Rosgosstrakh Russian football championship 2017-2018 is in full swing. Teams have already played 7 rounds of the planned 30, and this is almost a quarter of the distance. As a result, experts and fans have the opportunity to evaluate the success of individual clubs at the start of the championship. Someone lived up to expectations, someone failed, someone remained at the usual level and did not bring surprises.

Team position

The standings of Rosgosstrakh of the Russian football championship 2017-2018 at the moment are as follows:

	Team name	Number of goals scored - goals conceded	Points earned
	"Locomotive"
	Rostov
	Krasnodar
	"Dynamo"
	"Spartacus"
	SKA-Khabarovsk
	Arsenal (Tula)

After 7 rounds played in the group stage, the Champions League are Zenit and Lokomotiv, and Rostov will play in the qualification. CSKA and Krasnodar are still in the Europa League zone, however, several football teams attack them immediately.

Today, Amkar and Anji are on the way out of the Premier League. In the zone of butt fights are Arsenal (Tula) and SKA-Khabarovsk. This fourth has already formed a noticeable gap from the saving 12th place, therefore, at the current level of the game, the status quo is likely to remain until the end of the tournament.

Who has pleased?

Having looked at the table of Rosgosstrakh of the Russian football championship 2017-2018, we can say with confidence that only fans aroused positive emotions. The first season of Roberto Mancini in St. Petersburg is perfect: his wards occupy the sole first place, demonstrating a productive game and an enviable will to win. For 7 games, “blue-white-blue” scored the most in the league (16 goals), and conceded the least (3). Several factors speak in favor of the Zenit championship:

• balanced composition;
• wide bench;
• good microclimate in the team;
• confident actions on the field of leaders (Kokorin, Paredes, Dryussi, etc.)

The scandals in the “Zenith” have sunk into oblivion with the departure of Mircea Lucescu. Even Artem Dziuba, who crouched on the bench, does not show discontent and speaks of the intention to win a place at the base through enhanced training. Separately, mention should be made of the European competition: if the “Petersburgers” fail to qualify for the Europa League, for which there are certain prerequisites, then the club's fans can now buy champagne. With a schedule of 1 match per week, Zenit will simply not be equal in.

We will add “Rostov” to the list of teams that pleased their fans. After leaving the off-season, Poloz, Erokhin and a whole galaxy of players who determined the game, experts predicted a place for Rostovites in the second part of the table. After 7 rounds, Leonid Kuchuk's wards go to the Champions League zone, demonstrating rational actions on the field. Let them score not so much (only 8 goals), but missed only 3. Even top attackers can’t pick up the keys to the gates of Sergei Pesyakov, and reliable defense in the Premier League is half the battle on the way to Eurocups.

Who surprised?

Rosgosstrakh Russian football championship 2017-2018 was marked by a series of unpredictable ups and downs of some football teams. The list of clubs that surprised with their game includes:

• "Locomotive";
• Ural
• Amkar.

Lokomotiv should be called without reservation the main opening of the start of the Premier League. Prior to the last round, skeptics associated the success of the “railroad” with an easy calendar, but a strong-willed victory over “Spartak” proved that the players are ready to fight for the highest places. So far, this is the only serious competitor to Zenit for the first line, and if during the tournament Yuri Semin's wards add, they will surely remain in the Champions League zone. A tight schedule can make adjustments to the team’s plans, because already from September 2017 Lokomotiv will play in the group stage of the Europa League, and this is at least 6 additional matches.

One of the main issues of Rosgosstrakh of the Russian championship in 2017-2018 remains when the Ural loses. Wards Oleg Tarkhanov are a tough nut, especially in their field. At the start of the championship, the club from Yekaterinburg demonstrates substantial football and does not know defeats. Nevertheless, the next match with Lokomotiv will become a serious test for football players, when it becomes clear how much safety margin Ural will have.

