Russia Squad Named for Ireland and Macedonia

October 1st, 2010 | by: nick |

All the football media outlets have published Dick Advocaat’s squad for Russia’s qualifiers against the Republic of Ireland and FY Macedonia taking place next week in Dublin and Skopje respectively. Advocaat named a squad of 21 players including seasoned striker Aleksander Kerzhakov and uncapped duo of Pavel Mamaev and Sergei Parshivlyuk.

At first glance, this squad looks very similar to previous squads of the Hiddink era but in my opinion, I think it is a bit shorthanded. Given the need to revitalize the campaign after the loss to Slovakia in September, I would have preferred Advocaat to pick a squad of 23 players mixed with youth and experience. Twenty-one players for such important games may be risky with respect to potential injuries, suspensions, and other incapacities.

I do however praise the return of Aleksander Kerzhakov. His most recent form for FC Zenit, has been nothing less than excellent. He is probably the best candidate to lead the frontline along with Andrei Arshavin.

Squad from uefa.com

Goalkeepers: Igor Akinfeev (PFC CSKA Moskva), Vladimir Gabulov (FC Dinamo Moskva), Vyacheslav Malafeev (FC Zenit St. Petersburg).

Defenders: Aleksandr Anyukov (FC Zenit St. Petersburg), Vasili Berezutski (PFC CSKA Moskva), Aleksei Berezutski (PFC CSKA Moskva), Sergei Ignashevich (PFC CSKA Moskva), Yuri Zhirkov (Chelsea FC), Sergei Parshivlyuk (FC Spartak Moskva).

Midfielders: Diniyar Bilyaletdinov (Everton FC), Igor Denisov (FC Zenit St. Petersburg), Konstantin Zyryanov (FC Zenit St. Petersburg), Roman Shirokov (FC Zenit St. Petersburg), Vladimir Bystrov (FC Zenit St. Petersburg), Alan Dzagoev (PFC CSKA Moskva), Pavel Mamaev (PFC CSKA Moskva), Igor Semshov (FC Dinamo Moskva).

Forwards: Andrey Arshavin (Arsenal FC), Aleksandr Kerzhakov (FC Zenit St. Petersburg), Roman Pavlyuchenko (Tottenham Hotspur FC), Pavel Pogrebnyak (VfB Stuttgart).