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da dobrowin： From Karmin Benzema to Aleksandr Kokorin… Arsenal fans can be forgiven for their confused expressions right now. The Gunners have been chasing top strikers all summer, but with less than seven days of transfer activity remaining, it appears that Arsene Wenger is looking toward the Russian Premier League for a late remedy.Although Gooners are still scarred by the Kim Kallstrom episode, Kokorin is a far better player than the aforementioned Swede, who barely featured during his loan stint in London.Unless you spend your time watching grainy footage of Dynamo Moscow of a weekend, chances are you’ll know very little about the 24-year-old… so this list of FIVE interesting facts may help.
Not exactly prolific at club level…
In league action, Kokorin’s record stands at 39 goals in 166 appearances – roughly a goal every five games… Such a return his hardly prolific, but Kokorin has been competing with a host of more experienced players at Dynamo, chiefly now Hoffenheim man, Kevin Kuranyi and has often been deployed from a wider role.
To further defend Kokorin, the Moscow club haven’t really been true title contenders in Russia for some time, with their last league honour coming way back in 1976. In a country dominated by Zenit Saint Petersburg and CSKA Moscow in recent times, the 24-year-old has done relatively well with his return of 10 strikes in 2013/14 impressive as his club side finished fourth.
However, a haul of 10 is the most he’s ever managed in a league campaign…
Shoots on sight…
As the above stat shows, Kokorin is not afraid to have a pop at goal. Dangerous when cutting in from the left onto his right foot, the 24-year-old is known for his willingness to put his foot through the ball and has a tendency to popÂup around the 18-yard box..
He’s also able to operate in a deeper role, which gets the most from his ability to arrive late into the areaÂand is something Arsene Wenger could use against tight, compact defences.
Has impressed for Russia
Although he’s not deadly at club level, Kokorin has impressed for Russia, with eight goals in 32 outings – a one in four strike rate. Although not far superior to his Dynamo record, he hasn’t always been first choice for his home nation – albeit he did start all three of their World Cup group games last summer (scoring a goal in the process).
Getting in ahead of the likes of Aleksandr Kerzhakov was impressive and he’s also managed to fight off competition from the highly-rated Artyom Dzyuba, too.
Named Russian football’s best left-forward in 2013/14
2013/14 was without doubt Kokorin’s breakthrough season. The striker netted his record league return of goals (10) and helped Dynamo to keep pace at the upper end of the table, they eventually finished fourth.
The Russian Football Union named the 33 top players – three in each position – for the season, with Kokorin voted the best left-sided striker, effectively putting him in a finest XI alongside Seydou Doumbia ‘up top’.
He was an Anzhi player… although he never featured for them
Kokorin is currently in his second spell as a Dynamo player. In 2013 Anzhi Makhachkala activated the £13m release clause in his contract to lure him to Dagestan, but their oligarch-backed era of spending was cut short just a few months after. With Kokorin having arrived while injured, he failed to feature and was quickly sold off – alongside a host of other players – with Dynamo eager to take him back. A slightly bizarre summer.