Arsenal duo prepare to help Hamburg secure Bundesliga survival: “We must believe.” | OneFootball

Since their sensational arrival on transfer deadline day, the Arsenal duo charged with helping Hamburg remain in the Bundesliga have had a chance to talk to the German press. Albert Sambi Lokongo and Fabio Vieira know that great things are expected of them at the fledgling HSV. Both Gunners loanees have had a chance to suit up for their new club; coming on together to log 26 minutes as substitutes in a friendly over the international break.

Unfortunately for Lokongo, Vieira, and the HSV in general, Merlin Polzin’s team displayed little bite in a 1-3 loss to Hannover 96. The road does not get any easier as official play prepares to resume either. The mighty German record champions await in next Saturday evening’s Bundesliga “Top-Spiel”. Vincent Kompany’s FCB continue to roll whilst Polzin’s Rothosen continue to flounder.

Lokonga, at the very least, is looking forward to meeting his former head coach at RSC Anderlecht. Kompany – a former HSV player – tapped Lonkonga to serve as skipper at Anderlecht back in 2020. The 25-year-old twice capped Belgian international gets set for a reunion with one of Belgium’s most famous footballers.

“I haven’t seen him for a very long time and I’m looking forward to seeing him again,” Lokonga told Kicker. “I watched the first two HSV games. If we believe in ourselves, anything is possible for us. I’m very happy that Fabio Vieira also came. I was impressed about what [Polzin] already knew about me. The way he talked to me about tactics, my position, and my role was decisive [for my decision to join the club].”

“They quickly convinced me,” Vieira said in a separate Kicker interview. “I’m very happy to be here. I view it as a great opportunity to showcase my footballing skills again. It’s difficult for any professional footballer [to be loaned out as many times as I have], but we’re professional footballers and it’s part of the job. I’ve received a lot of support from my family and I look forward to fulfilling the role intended for me here.”

For his part, Polzin commented on both players following the Hannover friendly. Vieira and Lokongo did supply some extra spark off the bench and the team looked much better in the final 30 minutes of the test fixture. Robert Glatzel was even able to pull a goal back from the penalty spot, ensuring that the Bundesliga newcomers weren’t blanked 0-3 by a 2. Bundesliga squad.

“Both define themselves through solutions with the ball,” Polzin noted in a third Kicker story. “They move a lot in spaces. That is a core quality of both of them. The expectation from them and from me is that we create more danger offensively. We will find a good mix. The quality of the two in possession will work well for us.“

GGFN | Peter Weis