The famous former coach, and now expert Oleg Fedorchuk, shared what he expects from the central match of the 19th round of the Ukrainian championship, where Donetsk’s ‘Shakhtar’ and ‘Alexandria’ will play tomorrow.
Oleg Fedorchuk— Both teams in the previous round did not show the kind of game I was expecting (‘Shakhtar’ won against ‘Levyi Bereh’ 1:0, while ‘Alexandria’ defeated ‘Zarya’ 2:1 — ed. note). ‘Shakhtar,’ which had the opportunity to prepare through the Champions League and started its preparations earlier than anyone, I predicted that the team would fly across the field, showcasing bright football.
But ultimately, I believe that Marino Pushić’s players performed very mediocrely and unconvincingly against one of the outsiders in the championship. There were several moments at ‘Shakhtar’s’ goal where it was quite hot, saved by the crossbar and the skill of Riznyk. This indicates that the main problems have remained unchanged. Above all — unconvincing play without the ball, in defense. Just consider the moment when Shastal, who is not a sprinter, easily outran Matvienko, giving the impression that he was at least a player from PSG.
— What do you say about ‘Alexandria,’ which achieved a come-from-behind victory over ‘Zarya’?
— ‘Alexandria’ also looked unconvincing. And I cannot disagree with the words of my respected Myroslav Stupar that there were at least two mistakes that affected the result in favor of the Alexandrians. The game against ‘Zarya’ was absolutely equal, which indicates that ‘Alexandria’ is still far from optimal condition.
However, the most important aspect of this situation is the tournament standing of the teams. ‘Alexandria’ only needs to play for a draw, while ‘Shakhtar’ cannot afford this. In the context of the listed problems for the ‘miners,’ this will be one of the key games at this stage. At the same time, ‘Alexandria’ might not even play for a draw since we remember last season when the Alexandrians won against the same ‘Shakhtar’ 4:3. Moreover, during the match, the score was quite devastating for the ‘orange-black.’
And the match against ‘Levyi Bereh’ showed that ‘Shakhtar’ easily concedes quick counter-attacks. Therefore, I believe there is no need to come up with any special tactics; they just need to push forward while playing defensively. Such attacks are an insurmountable obstacle for ‘Shakhtar’ as they require quick defenders, which ‘Shakhtar’ has been lacking for a long time. Bondar and Matvienko are by no means sprinters. In ‘Alexandria,’ on the contrary, there are currently players who can break away and defend. This is now one of the few UPL teams that has maintained its squad and even added to its depth.
— ‘Shakhtar’ is currently facing personnel problems in the center of the field. Marlon Gomes and Sudakov missed the last game, and Pedrinho got injured...
— The midfield, of course, is the most important in football, but the famous phrase: “Show me your midfield, and I will tell you what kind of team you have” has been heard less and less in recent years. After all, the result is primarily influenced by two positions — the center of defense and the center of attack. If you play poorly in defense — that’s a roulette, if you play poorly in attack — that’s torment.
You have to wait for set pieces or rely on the mistakes of the opposing team’s defenders. ‘Shakhtar’ is currently facing significant problems in attack. The only goal against ‘Levyi Bereh’ speaks for itself, not to mention that the team has not played very well in control games up front. There’s no stable squad; they are constantly searching for attacking players, while the highest-paid player, Traore, has lowered his standards. ‘Shakhtar’ is currently going through a tough time.
— The winning goal against ‘Levyi Bereh’ was scored by Marian Shved. Can he become the leader of the team?
— This player has the ability to sell himself and then not play for an entire season. There have already been many instances in his career where he started strong and then vanished. Everyone knows that Shved is a capable player, but his effectiveness raises questions. It would be great if he could play at least one full season. He is a vibrant, emotional player but unstable. Perhaps this is related either to physiology or psychology. Or a third option — possibly there are issues with routine. It happens with footballers; after all, we don’t know everything.
I would like the game against ‘Levyi Bereh,’ where he scored a goal, moved a lot, and looked like a Brazilian among Brazilians, to serve as a successful start for him this season, and for him to play consistently. Because Marian has been considered a high-class footballer for ten years now, but there are no statistics to show for it.
— How would you assess the upcoming coaching confrontation?
— It’s not worth discussing the coaching confrontation, even considering that Rotan once claimed the position of head coach of ‘Shakhtar.’ Here, rather, the media presented the desired as the actual. A coach’s work is characterized by results, and for there to be a result — or not — time is needed.
As for ‘Alexandria’ and Rotan, it will be important how well the team and the coach can cope with the pressure stemming from its current tournament position. After all, any athlete, any coach will say that it’s easier to play without specific challenges.
Another point — the first alarm bell in the form of Ivan Kaluyzhnyi. I have always told club presidents in conversations: “The better we work, the worse it will be for us.” Because when you play for half a year, have a modest budget, and then rich clubs start taking your best players, that’s how it ends up.
In ‘Alexandria,’ the finances are modest, and as soon as players like Kaluyzhnyi start showing results, the team will immediately face sports-related issues. But at least there will be money. A sort of "Ajax effect". Such are the realities; there’s no escaping it.
In any case, I have known Ruslan Rotan for a long time; he has always been ambitious and persistent. Without possessing heroic qualities, he managed to rise through skill and character. Both as a player and as a coach. This means there are prerequisites for managing the current situation. Moreover, to be fair, ‘Shakhtar’ has made many mistakes lately — with coaching appointments (three coaches in three years), with the incomprehensible purchases and sales of players. And this could not have gone unnoticed in the team’s current standing.
— What’s your prediction for the match?
— I think we can expect a very tough game, there will be many fouls, plus there are snowfalls expected, which means that even with heating the pitch, it will not be of the best quality. Therefore, I predict a result closer to a draw. And I do not rule out that in the event of a disappointing game, ‘Shakhtar’ will start looking for a new coach to prepare a new team for the next season. Because if this drags on, there may not be enough time for proper preparation, leading to the loss of not one but two seasons.
