Yevhen Konoplyanka

[HighVoltage]

I don't think Kono is the player we should be looking at. We have quite a few creative players that can play in the three behind our CF now. What we need is a pacey wing forward who will run beyond our CF, and stretch opposition defences.

Without that I think we will become predictable.

In a way I agree. Not being racist but name one Ukrainian/ Russian player who has been a major success in EPL. Pavluychenko, Arshavin, Schevchenko, Voronin, Rebrov etc. They all seem to have difficulties to adapt to life in west.

Language barrier, cultural differences and also because it's not common for players from these countries to move abroad at young age so they are used to have their own culture and language around them (This is what Capello was also criticizing after the WC).

Just check wiki for Russia/ Ukraine national football teams and their U-21 almost no players play abroad except a few ukrainians in Russia. Of course things are changing even in these countries but in very slow pace.

 

[fatpiranha]

In a way I agree. Not being racist but name one Ukrainian/ Russian player who has been a major success in EPL. Pavluychenko, Arshavin, Schevchenko, Voronin, Rebrov etc. They all seem to have difficulties to adapt to life in west.
.

Andrei Kanchelskis.

 

[Shadydan]

Had to go back to 92

 

[fatpiranha]

Had to go back to 92

Uh-huh. Go back 5 years and name me one Belgian player who was a success in the EPL .

 

[Shadydan]

Uh-huh. Go back 5 years and name me one Belgian player who was a success in the EPL .

I'm not disagreeing or agreeing either way, just thought it was funny you had to go back 22 years to try and prove a point, also your Belgian example is hardly worthy of a comparison seeing as it's blatantly OBVIOUS that Belgian players do settle and are successful here lol

 

[fatpiranha]

I'm not disagreeing or agreeing either way, just thought it was funny you had to go back 22 years to try and prove a point, also your Belgian example is hardly worthy of a comparison seeing as it's blatantly OBVIOUS that Belgian players do settle and are successful here lol

My point is that there isn't some sort of 'Can't be a success in the Premiership' gene carried by 143M Russians and 45M Ukrainians. How many Russians or Ukrainians have actually played in the Premiership? Any scientist or statistician who tried to make a point based on that sample size would face utter derision.

And yes it is blatantly OBVIOUS that Belgian players can be successful in the Premiership but 5 years ago you could have made exactly the same point about them; and before that about Africans ... or the French. There was probably a time when some people said the same thing about the Scots, the Irish and the Welsh and if the concept had existed i'm sure they would have said "I'm not being racist but ..." as well.

 

[rebrab]

86 pages. Jeeeez. Got such an arshavin feel about it.

 

[DaSpurs]

I don't think Kono is the player we should be looking at. We have quite a few creative players that can play in the three behind our CF now. What we need is a pacey wing forward who will run beyond our CF, and stretch opposition defences.

Without that I think we will become predictable.

This is the advantage to Kono, as he has the pace and vision to do both. In fact, considering how many more goals he scores than contributing assists, I'd say he's actually closer to the "wide forward" ilk than the "creative type."

 

[Sweech]

In a way I agree. Not being racist but name one Ukrainian/ Russian player who has been a major success in EPL. Pavluychenko, Arshavin, Schevchenko, Voronin, Rebrov etc. They all seem to have difficulties to adapt to life in west.

Language barrier, cultural differences and also because it's not common for players from these countries to move abroad at young age so they are used to have their own culture and language around them (This is what Capello was also criticizing after the WC).

Just check wiki for Russia/ Ukraine national football teams and their U-21 almost no players play abroad except a few ukrainians in Russia. Of course things are changing even in these countries but in very slow pace.

I'm not so sure it's a culture thing. Enough Russians play hockey in America/Canada and many travel there at 18/19 (or even younger to play junior) every year.

I just think it's a country that doesn't produce enough talent wise and that's why we don't see them over here that often, I don't think it has to do very much with cultural differences. I think those play a part, but not a big enough one.

