Volodymyr Grachev
position: right-back
citizenship: Ukraine
date of birth: 24.12.1997
height/weight: 172 cm/75 kg
Right-back defender with decent acceleration and speed on distance skills, useful in both creation and destruction conponents. Seeks for free space and runs into channels in a timely manner. Makes accurate and timely short and middle pass. Inclined to act rapidly, making one-twos with teammates with 1-2 touches. Decent ball interception skill. Tries to put the ball forward to the opponents' half right after tackle or ball pick-up. Has good body balance and coordination skill.
POSITION
Volodymyr Grachev plays as a right-back, performs well in both classic schemes with four defenders as well as in 5-*-* schemes with advanced wing-backs. Also has some experience on left-back position.
CAREER DESCRIPTION
Home-grown player for FC "Shakhtar" Donetsk. 20 international caps for the Ukraine youth national teams. Has an experience of playing the UEFA Youth league. "Shakhtar" requested compensation fee of 200,000 euros for the player.
This was the exact reason for transfer to the Cypriot Second Division last season. The player is free from any compensation since 2020. Last played for Russian league football club "Veles" Moscow. In early 2021 he was a step from signing with FC "Admira" from Austrian Bundesliga, where Felix Magath was personally interested in him. Later the transfer was blocked as Mr. Magath has ended up with the club.
DRIBBLING
Due to decent body balance and good on-ball technique, flicks to best positions using false backswing to develop the attack.
INTERCEPTIONS
Positions himself accurately to intercept the ball and puts the ball forward with 2-3 touches (direct pass or running with the ball)
RUNNING INTO CHANNELS
Decent vision of free spaces. Accurate one-twos with teammates while running into channels at the final third. Tries to use 1-2 touches.
COUNTER ATTACKS
Thanks to the great acceleration skill, he is able to support a counter attack from the very beginning. Usually runs in via the flank to make a cross from the goal line.
TACKLING
Moves onto the ball from behind the opponent. Makes timely accelerations to the ball. Uses sliding tackles quite rare, but with great accuracy.
CONCLUSION
Volodymyr Grachev graduated form one of the best football academies in the world. He made there all the way of his professional development, gained experience of the training process with "Shakhtar" first team, became champion of the Ukraine with "Shakhtar" U-21, made several appearances on international level. He is absolutely ready for his new challenge abroad.
Right-back with decent body balance and high accaleration and distance speed. Performs well in defense going into successful tackles outside the own penalty box. In attacking moves ball fordward with 1-2 touches, making one-twos with teammates and seeking free space to run or pass into.
Grachev will be useful for teams which prefer counter attacking style of performing. Also he would fit well into teams, which start attacking through wings with active use of wing-backs.
