The former striker of Kyiv Dynamo and now expert Viktor Leonenko spoke about the distinctive features of Alexander Zinchenko at Arsenal and the Ukrainian national team.
Victor Leonenko- Why did Guardiola and now Arteta put Zinchenko at the left-back position, and in the national team under all coaches he plays central midfielder?
- Now it's just a fashionable model [to play on the flank of defense with a shift to the center]. I avail myself of this opportunity to say hello to Vatsko, who said that I do not know soccer. I believe that soccer has not gone anywhere, and no one ran faster than Blokhin and Belanov.
As for Zinchenko, it will be interesting to see how he will look with the England national team. I can say for sure that he is not a left back. At Arsenal, he plays like that because the Canaries keep the ball all the time and like to control the game. I cannot imagine Zinchenko at another team that does not control the ball. He simply won't be needed there. Zinchenko at Arsenal does not play at the place of a pure left-back, but everywhere, with a shift to the supporting zone.
- Vitaliy Mikolenko has fallen out of Everton's starting lineup in recent games, before that he was being treated for a cold. Maybe Ruslan Rotanu should try Zinchenko at left-back position in the match against England?
- Zinchenko is very weak in defense. He is good at rebounding, but not always. The guy sometimes launches attacks at his own goal, often cutting himself off, as we see at Arsenal. As a defender, Mikolenko is stronger than Zinchenko. Aleksandr is more of a midfielder.
- At what position does Zinchenko look better: on the left in defense (Arsenal) or as a central midfielder (National team of Ukraine)?
- It is clear that he is better to play in midfield, Zinchenko is good in attack, but the problem is that he cannot tackle. He is like Aliyev, who is also a good footballer, but he was not able to pull away. Who do I like more: Aliyev in his prime years or Zinchenko now? They both are technically skilled, but Aliyev has a good shot, so he is more interesting. As for other things, they are both good footballers.
Zinchenko is a midfielder, but we do not know how he will play in the National team. "Arsenal" now press and control the ball, and in the national team he will have to take away, which he can't do.
- Zinchenko scored just one goal in five years in the APL, gave not many assists, but the Canaries fans twice named him player of the month, the English media and the players praised him, calling him a top. What is the phenomenon of Zinchenko?
- Zinchenko is just lucky. What makes you think that in England they do not write about him? Maybe he pays for articles about him, I do not know. In Ukraine he pays for sure, I even know to whom, but I will not say. However, I do not blame Zinchenko.
They write that he is "super", but when you look at the statistics - one goal and two assists. People like Vacki like to look at the tables where Arsenal are in first place, and make conclusions. But if you take Vacko, he just reads the foreign press [about Zinchenko] and retells it.
- Do you think Zinchenko is a top player? Is he the best left-back in the world?
- Zinchenko is a great footballer, but definitely not great. Although he is a four-time champion of England, but his contribution to Manchester City's triumph is not great.
Andrei PISKUN
