Sport Arena analyzes the coaching style of the new Luhansk head coach and considers how van Leeuwen can change Zarya
They were nicknamed “muzhiks” during the time of Yuri Vernidub, but they did not stop calling them that under Viktor Skrypnik. Now Patrick van Leeuwen faces a difficult task – as a limited contingent and with modest personnel opportunities to continue to play football and at the same time fight for European cups and maybe medals.
The Sport Arena is considering what van Leeuwen will do, who will help him in this and what the Dutchman will face in Zara.
Dutch as is
All that can be said about Patrick van Leeuwen is a true representative of the Dutch football school. Favorite scheme – 4-3-3, favorite style – intense, “total” football with active flanks and a clear block. He professed this style both in the academies of Feyenoord and Shakhtar, which he headed, and in those clubs where he already worked with mature football players.
After Shakhtar, van Leeuwen worked as the sports director of Kazakhstan’s Kairat, after which he got a job in Maccabi (Tel Aviv). In the Israeli club, he went from the academy to the head coach, several times he took on the temporary post of “acting”. As a result, at the head of Maccabi, he won the Israeli Cup and Super Cup.
Van Leeuwen returns to Ukraine matured – however, Zorya is a big challenge for him.
Dawn with a European mentality
Skripnik, having replaced Vernidub, gradually lost leaders. The big blow fell on the quality of the defensive block, where the choice, the depth of the reserve, the average lane experience decreased. Not from a good life, at times Victor brought out four purely attacking players – marvelous schemes with a nominally high block against the background of less classy opponents compensated for defensive shortcomings.
Van Leeuwen will have similar problems – five players have already left the team, the majority – a blow just to the defense. For example, Khomchenovsky, a winger, was forced to close the position of full back in some matches. Young Yemets could play on the flank. Vernydub Sr. is a solid option in the center of defense. Favorov Sr. – in general, the loss of losses, he could close at least three positions in defense and support zone, in his prime and golden age he left behind a large gap in the redoubts of Dawn.
It is often said that playing through the quality of control and possession of the ball is a sign of class. In the case of Zorya, this will also be an option of reliability – with such losses in defense, the best defense will be to deprive the opponent of the ball. But this is inaccurate – van Leeuwen knew how to defend, his Maccabi worked diligently without the ball and knew how to close without compromising the result.
The European mentality that was mentioned about Skripnik is also inherent in van Leeuwen. And this is important: it implies a willingness to work with those who are, and not just play on the obvious qualities of the players, but develop them fully and diversified.
van, sorry, who?
Patrick van Leeuwen worked convincingly at the Shakhtar Academy. He modified the structural approach to work, tried to teach the guys to work with the ball in football of different intensity and be able not only to run and practice, but to play. Naturally, the ability to play 4-3-3 with a successful reorganization to 4-5-1 has become an indispensable basis for the academy.
From here came Zinchenko, Boryachuk, Kovalenko and many other capable guys. They may have flaws, but they are taught to play football, and this is the legacy of the van Leeuwen system.
The “urban legend” says: when, right under Patrick’s nose, the main talent of the Shakhtar Academy Arendaruk at that time almost went to Dynamo, the Dutchman was shown the door. He left behind a book on how to build academy work and develop football players, as well as a great deal of caution in working with talent.
Although Arendaruk did not move to Dynamo, and did not take place in football at all, this left a big imprint on Shakhtar and forced them to make a “golden cage” structure for the players.
Van Leeuwen himself in Kazakhstan and Israel received the necessary practice of adult football. Now it will come in handy for him in Zara, where a thinking coach is needed, focused not on the exploitation of players, but on development.
The Dawn of the Reconstruction Period
The departure of Vernidub, Favorov, Yemets, Khomchenovsky and Gromov weakened the composition of Zarya. The re-lease of Shahab complicated the situation in attack. What is van Leeuwen’s order and what is not?
Goalkeepers – 90% ready. Shevchenko is the main one, Matsapura is ready to compete, Zhilkin and Saputin are gaining experience.
Defenders – 75%. Danchenko will be the main one on the right, his backup will be Skorko. Imerekov in the center will be paired with Dubko or Snurnitsyn. Sukhar and Snurnitsyn will claim the position on the left. Young Bayruk, Dudnik are called to surprise. But we won’t be surprised if we manage to beg the Brazilian Juninho to return (then more or less calmly behind the left flank) and sign another slightly more played center back. But even so, the defense positions will remain vulnerable, and a serious and stable reinforcement is needed.
Midfielders – 75%. Nazarina, Tlumak, Batagov, Alibekov, Mishnev, Kazakov will be in the center of midfield, which means that one of them (for example, Batagov or Alibekov) can be put in defense. Nagorny, Khlan, Buleza and Christian will be able to play from the flanks. Mishnev and Smiyan are under the striker, if such an option is needed.
Forwards – 80%. Gladky, with the help of Lunev and Kabaev, can close the attack problem even at a long distance. Nearby are young Abdullaev and Alefirenko, plus it’s not a problem to raise Buletsu higher.
We don’t know yet how wide van Leeuwen’s opportunities will be in strengthening – but based on what is, Zara will not interfere with one center back, one strong full-back (optimally – with the ability to cover both flanks), one high-class center forward.
At the very minimum, the Dawn of the summer 2022 model may look like this (we take 4-3-3 for van Leeuwen as a basis): Shevchenko (Matsapura) – Danchenko (Skorko), Imerekov (Dudnik, Alibekov, Batagov), Snurnitsyn (Dubko), Sukhar (Snurnitsyn) – Nazarina (Tlumak, Batagov, Alibenkov), Mishnev (Kazakov), Bulets (Lunev) – Lunev (Bulets), Gladky, Kabaev.
Purely by nominal class, this team can fight for the top five and European cups, with proper (at least pointwise) strengthening, it will be among the contenders for medals, but without strengthening, it has every chance of having problems at a distance. Too many potentially vulnerable points on the field, with inexperienced players or even without quantitative filling. Stock depth is an important component that leaves questions for Zara van Leeuwen for now. But, even with the strengthening of the Dnieper-1, Vorskla, Rukh, the newcomers of the Lugansk division should not be written off.
Igor Dashkov
Source: Sportarena
