Mircea Lucescu: "If the players are well prepared, then recovery is no problem"
The blue-white-sky blue Boss on the match against Anzhi, a busy fixture list, choosing between Lodygin and Kerzhakov and the future of Lombaerts.
Now I am think of yesterday's game. Today we will study Anzhi. They are in the top half of the standings, and their team is strong. If you ask this question tomorrow, I'll know a lot more than I do today.
Who's in contention for the match and who's out?
Novoseltsev is definitely out, Zhirkov is questionable. Fayzulin and Ryazantsev and training on individual programs. The rest are available.
Has the fixture list affected the team?
They're professionals. In Western Europe, they hold more tournaments, League Cup, the Copa del Ray and so on, so they play more matches than we do. If the players are well prepared, you will not see a big problem and they quickly recover from game to game.
You are actively pursuing a rotation policy. Can we say that today Zenit have two teams?
This is not true. All the players are ready at any time to replace those coming off, or even to participate in the game. The may seem that there are two teams, because I use a lot of players. If I did not they would not have said that we have two teams.
Lodygin and Kerzhakov are changing as first choice in recent games. Who is the main goalkeeper?
This is my problem, that every time I have to decide. I have enough experience to know how to use this or that player.
In Tambov, Lombaerts had his first start under your leadership. His agent says that you do not see him in the team. What's your opinion about this?
He was injured for a long time, so I could not use him. Now he has entered the group of players that I am using. He has a high level of football, so I am sure that he will succeed. There should be healthy competition.