What threat do Russia pose England?
A fill-in coach with no salary, an injury crisis and an ageing defence. What exactly is there for the Three Lions to be worried about when they take on Russia?
Kristan Heneage examines the pitfalls and potential of England's opening Group B opponents ahead of tomorrow night's clash in Marseille, which will be live on ITV.
Leonid Slutsky loves his country. It is the only realistic reason he would undertake the role he has with the Russian national team.
Unlike his fellow managers, Slutsky will not be paid a salary at this summer’s tournament in France. Instead he will be granted expenses and earn money through bonuses. Far from a traditional approach by the Russian federation, it is a direct consequence of Fabio Capello’s departure. The Italian netted £10.5million when he left his position last year, a fee which almost bankrupted the federation.
However, in dispensing with Capello, Russia not only halted a dangerous slide but also secured their place in the European Championships. Slutsky went unbeaten after taking over from Capello in July last year, with the players all admitting the atmosphere has improved exponentially under his guidance. One player even likened Capello’s training camps to being "behind the Berlin Wall".
As if not testing enough on Slutsky, the current CSKA Moscow coach is also without a number of key players heading into this summer’s tournament. Playmaker Alan Dzagoev has a foot injury, while Yuri Zhirkov and Denis Cheryshev were also struck down by injury. Then, if only to compile his misery further, Igor Denisov suffered a thigh injury during the team’s last friendly before the tournament.
Russia’s players wore t-shirts with a message of support for Denisov during Wednesday’s open training session. Typifying the unity among this group of players, something which Slutsky has undeniably fostered, they will still do well to mask their obvious shortcomings.
An ageing squad is felt most in the heart of defence. The centre-back that will likely start against Roy Hodgson’s side have a combined age of 69, and ITV pundit Ian Wright thinks that could be the best way to target them during Saturday’s match, “I’ve seen some of Russia’s games, and there’s no real pace in the middle of defence,” Wright told ITV Sport. "Jamie (Vardy) is definitely in a position to use his pace, we just have to make sue we give him the ball. Against Portugal the other day, he had that yard on Ricardo Carvalho, but we weren’t giving it to him. He had space in behind and we weren’t allowing him to exploit it.”
A team weak in defence, the same cannot be said for Russia’s attack. Artem Dzyuba is a big, imposing forward who could be a difference maker for Russia. He netted almost half of their goals in qualifying, and while not quick, he is still dangerous. Chris Smalling’s admission that the team have been developing a strategy to stop him shows an acute awareness for his potential.
Backed by Aleksandr Kokorin out wide and Roman Shirokov in the number 10 spot, Russia have more than enough to unsettle England and even cause them problems in the final third. Of those in the squad with a lesser-known reputation, Aleksandr Golovin could be a man to look out for. Still only 20, the youngster cites Mesut Ozil and Dzagoev as idols.
A talented playmaker with a burgeoning reputation, his former U21 coach already feels he is ready to step up, claiming he is more dynamic than CSKA teammate Shirokov.
However, Dzyuba remains the man to watch. A confident forward with a sharp tongue, the Three Lions will have to watch him closely.
”Four years ago, before Euro 2012, which I eventually did not play in, I called myself a lion cub,” he said. “But now I am a lion.”