Football Season Guide

Anzhi endured a quite dreadful last season and poor performances throughout 2018 should have seen them return back to the second division. Yet a number of let-offs, first including Tosni finishing just below them in the automatic relegation places, and then the disbanding of Amkar Perm for financial problems, meant that the Makhachkala side stayed up even if Yenisey beat them in the play-off. Anzhi played some pretty woeful football under Vadim Skripchenko last season as they were way too predicable in attack and lacked pure finisher to bring the goals. Their defence was at times inspired, but often woeful as well, and the team looked utterly shot of confidence by the end. It was no real surprise that the manager was thus let go but it remains to be seen if Magomed Adiev is much of an improvement and whether he will be able to galvanise the stricken Dagestan club and make the fans more engage. Adiev does not have much of a managerial experience but was an assistant at local rivals Akhmat Grozny earlier this year, while spending time as a player at Anzhi. The transfer business has expectedly been mostly deflating given the limited financial capabilities but Vladislav Kulik is a decent addition in midfield given his experience. Having Igor Udalyi back after a loan spell is a positive too after he won the title with Orenburg in the second-flight. Yet some key players have looked for pastures new and the back line seems especially weakened as Sergey Bryzhalov, Magomed Musalov and Vladimir Poluyakhtov are nowhere to be seen. Loanee Oleg Danchenko enjoyed a breakthrough last season and is another one who leaves a massive whole. The options up front and on the wings and up front are hardly encouraging too as Arsen Khubulov and Pavel Yakovlev are also part of the exodus in the summer. There is very little to give the fans encouragement and it already looks like a very steep task for Adiev to try and keep what is a sinking Anzhi side above water in what is a tough and demanding league.