championship; I still think their squad is too thin at the moment and they are too dependent on Doumbia. As I said, the fight for second place after Zenit is close, so I would not be surprised if Lokomotiv took it, but right now I think CSKA and Dynamo are stronger.
It is almost impossible to say who will win the cup, but usually we always have one of the big teams in the final. With the risk of sounding like a complete idiot, I will say Spartak Moscow. Last season they were humiliated in the cup, but since they are not competing in any European tournaments this season they have room in the calender to focus on the cup tournament.
ALEKS: 1) CSKA
2) Zenit
3) Spartak
4) Dynamo
5) Lokomotiv
I think it’s likely we’ll be seeing the usual suspects in the top 5. CSKA can clearly pull off another championship. However, Spartak is likely to finish higher than they did last season.
Cup winner: Lokomotiv or Rubin. Lokomotiv can make up for not finishing in the top 3 this upcoming season by hoisting the Cup. They conceded the least number of goals last season, and they have a solid team. Rubin are one of the strongest mid-table teams. If Loko crash out early and Rubin stay on, the team from Kazan will win the Cup.
CONNOR: 1) Zenit
2) Lokomotiv
3) CSKA
4) Dynamo
5) Spartak
I think this year is a very tough year to predict. CSKA are yet to really add to their squad with only Kirill Panchenko joining the club over the summer and with a Champions League campaign of at least 6 games and possible Europa League games following, I don’t see how such a thin squad can win the title again. Zenit have a manager used to working at big clubs and despite a tarnished record I think he can lead Zenit to the title. Rondon and Hulk should be able to provide the goals they need and the addition of Garay to the squad significantly improves their defence.
Lokomotiv have added more to their squad with a possible Europa League campaign ahead of them and providing they continue last year’s good form they should make the top 3.
Dynamo have an expensively assembled side that really failed to live up to expectations last season. The players certainly have the ability, but much like Anzhi two seasons ago, perhaps their mentality may not live up to the same standard.
A repeat of last season will most likely see Spartak and Krasnodar fight it out for 5th place. Perhaps if Dzyuba and Ananidze can link up as they did at Rostov last season, Spartak may finish higher. Ozbiliz needs to return from injury as soon as possible, he’s been a match winner previously for Spartak and Kuban and hopefully he’ll see the game time he deserves.
Cup Winner: Spartak
It can often be a lottery who progresses to the quarterfinals and onwards, but despite my comments about them later on Spartak should stand a very good chance with a large squad and no European games. It might just be the advantage they need to get the better of the other major contenders.
XAVIER: 1) CSKA
2) Zenit
3) Spartak
4) Dynamo
5) Lokomotiv
Cup Winner: Krasnodar
I can say that I’m not very objective with this one by choosing CSKA as champion at the end of the season. They are more likely to finish second or third this year, but I hope that they can get the hat trick and win 3 titles in a row. I think that Spartak can finish third because they now have a smart coach, and they already had a great squad that is now even stronger with the return of Dzyuba and Ananidze and the signing of Roman Shirokov.
Also, Krasnodar as winner of the Cup, because it’s gonna be the surprise team this year and I see them winning a trophy.
2) What two teams are going to be relegated?
ANDREW: Ufa and Mordovia
PAVEL: Mordovia and Ufa.
There are other options. I mean, even Kuban can fall really deep this season. The underdog group has 6 teams, including Rostov, Arsenal, Ural and Terek apart from those mentioned (I’m also thinking about including Rubin), but yet again I’ll choose the ones I don’t like. Both of the teams just are not necessary and Mordovia has already proven that they are in no way a Premier League team. Natural selection.
MATTY: FC Ufa and Ural simply do not have enough quality to stay in the league-in my opinion. Torpedo wont be in the bottom two, but will struggle to survive.
TOKE: Ufa and Arsenal Tula. I am pretty sure that these two clubs will finish on the two last spots. Yuri Semin is a great coach so I think he will keep Mordovia up. I am looking forward to Mordovia’s away game against Lokomotiv in the middle of September.
ALEKS: Arsenal Tula and Ural. Ural escaped the relegation playoff spots by 3 points last season. I don’t think they’ll do so again.
CONNOR: Ufa & Torpedo
I’m surprised to see both teams in this league to begin with after making it through the playoffs which is a fairly rare occurrence, particularly for two sides to be promoted via the playoff route. I can’t see past these two sides and think Ufa will struggle. They were fairly low scorers last year and I can’t see that changing this season. The other promoted sides, Tula and Mordovia won’t set the league alight and I wouldn’t be surprised to see one, if not both, teams in the playoffs, staying up because there are two sides worse rather than through their own ability.
XAVIER: Ufa & Arsenal Tula. I can’t see those teams remaining in the Premier League next season.
3) Surprise Club of the Year:
ANDREW: Arsenal Tula
PAVEL: Ural.
Yes, I do think they are underdogs. But Alexander Tarkhanov’s work was impressive this spring and the team brought some decent players in, so I think that the team can end up sitting very well in the table.
MATTY: I think the surprise club of the year could be Torpedo Moscow, who will survive-just! (Call me crazy but I have a hunch. They will probably finish bottom with one point now, but ah well!)
TOKE: This is difficult. Last year it was definitely Rostov. This season I think Rubin Kazan will surprise a lot of people. They have lost a lot of big names in the last year, but Rinat Bilyaletdinovs current team is actually looking promising. They have added some exciting players in Ozdoev, Livaja and especially Kanunnikov towards this season. It is a shame that they will lose Mogilevets, because I would like to see him get another season with regular playing time instead of sitting on Zenit’s bench.
