Dynamo Kiev are 2nd in the league and came out 5-1 winners over Oleksandriya. They went 2-1 up in the first half, with all three goal coming from penalties. Oleksandriya, who are 5th in the table, got a red card and against 10 men Kiev ran rampant and scored several goals with easy. Kiev were set up in a 4-3-3 which dropped to a 4-1-4-1 out of possession. They pressed the opposition centre halves high up the pitch who were too far from the midfield and Kiev were able to press backwards passes easily and isolate the centre halves.
Ratings
- A1 – Very good, could play higher
- A2 – Strong potential to play higher
- B1 – Good, strong player at level
- B2 – Potential to be strong player at level
- C – Average for the level, rewatch
- D – Below average in this match
Vitaliy Mykolenko
Player profile:
- Nationality: Ukrainian
- Age: 21
- Date of birth: 29/05/1999
- Current Club: Dynamo Kiev
- Career: Dynamo Kiev
- Position: Left Back
- Preferred foot: Left
Mykolenko played on the left of the back four, playing various roles and showing his tactical flexibility and well roundedness. In the first half especially, he often took up a deep position to make up a back three when Dynamo were in possession. If space opened up on the left wing he could then push up to provide width. He grew into the game and when the opposition went down to 10 men, he had more license to bomb up his wing with overlapping runs and making runs at the back post, being on the end of two good chances and finishing one to make it 3-1.
When he did push forward, he was able to make overlapping runs to space and produce a few decent first time low crosses and cutbacks into the box and create a big chance. In high situations on the wing when play was slower he could be quite static and didn’t offer that much and was more effective arriving later and making powerful runs. He was effective with his first time crossing but wasn’t able to create crossing opportunities with the ball.
At 5’11” with a decent frame, Mykolenko is a powerful runner with good overall speed. He was able to drive down his wing with the ball a few times but his control wasn’t that great and was less effective in tight situations but carried into space well. He was fairly calm under pressure and did beat the pressing player 1v1 well in one situation but otherwise just kept possession for his team simply.
In this match, particularly in the second half, he took a few narrow positions acting as an inverted full back. His short passing was effective but could have been smoother at times and was fairly simple. Some of his passes needed better weight on them, such as a through ball into a channel which would have been very dangerous but was overhit. He tried two lifted longer passes, a diagonal which was overhit and a good chipped pass into the striker.
He worked hard throughout the match, making good recovery runs and showing good stamina to track back at pace in the closing stages of the game. Defensively, he did well to defend the back post from crossing and showed good awareness. In 1v1s he could have been more side-on though. He showed good strength and decent footwork but lacked aggression at times, but still showed a lot of commitment in defence.
Rating – A1
Volodymyr Shepelev
Player profile:
- Nationality: Ukrainian
- Age: 23
- Date of birth: 01/06/1997
- Current Club: Dynamo Kiev
- Career: Dynamo Kiev
- Position: Central Midfielder
- Preferred foot: Right
Playing on the left of the midfield three, Shepelev was the main playmaker in the buildup phase. On the ball he was clearly a technically sound player. He received the ball well, had smooth passing, was elegant on the ball and was able to play several decent switches of play and balls into the striker. He completed head checks inconsistently but still most of the time and received the ball well under pressure well.
Shepelev often dropped into wide spaces in line with the centre halves and didn’t fight enough for his positioning in midfield to open passing lanes. He spread play and played a few nice passes into midfield but was largely quite quiet and lacked progression. Tidy on the ball he didn’t tend to travel with his much and could have been more effective throughout the match and dictate the tempo of the game.
The Ukrainian international worked hard defensively, tracking runners in midfield well. He isn’t that physical but showed good grit and aggression but could have communicated better. He pressed and counter pressed well with good tenacity and acceleration but overall didn’t have that much defending to do.
Rating – B1
Georgiy Tsitaishvili
Player profile:
- Nationality: Ukrainian
- Age: 19
- Date of birth: 18/11/2000
- Current Club: Dynamo Kiev
- Career: Dynamo Kiev
- Position: Right Wing
- Preferred foot: Left
The Ukrainiant U21 international, is a an explosive winger who worked hard throughout the match. He pressed high with good bursts of speed, the quality of pressing could have been better at times and a few times he was so to react to triggers. He tracked back well and had good intensity to his game.
He’s left footed and wanted to cut inside, he was often positioned in the half space, allowing his full back to overlap. He’d draw in defenders on the edge of the box and play simple throughballs for the overlapping run with disguised passes, but was too casual with a few and they didn’t come off. He had a powerful shot with good technique but his two shots went just over the bar, one a long shot and the other an ambitious bicycle kick from the edge of the box which he got a very good connection on.
He was fast with the ball, with fast feet in tight situations and showed intelligence to win a penalty with tight control and protecting the ball well. He manipulates the ball well but didn’t do enough 1v1 and is still quite raw and needs to refine his game in the final third and make better decisions over the pitch. He overplayed a few times, including losing the ball on the edge of his own box, and needed a better final ball but he’s a promising player.
Rating – A2
Nazariy Rusyn
Player profile:
- Nationality: Ukrainian
- Age: 21
- Date of birth: 25/10/1998
- Current Club: Dynamo Kiev
- Career: Dynamo Kiev, Zorya (L)
- Position: Striker
- Preferred foot: Right
At 5’9″ Rusyn wasn’t an aerial threat but was quite stocky, a little similar to Aguero. He’s fast and powerful, in physical duels he leaned into the defender rather than rising to challenge for the header. He did receive the ball with his chest well though. He liked to receive between the lines and was able to turn well. He had a low centre of gravity and protected the ball fairly well and won fouls. When he could, he’d turn into space or play layoffs and then make forward runs. He was calm on the ball but slowed play a few times. He didn’t get many scoring opportunities, but was brought down chasing a long ball and scored the subsequent penalty.
With good work rate and acceleration, Rusyn was a good presser with intensity in high areas and worked hard throughout before being taken off in the 73rd minute. Overall, I liked Rusyn and could be a promising player but needed to show more in the box to be on the end of chances and show the intelligent and instinctive movement of a top striker.
Rating – B2
Target Scouting 