Polzin faces selection headache: Vieira eyes HSV midfield spot | OneFootball

Due to Sambi Lokonga’s absence, Fabio Vieira was allowed to play in his favorite position against Borussia Mönchengladbach. It became impressively clear what an asset he is for HSV’s game in this role.

It was the 25th minute when a loud murmur swept through the Volksparkstadion. Vieira had just outfoxed his Gladbach opponent with a casual backheel trick and then played a precise, space-opening pass to the right wing. Just a few seconds later, with HSV still in possession, he lofted the ball into the opponent’s penalty area with effortless elegance.

Even though these flashes of brilliance ultimately weren’t crowned with a goal, they clearly show what kind of player the Red Shorts actually have in their ranks. In fact, it almost seems like a glitch in the football matrix that a player like Vieira, just before reaching his prime, ended up with a newly promoted Bundesliga side at all. A glitch that was only made possible by a series of fortunate coincidences. Fortunate, from HSV’s perspective.

Because in the fight against relegation, the Hanseatic club secured a difference-maker whose level of quality is rarely found in the lower regions of the table. Just how exceptionally good Vieira is, is underlined by his outstanding stats in chance creation and passing. His scoring output (one goal, three assists) does not yet reflect this.

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This output can at least partly be attributed to the relatively small amount of playing time. Also due to two red cards, the 25-year-old has only been on the pitch for 811 Bundesliga minutes so far.

At the same time, it’s clear that Vieira has rarely been used in his ideal role up to now. Since Nicolai Remberg and Sambi Lokonga are understandably first-choice on HSV’s double pivot, the left-footed technical wizard is often left with only the right wing. And even though Vieira operates there much more as a half-space player than as a classic winger, this positioning does not do justice to his qualities.

This was impressively evident against Gladbach. Alongside Remberg, Vieira was allowed to start in central midfield from the beginning. He immediately took control of HSV’s game and initiated a host of dangerous moments. From a meager 27 touches against Freiburg, when Vieira started on the right, it became 72. “Fabio wanted to show that the performance from the Freiburg game wasn’t our maximum,” Merlin Polzin later explained. “He once again proved us all wrong and showed what qualities he has.”

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However, as early as next week, a return to the unloved wing could be on the cards. Lokonga, who missed the Gladbach match due to a calf injury, will be available again for the city derby against FC St. Pauli. For this reason, Polzin neither wanted nor was able to guarantee his best technician a spot in the center. “As a coach, it’s a great thing when you can choose from such players,” he replied diplomatically—and he’s right. On the other hand, a solution must be found as quickly as possible to maximize Fabio Vieira’s extraordinary qualities on a weekly basis.

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