Former Dynamo forward Viktor Leonenko analyzed the defeats of Shakhtar by Legia (1:2) and Dynamo by Samsunspor (0:3) in the 2nd round of the Conference League.
Viktor Leonenko
— Viktor Yevhenovych, let’s start with Shakhtar. What can you say about the match with Legia?
— To put it mildly, both teams played very sadly and boringly. But the end was in favor of the locals, even though they didn’t create much. I only recall a header by a Legia player when there was a high ball in the penalty area. Fesyunn at least remembered that he’s a goalkeeper in that moment. He was visibly shaky throughout the game, affecting the defenders.
I generally felt like I was watching extra time from the first minutes. I mean, they were just walking. It’s surprising. If Turan pushed them hard during training, they should be running even in the locker room.
I gathered that Shakhtar congratulated not only Palkin but also Kucher (Alexander Kucher, a former Shakhtar player, and general director Serhiy Palkin had their birthdays on October 22, — ed. note). Well done, guys!
I also liked Legia’s coach who outsmarted Turan. It feels like it’s not Edward Iordanescu but Alec Baldwin. He really looks like him.
In summary, I’ll say: this was the dullest and most uninteresting game, because Shakhtar was also up against a toothless team, who were running in water the whole game. You wouldn’t even say it’s the European competitions. Some players probably aren’t bored. For them, not missing the pay is what matters, I mean their salary.
— Why did Turan release the reserves? Did he underestimate Legia or give players rest ahead of the match against Polissya?
— There can be many reasons. I wouldn’t be surprised if Turan was trying to discipline the players this way. Maybe he got angry and upset, deciding to bench everyone.
Some players who started looked alright, like the one with the surname of a former prime minister, I mean Azarov. Gram didn’t spoil anything either.
— Why did Shakhtar appear so weak in this match?
— I’d advise Turan to send all Shakhtar players to learn the laws of football. You can’t lose balls like that! People don’t even know where and how many touches to make. I gather the team doesn’t understand what Turan wants from them, and he can’t reach them.
— Who would you name as the best in Shakhtar’s lineup?
— Let’s give the «Lion of the Match» to the elastic man, as I call Konoplya. Now he can boldly go to Rinat Leonidovych or Palkin and say: «Here, here, I should be getting a million and a half.» Though I’m not sure he’ll go, he might just get reprimanded.
— Let’s choose the worst player for Shakhtar now.
— There are many. Silva gave away the first goal, and Hlushchenko and Nazarina the second. I would already forget about these players! Fesyunn jumped cluelessly when Augystyniak shot close. It was clear — he was overwhelmed, after all, it was his first game in the European competitions.
I also have a question for the SBU: where did you dig up and bring Shved from? I thought he was already playing in another team, and then he appeared. The person doesn’t even play in the championship, yet he’s released in the European cups. I’ve never seen anything like it. Turan thinks wrongly. Moreover, Shved played badly too.
During the match, by the way, Rykun called me. He really didn’t like Bondarenko’s performance. Jokingly, he says: «He’s too active».
— Let’s move on to Dynamo. What was it — 0:3 against Samsunspor?
— I think people understood why it’s shameful for me to analyze Dynamo. I’ll start with what caught my eye. Look at the grenades, but not passes, Popov gives in simple situations. Tiare passes to the knee, then behind the back, then out of bounds, Mihalko almost crashed after his pass. And these are in simple situations.
— Let’s analyze the conceded goals.
— I’ll start with the third. When Danish player Holse received the ball near the penalty area, he could have drank tea calmly — he had so much time to make a decision. Dynamo’s midfielders were absent; I don’t know what they were doing. A lot of strange, non-football things happened in this match. Dynamo players, like Shakhtar, also need to learn the laws of football. I believe there was a foul on Tiare, starting the Turks' attack in the first goal. The second goal is a gift from Karavayev.
— Dynamo had 0 shots on target. What does that say?
— When there are 0 shots on target, the question immediately arises for the players: what did you do on the field? After that, there’s nothing more to analyze.
— Dynamo could have equalized in the first half, but Karavayev missed an open goal. How do you explain that?
— I want to ask Karavayev: Oleksandr, what do you practice during training if you can’t score in such a situation? The ball didn’t bounce, there was no one in goal, and he didn’t even hit the post. I’m still being soft, not to scold the man. It could be said 1:1 could have changed everything, but no! From what we saw, Dynamo had no chances.
— Why does Dynamo look so terrible? Only one win in eight matches.
— Because they are not footballers, but Torpedo players. They have 0 shots on target, a bunch of draws, and they’re happy they were unbeaten in 38 championship matches. The guys feel good; everything is fine with them.
— It wasn’t Barcelona against us, it was Samsunspor, which only recently joined Turkey’s elite division.
— Well, they’ll say a bronze medalist of the Turkish championship played against us. The excuse is ready! Why did Dynamo look so sad? Because we have self-proclaimed stars playing, and Samsunspor has none.
— Should Shovkovskyi leave?
— It’s not for me to decide, Dynamo has a president. Soon there will be a Cup match against Shakhtar. Dynamo has a serious schedule, as it was and will be. The same for Shakhtar. It seemed to me Shovkovskyi played fewer games before. If something’s not suiting, leave Dynamo — to the teams in the table’s basement. The same applies to players who are getting tired. Why don’t you say about salaries you undeservedly receive?
— Why does Surkis keep Shovkovskyi, if there is neither game nor result?
— Look further: why was he taken at all? Won the championship, so? The one who invented the saying «Winners are not judged» should be shot. Dynamo played the same way in the championship season. You hung another star on the emblem, but who cares if now everyone criticizes Dynamo. People constantly ask: why does Dynamo play so badly?
Think now: who will go to Dynamo with such results, to a team that can’t hit the target? A smart player will definitely look at how the team plays before a transfer.
— I won’t even ask about the best player in such a game, but who was the worst for Dynamo?
— Of course, it was Karavayev. Not only did he miss an open goal, but the ball also went half a meter from the post. The second goal is also his fault. Many were the worst overall. The same Popov, who gives grenades to his partners in simple situations.
— How much did Dynamo miss Dubinchak, Yarmolenko, Tymchyk, Shaparenko, Bilovar in this match?
— I think the guys who don’t make the lineup are considered lucky. They breathe a sigh of relief that they’re not on the roster and don’t need to be embarrassed. If they played, nothing would change. The players you mentioned don’t even always make the starting lineup. Yarmolenko has long been a substitute.
— What does Dynamo need to do to get out of this crisis?
— There’s nothing to be done here. The lineup needs to be completely changed, but that’s unrealistic because players have agents and big contracts. All that’s left is to endure and gripe in front of the TV.
— What expectations do you have for Dynamo’s match against Kryvbas, unexpectedly leading in the UPL?
— I don’t make predictions, but I have a feeling that Kryvbas will defeat Dynamo. We’ll just check my intuition.
— Let’s summarize. What impressions did Shakhtar vs Legia and Dynamo vs Samsunspor matches leave you?
— I wasted three hours of my life. Should’ve watched movies or snooker instead. That’s the summary.
Andriy PISKUN
