EP10: IMPROVED IN EUROPE? | Corners of Europe | FM24: Shakhtar Donetsk

Intro and our number seven gets our first goal of the Champions League oh [Music] yeah hello and welcome back to another episode as part of the corners of Europe Challenge and welcome back to shakar where in today's episode we've got two games coming up one in the Champions League against none other than Victoria it feels like we never get rid of them to be honest but it's going to be a big game because if you remember last year when we did play them uh for the first time here in shakar played them many times at tromo um now they've moved up and we've moved up to a to a to a new competition we actually lost 3-0 away from home and now we're playing them again A year later or just under a year later it'll be a good test to see whether or not we've improved you know we've not had much exposure to European football in a while so it'll be good to get back into that and then after that we've got a game against Rock in the league both for sitting top of the table um tied up points but we just uh we just Edge them according to our goal difference everyone's on 20 goals combined at the top these uh these these four three teams Dynam key have nowhere to be seen and uh but we have the better record at the moment only four goals conceded we didn't concede a goal I think we've conceded three games in a row now um in the league yeah one two three but then before that uh in the first four games we did not concede a goal we're still playing some good football though we won the super Cup on penalties um we missed our first penalty but then we managed to uh to go and make a few saves and come up with the victory in the end through to the quarterfinal of the Ukrainian cup as well which is good that trophy which we didn't win last year so it would be nice to get that done we have not lost the game so far but we're going to have our first real test here in this game against Victoria obviously the transfer winner was still open it's just closed just now uh I don't know how we've stayed positive on money still we're still on track to fail ffp even though that's improved because we made a few new signings few players have left us as well um if we go here we're still a net loss so we've sent 33 million more than we've gained which isn't too bad really I'm quite happy with that especially because we're coming to a big Club you know you'd expect us to spend a lot no we've actually spent quite a a reasonable amount the biggest uh loss for us probably zdo has left us he's gone to man united um agreed to be a squad player on some good money I was happy to let him go for a fee of around 25 million up front um I think it was a good deal to let him go and go and play in the Premier League the plays who we have brought in though um we've brought in two new players the first of them Willian henrique he's come in as a goalkeeper he coming from Flamingo if I'm not mistaken that is so fulfilling that goal of uh signing uh Brazilian players he has got some great attributes as you can see now the one thing I was looking for in a goalkeeper this summer was to be tall so I did some research and looked how tall are goalkeepers and I I thought I was right there's a few smaller ones like uh uh David R is a bit of a smaller one who I can think of Doo Costa is another one Casas back in the day was 6 foot only so 184 isn't too bad it's a 6 cm difference on levitzki and another player we're going to sign was a little bit taller but this player here he looks good overall he's more natural as a goalkeeper not a sweep keeper the other player we were going to sign was more natural as a sweeper keeper I'm I'm wanting you know just a more solid goalkeeper and overall he's got all the stats you want you know his uh his one-on-one are good that'll be you know important his uh decision making really good reflexes at 17 positioning really good passing as well his distribution is looking good overall it looks like we've got a very very good goalkeeper for a feet of around 17 A5 million the next player the final player we've brought in the replacement for aevo Marco Antonio now I said I wanted to bring in another Elite Center back we had a a lot of money to spend so I thought we would go and uh put a bit of money down on on I I wanted to go spend it a bit more but they giving me these old players so how old is henrique we're going to take a look here at 28 years of age and then Antonio is also 28 so we need to be getting these players into being good already because if we if in five years time we've not won the Champions League these guys are going to be old man they're going to be old it's going to be an issue problematic but um Marco Antonio is's a decent player can play all across the backline m m in fact starting at Center back 188 CM overall looking like a decent player who could still have that potential to go and improve he's come from sa Paulo if I'm not mistaken uh down in the bottom there and he went to feno AE where we have signed him from and for a fee of 245 million uh he gives competition in at the back as you can see here um Rulo does I mean I've I've played the first game with Antonio since he signed he only signed like a week ago um didn't you didn't see Lo from he's playing in a bit of a stop roll explain why in a second but um Rulo and him will get competition Rulo still got that big potential but he's still quite young so um I'm sure he won't be uh deprived of minutes and when did uh let's take a look when did Antonio leave he left in 34 so these guys will have actually played with each other cuz they' both come from Sal poo if I'm not mistaken uh as you can see there so it's a it's it's a nice thing to see we've got a bit of a s Paulo Duo we've got Alex who's there as well who's been uh