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AN ARMENIAN MAESTRO DREAMING OF ARSENAL
IMScouting
http://www.imscouting.com/global-news-article/An-Armenian-maestro-dreaming-of-Arsenal-/10241/
Sept 2 2010
Player to Watch - Henrikh Mkhitaryan
Club:Shakhtar Donetsk Nationality:Armenia Age:21 Height:1.78 m /
5.84 ft Weight:72 kg / 158 lbs Position:Attacking mid(C)
Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Ukrainian giants Shakhtar Donetsk 's latest
acquisition, has already been recognized as the best Armenian Player
of 2009 and one of the biggest talents in the Ukrainian league.
It is not surprising that Shakthar agreed to pay an estimated $7.5
million for this starlet's services.
Mkhitaryan just keeps getting better, and without a shadow of a doubt,
a successful time at Shakhtar will pave his way to a more prestigious
league for the young man.
Background and History
Mkhitaryan was born on January 21, 1989 in the Armenia's capital,
Yerevan.
He began his professional career at the local football club, Pyunik
Yerevan , starting to play first-team football in 2006.
And it didn't take long for his talents to shine though.
Mkhitaryan started his romance with Ukrainian football in July 2009
when he moved to Metalurg Donetsk after some tremendous performances
in the Armenian league.
Since the start of 2009, he had scored a staggering 11 goals in 10
games for Pyunik, and he managed to maintain his stunning form even
after the switch to the tougher Ukrainian league.
Mkhitaryan finished the 2009/10 season at Metalurg Donetsk with an
impressive 13 goals and four assists in 35 games and was voted by
the Metalurg fans as team's best player, as well as the best Armenian
Player of 2009 by the Armenian Football Association.
Strengths
Mkhitaryan is an offensive all-round midfielder renowned within
Ukraine for his great technique and passing skills.
He usually likes to play behind the strikers or on the right-wing,
but he can also perform adeptly on the left flank.
Mkhitaryan also has good finishing ability and great killer instincts,
and his many goals come from his ability to catch defenses by surprise.
Mkhitaryan flourishes in a free role, in which he is always on the
move, switching places with his teammates and bursting into the box
from the behind the strikers or from the wings. He has a natural gift
of positioning himself well between opposition defenders and he is
not afraid to gamble in order to get himself into scoring positions.
Containing Mkhitaryan is a hard task and he is expert at getting away
from tight markers.
Weaknesses
Mkhitaryan still has to work on his strength as he seems to lack some
physical toughness. He is not very aggressive and tends to come off
second best in physical challenges. He has to understand that against
elite defenders he will have to be more forceful and that the physical
aspect of the game will be vital.
Mkhitaryan is also not the fastest of players and developing his
physical strength might also give him a boost in speed.
In addition, there is room for improvement on the defensive part of
his game, as he lacks defensive tactical awareness and skills.
Mentality
Together with his good technique and attacking skills, Mkhitaryan is
also a leader on the pitch.
Despite his young age and the short period of time for which he had
been playing for Metalurg, Mkhitaryan became the team captain and
one of their most dominant players. He is also expected to lead the
Armenia national team in the upcoming years and help the progress of
Armenian football.
Current Situation
Mkhitaryan is a very ambitious player.
He has already expressed his desire to move to a better league, and has
mentioned his desire to play for Arsenal under the guidance of Arsene
Wenger. Now, that he has made his first big step forward, getting
straight into the Shakhtar squad, he will have to compete for his
place in the first XI against some of the best midfielders in Ukraine.
He will also have the opportunity to gain some experience alongside
highly-rated players such as Eduardo , Darijo Srna and Dmytro
Chyhrynskyi .
Furthermore, Mkhitaryan will have the opportunity to display his
skills on one of the biggest football stages, the Champions League,
and compete against some of the best defenders and teams in the world.
There is no doubt that if Mkhitaryan reaps the benefits of this
experience and develops his game, he will be able to become a truly
great player and maybe one day even fulfill his dream of playing for
the Gunners.
