Melikyan Breaks Down Armenia After Defeat to Belarus: Strong Right Flank, Issues in Attack

Following the friendly match against Belarus (1–2), Armenia national team head coach Yegishe Melikyan delivered a detailed analysis of his team’s performance. He գնահատed key players and highlighted the main проблем areas—primarily in attack and on the left flank.

Below is a breakdown of Melikyan’s comments on the Armenia squad.
From Armen Garamyan’s podcast with Melikyan (April 4, 2026).

Right Flank — The Strongest Area

One of the main positives in Armenia’s performance was the right flank, where Kamo Hovhannisyan, Vahan Bichakhchyan, and Artur Serobyan stood out.

Kamo Hovhannisyan

“The right flank was very active largely thanks to Kamo. He played very intelligently, opened up the right spaces, made the right passes and runs. His connection with Bichakhchyan was excellent—I really liked it.

He also often dropped deeper to become a third center-back to initiate attacks, because he does that better than Georgiy Harutyunyan.

I know some people criticize him for losing the ball, but that’s normal. He takes responsibility, takes risks—and losses are inevitable in that case.

For me, Kamo is a very useful player. Smart, intelligent. It’s very good that we have him.”

The coach made it clear he considers Hovhannisyan an important player despite occasional mistakes.

Vahan Bichakhchyan & Artur Serobyan

“Vahan had a very good match. He’s always had character, work ethic, and professionalism. We simply used him correctly in this system, and he showed his best qualities.

In the second half, we moved him into midfield after bringing on Serobyan. Even then, he remained very sharp.

The triangle with Serobyan and Kamo worked perfectly—they created chances and understood each other.

Bichakhchyan and Serobyan play similar roles, but it would’ve been wrong to take Vahan off given his performance. So we used him behind the striker—and it worked.

Overall, Serobyan’s introduction made the game more dynamic.”

Left Flank — A Problem Area

The situation on the left flank raises serious concerns for the coach.

Narek Hovhannisyan

“We have a serious problem on the left flank. Many rely on Zhirayr Shaghoyan, but he’s not in his best form right now. I’ve spoken with him personally—I hope he listens and meets expectations.

As for Narek, he’s a very good player—I’m convinced of that. I will continue to call him up and give him time to adapt. He’s not a starter yet, but he has potential.”

Gor Manvelyan

“Manvelyan came on very well, but he’s more of a joker player right now. He can come in, create danger, shoot, make unexpected passes.

He’s useful for changing games, but not ready to start yet. So yes—the problem on the left flank is very serious.”

Midfield

Tigran Avanesyan

“I really liked him as a person—hardworking, disciplined. But he has limitations. He has his ceiling.

There will be matches where we need him, and others where we don’t. I now understand how to use him. He is needed in the team.”

Georgiy Harutyunyan

“This is not his natural position. He can be used as a defensive midfielder if necessary, but that’s it. He’s not a ‘number six’ by profile.

That’s why we can’t replace Ugochukwu Iwu. We simply don’t have another player like him.”

The key issue in midfield is the absence of a natural defensive midfielder to replace the injured Iwu, who recently underwent surgery.

Attack — The Main Problem

The harshest assessment was reserved for the forwards.

Grant-Leon Ranos

“It’s good that he changed clubs, but he’s still inconsistent. He needs to work a lot on himself.

After the Belarus match, I was disappointed—he missed many chances and lost the ball too often.

If he and Finn Geraghty had converted their chances, we would have won.

So yes—the problem in attack is very serious.”

Finn Geragusian

“I really liked this player—he will help us in the future. Right now, he needs to adapt to senior football and find a club.

I will give him chances in the national team. We need him—there’s no other player like him.”

Team Leaders

Eduard Spertsyan

“Spertsyan is unquestionably a leader and an irreplaceable player.

We discussed a move to Europe. I advised him to leave this summer—later it might be too late. But the decision is his and the club’s.”

Nair Tiknizyan

“He is also irreplaceable and one of the leaders. We had a moment in the past—I even said he wouldn’t play for the national team again.

But we talked, I explained my vision, and gave him another chance. He understood everything.

I don’t have personal attitudes toward players—but some situations must be handled correctly.”

Defense — Healthy Competition

Styopa Mkrtchyan

“Moving to the 2. Bundesliga is the right step—if he plays. He’s still adapting.

He’s not better or worse than Sergey Muradyan—they must compete for a place.”

Julio Bueno

“I’m very happy we brought him in—we needed him. I don’t understand why he’s blamed for the two goals—we analyzed everything, and it wasn’t his fault.

He has strong qualities but must adapt to my style. His aerial ability stood out—he dominated near-post duels. That’s very important for us.”

Nations League — Group Assessment

Melikyan also оценил Armenia’s chances in the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League, where they will face Latvia, Montenegro, and Cyprus in League C Group 2.

“We are capable of finishing first, and we will aim for that. But all teams in the group are equal—every match will be 50–50.

We must fight in every game. Even second place won’t be a failure if we show competitive football.”

Conclusion

Armenia heads into the summer with a clear picture: a well-established and effective right flank, but serious concerns on the left side, in midfield balance, and especially in attack.

The team will play two more friendlies against Kazakhstan and Moldova, which will serve as key preparation for the Nations League старт in September. Melikyan is expected to continue experimenting with lineups and combinations.

The coach made it clear he is generally satisfied with the current squad, but no final decisions have been made. He will continue monitoring players throughout the spring, with particular expectations placed on Shaghoyan’s potential improvement on the problematic left flank.

At the same time, the attacking line remains the biggest concern. In this context, attention may gradually shift toward younger forwards like Albert Aleksanyan and Artur Garibyan, both of whom possess strong physical attributes but are still at an early stage of their development.

Armenia enters a new cycle with clearly defined strengths—and equally clear weaknesses. The coming months will show whether Melikyan’s team can find the right balance ahead of the decisive Nations League matches.

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