We could have scored three or four goals, there were enough chances
Tuesday, August 15, 2023
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Press conference of Shakhtar head coach Patrick van Leeuwen on the results of the match against Oleksandriia (2-1)
– Patrick, it is the second time Shakhtar are playing at this stadium and it is the second time they have scored two goals and controlled the match, but then conceded a goal, with a nervous game beginning. Why was it like this both with Metalist 1925 and Oleksandriia?
– You made a good analysis. We scored two goals, we could have scored three or four, there were enough chances. But the game began to look completely different. We scored two goals and stopped. You're right, it was pretty much a copy of the first game. A very good first half with a lot of chances, but we didn't convert them. And that's something we've discussed before. When we apply high pressing in the other half of the field and closer to the goal, we have the opportunity to score.
– Shakhtar midfield looked different. If everything is clear with Bondarenko and Sudakov, what about Stepanenko? What kind of injury does he have and when do you expect him on the field?
– You saw that the midfield was atypical for Shakhtar. Currently, the young footballers have a chance to play due to Bondarenko's red card and Stepanenko's injury, as well as Sudakov's surgery, so the players have a chance to prove themselves until everyone is back in the line-up and the competition for these positions begins.
– What can you say about Riznyk’s play? Were there any instructions during the match and what did you say to him afterwards?
– I think that he started at the wrong pace. Therefore, it can be said that he had time to enter the game in the first half , the team kept the ball away from the goal. And in the second half, everything was vice versa: the team relied on Riznyk with his excellent saves.
– Dmytro Chyhrynskyi made the first app for Shakhtar after his return. How would you rate his defensive play and can we expect him in the line-up in the future?
– One of the advantages of having Dmytro Chyhrynskyi in the team is his extensive experience. This is also something that the team lack – a lot of young players need someone to talk to them and share experience. Dmytro dealt with this very well during his stay with us. He was calm, helped the players, talked to them in different situations during training sessions, it pushed me to field him in the starting line-up, knowing that he played his last game back in May. But I was convinced that he would be able to play at least 60 minutes, help the team with his experience and cope with his physical condition.
– A few days ago, Anatolii Trubin’s transfer to Benfica was announced. Did you talk to him? And how would you assess Riznyk's readiness for the Champions League?
– I spoke with Anatolii before his transfer to Benfica, I wished him all the best because this is one of his personal goals. It is a loss for us as a team as quality players need to be saved, but I also understand the club's position. We lost a good goalkeeper who proved to be a good person in the short time I worked with him. The last time I saw him, he was 11 years old. It is what we will miss. After all, the club anticipated this and signed Dmytro Riznyk in the previous season, so we were ready for it.
– Shakhtar’s first half was not bad, the second one was almost a disaster. Don't you think that substitutions during the break had such an impact on the team?
– As I already explained, Traore got an injury that we didn't want to make worse. Sikan had other tasks in that position, I think after his goal he didn't contribute enough to the game to score a second goal or provide an assist. And it was my decision to make these substitutions at half-time.
– The key changes in the summer are related to the play of fullbacks: Topalov mostly acted in the centre, but now he has moved lower, Gocholeishvili plays more often on the flank – defending and attacking. How would you assess their actions?
– During our play, we want to give each player the opportunity to attack, to find a moment to attack. Giorgi handled this perfectly twice in the first half with two fantastic passes from the right wing. We also had attacks with less successful crosses – it is something to work on. But we also want to stimulate Giorgi and Dmytro Topalov to perform overlaps, as well as other players who will play in this position because we have Pedrinho, who has the same attacking style, we have Konoplia on the right wing. We want to see a similar style from them with the addition of their attacking qualities, not just defensive play.
– You made a good analysis. We scored two goals, we could have scored three or four, there were enough chances. But the game began to look completely different. We scored two goals and stopped. You're right, it was pretty much a copy of the first game. A very good first half with a lot of chances, but we didn't convert them. And that's something we've discussed before. When we apply high pressing in the other half of the field and closer to the goal, we have the opportunity to score.
– Shakhtar midfield looked different. If everything is clear with Bondarenko and Sudakov, what about Stepanenko? What kind of injury does he have and when do you expect him on the field?
– You saw that the midfield was atypical for Shakhtar. Currently, the young footballers have a chance to play due to Bondarenko's red card and Stepanenko's injury, as well as Sudakov's surgery, so the players have a chance to prove themselves until everyone is back in the line-up and the competition for these positions begins.
– What can you say about Riznyk’s play? Were there any instructions during the match and what did you say to him afterwards?
– I think that he started at the wrong pace. Therefore, it can be said that he had time to enter the game in the first half , the team kept the ball away from the goal. And in the second half, everything was vice versa: the team relied on Riznyk with his excellent saves.
– Dmytro Chyhrynskyi made the first app for Shakhtar after his return. How would you rate his defensive play and can we expect him in the line-up in the future?
– One of the advantages of having Dmytro Chyhrynskyi in the team is his extensive experience. This is also something that the team lack – a lot of young players need someone to talk to them and share experience. Dmytro dealt with this very well during his stay with us. He was calm, helped the players, talked to them in different situations during training sessions, it pushed me to field him in the starting line-up, knowing that he played his last game back in May. But I was convinced that he would be able to play at least 60 minutes, help the team with his experience and cope with his physical condition.
– A few days ago, Anatolii Trubin’s transfer to Benfica was announced. Did you talk to him? And how would you assess Riznyk's readiness for the Champions League?
– I spoke with Anatolii before his transfer to Benfica, I wished him all the best because this is one of his personal goals. It is a loss for us as a team as quality players need to be saved, but I also understand the club's position. We lost a good goalkeeper who proved to be a good person in the short time I worked with him. The last time I saw him, he was 11 years old. It is what we will miss. After all, the club anticipated this and signed Dmytro Riznyk in the previous season, so we were ready for it.
– Shakhtar’s first half was not bad, the second one was almost a disaster. Don't you think that substitutions during the break had such an impact on the team?
– As I already explained, Traore got an injury that we didn't want to make worse. Sikan had other tasks in that position, I think after his goal he didn't contribute enough to the game to score a second goal or provide an assist. And it was my decision to make these substitutions at half-time.
– The key changes in the summer are related to the play of fullbacks: Topalov mostly acted in the centre, but now he has moved lower, Gocholeishvili plays more often on the flank – defending and attacking. How would you assess their actions?
– During our play, we want to give each player the opportunity to attack, to find a moment to attack. Giorgi handled this perfectly twice in the first half with two fantastic passes from the right wing. We also had attacks with less successful crosses – it is something to work on. But we also want to stimulate Giorgi and Dmytro Topalov to perform overlaps, as well as other players who will play in this position because we have Pedrinho, who has the same attacking style, we have Konoplia on the right wing. We want to see a similar style from them with the addition of their attacking qualities, not just defensive play.