Tymoshchuk changed for Shakhtar at the age of 19. From 17 on he was a stable player in the team of FK Volyn Lutsk, first as an attacking midfielder, then as a defensive one. he wasn’t a baby at all, I have to tell you…

I like the 11 that you picked, I think we will see something very close to it on match day. I don’t know about Nesmachniy on the right however, since Andriy relies heavily on his left foot. I think eventually we will see Oleh Husyev as the regular right back for Ukraine, but for now all options need to be explored. I expect Mandzyuk to get a run out, seeing as he is the only natural right back in the squad.

I am very interested in what Valyaev will show us against Norway. Ukraine lacks a reliable two-way midfielder who can play in front of Tymoschuk, akin to the role Konstantin Zyryanov fills for Zenit and Russia. If the midfield problems continue Mykhaylichenko should consider employing two true holding midfielders, and Valyaev is an obvious candidate. I would also not be opposed to seeing Taras Mykhalyk tried out in that role at some point, since we have plenty of serviceable central defenders.

While on paper Ukraine has some talented strikers, it would be a mistake to expect a major contribution down the road from visibly declining players on the wrong side of 30. The goals in 2010 and 2012 will have to come from Milevskiy, Seleznyov, and whoever emerges in the next two years. Milevskiy is a class player and I am very curious to see how he combines with Devic. Against the likes of England and Croatia, especially on the road, Mykhaylichenko is sure to use a single striker, and the midfield will be picked in part on how well those players link up with Artem.

Also Marko, I am curious if you got a chance to see Tymoschuk play when he was just a baby at Lutsk?

I was already waiting for the moment when Michailichenko invites Vitaliy Fedoriv again. He is acutally the best left defender of the whole russian league. Already Juventus and AC Milan want to buy him and soon he will change the club again for a top league club. This boy always impressed me, what a pity that he had to wait so long to show his great talent. He is no 20 years old and I hope against Norway he will finally show, that Ukraine doesn’t only have Shevchuk and Yarmash as outside defenders. Nesmachny and Fedoriv on the outsided, it will work great. Hopefully Fedoriv will show everything he can.

I also would like to see Devich in the middlefield. He is acutally a middlefield player and Ukraine has too many good strikers anyway. I’m happy that he chose Ukraine as his country. I am from Lutsk and I remember him playing at FK Volyn Lutsk. I was always at the games and watched him. He was an impressing player and now one of the strongest ones in the Ukrainian leauge. He also wants to study Ukrainian and trys to sing the national anthem against Norway. It’s just great.

The Dnipropetrovsk arena will be full. 33′000 people will have a great evening in this wonderful stadium. I expect that we beat Norway 2-0. Hopefully many of the now called player will be crucial ones for the games against England and Croatia next year…

I think the composition will be like this:

Bohush
Nesmachnyy—–Rusol—-Chihrinskyi—Fedoriv

———-Valyaev—————–

Devich———————-Nazarenko

————Aliev————–

Milevskyi———Selezniov

I would also let Sliusar, Kravchenko, Homeniuk 30 min play.