"Dynamo" Kyiv started the season vaguely. Having squeezed out the maximum in the Champions League qualification matches against Fenerbahce and Sturm, the Kyiv team failed and lost four games in a row.
Photo: fcdynamo.comIf the two defeats against "Benfica" could be explained by the higher class of the opponent, then the defeat against "Dnipro-1" left many questions. Oleksandr Kucher's team did not impress in the qualification of the League and was justly beaten by the opponent from Cyprus. The match against "Zora" showed that the defeat by "Dnipro-1" was not a coincidence. "Dynamo" has many problems.
Transfer policy
"Dynamo" has significantly lost personnel potential over the past 9 months. Vitaly Mykolenko was sold to Everton. Then Vitinho, Carlos De Pena left. In the summer, they were joined by Benjamin Verbych. It was unrealistic to compensate these losses at the expense of the Academy.
Kyiv needed new players even before that, and here some positions are frankly sagging. Lucescu has problems on the flanks of the midfield, Artem Besedin has no alternative in the attack. It comes to the point that Denys Garmash or Volodymyr Shepelev played on the left wing. This is clearly not enough even for UPL.
Let's also not forget that Viktor Tsygankov and Denis Popov are prone to injuries. They can be out of the game at any moment. If there is an alternative with Denis, then Viktor is actually an irreplaceable player for the team.
Kyiv started signing football players only at the end of the transfer window. Samba Diallo is back, having been promised a chance in the first team. Finally, they signed Vladyslav Kabaeva from Zorya. The transfer of Jamaican national team player Kahim Parris was also completed. We are waiting for the signing of another forward. All this will increase the competition and depth of the squad for Lucescu. But the newcomers have not been prepared for the season and need time to adapt. "Dynamo" plays thanks to team play. A new player should understand this 100 percent.
Motivation
In Lucescu's first season, the team was very motivated. Dynamo gave their best in every match. This could be understood and explained, because for a long time Shakhtar won the golden award, one could only dream of the Champions League. Most players have goals set.
Lucescu's arrival was a breath of fresh air for most players. The coach has great authority, his work methods are different from his predecessors. There was a sense of novelty that wore off over time.
Already in the second season, the team began to lose points in an equal place. The underestimation of "Ingulets", the hat-throwing mood against "Zorya" cost Kyiv 30 million euros, or a direct ticket to the Champions League. "Dynamo" needed to refresh the team.
Now, from the existing squad, almost all football players became champions of Ukraine, played in the Champions League twice. What more could they want? I don't know what else can be squeezed out of Sydorchuk, Kendzora, Buyalskyi.
If there is money at stake in the Champions League qualification match (the very entry to the tournament would bring serious profits to the players and the club receives money for each passed stage), then in the first UPL match the team showed a complete lack of character. They really crumbled after the first conceded goal. If Dnipro-1 had a little more skill, everything could have been even worse for Lucescu's team.
In Mircea's third season, this became even more important. Somehow you need to move forward, but it is not at all clear how to do it. You can apply some disciplinary sanctions, have a serious conversation after the defeat, close the base or add loads. But anyway, after some time all this will happen again.
Protection
Defenders win championships and trophies. It is the reliability of the defense that is the main criterion for the team's success.
In Lucescu's first season in "Dynamo", the Kyivans showed just a reliable game in defense. Lucescu was able to bring order to the team's defensive line very quickly. Entrusted with a place in the youth team, "Dynamo" could look vague in attack, but always played very simply and reliably in defense.
Last season, Kyiv's defense didn't look so reliable. Loss of concentration led to problems. Perhaps the reason is that the back four was never formed and, accordingly, played. Denys Popov has his own history with health. Vitaly Mykolenko left the team.
In the current season, the defense of "Dynamo" is close to a disaster. They did not agree at the end of the match against Fenerbahce in a simple situation, which cost the team extra time and nerves. "Sturma" goal. Very rude mistakes in the match against Benfica. Loss of discipline and individual mistakes in matches with Dnipro-1 and Zorya. Maybe "Dynamo" should look for players not only in attack, but also in defense?
Lack of a leader
In a situation where there are not enough players and there are many young people in the team, there must be a leader who will lead, be an example for others, and force partners to play better. Football player with experience and authority.
