Team Focus: Lack of Riches Taking its Toll on Relegation Threatened Rostov

At the pinnacle of world football money flows as freely as the Amazon. Players, agents and clubs all benefit from the significant cash flow of European and domestic success with little regard for the future of those clubs and players who are battling to survive several rungs of the ladder below them. The way in which football managed to become such a cash orientated sport is an issue for another day, however there are major financial concerns for various clubs in some of Europe’s most prominent leagues. One such club is FK Rostov.

Sitting in the south western reaches of the world’s largest nation, Rostov is a federal district, or Oblast, that is feeling the punch as Russia’s foreign policy gradually squeezes the life from the nation’s resources. The region is relatively close to the Ukrainian border which means that it has seen an influx of refugees spilling into Russia in the wake of increased tensions with their neighbour.

It may seem a tenuous link to consider the Ukrainian crisis as having a major impact on the state of Russian football clubs, however Rostov are a state owned club which means they are reliant upon the region for funding. Given the fact that Rostov Oblast must ensure there are sufficient resources available to combat the issues that they presently face in terms of the Ukrainian crisis, football has dropped a considerable way down the pecking order.

The lack of recent funding has had a catastrophic impact upon results on the pitch and Rostov have gone from enjoying one of their strongest ever seasons last term, to being in a relegation battle this time round. Many of the club’s players haven’t been paid during the past four months, since the season began, which could in turn lead to an exodus of players during the winter transfer window.

Such a stark contrast in fortunes shows just how delicate a situation Russian football is mired within and it shows little sign of letting up any time soon. The future looks particularly bleak both on and off the pitch for Rostov and it’s easy to see where the issues have occurred on the pitch so far this season.

The team have almost conceded as many goals in their opening 11 games this term as they did throughout the course of last season. 40 goals conceded in 30 matches was a record that was comparable with many of the teams who finished in and around the midtable places in 2013/14, however the 32 conceded since the season began in July is by far the worst in the league.

Players appear less capable of making defensive challenges, which is shown in the fact that the club are averaging the third fewest tackles per game (17.6) having ranked 8th the season previous. There’s seemingly a lack of appetite to compete within the Rostov ranks and while the team have lost some important figures over the past few months, there remains a strong enough side to be more competitive than they presently are. Such ill-discipline can also be seen in the fact that Rostov currently have the second worst disciplinary record in the division despite their tackles average dropping.

There’s been an element of carelessness in possession over the past few months, even despite the fact that Rostov have never been a side to notch up high figures in terms of ball retention. However, the team currently average some 11.4 dispossessions per game, the third highest in the division, as well as 9.1 unsuccessful touches, which is within the top five. Rostov’s reliance on width for an attacking outlet has been a longstanding trait although the team are currently misplacing an average of 18.4 crosses per game – a record which shows a system being insufficiently implemented by the players on the pitch

The loss of Artem Dzyuba, who returned to his parent club Spartak Moscow, has caused Rostov to lose their most valuable attacking asset. The powerful forward was in scintillating form for much of last season, bagging 17 league goals, with the rest of the team adding a mere 21 between them. Dzyuba’s ability aerially meant that Rostov were able to play with width, as the team averaged the fourth highest crosses per game, 21, however there has been no one capable of replacing such a dominant figure. Aleksandr Bukharov has been the man tasked with picking up where Artem Dzyuba left off, however he averages only 2.1 aerial duels per game, which pales in comparison to his predecessor. Meanwhile Dmitriy Poloz currently leads the team's scoring charts with a meagre four goals.

It is easy to criticise Rostov’s players for their inability to pick up results this season, however the issue of unpaid wages is one that would cause significant unrest in any workplace. There appears to be a distinct lack of motivation within the ranks, with a number of players likely counting down the days until they are able to break free and secure contracts elsewhere. However, the difficulty of the situation is such that far too many Russian clubs remain state owned entities. This, accompanied by the failing strength of the rouble, is leaving many clubs in tatters as they seek to find a way of balancing the books. This is the beginning of a long period of darkness for Russian football and few clubs will be saved.

Will Rostov avoid the drop this season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below