From: A. Papazian
IMScouting
http://www.imscouting.com/global-news-article/An-Armenian-maestro-dreaming-of-Arsenal-/10241/
Sept 2 2010
Player to Watch - Henrikh Mkhitaryan
Club:Shakhtar Donetsk Nationality:Armenia Age:21 Height:1.78 m /
5.84 ft Weight:72 kg / 158 lbs Position:Attacking mid(C)
Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Ukrainian giants Shakhtar Donetsk 's latest
acquisition, has already been recognized as the best Armenian Player
of 2009 and one of the biggest talents in the Ukrainian league.
It is not surprising that Shakthar agreed to pay an estimated $7.5
million for this starlet's services.
Mkhitaryan just keeps getting better, and without a shadow of a doubt,
a successful time at Shakhtar will pave his way to a more prestigious
league for the young man.
Background and History
Mkhitaryan was born on January 21, 1989 in the Armenia's capital,
Yerevan.
He began his professional career at the local football club, Pyunik
Yerevan , starting to play first-team football in 2006.
And it didn't take long for his talents to shine though.
Mkhitaryan started his romance with Ukrainian football in July 2009
when he moved to Metalurg Donetsk after some tremendous performances
in the Armenian league.
Since the start of 2009, he had scored a staggering 11 goals in 10
games for Pyunik, and he managed to maintain his stunning form even
after the switch to the tougher Ukrainian league.
Mkhitaryan finished the 2009/10 season at Metalurg Donetsk with an
impressive 13 goals and four assists in 35 games and was voted by
the Metalurg fans as team's best player, as well as the best Armenian
Player of 2009 by the Armenian Football Association.
Strengths
Mkhitaryan is an offensive all-round midfielder renowned within
Ukraine for his great technique and passing skills.
He usually likes to play behind the strikers or on the right-wing,
but he can also perform adeptly on the left flank.
Mkhitaryan also has good finishing ability and great killer instincts,
and his many goals come from his ability to catch defenses by surprise.
Mkhitaryan flourishes in a free role, in which he is always on the
move, switching places with his teammates and bursting into the box
from the behind the strikers or from the wings. He has a natural gift
of positioning himself well between opposition defenders and he is
not afraid to gamble in order to get himself into scoring positions.
Containing Mkhitaryan is a hard task and he is expert at getting away
from tight markers.
Weaknesses
Mkhitaryan still has to work on his strength as he seems to lack some
physical toughness. He is not very aggressive and tends to come off
second best in physical challenges. He has to understand that against
elite defenders he will have to be more forceful and that the physical
aspect of the game will be vital.
Mkhitaryan is also not the fastest of players and developing his
physical strength might also give him a boost in speed.
In addition, there is room for improvement on the defensive part of
his game, as he lacks defensive tactical awareness and skills.
Mentality
Together with his good technique and attacking skills, Mkhitaryan is
also a leader on the pitch.
Despite his young age and the short period of time for which he had
been playing for Metalurg, Mkhitaryan became the team captain and
one of their most dominant players. He is also expected to lead the
Armenia national team in the upcoming years and help the progress of
Armenian football.
Current Situation
Mkhitaryan is a very ambitious player.
He has already expressed his desire to move to a better league, and has
mentioned his desire to play for Arsenal under the guidance of Arsene
Wenger. Now, that he has made his first big step forward, getting
straight into the Shakhtar squad, he will have to compete for his
place in the first XI against some of the best midfielders in Ukraine.
He will also have the opportunity to gain some experience alongside
highly-rated players such as Eduardo , Darijo Srna and Dmytro
Chyhrynskyi .
Furthermore, Mkhitaryan will have the opportunity to display his
skills on one of the biggest football stages, the Champions League,
and compete against some of the best defenders and teams in the world.
There is no doubt that if Mkhitaryan reaps the benefits of this
experience and develops his game, he will be able to become a truly
great player and maybe one day even fulfill his dream of playing for
the Gunners.
From: A. Papazian