 

[Hoopspur]

And on it goes.......refused contract and interested clubs can negotiate from January.

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/fo...-alert-as-Yevhen-Konoplyanka-refuses-new-deal

 

[DaSpurs]

I'd be beside myself to see this guy play in the famous lillywhite someday. Really think he'd be perfect for what we could use in our left wing slot. Would be the perfect alternative to couple Chadli for the position.

 

[Hoopspur]

I'd be beside myself to see this guy play in the famous lillywhite someday. Really think he'd be perfect for what we could use in our left wing slot. Would be the perfect alternative to couple Chadli for the position.

And probably for the same price as we could sell Chadli for now as his contract is winding down.

 

[DaSpurs]

And probably for the same price as we could sell Chadli for now as his contract is winding down.

In an ideal world I'd have them both as our LW options, but yes I would flog Chadli for the sake of Kono.

 

[Sweech]

Yarmolenko's contract is up next year as well and I hope we would show some interest in him as well.

 

[DaSpurs]

Yarmolenko's contract is up next year as well and I hope we would show some interest in him as well.

I like Yarmolenko a lot. A fantastic player. But he adamantly prefers the right, where we are overloaded. I don't think he'd come to play second choice at this point in his career either. He could go to a strong Bundesliga club and play almost every game.

 

[Dharmabum]

Several ITK stated - druing the last window - that Poch's no. 1 LWF target is Jay Rod. And here is what they had to say about Konoplianka.

jasper on Kono:
We have tried/trying, very complex deal to do if it can be done under our regulations.

Grey Fox:
Kono looks too complicated

Trix:
Konop......No -excellent source

Trix:
Firstly Knoplyanka

Not shown any interest at all since a very small enquirey in January. There has been very little interest in him at all and I don't want to give too much away but he is not very highly thought of off the field by very many at all. His attitude and workrate are poor and from what I can gather any potential interest died with Poch's appointment. I'd say this one has next to no chance of coming off.

 

[Sweech]

I like Yarmolenko a lot. A fantastic player. But he adamantly prefers the right, where we are overloaded. I don't think he'd come to play second choice at this point in his career either. He could go to a strong Bundesliga club and play almost every game.

They'd both play inside anyways seeing as we essentially play 3 number 10's so it's really more their comfortability in doing that and I think Yarmolenko's skills better translate to the inside compared to Konoplyanka's.

 

[DaSpurs]

They'd both play inside anyways seeing as we essentially play 3 number 10's so it's really more their comfortability in doing that and I think Yarmolenko's skills better translate to the inside compared to Konoplyanka's.

People are often using the excuse of the 3 AM's in Poch's system to imply any play will work anywhere in the three, but the fact is, despite the rotation each player has a starting position which corresponds to the position they are most often found in. It's important, because it utilizes the comforts of the players in starting position to create the overlapping runs they are most familiar with. So yes, while Yarmolenko would occasionally find himself on the right, we'd be asking him to play a less comfortable position on the left for most of the match if he were to share first choice minutes with Lamela.

I would also disagree with the notion he's a better inside player than Konoplyanka. Yarmolenko is an inverted winger, but he hugs the touchline paint like a traditional. He is of the "powerful winger" breed, who uses his strength and the width to build up speed and have a go on the goal. Kono meanwhile, is an excellent dribbler in tight spaces. Yes, he does most often prefer to use his speed out wide, but he is extremely versatile in his ability in those tight spaces. He was also initially brought to Dnipro as a DLP, so he is highly familiar with central play.

 

[Sweech]

People are often using the excuse of the 3 AM's in Poch's system to imply any play will work anywhere in the three, but the fact is, despite the rotation each player has a starting position which corresponds to the position they are most often found in. It's important, because it utilizes the comforts of the players in starting position to create the overlapping runs they are most familiar with. So yes, while Yarmolenko would occasionally find himself on the right, we'd be asking him to play a less comfortable position on the left for most of the match if he were to share first choice minutes with Lamela.