ALEKS: Torpedo Moscow. They’re back in the Premier League for the first time in 8 years. Of all of the new clubs this season, they seem to have a squad most likely to take them to the middle of the table.
CONNOR: Amkar.
They started the season well last year and only really faltered towards the end of the season with their manager leaving around the same time. For the upcoming season, they have Slavoljub Muslin in charge who did very well with Krasnodar before parting ways and he should be able to restore the order lost when Cherchesov left for Dynamo.
XAVIER: FC Krasnodar. They keep improving season after season, keeping their best elements and signing new ones who definitely help the team. For me, Krasnodar is gonna be the surprise club of the year by their performance in the Europa League, in the Premier League and even in the Russian Cup because I see them winning the trophy this year.
4) Disappointing Club of the Year:
ANDREW: FC Mordovia
PAVEL: Rubin.
Only 4 players who won the title for Tatars in 2009 are still in the team. Plus, Gokdeniz Karadeniz is now undoubtebly the main star of the team. He’s 34. I’ll say we are about to see approximately nothing good from that team this season. Maybe a few young players showing their abilities, but rarely anything more.
MATTY: I think the disappointing club of the season will be Zenit. This is based on two reasons: the defence and the manager. Zenit failed to address their defensive vulnerabilities, and their back line will cost them. In AVB, they have a manager who had success at a club-Porto-where everything was ready for him. However, in the more open and competitive Barclays Premier League, Villas Boas struggled and could not deal with the big egos at Chelsea. (Of course Zenit has big egos too) Similar difficulties were experienced by Villas Boas at Spurs. While the media will fantasise about Villas Boas having a successful reunion with Hulk, I feel he will struggle to deal with egos, multiple title contenders and also a demanding owner and fanbase.
TOKE: CSKA. I know this is a controversial statement, but I really don’t expect big things from them this season. Last season they almost lost it all when Doumbia got injured in the fall. They have signed Panchenko but even though he is a talented guy I don’t think he is ready to carry the team if needed. There has been a lot of talk about Rasmus Elm and Pontus Wernbloom wanting to leave the club and seeking new challenges. After two championships in a row they are the team to beat now. They do have a great coach who is in control of the squad, but I think they will face a tough season. Last year everyone focused on Lokomotiv and Zenit.
ALEKS: Terek Grozny. We always expect more from them than they deliver. Plus, they still haven’t signed any new players. They’ve loaned out or returned several players already, and their current roster lacks left-backs and right midfielders. They’ll find it difficult to score and will be an easy target for clubs that love to attack from the wings.
CONNOR: Rostov.
Perhaps the easy choice after being the Cup winners last season, but I imagine they’ll really struggle this season. The loss of Ananidze and Dyzuba back to Spartak after their loans will hurt this side and only bringing in Aleksandr Bukharov as a replacement is hardly inspiring. With at least 6 Europa League games on top of that, it’s hard to see them replicate their heroics of last season and will likely see themselves in the bottom half come next May.
XAVIER: Kuban Krasnodar, since they qualified for Europa League a year ago, things have gone pretty fast, maybe too fast for them. They didn’t do well last season (maybe because of the intensity of the Europa League), but I expected more from them.
5) With a new coach, a fresh new stadium and interesting players, is Spartak finally ready to grab the title this year ?
ANDREW: I can’t wait for Spartak to play in their new stadium and I know the Spartak fans are really excited too, but even with a new coach and new players, I don’t think Spartak will be able to win a title this season. Anything can happen, though.
PAVEL: No.
Just because. There’s such a huge variety of reasons why some other teams will be holding the cup that I’m not even going to mention any. Just know - this is not going to happen.
MATTY: No, they can’t win the title-but they will perform well and finish second. Despite being a player past his peak, I believe the signing of Shirokov on a free is excellent-his experience and range of passing will help Spartak greatly. I love watching Movsisyan play, and its satisfying seeing an FM RPL great perform as a real life RPL great!
TOKE: No. I am pretty sure they will not win the championship this season. But that should not be their goal either. They have spent too many seasons looking for quick success with expensive players and it has not worked at all. They need to realize that it takes time to build a title winning team. The new stadium is a great opportunity for Spartak and it deserves a winning team. Spartak’s ambition should be a European spot and medals and then maybe win the Cup, so they can finally get another title. If the ambition is the win the league, I am certain they will fail like last season, and then they have to start from zero again next season with a new coach. That is not the way to go.
ALEKS: No, but they’ll have a very good chance at a top 3 finish and the bronze medals.
CONNOR: Spartak have a good squad on paper with a good, young manager and a new stadium. Everything seems in place for them to challenge for the title and they’re certainly capable of it. However, it seems, much the same as Dynamo, that the mentality isn’t right, preventing them from reaching the highs that is expected of them or maybe it’s the expectations the fans place on the club which CSKA do not suffer from. Perhaps it’s something that Murat Yakin has or will address and I may end up with egg on my face but I think the title is well beyond them, particularly if the record of previous foreign managers at Spartak is anything to go by.
XAVIER: No, Spartak has a quality squad and Murat Yakin seems to be a rather fine tactical coach who will help to improve each player on the team. The new stadium is a great tool that will allow the team to develop in good conditions, but it is still too early to consider a final victory for Spartak.
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