Amazement with a minus sign caused the game "Amkara". The Rosgosstrakh calendar of the Russian championship in 2017-2018 for the Permians was compiled quite successfully: strong opponents alternated with weak ones. Many predicted the wards of Haji Hajiyev fight for, but not for survival. Two draws in 7 matches and a miserable figure of 1 in the scored goals indicate a deep crisis in the team. Perhaps the patience of the leadership will run out already in the 8th round, and we will have the first coaching retirement in the Premier League 2017-2018.

Who has disappointed?

At least the Spartak game is causing alarm among the multi-million army of fans. In anticipation of the start in the Champions League, wards Massimo Carrera lost the second match in a row with principal rivals - at first CSKA pulled out the victory, and then Lokomotiv defeated the “red and white” on their field. The problems of Spartak are obvious:

• weak defense (13 goals conceded - most in the league);
• injuries of leading footballers (Zobina, Ze Luis and others);
• unstable game in attack;
• lack of moral-volitional qualities.

This season, the most popular team forgot how to act on the account. Leading in fights with Dynamo, CSKA and Lokomotiv, the red-white missed the victory over and over again, and that’s a potential of 9 points. All this led to a sad result: the current champion of the country is in 11th place in the standings, only 3 points from the zone of junctions with clubs.

We will definitely call Anji the weakest team in the Russian Championship. Yes - the team was completely rebuilt in the summer, yes - its financial budget is limited, but clubs with a more modest budget and less talented players perform much better. So far, the assets of the “Makhachkala residents” after 7 rounds are 3 points and the only victory over the sinking “Amkar”. There is no light at the end of the tunnel for Anji: the most goals conceded, lack of will to win, inability to rebuild during the match. At the moment, the club is a clear contender for demotion.

We note a number of interesting moments of Rosgosstrakh of the Russian football championship 2017-2018:

1. The most uncompromising Premier League team is Akhmat. For 6 rounds, the wards of Oleg Kononov have never tied: 3 wins and 3 losses.
2. The “driest” RFPL club is SKA-Khabarovsk: in 7 rounds with the participation of the club, only 10 goals were scored and never more than 2 per game.
3. Most successful draws were recorded in matches with Ural. The club from Yekaterinburg 4 times finished the fights with a score of 1: 1, and once - with a score of 2: 2.
4. The biggest victory on the championship stratum was won by Rubin. In the 7th round, Anji was defeated 6-0.
5. At the moment, the best scorer of the Premier League is Alexander Kokorin. Forward “Zenith” scored 6 goals in 7 matches, which is already 1 more than for the entire last season.

Thus, Rosgosstrakh, the standings of which you can see on our website, is rightfully considered one of the most spectacular tournaments in the last few years. Before the 2018 Mundial, many players claiming to be in the national teams try to demonstrate their leadership qualities and skills in order to speak at the main football forum of the four-year period. All the more interesting will be the fans to watch the ups and downs of the domestic championship.

The opinion of Vasily Utkin on the start of the Premier League 2017-2018, see the following video:

In the central match of the tour, the champion managed to avenge Zenith for humiliation in the first round. The meeting was the decoration of the weekend, and Spartak returned to the championship race. Petersburgers lost by releasing the leading Lokomotiv by six points. CSKA and Krasnodar also got closer to Zenit itself. The leader stayed in Khabarovsk, where he managed to snatch victory only at a compensated time. CSKA minimally beat the completely anointed Rubin in Kazan. Krasnodar also minimally defeated the Ural, which passed in November. Despite all their gaming and personnel problems, the “bulls” with the army team remain in the struggle for the highest places. Of the clubs, Akhmat, who took the second victory with Galaktionov, was easier to break into the leaders. Ufa lost in Grozny, Arsenal was defeated in St. Petersburg by Markov's hat-trick. As a result, the gap between the top five and the rest has widened. Below are their intrigues. Rostov won for the first time since August, upsetting Anji. Amkar got rid of Dynamo. It is Muscovites and SKAs that look least competitive so far, but there is still time to rectify the situation.

Spartak takes revenge, Lokomotiv is increasing the gap.