really really good he's come from he's played for a few Brazilian clubs moved up the the ranks there he has regressed in ability a little bit by the looks of it but um yeah they're all in competition with each other 192 CM on Alex and then Antonio 188 Rulo can also play in Midfield so if we need him to slot in that role there can play right back overall we've got three really good Center back options now which is uh where I said we need to strengthen so that's always nice to see um we're a bit of thin on the ground in the Midfield is probably where we've got a bit of an issue in the attack all good at the moment one thing I didn't realize happened is you might have seen maruta was not involved at all last episode he got a new contract signed where he got moved down to the second te now I've looked at where you negotiate contract and I can't see where I I didn't do that I didn't agree to him become a second Team starter that someone must have done that for me I think I might have messed up the responsibilities a little bit here he wasn't involved um he was injured at the end of last year then wasn't involved finally brought him back into the first team but he missed like the first few games which was dead annoying I can't believe I forgot about him to be honest that he dropped down but at least he was getting minutes that's the he could have he could have been uh being very unhappy but no he is just really really happy at the moment to to still be here so that's always a nice thing and he gives us an amazing consist consistent option over on that right side that is the preview of uh of the today's episode taken quite a long time but it's important to look over first game of the day it's going to be a Vitoria SC vs Shakhtar (UCL League Game) big one going away against Victoria so the team for this game against Victoria starts with enri k go we got a backline of B Alex Antonio and pce Chuck Tom Jansen Jackson and Santos make up the Midfield we've got ROV on the left Diaz on the right and chevchenko up top just about to get underway here in Portugal against Victoria the two teams walk out chevchenko leading the line for us he must be one of the youngest Champions League captains ever he's like what 2021 very very impressive you see the lineups here we've got a real tall presence in our team I think the whole front line is really good we've scored a lot of our goals from uh from headed chances and that's kind of you know I kind of like to incorporate that that's why I brought Diaz I've put chevchenko up top because he's been really impressive there um he's put in a good start to this season so it would make sense to to keep him there and put Diaz kind of in that back post roll and also put some uh I mean they can switch around actually because chevchenko plays in some amazing balls you've seen his shot when he cuts in he can also play similar balls like that so um to have that and then get Diaz on the end of him and Santos has actually been getting on the the the end of them so it would uh it would make sense to to go on and do that and uh yeah hopefully it it works out between or them because you know Diaz has coming as a new player he's been he's been okay so far but pairing with chevchenko no reason why they won't hit the ground one in this game or in this season as 25 minutes goes in this game it's been a bit of a slow start really looks like we've had a few of the opening chances though um if you want to look at the team here what's going on so I've changed the a few of the roles around so pisuk was a three at the back last episode um the Antonio role is a bit of a stopper because one of the assessments of our pretty amazing start to the season I mean it was perfect up until we started conceding goals and we dropped points um away at Metalist har I think it was um we we were getting uh chances made through the Midfield so having that stopper there to step up and then pair Toms yansen in the Midfield in uh in kind of attacker on the Counterattack would be uh Mak sense Jackson going into the mazala as well or kind of advanced playmaker I was going to play him as maala but he goes quite wide anyway because uh the inverted Winger here is going uh quite inside he was playing on the left side but for him to go wide on that side where we've already got two wide players in Bur and usually pop off but today it's a recy off it just wouldn't make sense so we went and did that it's a ball in back post back heel from the Victoria play luckily nothing comes from that um we have to we have to or areas so kind of in attack it's like um across the front line you've kind of got five players and then chevchenko um you've got the the back three there Alex Antonio and pisho toms Jansen a little bit ahead of them but if we get quart out the counter we can easily stop it quite fast with the toms Jansen and Antonio in particular stepping up but really will make that ground up and then obviously Alex and polishuk will already be there um at the back I think it's quite a dynamic system one of the definitely one of the more dynamic assistance are played in terms of the roles are a bit more complicated players have to flow into different positions um they've got to know their roles I think Jackson's got a very important role in this team he's had a really good start to the season um so I think it's good to to play him in that role and out wide um would make sense for him he's broken into his team done very very well been hit with a few injuries no pop off today uh we've had injuries to anyone you can think of really Jackson's had some uh Maro couto's been injured that's why he's not not been here at time Diaz has been injured Santos has been injured everyone's been injured and speaking of Santos he's through on goal and our number seven gets our first