Convincing at last: Is he the answer to HSV’s attacking woes? | OneFootball

HSV signed Rayan Philippe from Eintracht Braunschweig with high hopes. Against Bayern, the attacking player hinted at his potential for the first time.

The bare numbers are alarming: After three matchdays, Hamburger SV has yet to score a single Bundesliga goal. Alongside the also struggling Borussia Mönchengladbach, the Hanseatic team is the only side without a goal of their own. Over three games, the promoted team accumulated an expected goals value of a meager 1.59, putting them in 18th place. This offensive misery had already become apparent during pre-season.

Injuries to key players like Jean-Luc Dompé and Yussuf Poulsen have further worsened the situation. Both players have only made brief appearances so far and missed the 0:5 defeat in Munich entirely. The promising young striker Alexander Røssing-Lelesiit also still needs time to adapt to the physical demands of the Bundesliga.

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Philippe invigorates HSV’s play after substitution

This made fans pay even closer attention to the substitution of Rayan Philippe in the duel with the record champions. The Frenchman, who scored 13 goals for Eintracht Braunschweig last season and was one of the most eye-catching strikers in the 2. Bundesliga, at least hinted that he could breathe new life into HSV’s sluggish attack. With his speed and good sense for space, Philippe made more of an impact in his short time on the pitch than some other attacking players before him: He created two chances and recorded an expected assists value of 0.43.

Sporting director Stefan Kuntz urged patience after the debacle against Bayern: “Offensively, we need some time. Injuries have set us back, and important new signings arrived late.” It is precisely in this transitional phase that Philippe could play a valuable role. The 24-year-old has been in Hamburg since the start of pre-season, and thus much longer than, for example, last-minute signing Fabio Vieira.

If Philippe can build on the promise he showed against Bayern, he could be exactly the striker HSV so desperately needs. Because at the latest in the home game against Heidenheim, the “Rothosen” want—and need—to score their first goal of the season. Will Philippe get his first start?

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