Muscovites and St. Petersburg gave a real extravaganza, where there was everything - spectacular goals, high speeds and genuine passions. The intrigue died only in the eighth compensated minute. Spartak confirmed the thesis of the crisis at Zenit. They won the “red and white” in the case, although equalize Kokorin to the locker room - and everything could turn over. Lokomotiv in Khabarovsk was hardly easier than with the leaders of the Premier League. They snatched out the victory only in the compensated time "railroad".

All other events of the tour faded before the match that completed its program. Champion against the main contender for the title, determined to avenge the defeat in the first round. The teams immediately took a decent pace. Spartak on the rights of the owner could not afford to close, and this leveled the situation. Muscovites were attacking more actively, and already at the end of the third time they sent the ball into the net. However, this made Luis Adriano from offside. However, a couple of minutes later the champion scored cleanly. Kombarov cut the pitch into the penalty area, where Samedov coolly chose the position, cutting the ball into the far corner. Speeds soared higher, “Zenith” piled on and ... missed the second. Spartak deployed the counterattack spring, running four to four. Shortly Samedov found a pass by Zé Luis, and he threw the ball with his heel to hit Luis Adriano. And here, the Brazilian performed everything perfectly already, with a sweeping blow laying the ball under the very post. Mancini immediately released Rigoni instead of Kranevitter, admitting a mistake. And Zenit almost immediately called one goal. Just Rigoni dispersed on the flank of Poloz, who cut a backache to the far corner of the box. A run-in Crisito powerfully shot in touch. Samedov tried to block, but only disoriented Selikhov. And in the locker room, “Zenith” could well score the second. The Petersburgers scratched the ball in front of the arc, Zhirkov pulled into the box and put the ball into Kokorin’s head. Alexander immediately pushed the ball into an empty corner, but hit the post. Lucky Spartak. In the debut of the second half, the fans made a smoke screen, almost substituting Selikhov. The goalkeeper managed not without difficulty with the long-range shots of Cristito and Paredes. Lodygin soon issued a no less spectacular save after hitting Promes. Following Luis Adriano jumped out to the gate, but here the guests were saved by a chic tackle of the Mammans. “Zenith” answered another blow Kokorin - rescued Selikhov. The swing was on the field, and a few minutes before the end, Fernando also sharpened, dismissing Driussi. The second mustard plaster and the ending are in the minority. But the “Zenith” not only did not dare, but also missed at the last compensated minute. The Luis put the ball on the far post Pashalich, and he brought the ball into the net.

After the frosty voyage of CSKA to Khabarovsk, where CSKA won but lost two people due to injuries, Lokomotiv tried to postpone the match. However, SKA defended the right to accept the leader of the house. Teams began cheerfully, already by the end of the third half, exchanging goals. Miranchuk fell in the penalty area, but the whistle said nothing. Muscovites continued the attack, and Kolomeytsev juicy struck from the penalty. Dovbnya helped out, but Farfan was on the selection, who hit the near post. The ball bounced into the goalkeeper Cherevko, who was flying to insure, and from him into the net. The advantage “Locomotive” held only a couple of minutes. The high feed into the box, the unsuccessful removal of Vitaly Denisov through the center, and Fedotov, who won the selection on the second attempt, showed the ball the way into the goal. After that, the field was quiet and smooth. The guests had a significant game advantage, but could not get through the defense of the SKA. There were no moments. Only in the middle of the second half did Dovbne have to show off, getting the ball after an uncomfortable blow by Kolomeytsev. Ignatiev applied a couple of times, but in general, the Khabarovsk citizens defended reliably. It seems that the guests had interesting attacks, but they couldn’t complete them with a blow. The next sharp combination was already in the compensated time, and Dedechko hooked Farfan in the penalty area. Penalty. The Peruvian himself went to beat. And he could not beat Dovbnya. The selection was won by Kolomeitsev, but loaded into the crossbar. And yet, on the third attempt, Farfan sent the ball into the goal. Muscovites pulled out three points and kept the first line.

The modest successes of CSKA and Krasnodar

CSKA, experiencing a huge personnel shortage, once again got out of control and took their points in inhospitable Kazan. The score could have been larger, but Dzhanaev played excellently, taking a penalty. "Krasnodar" achieved a minimal victory in Yekaterinburg, simultaneously sending Smolov to the leaders of the bombing race.