goal of the champions league and he could be making himself a bit of a hero number seven scoring in the Champions League why have we heard that before we're not on about Ronaldo here we are on about Santos he gets our first goal of our Champions League campaign and that tops off what has been a very very impressive half from us you know I've been we I've been impressed I think we've played played very very well um we've had to you know we've had to defend a little bit but we've also been good on the attack and overall a very very good performance Santos has been so good at the start of this season you see how crucial you know when that I mean the first chance where it got blasted over I can't quite remember it I mean if we take a look at this it's a poor ball from Jackson just as sing his Praises that ball over the top I don't know if it was rakov or Santos but it's either one of those you know Popov orov or Santos who will get in there and just get on the end of those balls those balls in early crosses I've not actually implemented it but we're playing them so so well one-on-one henrique comes up here it's hit the post it's another ball back in headers need to be won but truck misses out maybe Rulo needs to go over there so he wins his headers it's a ball in the middle still floating around the shot finally goes in and that is poor defending in the end it was Antonio I'm fairly certain was it Antonio yeah it was who couldn't quite clear his lines there and it is 1-1 here now in Portugal against Victoria they've been here a few years now so clearly quite decent team but if we can come away with the result then we would uh we would like that I think we I mean pish Chu had to win his header at the back post um it was it was poor from him to be honest but what can you do really we still got time in this game to find something if we need to bring on uh cuz manique we can bring him in and we've also got maruto um very thin on the ground as you can see we'll have to wait till January to bring in a few more players but we've got that money I need to see what situation with the ffp is as well because it just keeps going on and off I don't know what it is I knew we'd start to bring in money eventually but I don't know why it took so long and why we're failing again but I guess that's just how it is laminal is uh is is balling out he's 29 that's crazy he's still 29 in 2036 that is absolutely insane what player he's developed to become as well here at Barcelona he's won a few champions league as well if um if I'm not mistaken Barcelona always become quite a pretty impressive Squad with that Youth Academy that they have at laas here uh we'll go make a few changes here I think we bring off Jackson for AD mean can Rulo go that high I think we need a bit of security we'll kind of uh play a bit of a an uneven uh system here bring on Rulo there he can play ahead of Antonio and then play play Antonio in a bit more defensive role so he didn't have that extra pressure Antonov on for berell Bell's not been uh as good as he was at the start of the Season not been as impactful as probably the weird bring on maruan I think I think we'll leave shevchenko on bring maruto on for Diaz who is a little bit tight but yeah overall it's been a decent game for second half we've slacked off a little bit a bit of tightness it's been a very very intense schedule for us so you can't yeah we can't really complain but overall here in this game we've made the chances we not have loads of the ball but um I guess we can't complain really if we've uh got a we've been making those chances HRI playing for Benfica yeah is the actual HRI I don't know why he's gone to Benfica he's must have fallen out of favor a little bit at Real Madrid but he played 324 games and got 150 goals before he left very very impressive from him the pressing game on display here in the Champions League as I said it's going to be a tactic that's very important you know hardworking tactic that's why we'll get tired um but you know when when we going to knockout games and stuff it will be important I mean if we come away from a draw here Victoria I think it would be decent I'd like to take the win I don't I also wouldn't like a loss but I can't say anything too early here in this game 5 minutes left to go are we're going to find something late on I mean in our first Champions League game last year a last minute winner from maroo he's on the pitch once again there's still time for it is it going to come in this game it doesn't look like it the time is slowing down it's gone into the final minute here last few seconds and the fulltime whistle is it going to go it is going to go I mean we've improved from Shakhtar vs Rukh the 3-0 of last year so that's just not it's not bad it's not a bad start to our Champions League campaign so no changes for this game against The Rock the team starts with Enrique and go backline of barill Alex Antonio and P Chu Tom Jansen Jackson and Santos in the Midfield we've got rako on the left Diaz on the Ryan chevchenko UPS up kickoff here in this game against The Rock the chance to go three points clear it would be if we do get a win and that would be nice to to set that in early we've been very very good in the league so far but we need to be just as good I mean when we played the second place team last year at home we lost 4-3 so we need to really up our game this year but we improved in the Victoria game in one season the CH the difference has been um crazy you know we didn't get dominated at all I arguably thought we could have even got the win Jackson with the shot been very very good at those he's not able to convert on that occasion I still haven't set this tactic in by the way I think I'm going to do it and I think I'm going to swap these two around it's probably