Oleksandr Petrakov: There are no issues regarding the team's attitude and commitment. What is needed is individual skill

Oleksandr Petrakov, head coach of Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih, commented on the UPL Matchday 11 home game against Dynamo Kyiv, which ended in a 0:2 defeat.

- First of all, I’d like to give credit to your team for how they started and finished the match. It was clear that the lads were pushing hard for a result. For almost the entire 45 minutes of the second half, you had a numerical advantage. How would you assess your players' performance against Dynamo Kyiv?

- You know, I have no complaints about them. They did everything they possibly could today. The issue lies in individual technical skill and the final touch. We’ll keep working on it. I thanked the lads for this performance and for their total commitment. We’ll move forward. Their dedication was absolutely immense, but we just couldn't score.

- Regarding communication: is that still a work in progress within the team - not just between the players on the pitch, but also between the players and the coaching staff?

- Yes, that connection is still developing. We’re getting to know each other, so to speak. It’s a new coaching staff; I didn’t know any of these guys before, and I’d never worked with them. So, for now, things are just as they are.

- Do you plan to add more members to your coaching staff?

- The coaching staff? No, not for the time being.

- Regarding the match itself: Seсk started at the tip of the attack again today, even though you have Kachwele - a natural forward - in the squad. In the second half, you brought on some of your foreign players to freshen things up. Do you have a 100% clear understanding yet of what each player is capable of?

- I don’t yet know the full extent of their capabilities. There’s a reserve team match tomorrow, and I asked the guys - specifically asked, didn’t order - who wanted to play; I need to get to know them. Dynamo has a good U-21 youth squad. They all agreed to play tomorrow.

- What are your thoughts on the goals conceded and the team's defensive performance?

- Well, looking at the first instance, it was a matter of mere centimeters regarding the offside call. I’m intentionally pushing the defensive line higher so the team stays more compact; I tell them, "Don't be afraid - we can't leave gaps like that." As for the other incident, that was a mistake by our captain, Volodymyr Vilivald. I went up to him after the match to offer some support: "We’ll learn from this. You just lost focus for a second." He replied, "Vasyliovych..." and I said, "It’s alright, don't worry about it."

- Were you able to adjust the tactical approach during the match?

- I changed the tactical setup - we switched to a 4-3-3 - but the guys don't quite grasp yet how to properly enter the final third. For the last twenty minutes, we reverted to the previous system to utilize the flanks and deliver more crosses into the penalty area. Unfortunately, we just couldn't manage to score.

Media of FC "Kryvbas" Kryvyi Rih