Former Ukraine national team midfielder Oleh Shelayev shared his impressions of yesterday’s 4th round main stage Conference League match between Cypriot 'Omonia' and Kyiv’s 'Dynamo' (2:0).
Oleh Shelayev. Photo — fcdnister.com— If Dynamo had played successfully, no one would have questioned the starting lineup of the 'white and blues,' — noted Shelayev. – The head coach undoubtedly knows better why he sets such a 'main lineup.' And in fact, knowing the final result, it’s easy for us all to discuss various decisions. I only had two questions: why did Voloshyn start as the center forward, and regarding the choice of left back, where Mykhailo was placed. In any case, Oleksandr Shovkovskyi should explain these steps.
— Was there a penalty in the incident involving Popov? And what did the Dynamo defender intend to do?
— Before that, as we saw, he sustained an injury. And then, in his penalty area, Popov’s coordination failed, and he couldn’t maintain the distance to minimize contact. Therefore, the penalty was undeniable. Until that moment, we saw several of his collisions with opponents and fouls recorded by the referee.
— Are the defensive issues of Dynamo deepening?
— There’s hardly anyone to praise... Dynamo is in a tough streak, and it’s hard to perceive. I’m a proponent of the policy that, above all, one should not harm the team, even with words. Dynamo needs support in such a situation.
— What impression do you have of Omonia’s football performance?
— In both the Cyprus Championship and the Conference League, Omonia has not been performing very well. But the thing about such teams is that they always have 2−3 players who, due to excellent individual efforts, can achieve results.
— Did this likely happen when the second goal was scored against Dynamo?
— Undoubtedly. There was an excellent pass to Omonia’s forward, and just as excellent an execution of the attack. Unfortunately, Dynamo’s defenders failed to switch in time from the previous phase to react to the rebound. The reaction of the 'white and blues' in the final phase was insufficient. It’s sad to talk about all this because, in the first 15−20 minutes, Dynamo showed quality play, and there was hope that everything would be fine.
— What did the inclusion of Buyalskyi and Guerrero after the 60th minute provide Kyiv?
— I don’t know; maybe Buyalskyi wasn’t sufficiently prepared to start in the lineup, but his absence surprised me. The coach undoubtedly knows his players' conditions better. Buyalskyi brings creativity to the field, and Guerrero is a true center forward. However, when your team is losing 0:2, you have to rush and act more chaotically, which only increases the number of errors. Overall, these players added quality to Dynamo’s play, but...
— What did Shovkovskyi aim to change with substitutions at the 79th minute?
— He thought it would improve the game... As a coach, I must only support the Dynamo manager, who makes such steps as he deems necessary.
— You mentioned Dynamo’s tough streak; how can they get out of it?
— Yes, it’s a challenging period when everyone on the team feels significant psychological pressure. Before this, Dynamo faced tough opponents. Defeats naturally increase players' insecurity. Perhaps, a leader is needed—both on and off the field, someone who will lead everyone forward. I hope the turning point will come—sooner or later. All bad things eventually end.
— Should the match against Fiorentina be anticipated with special apprehension?
— Not necessarily. By that time, things might change. For example, Fiorentina might solve their task of advancing to the Conference League playoffs and might field a practically reserve team against Kyiv. Or this tough streak for Dynamo might finally end. We’ll see.
— Is it already futile to discuss Dynamo’s chances of reaching the Conference League playoffs...
— Let’s not be hasty. We will assess when we see the final result.
Oleh Semenchenko
