Rubin Kazan: Russia's Finest

Nice start and responding to Liverbird's comment like that was pure genius. I do feel that your defence is poor but you should have a good amount of possession with a midfield like that. Good luck, will be following

LJO200: Haha thank you, I felt the opportunity was there and had to be taken! I agree with you about the defence, I have one or two solid performers, but not enough, especially for back-up. My midfield will certainly help, and Im looking in the market for some more defenders. Thanks

Tactics

My final post before the season kicks off and the results coming rolling in, is possibly the most important. The post that will show how the team will play, changing their results and outcome for the season. The tactics.

4-4-2 (4-1-2-1-2)

Although this tactic is technically a 4-4-2, I prefer to call it a 4-1-2-1-2, but with wingers playing inside the centre more. This will be used against most teams, on average or below ability. I will start off with playing standard football, although I will change it from around the 70th winner is drawing or losing in order to grab the vital goal/s.

Boreham Weird

This is a tactic you will all know, made famous by the mighty Or Dabool. Boreham Weird led a non-league, unknown club to the Champions League. I don't think I will have as much success with it, but I plan to use it a bit. Probably against lower teams to try out and maybe develop it more in the second season.

Counter

This is a favourite of mine, and I have used it in a lot of stories. It uses the same positional layout as 4-4-2 (4-1-2-1-2) but has different settings, making the play more, on the break, counter attacking football. Will be used against the bigger teams and in Europe.

Nice tactics, 4-1-2-1-2 reminds me of my Inter tactic Good luck

I need to read Or's Boreham Wood story. I'll do that now

2013-03-14 16:38#84653 FM_Devil. :

Yes Bocchetti was a wonderful manager. He was a tactical genius, a managing wizard and made Rubin what they are today.

You do know that Salvatore Bocchetti is a central defender?

Liverbird: Yep, I misread it, and found out after Because he wasn't in the squad when I looked at them all, I quickly assumed he was the manager without even really reading the name, and found out later in the transfer search. But he was great

Best story start ever.

Keep up the good work mate, I'm interested to see how Rubin can do against richer clubs like Zenit and Anji. I'm glad that you are using the Boreham weird tactic as well Good Luck!

Glenn T: Oh my, why thank you..

The Madridista: Thank you, and that's what one of my big aims are this year. A win at least once against the rich sides would be great! I hope I can get at least a bit of the same effect that Or did with it, it was a great tactic. Thanks again, (pre-season update coming any minute now!)

Pre-Season Results

Gelios 1-6 Rubin Kazan

4-1-2-1-2: Ryzhikov, Kuzmin, Navas, Marcano, Ansaldi, M'Vila, Ryazantsev, Eremenko, Natkho, Rondon, Dyadyun

Subs on: None

Goals: Rondon (17, 63) Dyadyun (19, 52, 89) Eremenko (38)

MOTM: Dyadyun 9.6 (Kazan)

Baltika 0-1 Rubin Kazan

4-1-2-1-2: Ryzhikov, Kuzmin, Navas, Marcano, Kaleshin, M'Vila, Ryazantsev, Eremenko, Natkho, Tore, Dyadyun

Subs on: None

Goals: Ryazantsev (82)

MOTM: Navas 7.6 (Kazan)

Vidima-Rakovski 1-3 Rubin Kazan

4-1-2-1-2: Ryzhikov, Kuzmin, Navas , Marcano, Orbaiz, M'Vila, Ryazantsev, Eremenko, Natkho, Tore, Dyadyun

Subs on: Kisliak

Goals: Natkho (35, 53, 90+1)

MOTM: Natkho 9.6 (Kazan)

Injuries: Eremenko (2-3 days)

Otelul 2-4 Rubin Kazan

4-1-2-1-2: Ryzhikov, Kuzmin , Navas, Marcano, Ansaldi, M'Vila, Ryazantsev, Eremenko, Natkho, Rondon, Dyadyun

Subs on: Tore

Goals: Rondon (17, 63) Dyadyun (17) Rondon (45, 90) Natkho (81)

MOTM: Rondon 9.1 (Kazan)

Honved 0-1 Rubin Kazan

4-1-2-1-2: Ryzhikov, Kuzmin, Navas, Marcano , Ansaldi, M'Vila, Ryazantsev , Eremenko, Natkho, Rondon, Dyadyun

Subs on: Tore

Goals: Dyadyun (27)

MOTM: Navas 8.4 (Kazan)

Injuries: Rondon (3-5 days)

Review:

Pre-season was very successful for the club, getting maximum wins and finding some top class players. Dyadyun has shocked me most. I planned for him to warm the bench this season, but some top class performances makes him my player of pre-season. Player of the month will soon be a much bigger award within this story, but not for pre-season.