a bit more effective if we do that but yeah we passed the we passed the test improved and in within one year that's a big Improvement imagine what we could do in you know one or two years if we continue to improve um it's very very good and as I say the goal is to make the playoffs once again this year um like from the league phase that's our goal and then we want to win our playoff this year and then after that we can go into the round of 16 and gain that experience continue to improve from there um maybe go even deeper with this squad you know a lot of them have had European experience they're already you know most of them are 28 years old um so it's something we have to we have to you know use and hopefully it it it pays off for us but yeah overall some good football early on still some new boys settling in um obviously Enrique and Antonio have comeing to this team but overall some good football in the early stages of this season Alex finds Billa he finds ROV ROV is going to L to try and square it he squares it into the middle Santos is there and the number seven gets his seventh goal of the Season what a player he has been for us 13 minutes in and he cannot stop scoring I think he's our top scorer he's just been so good in that attacking midfielder position now I usually never use an attacking midfielder but I thought I might give a try on this this this player cuz you don't do look too bad to be fair and I mean he's he's he's paid me back he's been so so good he fulfills his defensive duties he provides us that structure when we need him so he doesn't have to defend really and Jackson's through and Jackson has a shot and he's been just as good as well all three in the of them boys in the Midfield have stepped up and have played so so well no cause for a complaint from them and I have been uh I've been very very impressed from them one thing I've just remember by the way is that we are playing Champions League our first game against Victoria I will show you the f just quickly who we do have we have panthos at home sporting away Maroa will be going to his old club uh we've got Newcastle at home that'll be good molder at home they're coming to to visit us that will be uh that'll be good fun rapid away Bayern Munich at home and man united away I swear we played loads of these teams last year we play Bayern Munich last year didn't we I I swear no we didn't apparently not uh we played man united last year we played rapid last year if I'm not mistaken I feel like we did play them uh I don't know where it is I can't re I can't really uh I can't really see them but we played all these teams before it feels like we played some of them last year uh but we definitely played Man United and uh and Victoria last year so we lost 53 to man united away I think it was so that'll be a good test for us to see if we've improved as well um want to go there and try and get a draw maybe even snatch a win against them to be honest cuz you never know with them really at their Stadium they can just turn up when they want to and turn off when they when they want to as well so hopefully it's a it's a good day when we go there it's the last game so hopefully we've secured our place in the next round by then that would be nice but we'll just have to have to see the the situation we're in and then deal with it from there but overall some great football we're playing and that needs to count out into the Champions League where it will be tough it will be testing um but we you know we have to step up we made the playoffs last year and I think we're in a much better position this year you know so no reason can't do it just the depth where we lacking really especially in the Midfield um there was lots of good players we could have brought him but it's about playing time and I don't rotate loads and I'm not sure if I'd want to rotate a winning team Lots so it was tough to bring in those players but we've got the money as long as ffp goes our way we can go and spend that in January on players who I mean I've set scouting assignments for uh specifically for Champions League players and also European players because it's given me a lot of players from uh from from various different destinations really and places so it's uh it's it's been kind of tough I want some younger players I'd like some you know a bit more talent because I don't know why everyone is was scouting is 28 years old that's uh it's it's a bit strange but here we are so hopefully we can uh we can bring some in that would be nice I'd like to bring in some Talent probably so we can develop them by giving them lots of minutes off the the bench but we'll have to just see how it goes really uh probably should still improve on the rotation I thought I got a bit better at it in with the with tromo but here in chakar when you don't have a big Squad I mean the one thing I always do is bring the squad numbers down massively we had a massive Squad last year if you remember when we join as you always do but I always bring it down um I think it works out for the better really in the long run because a lot of those players in the big Squad don't get minutes it just creates unhappiness just don't need it and you know I'd rather mess up with a system a little bit than uh you know have to I'd rather move around a system and move players around then have to you know play players every now and again um and only give them a few minutes just because I need them to fit into my system I think it's a much better way of operating a club and just uh it's good on the wage billing that and stuff like that it's probably why I always have so much money I'm never able to spend it because the wage bill is always low and the the the transfer budget is always high because I'm never looking to bring in loads of players um I