CSKA Moscow had big ambitions at the start of the season and had one of the most expansive transfer campaigns of the campaign. Indeed, despite a loss to Zenit, the team started to really take shape as a title contender in the early weeks.
A run of seven wins in eight games from September to November pushed the Army Men to the summit and they indeed played some beautiful football along the way, led by Nikola Vlasic, who was playing at some pretty incredible level.
Yet, that dream run did not last long as a combination of injuries, busy schedule and cold weather in December suddenly saw CSKA grind to a halt, going four games winless and allowing Zenit to climb back above them at the halfway mark.
The new year started in disappointing fashion, losing 2:0 to Lokomotiv Moscow, and it was soon pretty clear that the squad was losing faith in coach Viktor Goncharenko. Indeed, a run of three losses in four games in March proved the final straw for the much-respected coach and former player Ivica Ilic took the baton for the rest of the season.
Yet, he did not provide the flip that was needed and CSKA remained a shell of themselves, playing bland and predictable football, and letting less talented sides get the better of them.
That poor run of form, with one win in the final five games, eventually saw CSKA miss out on European football completely next season and it was a logical conclusion to a season that started so well but turned badly wrong along the way.
