Semak Addresses Zenit’s Performance Struggles as Season Begins

The head coach of Zenit, **[Sergio Semak](https://www.zenit.ru/en/players/semak/)**, addressed the criticism regarding the team’s performance in the new season. He provided an in-depth explanation of the issues the St. Petersburg club has been facing at the beginning of this cycle. In the Russian Premier League, Zenit secured a victory against Rostov (2-1) and drew with Rubin (2-2). They also triumphed over Akhmat (2-1) in the Russian Cup.

«Regarding our gameplay, you can probably understand the situation, particularly those familiar with football. We’ve undergone significant changes in our midfield players. In our preseason matches, we played without Gerson and Wendell. This has necessitated a reconfiguration of our tactics and style as the season progresses. Such adjustments have been made several times during my tenure at Zenit as we identify the right player combinations and tactical setups that suit the team. Currently, we have players with different skill sets.

With Gerson joining us, we are incorporating another key player, although he has only participated in one and a half matches so far. Wendell hasn’t played in the league yet, which has led us to shift Pedro, Douglas, and Yura Gorshkov into central roles. We even played with two forwards as we search for the optimal strategy at this time.

Our gameplay is linked to these adjustments; nonetheless, the team is creating chances and scoring goals. There are certain defensive errors where we find ourselves lacking, but overall, the team is performing decently and is on the path to improving. We certainly aim to enhance our gameplay quality and minimize mistakes to avoid dropping points,» Semak stated, as reported by Zenit’s official website.