After the goalless clash between Spartak Moscow and Ural Yekaterinburg in the 22nd round of the Russian Premier League, former Spartak player Andrei Yeshchenko offered sharp critique of how the team has been playing and noted the impact of striker Quincy Promes being unavailable. The report from Sports Express highlights the coach’s decisions and the broader squad options the club must lean on during his absence. Promes’ arrest in the UAE was mentioned as a factor in the team’s recent form, and Yeshchenko’s observations serve as a guide to understanding potential improvements.
“There were moments today when a goal could have changed everything. Sobolev performed well and created chances, but the execution in the final third is a question for the head coach to address. The absence of Promes is a hit, yet Spartak relies on a pool of players who must shoulder the responsibility and find more inventive ways to attack. They are not playing with the brightness we hoped to see,” Yeshchenko commented.
Following the draw, Spartak sits fifth in the Russian Championship standings with 32 points. Guillermo Abascal’s squad matches Lokomotiv Moscow on points in sixth place, though the capital club has a game in hand. Ural currently holds 20 points and sits in 13th, as Viktor Goncharenko’s players seek consistency in a competitive table.
Zenit St. Petersburg tops the table after drawing with Krylia Sovetov Samara in round 22, reaching 41 points. Krasnodar remains two points behind the leader, with no new match to add in this round. Dinamo Moscow completes the top three after a 1-4 defeat to Rostov in round 22, Marcel Lička’s side tallying 38 points.
Recent comments from Abascal have further shaped the narrative around Spartak, underscoring the need for collective cohesion and strategic adjustments as the season progresses. This momentum shift comes amid ongoing scrutiny of squad depth and tactical flexibility, with supporters and pundits alike awaiting clearer answers from the squad’s leadership on how best to navigate the remainder of the campaign. [Attribution: Sports Express]