Sardar Azmoun @ Zenit St Petersburg | 2019

[diz]

shameful really how looong it has taken him to learn just the little bit of broken Russian he knows so far..!.....whats this like 4-5 years now..? especially considering the very young age that he first moved up there ..! he has certainly lived a bit of a too sheltered life, with mommy and pop still? living with him in russia..!
off course nobody wants to hear this shitt now... but these are the sorts of issues that will surely rear their ugly heads if he struggles again on the pitch or fails to adapt to his next football club destination..!

There is a clear difference in work ethic, which I think has improved for azmoun. ARJ speaks fluent English and Dutch, just as an example.

[EKBATAN]

His English and Russian are just not good enough for it yet...he still needs an interpreter for a proper post-match interview. I'm sure he's working on it, and will need to, as he is doing so well and it will only be so long before the media attention increases.

I can imagine him saying something cringe

[sam20]

If my memory serves me correctly, Daei had three (3) UCL goals total, 2 vs Chelsea and one vs AC Milan. Sardar, obviously, has already broken that record, with four (4) goals in the UCL group stage and two (2) more in UCL qualifying. On top of that, Sardar is only 24 years old....his best football days are still ahead of him, inshallah.

Yeah you're definitely correct regarding Daei.

Doesn't Sardar have 5 UCL group stage goals now?
With Rostov, scored VS: PSV, Bayern, Atletico
With Zenit: Lyon, Benfica

[ShiroKhorshid]

With all de respect for Daei, and others like Hashemian or Gucci but in my opinion Sardar is our best center forward in history even by now..

[Medzdidz]

18 goals in 29 games for Zenit is a great record, especially considering he is playing in a league that isn’t known for its great goal scoring exploits.
He only scored 10 goals in 45 games for Rubin, I know they were not as strong a team but he has really worked on his game and he seems to be improving every month.

[TM4LIFE]

18 goals in 29 games for Zenit is a great record, especially considering he is playing in a league that isn’t known for its great goal scoring exploits.
He only scored 10 goals in 45 games for Rubin, I know they were not as strong a team but he has really worked on his game and he seems to be improving every month.

I think the biggest element of his game that he has improved on is his passing and close control. When he first joined Zenit his first touch was a bit sloppy when holding up play but now you watch him and he is very silky and smooth with his linkups. He is working under a great coach that has helped him advance to the next stage of his career. Really hope he can build on this momentum and hopefully get picked up by a big team. Theres a lack of strong number 9's among several big names right now (Man U, Milan come to mind; Lewandowski is 31 and bayern might want to start investing in a replacement).

[KasraKhan]

Yeah you're definitely correct regarding Daei.
Doesn't Sardar have 5 UCL group stage goals now?
With Rostov, scored VS: PSV, Bayern, Atletico
With Zenit: Lyon, Benfica

I don't believe he scored against PSV in the UCL group stages. But he did score against the others you mentioned. Plus, two more in UCL qualifying vs Anderlecht and Ajax. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sardar_Azmoun

[Martin-Reza]

Daei also scored one or two in qualifying for Hertha against some club from Cyprus.

[mehdi13]

There is a clear difference in work ethic, which I think has improved for azmoun. ARJ speaks fluent English and Dutch, just as an example.

Yeah a clear difference in work ethic. One of them is rotting on the bench, the other is starting and scoring in the champions league. I wish the guy scoring and starting would work as hard as the guy rotting.

[scuderia]

Yeah a clear difference in work ethic. One of them is rotting on the bench, the other is starting and scoring in the champions league. I wish the guy scoring and starting would work as hard as the guy rotting.

I remember a couple of years ago when ARJ was top scorer of the Eredivise, we said the EXACT SAME THING but the roles were reversed. It's not what he wants ("To be rotting on the bench"). Let's be supportive and see what happens !

[sam20]

I don't believe he scored against PSV in the UCL group stages. But he did score against the others you mentioned. Plus, two more in UCL qualifying vs Anderlecht and Ajax. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sardar_Azmoun

You're right! Not sure why I thought he scored against them. Thanks!

[diz]

Zenit posted this today for "World Animal Day".

[diz]

I remember a couple of years ago when ARJ was top scorer of the Eredivise, we said the EXACT SAME THING but the roles were reversed. It's not what he wants ("To be rotting on the bench"). Let's be supportive and see what happens !

The "work ethic" here is not just about producing goals on the field (or in practice). It's also about learning, adapting, and integrating into the local culture and international football culture you find yourself in. If Sardar wants to be an international star (which I absolutely think he can and wants), then he needs to learn to speak to the local and international media without an interpreter.

[ehsan singapore]

sardar had goals against bayern,atletico ,anderletch , but now he is on fire and he will score more goals

[inarsenewetrust]

the issue of sardars language is kind of overblown imo.

He can speak russian enough to communicate with teammates and coach on the pitch. He has a translator to make things certain (although I think translator had more of a crucial role earlier in his career and now is just a family friend getting a cool job). Many players dont feel comfortable giving interviews after many years in a country. ITs definitely not ideal but its not unheard of or something that is holding him back either.