Midseason Report Card: Goalkeepers

By: Yevy | January 19th, 2009

As Dynamo prepares for the second half of the season, it is a good time to look back and evaluate the performance of the players up to this point. And I will start with the position that has the most influence on a team’s results – goalkeepers. Coming into the season, Dynamo was hoping to get another solid year out of the team’s captain and longtime number one, Oleksandr Shovkovskiy. But nagging injuries led to a slow start between the posts for SaSho. Lack of confidence in the available replacements forced manager Yuri Semin and his staff to look outside the club for help, and they did not have to look far.

Stanyslav Bohush was signed to a 5 year contract in early August after falling out of favor with Metalurh Zaporizhya, his hometown club. A week later he was in goal for Dynamo facing his former team and coming away with a victory and a clean sheet. It would take over two months, 8 matches, and nearly 700 minutes before Bohush conceded his first goal in UPL play. By that time his status as Dynamo’s first choice keeper was all but cemented. Bohush’s equally strong play in the Champions League earned him his first appearance for the Ukraine National Team. The 25 year old established himself as a capable shot stopper, and I cannot recall a goal this season that made me think “he should have had it.” As Bohush got more familiar with his teammates his distribution from the back improved as well. He has also demonstrated good judgment on crossed balls, rarely coming up empty when leaving his line. Perhaps the only knock I have on Bohush’s game is his unwillingness to so much as attempt to catch a ball. “Punchy”, as I’ve nicknamed him, seems to be convinced that the only way to meet a cross is with a closed fist, and the same goes for most shots of any intent. It is certainly a “better safe than sorry” mentality, but Bohush’s positioning is usually good enough that he should be expected to hold the ball more often. Grade: A-.

The emergence of Bohush overshadowed the fading star of Shovkovskiy. SaSho’s form has been dipping steadily for a few years, and this year the wear and tear of goalkeeping caught up with the veteran. After 14 seasons representing Dynamo and Ukraine, he is no longer the first name on either team sheet. There has been talk of a possible exit from Dynamo for Shovkovskiy, with Greek and Turkish clubs showing interest, but personally I hope he stays with Dynamo as he is still an influential presence for the team. Grade: C.

The first half of the season has been uneventful for the one time heir apparent to Shovkovskiy, Oleksandr Rybka. After making 20 appearances for the senior team over the previous three seasons, Rybka has had to settle for reserve duty with the “Deuce”, where he has conceded 9 goals in 12 matches. Still, Rybka is only 21 years old and should have a bright future in front of him, which could include a loan move this spring. Grade: B-. On the other side of the age spectrum, it looks like the career of Taras Lutsenko is coming to an end. The 35 year old is reportedly set to retire when his contract runs out this summer. Lutsenko has not figured in Dynamo’s plans on the pitch in some time, but according to team president Ihor Surkis there is a coaching position with the club on offer if Taras chooses to pursue that career path. Grade: N/A.