Track Record. Character Draw Is Sign Of Derby
In out traditional section ‘Track Record’ we discuss the forthcoming fixture against Dynamo, take a look at the history and scrutinize the statistics.
GENERAL PROBLEM. TEAMS ARE BEHIND SCHEDULE
The performances of Lokomotiv and Dynamo in March are far from successful. The White-Blues lost two games in the League and dropped out of the Europa League. Lokomotiv upset their fans with a home loss to Arsenal, then hit the road to claim three points in Mordovia but got only one. Both teams who are boasting of the high goals for the season are running behind the schedule. The supporters will see an extremely nervous battle but that guarantees that the game will be thrilling and open.
LOOKING AT RECORD. EVERY TEAM HAS CHARACTER!
If we look at the history of the rivalry between Lokomotiv and Dynamo, we’ll see it’s rich in events. Figures and stats can tell us much…
Lokomotiv - Dynamo in the USSR Championships - 64 games: +14, =11, - 39; 70-141
Lokomotiv - Dynamo in the Russian Championships – 47 games: +22, =11, - 14; 79-65
It’s a fact: there have been 12 character wins in 159 games of the ongoing Russian Premier League competition. Meanwhile, in 47 encounters between Lokomotiv and Dynamo 11 were comebacks. The rate is impressive. Lokomotiv won seven times, Dynamo got us beaten four times.
Two times Lokomotiv were able to come back from two goals down, and win.
Lokomotiv vs Dynamo character wins in all Russian championships:
08.04.1995. Dynamo - Lokomotiv 2:1 (0:1 – Kharlachyov, 3, 1:1 – Teryokhin, 35, 2:1 - Safronov, 63)
14.08.1996. Dynamo - Lokomotiv - 4:2 (0:1 – Dzhanashiya, 30, 1:1 – Kobelev, 50, 2:1 – Cheryshev, 58, 2:2 – Smirnov, 61, 3:2 – Cheryshev, 73, 4:2 – Cheryshev, 87)
16.08.1997. Dynamo - Lokomotiv - 3:1 (0:1 – Loskov, 34, 1:1 – Teryokhin, 79, 2:1 – Э. Kosolapov, 88, 3:1 – Kutsenko, 90)
15.05.1999. Lokomotiv - Dynamo - 2:1 (0:1 – Ostrovskiy, 34, 1:1 – Kharlachyov, 42, 2:1 – Smertin, 85)
14.04.2001. Dynamo - Lokomotiv - 1:2 (1:0 – Grishin, 29, 1:1 – Loskov, 61, 1:2 – Dzhanashiya, 76)
07.07.2004. Dynamo - Lokomotiv - 2:4 (1:0 – Murygin, 8, 2:0 – Vlcek, 24, 2:1 – Yevseyev, 49, 2:2 – Sychyov, 59, 2:3 – Parks, 76, 2:4 – Sychyov, 82)
24.07.2004. Lokomotiv - Dynamo - 2:1 (0:1 – Beschyastnykh, 25, 1:1 – Khokhlov, 56, 2:1 – Yevseyev, 76)
28.05.2005. Lokomotiv - Dynamo - 4:1 (0:1 – Derlei, 21, 1:1 – Loskov, 30, 2:1 – Lebedenko, 38, 3:1 – Izmaylov, 45, 4:1 – Lebedenko, 54)
07.04.2007. Dynamo - Lokomotiv - 2:1 (0:1 – Kocis, 30, 1:1 – D.Kombarov, 48, 2:1 – Semshov, 67).
04.04.2010. Lokomotiv - Dynamo - 3:2 (0:1 – Voronin, 22, 1:1 – Aliev, 45, 2:1 – Aliev, 68, 3:1 – Tarasov, 85, 3:2 – D.Kombarov, 88)
02.11.2014. Lokomotiv - Dynamo - 4:2 (0:1 – Ionov, 37, 0:2 – Dzsudzsak, 50, 1:2 - N'Doye, 58, 2:2 – Samedov, 60, 3:2 – Kasaev, 66, 4:2 – Pavlyuchenko, 85)
That's right, the last comeback is very recent. When in the first-leg game Balazs Dzsudzsak of Dynamo netted a second one against Loko one could think the poor-scoring Railwaymen were doomed. But our players showed impressive will, and were able to repeat the decade-old scenario. Alan Kasaev was called the MVP of the game for his outstanding performance that resulted in an assist and a goal.
TOP SCORER. LOSKOV.
Some interesting stats.
*The attendance record was set on April 4th, 2010, when a Lokomotiv vs. Dynamo derby attracted 17,820 spectators to the stands.
* Lokomotiv vs Dynamo derbies can boast good scoring rate at 3,06 per game. Only three goalless draws have been recorded.
* There have been 5 big wins, 3 by Lokomotiv (24.10.1993 – 3:0, 28.07.2000 – 4:1, 13.04.2002 – 3:0), and two by Dynamo (22.08.2010 – 3:0, 26.06.2011 – 4:1).
* Lokomotiv's record-breaking 15-game unbeaten run against Dynamo lasted from 1999 to 2005 when the White-Blues didn't win a single game. Only in 2006 did they finally manage to beat the Railwaymen.
