Soon a starting XI option? HSV’s plan for Poulsen | OneFootball

Yussuf Poulsen is moving step by step closer to the starting eleven at HSV. The captain is still not able to play a full 90 minutes after his injury, but the trend is heading in the right direction.

Coach Merlin Polzin is following a clear development plan with the Dane. The goal is to make Poulsen a real option for the starting lineup again in the foreseeable future.

Recently, the striker’s playing time has been carefully increased. In the northern derby (3:2) against Werder Bremen, Poulsen came on in the 82nd minute and needed just two minutes to score his crucial winning goal. In the 1:4 defeat at Hoffenheim, he was brought on as early as the 78th minute. “We were able to gradually increase it with him,” Polzin explained on Tuesday, making it clear that this development is no coincidence. “If you trust this curve, a bit more will be possible now. That’s the plan we’re following this week.”

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HSV: What role will Poulsen have against Frankfurt?

Specifically, this means: Against Eintracht Frankfurt (13.12, 3:30 p.m.), Poulsen is expected to get more playing time than before. “I can’t specify the exact number of minutes,” said the coach, who maintains “close communication” with his captain given Poulsen’s injury history. However, a starting lineup appearance could still come too soon. “That would be a bigger leap and risky. The question is whether you want to take that risk,” said Polzin. It is therefore more likely that Poulsen will remain planned as a substitute in the last match before the winter break.

It’s no secret that HSV is looking for alternatives up front. Robert Glatzel is out injured, and Ransford Königsdörffer has not been convincing lately. This makes the controlled reintegration of Poulsen all the more important, as his experience is expected to become a decisive factor in the fight against relegation.

On Tuesday, according to a Mopo report, youth player Thierry Sedlatschek was also allowed to train with the first team. The 16-year-old is considered an exciting talent, but currently does not play a role in the Bundesliga squad’s plans.

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