Once Lokomotiv had the most reliable defense in the Russian championship. This is what helped him to occupy high places in recent years. However, the change of generations did its job. Experienced Vedran Corluka is retired, and the successors of the Croat, alas, are not even close to his level.

This season, Loko is one of the most passing teams in the league. Therefore, before the match with “Fakel” there was no doubt that in Voronezh the railroad workers would not remain “dry”. But no one expected such humiliation.

The most mediocre game in defense!

problem line

Today’s defense of Lokomotiv is almost the most unstable zone. On the flanks and in the center there is a constant rotation. And if full-backs are not so important for the formation of the backbone of the team, then a pair of central ones should always be played. Mampassi, Edvay, Barinov, Magkeev, Fasson – the players replace each other, but this does not give a result. Whatever the four defenders, mistakes cannot be avoided. As a result – 17 goals conceded, the fourth result in the championship.

Photo: © FC Lokomotiv

Josef Zinnbauer fielded a pair of Edvai-Magkeevs for the game against Fakel. Both are no longer the youngest players, and in the current circumstances, such a bunch seemed optimal. In the end, the first one played for the Croatian national team at one time, and the second was remembered for several bright matches – for example, against Marseille in the Europa League (1: 1). But it seems that the point is not in personalities, but in the system.

Almost like an audience

Both goals that Loko conceded in the game with Fakel can be blamed on the defenders. In both episodes, they looked more like spectators than football players. Both Magkeyev and Yedvai seem to have forgotten about their main mission – to interrupt attacks. Instead, they simply watched what was happening and indicated their presence on the field.

Open video

In the first case, Magkeev was guilty, although before that other defense players lost the horse fight several times in a row. However, it was Stanislav who did not follow Yevgeny Morozov in his own penalty area. Magkeev wanted to sluggishly take the ball out with his foot, but the Fakel defender got ahead of him and hit with his head. Daniil Khudyakov could only shrug. Although, perhaps, part of the responsibility lies with him: he should have seen Morozov’s run, but for some reason did not tell his partner.

The second goal was even more offensive to the defense. It all started with the fact that Irakli Kvekveskiri picked up the ball from the penalty area in a situation where there was no smell of a goal. Before the Georgian midfielder were Nenakhov and Yedvay, but the “insolent from Voronezh” did not lose his head. He threw the ball between the defenders, ran around Yedvay, broke out one on one and outplayed Khudyakov. The defenders didn’t have the agility to even foul! They once again acted as just training racks.

Open video

In fact, Fakel humiliated Loko’s defense twice – you can’t call it otherwise. In addition, it helped the Voronezh team to win their first victory in the RPL. They can rejoice at this triumph, but the railroad workers have another sad week ahead. The departure of the coach, imprisonment at the base, rotation of the squad – what else has the club not tried?