Excellent preseason mate, hope the form carries into the league

Russian Super Cup 2012

Pre-Match Commentary

And welcome! You join us today from Metallurg, Samara to witness history - in the 2012 Russian Super Cup. Two of the best teams from Russia will compete to win the trophy, Rubin Kazan and Zenit St. Petersburg

And with 20 minutes until kick-off, the line-ups have been announced for both sides. Rubin Kazan will play in their 4-1-2-1-2 formation, the formation used in pre-season to win in all games played. And the squad:

Rubin:Ryzhikov, Kuzmin, Navas, Marcano, Ansaldi, M'Vila, Ryazantsev, Eremenko, Natkho, Dyadyun, Rondon.

Now Zenit are due to play a classic 4-4-2 formation, an unusual formation for them to play, which they are yet to use this season!

Zenit: Malafeev, Hubocan, Neto, Lombaerts, Cristico, Denisov, Shirokov, Witsel, Danny, Hulk.

So that's the teams. We now prepare for kick off...

Match Commentary

00:00 KICK OFF! Rubin Kazan kick the game off for a long, hard 90 minutes.

02:00 YELLOW! This could be a physical game, as Salomon Rondon of Kazan recieves the first card of the game in just 2 minutes.

16:00 WIDE! Zenit star Hulk places the ball just wide after an amazing run down the right wing.

26:00 GOALLLLL! Neto, the Zenit defender comes up for a corner, floated in by Witsel, and headers the ball into the back of the net. Keeper had no chance! 1-0.

27:00 SAVED! Rubin Kazan immediately break from kick-off, but a Dyadyun shot is saved by an inform Malafeev.

45:00 HALF TIME! With no injury time played, the teams go in with the score Zenit 1-0 Rubin Kazan.

45:00 KICK OFF! And Zenit get the second half underway.

60:00 OFFSIDE! Zenit seem to be dominating the game now, as Axel Witsel scores a tap-in, only for the goal to be given offside.

62:00 REPLAY! We have checked the replays of the disallowed goal, and the referee made the correct decision.

66:00 EQUALISER!!!!!! Kazan striker Dyadyun scores an absolute screamer for 35 yards out to make the score 1-1. Seeing the keeper slightly off his line, Dyadyun tries an impossible shot, and it flies into the top corner. Game on, 1-1.

77:00 YELLOW! Denisov of Zenit recieves a yellow for a handball.

87:00 YELLOW CARD! Nicolas Lombaerts, also from Zenit recieves a yellow card for a hard tackle on Natkho.

87:00 CHANCE! Natkho takes the free kick, in the dying minutes of the game, but places it wide. 4 minutes injury time to played.

90:00 FULL TIME! The referee blows the whistle with the score at 1-1, extra time here we come!

Extra Time

105:00 HALF TIME! A very boring first half of extra time ends, with no real chances.

118:00 POST! Zenit defender Cristico hits the post in the dying embers of the game. So close, but it looks like penalties is only a minute away.

120:00 PENALTIES! In this entertaining match, we couldn't find a winner. Only penalties can now decide.

Penalties

We will now hand over to our pitch side commentators for the penalties.

1. Cristico, who missed a last minute chance is first to take the penalty. He steps up, places it... WIDE! 0-0.

2. Ansaldi, one of the key players in pre-season for Kazan next to take. GOAL! Straight down the middle. 1-0.

3. Neto up next for Zenit. He blasts its.. SAVED! Ryzhikov gets a hand on the ball and knocks it wide. 1-0.

4. Natkho is the 2nd penalty taker for Kazan. GOAL! Top corner, brilliant finish. 2-0. Kazan in pole position now.

5. Zyryanov now for Zenit. He has to score this for Zenit to have any chance. SAVED! Ryzhikov keeps hold of the ball in a shocking penalty. 2-0

6. And this is it. If Rondon scores this, Rubin Kazan will win the Russian Super Cup 2012.... GOALLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! RUBIN KAZAN HAVE WON WITH A CHIP DOWN THE MIDDLE FOOLING THE KEEPER. KANCHELSKIS HAS WON HIS FIRST TROPHY AT THE CLUB AND KAZAN HAVE RECORDED AN EXCELLENT, BUT EXCITING WIN.

Thank you for joining us here today to witness this marvellous game. And the man of the match award goes to Cesar Navas of Kazan, with a rating of 9.0 Final score: Rubin Kazan 1-1 Zenit (Kazan win 3-0 on Penalties) Goodbye.

http://russia.theoffside.com/files/2008/11/rubin-kazan-celebrates.jpg

Nice result, sucks that you screwed up the post, I do that A LOT

neal09: Thank you, enjoyed pre-season alot. Thanks for checking out and commenting on my story so much, motivates me alot.

neal09 (part 2): It's was so annoying. Must have taken about an hour, but I'll be doing it again tomorrow. Usually I copy it before it case it happens, but the one time I don't do it, I needed it. Anyway, today we mourn, tomorrow we write!