think we've had a good transfer window we've brought in some some good players and uh it's been I mean I probably consider a good transfer window when I'm uh negative on uh on money spent uh because I don't think we ever had a year in Trump so where that happened I mean we can go and take a look now but we'll have to take a look after as Rook do get a goal here in this game to make it one one and now we've got our work cut out in the rest of this game are we going to find a late winner here in a game where we've been the much better team as it has been for most games it's our fourth League game in a row where we have conceded we need to be much better um in in those in that defensive sense but if we if it leads to us you know continuing to to win I guess we can't complain but it would also be nice considering we we strengthen the defense but as as it stands I mean we'll take a look at this attack here but is advancing he's going on with the ball he has the shot and unfortunately just puts it over the bar maybe not the best decision in the end we only conceded five goals now so at this rate we only go on to concede 20 which is what four or five less than last year and about average across all the seasons uh prior to this so I guess we can't complain really if that's how it goes but I would like it to improve a little bit um going on in the rest of this season who was it we con yeah it was Metalist who we conceded two goals to and they sit in 15th Place so it was it's just games like that where we need to walk our consistency but whilst this team is still oneing together I think we can expect it um you can't disregard the fact that we're not we're playing uh good football either we're going to bring on kmin here we didn't get many minutes last game so we probably should bring him on I think we'll switch maruto into a bit more of a traditional uh Winger role there try and give him uh try and see how he does there pish TR off apprehensive you can't do that's one thing I forgot you it's one thing that's been discovered to me you can't have seven foreign players on the pitch which is so annoying I think we bring off I mean the only thing we can do is bring off ber and then Rulo can come on there that brings us to seven foreign players I mean I don't know what clubs realize but when you have these restrictions the country is never going to get anywhere the reason why the premier league has I mean I think La Liga hasn't stuff like that or something similar but the reason the Premier League is so good is because they don't have these things like the first ever full into national team got like went out last year and there's no wonder they we have like I mean Real Madrid obviously have 15 but I think we have the most outside of that do we or do we not I don't know we'd have we have uh 6 plus three that's nine plus 2 11 + 1 + 1 13 15 and then there's one from there's maybe I don't know I think that's everyone 15 and then Real Madrid are 15 same managers I don't know if there's restrictions in the league or I feel like there is but guess Real Madrid is just different but they've always fielded International Players these leagues have got to realize international players are what lead you to Trophies as much as it boost development and I can understand it there's surely more effective ways of developing the players than than having to have a minimum of four Ukrainian players um I think it's especially when the the the club itself says we need to have Brazilian players and I'm playing Brazilian players we've got how many 1 2 3 4 uh five uh six we've got six Brazilian players kmini with the shot and kmini scores to make it 21 here big goal from him he comes on and makes it 2-1 here where was that on about the Brazilians man we've got six Brazilians and then the other Foreigner is Toms Jansen he's uh he's Dutch so that makes him seven but this you know these leagues it happens in Norway as well we pushed it to the absolute limit with the the registration rules and the foreign plays you could have um it has to be a thing it does have to be a thing I can't remember quite what it was in Norway it was definitely something there's definitely something in Portugal and Iceland as well it has to happen where that has to be removed and there has to be more effective ways for development in order to to to improve the you know the players I think in England you have Santos with the shot and Santos scores again he didn't look offside he I mean he's he's he was static in the middle on this uh on this side waiting for the ball to come to him I have feel the defender might have just played him on side and if this goal stands it would be absolutely massive and it does 31 we lead here against Rook leiv we are going to stay top of the table here once again a huge win for us and we have improved in an all important game a similar situation last year where we couldn't hold our nerve but this time around no mistake from us and we are going to come away with the win but yeah it's down to the Brazilians who've got us the win I mean Santos with two goals here in this game and uh who else Jackson got an assist for one of the goals it's it's an important thing I mean in England how they do it the academy players do get minutes and players do break through I've noticed it a lot recently a lot of players who were considered Academy developing players a few years ago have now broken to the first team there's got to be a better way for it but I guess that's not our issue at the moment because with the seven foreign players on field we have beaten rock laiv so once again thank you for watching if you did enjoy that video please make sure to leave a like and subscribe I'll leave you with this little Chun and I'll see you again tomorrow thank you byebye [Music] [Applause]