How Will Russia Fare At The 2018 World Cup?

How Will Russia Fare At The 2018 World Cup?

Manuel Veth –

Performing at your home World Cup is an absolute must and Russia will be hoping for an improved effort after their early exit at the European Championships last summer.

In 2016, Leonid Slutsky’s men crashed out of the group stages in France after failing to win a single game during the tournament – and he lost his job as a direct result of Russia’s struggles.

With new manager Stanislav Cherchesov now at the helm, Russian supporters will be quietly confident of a decent run on home soil next summer.

Stanislav Cherchesov had a disappointing 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup with Russia. (FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images)

Stanislav Cherchesov had a disappointing 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup with Russia. (FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images)

The group stage of the tournament is set to take place in the coming months but Russia know that, as hosts, they will be included in Pool A. Avoiding the top nations on the planet should give Cherchesov’s men the chance to advance to the knockout stages.

Russia will Avoid any of the Top Nations

Russia have competed in 14 international fixtures since losing 3-0 to Wales in their final group stage game at Euro 2016. Cherchesov’s side have won five, drawn four, and lost five; a fairly mixed bag when all is said and done.

The national team squad has primarily remained the same with just one or two tweaks since Slutsky’s departure and Cherchesov may look elsewhere in the coming months.

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Fixtures against Argentina and Spain in November should tell us a little more about Russia’s chances of competing at the World Cup.

Punters will fancy the Russians to shine on home soil given the adverse climate and hostile atmosphere and it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see plenty of money go on Cherchesov’s men if they secure positive results in those two international friendlies next month.

As of October 19th, Russia are valued at 40/1 to win the World Cup and Cherchesov will need his younger stars to step up to the plate in order to reach the latter stages of the competition.

Aleksandr Golovin has been labelled as the “golden boy” of Russian football and the CSKA Moscow man has started the season strongly. Should Golovin maintain his current form, the 21-year-old will have a key role to play for his country.

Being completely honest, Cherchesov’s side are not the most consistent team in world football. With that in mind, Betbright’s 50% stake back betting offer – as mentioned at http://www.thebookiesoffers.co.uk/ – may be worth a second glance. That way, you can cover your losses to an extent.

Russia Failed to Inspire Confidence at the 2017 Confederations Cup

Russia are sure to feature regularly in World Cup odds and tipping articles ahead of the event and those who fancy the hosts to go far can read betting advice relating to the 2018 showpiece.

Russia failed to inspire confidence when hosting the Confederations Cup this summer but it would be foolish to expect Cherchesov’s side to proper just yet. The national manager needs time to build his squad and put his own stamp on things ahead of the competition.

In their latest contest, a 1-1 draw with Iran, Russia were dominant for the majority of the clash but failed to get over the line; scoring goals has been a real issue. Only time will tell but Stanislav Cherchesov could be the man to lead Russia to the knockout stages of the 2018 World Cup.

On paper, this Russian side has the quality to compete and hold their own – especially with home advantage fully behind them. If nothing else, it should be an exciting and exhilarating World Cup and Russia will do their utmost to challenge.

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Manuel Veth is the owner and Editor in Chief of the Futbolgrad Network. He also works as a freelance journalist and social media editor at Bundesliga.com. He holds a Doctorate of Philosophy in History from King’s College London, and his thesis is titled: “Selling the People’s Game: Football’s transition from Communism to Capitalism in the Soviet Union and its Successor States,” which will be available in print soon. Originally from Munich, Manuel has lived in Amsterdam, Kyiv, Moscow, Tbilisi, London, and currently is located in Victoria BC, Canada.  Follow Manuel on Twitter @ManuelVeth.

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