* Dmitriy Loskov is the best scorer ever with 11 goals to his name. Oleg Teryokhin and Kevin Kuranyi scored five goals each against Lokomotiv. Striker Ruslan Pimenov scored five times, but for different teams: three times for Lokomotiv, and twice for Dynamo.
* The only hat-trick scorer is Dmitriy Cheryshev (14.08.1996).
INTRIGUE. PLAYING AGAINST FORMER CLUBS.
…For some, this derby will be an encounter with their former clubs.
Miodrag Bozovic knows Dynamo well: he used to head this team between April 2010 and April 2011. Midfielder Alexander Samedov worked in Dynamo 2010 through 2012, made 70 appearances and scored 9 goals. Alan Kasaev also wore a white-blue kit.
The current manager of Dynamo used to be Lokomotiv's top goalkeeper. Back in 1988.
«At Lokomotiv, I started having more playing time that I lacked at Spartak. - remembers Cherchesov in an interview with 'Sovetskiy Sport' - Lokomov had just been promoted to the USSR's top division. The coach Yuriy Syomin trusted us. The guys were ambitious, and wanted to show themselves. There was a very modest base in Bakovka with a small banya. And of course, the good old Lokomotiv stadium. We fought for the chance to show ourselves, to prove. Luckily, we succeeded.
Almost 30 years have passed… There’s enough memories, but sometimes when you go that long way back you start thinking: did it all happen to me? The world was different, the country was different. You have to understand what Lokomotiv was then - a fifth or sixth wheel of the Moscow football. But today it’s a top-club’. - concluded Cherchesov.
TACTICS. IS IT IMPORTANT?
Let’s consider the tactics. In most games, Dynamo used the 4-2-3-1 formation. But what does this mean? A defending team’s shape? In attack, they transform into 4-1-4-1. The defensive midfielders have different functions. Their roles are important.
The figures can easily turn into 4-3-3 for example. Although even this theory won’t make the team’s manner of play more comprehensible.
Dynamo are an attack-minded team. Probably, they sometimes lack balance and leave spaces at the back.
In the last three games, the White-Blues scored no goals and conceded twice. On the other hand, Lokomotiv are experiencing problems up front, as their scoring rate has been poor this spring.
You could think the mid-season training camp has just ended, and the players must be strong. But the seeming weariness is the main impression Dynamo has left in the last games. In autumn, Cherchesov’s eleven demonstrated terrific movement: the tireless Ionov, the reactive Kokorin, the all-over-the-place Dzsudzsak. Not to mention Valbuena whose appearance ignited the pretty slow and rational Russian football. What about the second Frenchman, Vainqueur? Nobody knew a thing about him, really. People most often paid attention to the spelling of his last name, that was first translated into Russian as Wenger. But in the end of the day he appeared to be the guy who covers for you in the back, and starts attacks. Anyway, now Dynamo are not scoring much.
But what is the reason? Is it that the attacking players are not in their best shape? As the football wisdom has it, attack starts with defence. It was defence that used to be the White-Blues’ soft spot, and the opponents used it to their advantage. Stanislav Cherchesov also realized that the team concede more than any other big club in Russia. That’s why he used the winter break to bring balance to the play. Dynamo now concede less. Would attack fall prey to this balance? Most probably. But still, a zero in the ‘Goals Scored’ column for three games in a row is a slightly different story.
Keeper Vladimir Gabulov who was a bit of a headache early in the season, has been in the great form lately. His performance has improved after the winter break. Defenders Kozlov and Hubocan have finally gotten used to the new atmosphere, and Douglas often becomes a victim of the rivalry. And this is great news for Dynamo who loved their Brazilian-born Dutchman. It may sound odd, but Dynamo’s back-line is balanced. In the front line, we can count on Stanislav Cherchesov’s unpredictable decisions. Will we see a long-forgotten duo of Kuranyi and Kokorin, or will the coach stick with just one striker?
And here we are again, talking formations and numbers. But it’s humans that play, not numbers. And the head coach has many variants of lineups and formations to pick from. What we know is that Dynamo will fight. And Lokomotiv will fight. Time to stop talking tactics…
OPINION. VLADIMIR ESHTREKOV.
– What can we expect from Lokomotiv, keeping in mind the team haven’t been impressing lately?
– I’d like to stress that Dynamo haven’t been impressing either. Both teams have to pick up points. Today the quality of the players in both teams is pretty similar, so I’m sure we can count on a quality performance these players are capable of showing.
– How do you explain the low effectiveness of Lokomotiv’s attack?
– It’s hard to tell, I’m not inside the team. I think the guys understand they don’t score much. The coaches have to find some extra potential, and not only in attack. There’s only one way to fix the problem: to work hard at the practices and move up to a higher level.
– Mykhalyk, Tarasov, and Durica are overbooked and are dropping out - will this affect the play?
– The absence of Durica can become a serious problem. Talking about Tarasov, Dima is yet to find his best form. Of course, when several players drop out the ties within the team can break. But there’re more than 11 players to choose from. I think those who will get their chance can impress.
– What’s your forecast?
– I wouldn’t talk about the exact numbers. Let’s watch the game. Judging from the standings, both teams need points but the devil’s in the details. The supporters, including me, hope to see the open-minded and uncompromising football.
- You’ve been a part of both teams. Who are you with today?
– I’m with spectacular football. I spent the best part of my career as a player at Dynamo , and the best part of my career as a coach at Lokomotiv.
