Solid at the back, but limited on the ball: the Downs dilemma at HSV | OneFootball

For several weeks now, the personnel issue surrounding Damion Downs has sparked numerous heated discussions in the HSV environment.

The 21-year-old, who is on loan from FC Southampton until the end of the season, is still waiting for his first goal for the Red Shorts – even though he has started in five of the eight possible matches. This has been met with great incomprehension among large parts of the fanbase. Many supporters would instead prefer either former second division top scorer Robert Glatzel or the energetic youngster Otto Stange.

However, HSV coach Merlin Polzin has a clear explanation for his regular decisions in favor of Downs. For him, there is much more to evaluating a striker than just the goal tally. “Damion covers many aspects that can help us be successful after 90 minutes,” Polzin emphasizes. Above all, Downs fulfills important tasks against the ball with great care.

Indeed, the US international impresses in this area. His pressing behavior and willingness to run are considered major strengths. “We don’t just evaluate the player based on the solutions he finds in possession, but also on what happens when he doesn’t have the ball. That’s usually significantly more minutes than the other way around,” Polzin explains. Especially in terms of pressing, Downs does many things “extremely well,” the HSV coach continues. With clever runs, the attacker also opens up space for his teammates on the wings or in attacking midfield.

Photo: IMAGO

HSV: Will Downs finally break his duck against Cologne of all teams?

The problem: With the ball at his feet, Downs has so far been completely lackluster. He has failed to make a decisive impact either in finishing or in combination play. His performances as a target man are almost even more disappointing. The loanee only rarely manages to make good use of the high balls from his teammates. The main reason for this is his significant weaknesses in the air. Despite standing at an impressive 1.92m, the right-footer wins only a meager 17 percent of his aerial duels.

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This is exactly where the current dilemma arises. Downs is extremely valuable defensively, but noticeably limited offensively. Before the match against 1. FC Köln (6:30 p.m., Sky), the situation could therefore change. Due to personnel shifts in the attacking area, a place on the bench looms. However, Polzin might also rely on an emotional factor: Downs scored his first Bundesliga goal for Cologne and fired the team back into the Bundesliga last season with ten goals.

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