Player Focus: CSKA Profiting From Natkho's Russian Return

All too often it is the multi-million pound, dollar or rouble deals that set the pulses racing during any given transfer window. Those are the moves that capture the hearts, minds and tongues of the footballing public and create a frenzy like no other. However, more often than not, it is the deals at the other end of the transfer spectrum that prove to be the shrewder and more important gains. One of this summer’s key transfers in Russia arrived as a free transfer from Greek side PAOK Saloniki - that man is Bibras Natkho.

Born among a family with a strong history of producing capable sportsmen - his cousins Nili, a prominent Israeli basketball player who tragically died in a car accident, and Adam, recently signed to Barcelona’s famed youth academy, have all followed a similar path to sporting success. Such pedigree accompanied by a religious background - his move to Rubin Kazan occurred because ‘it’s a nice city, with many mosques and a friendly way of life’ - has created a man of great discipline and drive.

The former Rubin midfielder, who left the club in January after running down his contract, penned a short term six month deal in Greece in the hope that it would enable him to make a prominent move in the more active summer transfer window. It may have been regarded as something as a gamble, however Natkho’s reputation in Russia, given his successful spell in Kazan, meant that he would hardly struggle to return should a coveted move to Germany or England never materialise.

CSKA Moscow took the plunge and brought the Israeli international into the fold, adding some much needed depth to their midfield, which had looked particularly frail despite last season’s domestic success. The deal itself was a no brainer - it’s not very often that you are able to enjoy a minimal outlay for a player who was one of the Premier League’s finest midfielders just six months previously. Natkho himself has not disappointed.

Despite CSKA’s somewhat stuttering start to the campaign - including consecutive defeats to Spartak Moscow and Rubin Kazan - Natkho has prevailed as the standout player in a squad that includes the likes of Seydou Doumbia and Alan Dzagoev. The key to his success stems from a calmness in possession and a sumptuous range of passing. It’s little surprise to see that Natkho has the highest successful long pass average within the CSKA ranks, at 6.8, as well as the highest average number of passes per game at 69.6 - the latter of which is the highest in the league, ahead of the likes of Danny and Axel Witsel.

Natkho is a player capable of controlling possession from the depths of midfield before springing passes in every direction, permitting the team to go from back to front in the blink of an eye. CSKA’s previous midfield options, namely Rasmus Elm and Pontus Wernbloom, are undoubtedly talented players, particularly in this division, however they lack the metronomic passing potential of their Israeli counterpart. Natkho has managed to offer CSKA a new dimension in central areas and this has already acquired the team more points than they would have had if he had never made the move to the Russian capital.

While Natkho has never been regarded as a prolific goalscoring midfielder, he has managed to find himself on the scoresheet with an unnerving consistency - particularly during a spell prior to the international break, where he bagged some 5 goals in 3 games, including a hat trick against Rostov. A previous season’s best of 9 goals shows just how proficient this season has proved to be and it is difficult to imagine that this figure won’t be topped by a significant margin over the coming months.

Creativity had been something of an issue for CSKA, given that Keisuke Honda departed during the winter break and Alan Dzagoev has had lengthy injury lay offs in recent months, however statistics show that Natkho is capable of filling a void that the team so desperately needed to cement. Natkho currently has the second highest key pass average (2) in the squad, behind fellow new arrival and former Rubin Kazan teammate Roman Eremenko on 3.3. This is accompanied by the fact that Natkho’s couple of assists leave him top of the team’s charts, which goes hand in hand with the high number of key passes made per game.

Despite the obvious attacking ability, CSKA are unable to carry defensive passengers, particularly in central midfield, and so there’s a level of awareness that also comes with Natkho’s game. Despite the fact that Pontus Wernbloom is the man tasked with destroying opposition attacks, through a haze of skill, cynical tackles and yellow cards, his fellow midfielder has also managed to accrue impressive defensive statistics. Natkho has the joint third highest average of tackles per game, 3 - along with Wernbloom - and is also in the top 5 for interceptions per game, 1.8. Despite all of his attacking intent, Natkho provides an anchor that the team’s forward play can be built upon.

There may already be a six point gap between themselves and the league leaders Zenit St Petersburg, however CSKA Moscow look as though they are beginning to crank into gear after a disappointing start to the season. With Bibras Natkho beginning to blossom into the central midfielder the team have lacked for some time, there is a growing, if somewhat subdued, sense that CSKA could be on the brink of turning the corner domestically ahead of a dogged title battle with a hugely talented Zenit team.

Can Natkho inspire CSKA to back-to-back Russian Premier League titles? Let us know in the comments below