Who is the leader of Dynamo today? The question is very difficult and there is no clear answer. I believe that Georgy Bushchan is such a person in the first place. He saves the team a lot and thus instills optimism in his partners. Consider, for example, the Champions League qualifiers against Fenerbahce and Sturma. The merit of the "Dynamo" goalkeeper in the passage of these teams is obvious. But the problem is that Bushchan is only a goalkeeper. He can save, he can manage defenders, but not take responsibility for himself in moments that happen in the other half of the field.
Serhii Sydorchuk wears the captain's armband. If at the UPL level, Serhiy's skills and qualifications are enough, then problems arise in international matches. It is very difficult for Kyiv to dominate the field, where the midfield plays a key role. Sydorchuk has a certain level, but he cannot go beyond it.
Vitalii Buyalskyi scores a lot for Dynamo and has become an important player for Lucescu. Vitaly is a very hard-working, responsible player. But it is not so easy to see his leadership qualities. He cannot lead a team by himself, he is not a leader by nature.
Tsygankov is called the leader of Dynamo. Rather, Viktor is highly dependent on the team's play, because "Dynamo" does not have such quality players anymore. The problem is that Tsygankov cannot make others play better, does not have a leadership character, is very unstable and is often injured.
Shaparenko is also a key player for Lucescu. Its importance to the game is difficult to overestimate. But he doesn't have the leadership qualities off the field to make others play better. All this applies to Zabarny. The leading player, but cannot lead, change the course of the match.
Tsygankov's contract
The leading player has not decided on his future. The time has come to try yourself in Europe, but there are no prerequisites for the transition. There is the ambition of the player and the reality. They are very different.
The situation with the contract is also not simple. Tsygankov is Dynamo's highest paid player. He is entering his prime, so he should get good personal terms for the next 5 years. Are they ready to pay him more than Dynamo? Yes, but on the condition that he becomes a free agent and does not have to pay anything for the transfer.
All these vicissitudes with a contract that ends in 9 months cannot affect the player's performances and the club's position. There is a lot of talk about the transfer of a football player. They cannot pass Tsygankov's mind. His thoughts do not belong to football and to improving his own game.
"Dynamo" and Tsyhankov need to decide how to live on. The club needs the player because his importance to the team is huge, but the player himself needs to go somewhere for progress.
Injuries
"Dynamo" already has a limited squad, and players are also dropping out due to injuries. The number one candidate is Tsygankov. He missed two out of six World Cup qualifying matches. Despite the fact that the team played once a week. Victor has never gotten rid of his health problems and may end up in the infirmary at any moment. With him and without him, Dynamo are different teams.
The key to trophies and cups is defense. Teams with reliable defense become champions. Poor Lucescu has not been able to form a pair of defenders for two years. The bet is placed on the combination of Zabarny and Popov. Denis was even transferred to the position of left central defender, but injuries.
For Popov, this has been going on for more than one year. Hatzkiewicz's first season was almost entirely missed. Then he flew out periodically. Last season was a knee injury. New season shoulder injury. Thus, "Dynamo" cannot play the main pair of defenders.
Popov is not only a reliable defense option, but also a danger near the opponent's goal after set pieces. "Dynamo" misses a very good opportunity. As we can see, everything is not working out for the Orphan yet.
Tymchyk is potentially stronger than all the right defenders of "Dynamo" - Kendzor, Karavaev, Kravchenko. But Sashko does not play. History of injuries. Lucescu, as an experienced coach, chooses stability and trusts Kendzori or Karavaev.
Work of the Academy
There is a lot of talk about the success of the Dynamo Academy. Yes, more than 10 of Dynamo's own students play in the first team. This is a phenomenal result for today's global football.
The Dynamo Academy trains goalkeepers well. All three goalkeepers are homegrown. Of the defenders, only Karavaev and Kendzora do not belong to their own school. But in terms of creativity, everything is not so simple. Tsygankov's talent was obvious, and the sale of Yarmolenko did not give him much competition. Buyalsky will be 30 at the beginning of the year. "Ten" Shaparenko plays in the support zone. Excuse me, but where are the new Blokhins or Shevchenkos? At least players of the level of the first team "Dynamo"?
The problem on the flanks is that there is no one to take. The problems with the forward are only Vlad Vanat, who will lose competition to Besedin. There will be no Academy support for the first team this season. It is not a fact that she will be in the next season or in two years.
Serhii Tyshchenko
