Rinat Bilyaletdinov, known for guiding Lokomotiv Moscow and Rubin Kazan, shares his perspective on the current state of legal betting and the competitiveness of the so-called railway club in the Russian Premier League. He assesses Lokomotiv’s standing in today’s environment and outlines what it would take to push the squad closer to the top of the table.
According to him, Lokomotiv’s squad remains combative by modern standards, but added reinforcements would bring a much-needed spark. The verdict is clear: the attack needs more pace. Speed in the forward line could tilt tight games in the closing phases. While Dzyuba remains a dependable presence, he does not embody a truly mobile forward profile, and his age is a factor in the club’s planning.
The former coach emphasizes that expanding the team’s attacking potential requires a multifaceted strategy. The current approach leans on Dzyuba as a central pillar, yet opponents have started to study and counter this plan with growing sophistication. The tactical equation, in his view, is simple: preserve the core of experience while injecting dynamic athletes who can stretch defenses and create pace on the flanks and in transitions.
When comparing Lokomotiv with Krasnodar and Zenit, he points to the impact players who push matches forward. Cordoba and Cassierra are highlighted as pivotal figures for their teams, helping explain why Krasnodar and Zenit occupy leading positions. In modern football, rapid attacks and the ability to break lines are frequent determinants of outcomes, a factor Lokomotiv must optimize through smart personnel choices. The coach argues that Lokomotiv possesses forward-thinking ideas on progression, but ideas must be paired with the right players to translate into consistent results.
Details about Dzyuba show a season of steady involvement: this season he appeared in 16 league fixtures and four cup ties, contributing four goals and three assists. The numbers reflect a player who still carries influence, though the balance of risk and reward with aging forwards remains a recurring theme in squad planning.
Across the league, Mateo Cassierra of Zenit St. Petersburg has recorded 22 appearances across all competitions this season, tallying 15 goals and five assists, underscoring his role as a decisive attacking threat. John Cordoba of Krasnodar has featured in 20 matches, scoring 11 goals and providing four assists, highlighting the importance of consistent output from the forward line in this competition.
Current standings ahead of the league restart show Lokomotiv in fourth position with 31 points. Krasnodar leads the pack with 38 points, while Zenit sits in second with 36 points, illustrating how tight the table has become at the top. The narrative also includes a note about a former Spartak captain who briefly moved on from the club, a reminder of how shifting affiliations can reshape a team’s trajectory over a single season.
In a broader context, the discussion centers on how a historically strong club can sustain competitiveness in a league that prizes speed, depth, and tactical flexibility. The analysis stresses the need for Lokomotiv to balance proven veterans with players who can raise the tempo and create more dynamic attacking options. This approach would help the team compete more consistently among the upper echelons of the standings and challenge the leaders as the season unfolds, based on league performance data and player statistics.