Next chance for Downs? How HSV could line up against Gladbach | OneFootball

The second half of the season officially begins for HSV this Saturday. To kick things off, the Red Shorts will host Borussia Mönchengladbach. Here are the probable line-ups.

After the canceled match against Bayer Leverkusen and seven days without a game, there is little reason to expect major rotation. Jean-Luc Dompé and Sambi Lokonga, who would likely have been rested on Tuesday, are fully fit and ready to play. Coach Merlin Polzin will only have to do without Yussuf Poulsen, Warmed Omari, and the suspended Daniel Elfadli.

There is, of course, no getting past Daniel Heuer Fernandes in goal. Meanwhile, homegrown talent Hannes Herrmann will once again take a seat on the bench, as HSV continues to search the transfer market for an experienced backup for their first-choice keeper.

The back three almost picks itself due to Elfadli’s suspension and Omari’s absence. Alongside Luka Vuskovic and Nicolas Capaldo, Jordan Torunarigha will therefore be in the starting line-up. The situation on the wingback positions is more interesting: while Miro Muheim is set on the left, there is a three-way battle on the right between William Mikelbrencis, Bakery Jatta, and Giorgi Gocholeishvilli. After Jatta’s underwhelming performance in Freiburg, Gocholeishvilli could return to the starting eleven.

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The situation in central midfield, on the other hand, is clear. Nicolai Remberg and his more attacking counterpart Sambi Lokonga have so far proven to be the best pairing this season. On the left wing, the choice will likely fall on Dompé, while Fabio Vieira will probably be active in the right half-space. After recovering from illness, his competitor Rayan Philippe only returned to team training later in the week.

But who will start up front? With winter signing Damion Downs, Ransford Königsdörffer, and the now recovered Robert Glatzel, Polzin has three interesting options at his disposal. However, as it is still too early for Glatzel to start, the decision will be between Downs and Königsdörffer. It is quite possible that the US international, on loan from Southampton, will get another chance from the start after a difficult debut in Freiburg.

The probable HSV starting eleven at a glance: Heuer Fernandes – Gocholeishvilli, Capaldo, Vuskovic, Torunarigha, Muheim – Remberg, Lokonga, Vieira, Dompé – Downs

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.