The meeting in Yekaterinburg was not too eventful. An equal game at an average pace took place without any moments at all, but the first guests were able to realize ten minutes before the break. Claesson famously turned in the penalty area and laid the ball to Smolov on an empty net. Fedor upset the former club, simultaneously catching up with Kokorin. “Bumblebees” immediately replied, but Dimitrov finished off the ball into an empty net after an offside save by Sinitsyn. A minute later, Sinitsyn waved the ball past after Granqvist's pass back, and he himself managed to knock the ball off the goal line already in the fall. On this sharpness ended. In the second half, the “bulls” played strictly in a row. “Bumblebees” failed to create a single sensible moment, and Smolov almost scored the second from the middle of the field on the flag. “Krasnodar” continues to strain points, keeping a place in the top five. Ural is gradually losing ground - Tarkhanov’s team has not won four rounds.

CSKA managed to take away three points from the inhospitable Kazan. The hosts were unusually mistaken in defense. The grenade at the end of half an hour of playing time started a way out of defense on dribbling, giving the ball to Dzagoev. Army men went out in two, Alan rolled to a blow to Wernbloom, but the Swede lost the duel to Dzhanaev. A minute later, Nababkin got ahead of Bauer and closed Vitinho's delivery to the far post, but the blow didn’t really come out and Dzhanaev caught the ball under the crossbar. However, CSKA otteteil similar courtesy. Slurred actions of Vasin and Nababkin in his own penalty area led to the fact that Bauer punched from a few meters and simply did not hit the nearest “nine”. And already in the compensated time, Natho from the standard threw the ball into the penalty area. Ignashevich struck diagonally from the rebound, and Wernbloom successfully substituted himself, disorienting the goalkeeper. In the second half, Berdyev did not find reserves to strengthen the attack. “Ruby” played toothless and could well concede larger. Wernbloom forgave the hosts after discounting Dzagoev without resistance, having missed the penalty center. Already in the compensated time, Kuchaev earned a penalty, but Dzhanaev took the second foam this season, having got the ball fired by Natho into the bottom corner. However, one goal of CSKA was enough. CSKA continue the race. And Rubin extended the unbeaten run to five matches and is about to sink into the zone of butt matches.

The long-awaited victory of “Rostov” and “Amkar”

The unbeaten series of Permians lasted five matches, Rostovites - 11. During this time, the Kuchuk team reached the junction zone, and Amkar, which began to emerge, was again mired in a swamp. In a match with direct competitors, settled even lower, the hosts gathered and achieved confident victories.

In one of the key matches from the point of view of the struggle for survival, Amkar hosted the capital Dynamo. Permians from the first minutes took possession of the initiative, and in the middle of half, they could well come forward. Ezatolahi struck an insidious blow from afar. The ball fell under the crossbar, Shunin hit the bar with his fingertips and ferried it. Muscovites responded with a tight blow to Tashayev under the crossbar from the free kick - Nigmatullin managed. A few minutes before the break, the goal frame once again played for the guests. Goal from selection tightly hit the far corner, but hit the post. The hosts played a goal, but scored it already from the locker room. A long pass went into the box, a couple of discounts, a rebound from Shunich and another cool blow from Goal. This time, the result coincided with the name of the Pole. However, Dynamo recouped within five minutes. Terekhov started dribbling in the penalty area and got kicked by Ezatolahi. Lutsenko from the “point” struck perfectly. “Amkar” began to crush again and in the middle of the inning he achieved his goal. Morozov relaxed too early, thinking that the ball would now go over the front, and Gashchenkov finished the game and managed to shoot from the line into the penalty area, where Ezatolahi drove him into the net after a couple of ricochets. Guests could recoup again, but the defender managed to lie under the blow of Lutsenko from a slaughter position. Further Permians defended more and managed to defend the score. Amkar interrupted its gray without victories, rising to the top ten. The situation of Dynamo has become complicated.