I would also disagree with the notion he's a better inside player than Konoplyanka. Yarmolenko is an inverted winger, but he hugs the touchline paint like a traditional. He is of the "powerful winger" breed, who uses his strength and the width to build up speed and have a go on the goal. Kono meanwhile, is an excellent dribbler in tight spaces. Yes, he does most often prefer to use his speed out wide, but he is extremely versatile in his ability in those tight spaces. He was also initially brought to Dnipro as a DLP, so he is highly familiar with central play.

If you watch Yarmolenko's highlights you'll notice most of his plays come from him playing in the inside, whether he cuts inside with the ball or he naturally drifts inside in the opposing third. I find Konoplyanka's game is more predicated on speed and is a more natural winger style game as I've seen in our matches against Dnipro and the Ukraine's matches in the qualifiers. I also find Yarmolenko to be just as adept at making plays as he is at scoring them and I find Konoplyanka to be a little more selfish when on the ball. All that being said Konoplyanka reportedly comes with character concerns and Yarmolenko does not.

Also if you re-watch our games you'll find Lamela is oftentimes our most centrally located player, we've so far lined up more like: Chadli-Lamela-Eriksen. So I'm not so sure he's competing with Lamela directly for minutes. It could just as easily be lined up as: Eriksen-Lamela-Yarmolenko.

 

[DaSpurs]

If you watch Yarmolenko's highlights you'll notice most of his plays come from him playing in the inside, whether he cuts inside with the ball or he naturally drifts inside in the opposing third. I find Konoplyanka's game is more predicated on speed and is a more natural winger style game as I've seen in our matches against Dnipro and the Ukraine's matches in the qualifiers. I also find Yarmolenko to be just as adept at making plays as he is at scoring them and I find Konoplyanka to be a little more selfish when on the ball. All that being said Konoplyanka reportedly comes with character concerns and Yarmolenko does not.

Also if you re-watch our games you'll find Lamela is oftentimes our most centrally located player, we've so far lined up more like: Chadli-Lamela-Eriksen. So I'm not so sure he's competing with Lamela directly for minutes. It could just as easily be lined up as: Eriksen-Lamela-Yarmolenko.

That's just it, those are the highlights. Trust me my friend, the guy hugs the paint for both club and country. He is very much a bonafide winger who uses his power in open spaces coupled with decent dribbling ability, but a launchpad for creativity he is not. He is adept to using his ability in those open spaces at pace, but he's not the type to receive the ball in front of a stacked box, and work his way through it with dribbling or a clever pass.

Kono is a bit selfish when playing for club, I think you're right about that. But I think much of that has had to do with the disparity in quality of himself and the rest of his team. When he plays for Ukraine, he isn't nearly as "hoggish" with the ball, and very frequently looks for the cross. For club, he shoulders much of the responsibility and looks to use his shooting ability. And yes, you're right that it does seem he has problems with his attitude. Nonetheless, if we were to avoid Kono, I'd rather a player more suited and comfortable to playing on the left rather than continuing this trend of playing players away from their preferred positions.

The Lamela central thing is another new notion I feel is somewhat misplaced. Yes, he is often central, and yes Eriksen can often be found wide, but to my eyes I find their interaction in movement as "gear-like." Lamela starts just off the right shoulder of Eriksen and somewhat more advanced. Depending on where the ball is, and who receives it, Eriksen's movement is dependent on Lamela's. When the ball is deep, Eriksen checks to and plays a deeper CAM position (I think Poch has ordained this to compensate for how poor we are at getting the ball forward), while Lamela takes up the No 10. If Lamela does receive the ball and looks inside, Eriksen does run into that space voided by Lamela. So most of the time Eriksen is still the central pivot, just that with his movement Lamela often moves into his space. This is certainly something orchestrated by Poch in training, as it keeps them from harshing on each other's space and uses this movement to suit each of their respective abilities.