Football Season Guide

The modest team of Tosno qualified for their first ever top flight experience in May and all summer the manager and his players were itching to get the new season underway. Coach, Parfyonov, is an experienced specialist and at least he knows what is required to be successful in elite leagues. That said, the gaffer works with very small budget and even the achieved direct promotion didn't keep some of his regulars in the team. During the summer, Parfyonov parted ways with his two main goalkeepers, his two regular full-backs and also the most experienced striker of the team, Milevsky. At least the extra finances guaranteed from the qualification for the top flight allowed him to sign recruitments and, with several new players joining the squad this summer, Tosno will have a new look and feel about themselves. The arrival of goalkeepers Yurchenko and Gutor provides two vastly experienced players in that position, while Spartak's youngster Kutin and the tested in the top flight Dudiev will fight for the right to start at right-back in the 4-4-2 formation. Dugalic and Buyvolov were the regular starters in the heart of the defence last season but the arrival of Shakhov and the few other options suggest that there will be competition for these places too. The main gap at the minute seems to be the absence of typical left-backs after Garbuz's departure and, as things stand, only the 20-year-old Nikitin is natural in this position. In the middle of the park the 34-year-old veteran Kascelan will be organising things while the signing of Anderson Carvalho suggests that he will be the creative force in this area. With five other newcomers in midfield, Tosno will definitely be testing the waters in the early rounds. They can rely on some players with experience too as both Mukhamatshin and Galiulin have played in the top flight before. Up front, the free agent Vukusic was signed to provide cover for Zabolotnyi and Markov but none of the three centre-forwards are hugely prolific or experienced and Tosno are not expected to be scoring many goals this season. With that in mind, the manager might change the 4-4-2 formation he used for most of last season and instead he could play with a lone striker and an extra man in midfield or defence. Parfyonov tested both 5-4-1 and 4-5-1 in the pre-season and it seems that he will be selecting his system based on the opponents.