Team Focus: Dinamo Striking the Balance Between Defence & Attack
Money - a word that has seemingly become synonymous with Russian football in the 21st century. Roman Abramovich’s takeover of Chelsea popularised the idea of mega rich Russian oligarchs taking a football club from mediocrity to the pinnacle of European football. Since that point, the likes of Gazprom, Suleiman Kerimov and Sergei Galitsky have opted to invest heavily in domestic Russian clubs in the hope of basking in the joy of victory. While each of the aforementioned names have experienced varying degrees of success, the perception of Russian football continues to be that it is the home of the mercenary - the destination of choice for those who put their bank balances before the longevity of their career.
However, there are a very fortunate few who are capable of competing with some of Europe’s highest profile clubs for the world’s finest talent. The issue of state ownership of Russian football clubs continues to be a shackle that prevents a great number of teams from enjoying any significant degree of security and stability. The private investors who have come in and splashed a tiny portion of their astronomical fortunes have gone against the grain in many respects. One club who have enjoyed a recent surge in investment is Dinamo Moscow, one of the nation’s most iconic clubs - and one that has been regarded as a sleeping giant for decades.
Boris Rotenburg’s financial, and political, clout has resulted in Dinamo becoming one of the main competitors to Zenit St Petersburg and CSKA Moscow at the head of the table. The purchases of the likes of Igor Denisov, Yuri Zhirkov and Christopher Samba have shown that the club are capable of competing for high profile players, many of whom were courted by various other big hitters in the league.
Rotenburg, who was once the judo partner of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has overseen a somewhat turbulent period, in which Dan Petrescu has already been and gone as head coach - replaced by Stanislav Cherchesov earlier in the year. Petrescu was a high profile appointment, due to his burgeoning reputation, however his demise, and the subsequent arrival of the somewhat unfancied Cherchesov seemed to show something of an about turn for the club.
However, this season has seen Dinamo start in a hugely promising manner - which has primarily stemmed from the superb performances of the club’s marquee summer signing, Mathieu Valbuena. The Frenchman’s arrival from Marseille in a £6m deal was viewed as a major coup at the time - and his performances have only gone to show what a shrewd move the signing was.
Valbuena has sparked Dinamo into life by providing a creative outlet that the team has lacked over recent years. During his opening 5 games, Valbuena has an average rating of 7.96 - which is the 4th highest in the league so far. This statistic in itself shows just how impressive the man from Bruges has been since accepting a move that the player himself has stated was thanks to the financial benefits he is to receive thanks to a highly lucrative contract.
The likes of Kevin Kuranyi and Aleksandr Kokorin will be delighted to know that a player of such quality is featuring in an advanced midfield position and providing delightful opportunities from which their own goal scoring records can flourish. Valbuena has already linked up impressively with his teammates, having amassed 4 assists in his opening 5 games - with half of Kuranyi’s goals this season having come from the playmaking exploits of the diminutive Frenchman. It’s little surprise therefore to see that it is Valbuena who leads the club’s key passes per game average, currently at 2.8, as well as successful dribbles, 1.8.
It had been expected that Stanislav Cherchesov could lack the necessary imagination to get Dinamo playing in a manner that could see them compete for a league title. Spartak Moscow had previously taken the plunge on their former goalkeeper back in 2008, however he lasted the best part of 3 months in the job. An impressive showing at Amkar Perm, in which he built a very clinical, hard-working team, was hardly a significant benchmark for league title success.
The doubts as to whether Cherchesov would be able to appease the club’s fans by playing in an attractive manner have been thwarted as the team currently have the joint highest number of goals scored so far this season - averaging an impressive 2.6 per game. Valbuena’s signing will be viewed as a very strong signing from Cherchesov’s point of view, as much expectation had been placed on the shoulders of Aleksandr Kokorin to be the creative hub of Dinamo’s setup. The fact that Dinamo are so comfortable on the ball, which is shown by the fact they average 56% of possession, has helped to provide a platform from which the team’s creative players can excel.
Cherchesov has also solidified Dinamo at the back, utilising the high profile defensive signings to good effect. The team have proved effective at preventing the opposition from creating shooting chances - averaging 10 shots on their own goal per game, which is the 13th lowest in the division. This is accompanied by the fact that Dinamo have the highest average tackles per game average, 24, a statistic that goes some way to showing just how dogged the team have been in defensive situations this season. There’s a balance that is being created between defence and attack, which could prove to be the building block for a hugely successful season.
Should Valbuena’s impressive form continue as the season progresses then it’s plausible that Dinamo will be strong enough to continue their pursuit of a first league title since 1976 - however overthrowing Zenit at the top looks an ever daunting challenge for any team. Stanislav Cherchesov’s side have undoubted quality within the ranks, however their success this season could come down to their mentality and capability of churning out results when the going gets tough.
Can Dinamo Moscow win the Russian Premier League for the first time in almost 30 years this season? Let us know in the comments below