Significantly stronger with the arrival of Vadim Skripchenko, “Anji” intended to take points in Rostov-on-Don, where the local club has not won since mid-August. Naturally, the hosts were serious. Rostov owned the initiative, although Yurchenko hardly bothered. The strikes of Ionov and Bukharov from slaughter positions managed to cover the defenders. Anji answered with a pair of long-range shots by Markelov, which did not become a problem for Abaev. Time was heading to the zeros when the ball, after a hard hit by Parshivlyuk, fell into Bryzgalov’s hand. The referee gave a penalty, clearly implemented by Bukharov. In the debut of the second half, the guests could recoup, but Abaev parried the blow of a healthy Prudnikov and finishing off Danchenko. And half an hour before the end, Bukharov took a double, closing Kalachev's delivery from the corner. After that, “Rostov” played already in a row, calmly keeping it unchanged. Skripchenko did not play any substitutions and had no special chance of avoiding Anji's defeat. Rostov interrupted a series of 11 matches without victories, having slightly improved its affairs. Makhachkala residents remained in the joint zone.

Galaktionov is fixed in the chair, Markov draws up the first hat-trick

"Akhmat", led by I.O. head coach Mikhail Galaktionov, took seven points in three rounds. The club management is already thinking about the approval of a young specialist. “Tosno” twice turned out to be catching up, playing at home with “Arsenal”, but Markov’s inspired exit not a substitution allowed not only to even the score, but also to snatch the victory.

In St. Petersburg, "Tosno" and "Arsenal" gave a chic performance. The foresters, driven by a series of failures into the corner, began powerfully. Mirzov stood out, creating a moment for Zabolotny, and then almost twisted the ball into the far “nine” after being shifted to the center. However, in the middle of the half, the Tulaks carried out a cool counterattack. Grigalava gave a feed from the flank to the center of the penalty area, from which ушaušić cut the ball into the far corner with a rebound from the lawn. Arsenal stepped up and had a couple more points. They managed to cover the blow of Chaushich, and after the shot Gorbatenko saved Yurchenko. In the debut of the second half, Djordjevic could have scored the second on the corner, but did not reach the ball at an empty corner of the goal. And half an hour before the end Parfyonov replaced Markov, who made the game. Three minutes later, the forward in a high jump crushed the opponent and drove the ball into the net from a couple of meters after the filing of Mirzov, who had a great understanding on the flank. There was a game on a collision course, in which, fifteen minutes before the end, Tkachev again led the guests ahead, breaking through Yurchenko through two defenders. However, Tosno responded with two goals in three minutes. Markov first shut off Chernov's free-kick, and then his cross from the game, bouncing the ball into the bottom corner with a rebound from the lawn. On the flag, Gorbatenko could snatch a draw, but Dugalich fell under the blow of the midfielder. The most important victory for Tosno, and Arsenal missed a chance to get to the Eurocup zone.

“Akhmat” received neighbors on the table from “Ufa”. Grozny residents took the initiative, but the guests confidently restrained their positional attacks. The only good moment Leo missed at the end of half an hour of playing time, breaking from the goalie line above the alignment after filing from the flank. However, the owners managed to realize the corner a minute before the break. Sampaio with a rebound from the lawn closed the supply of Roshi. Belenov repulsed in a rack from which the ball flew into the net. The second half was also better started by Akhmat. Leo gave a cool solo passage, but was greedy, instead of a pass to his free partner, clumsily breaking through the center. He was noticeably closer to success a couple of minutes later, but saved Belenov. Nevertheless, Grozny scored the second. The defender of "Ufa" was brought in on the right and lost the ball. In three passes, he was taken to the corner of the box, from where Ismael loaded into the crossbar. Leo in the fall butted a bounced ball into the net from three meters. Next wards Galaktionova competently worked on the account. The Ufa team created only half-moments, but three minutes before the end Oblyakov masterfully executed the free-kick, spinning the ball into the “nine”. However, the guests did not have time to comeback. “Akhmat” is gradually approaching the leaders, taking seven points in three matches.

Alexander Karamyshev