In the 14th installment of our 18 Bundesliga tactical preview sections to be released here on Get German Football News,it’s time for more problem solving in the case of newly promoted Hamburger SV. The case of this massive, tradition rich club possesses no shortage similarities to their fellow new Bundesliga entrants 1. FC Köln. Merlin Polzin’s team narrowly avoided an embarrassing exit in the first round of the Pokal against a lower tier opponent. In Hamburg’s case, they were nearly done in by fifth-tier-side FK Pirmasnes.
Many Germans – perhaps overly excited to see these Hanseaten back in the top flight just when we thought it would never happen – found themselves greeting HSV’s chances under their young trainer with optimism. It appears we weren’t looking close enough. HSV chief personnel executive Stefan Kuntz enjoys a fabulous reputation after all his years of service to German football. Keeping a tangential eye on Kuntz’s summer additions led us to the false conclusion that he was building a star-studded roster.
Alas, this now appears not to be the case. There remains time to get this squad sorted out, but it remains fragile, unbalanced and (above all) incomplete. We’ll address that, take a look at camp, and assess the Pokal fixture. In a special added feature, we’ll also analyze the snap test scrimmage Polzin called one day after the great escape in the cup. Despite the fact that HSV went 120 minutes on Saturday, Polzin wanted to see 60 more minutes of action on Sunday. Yes, that does qualify as a press of the “panic button”.
Hamburger SV
Kuntz being such a highly respected coach and administrator doesn’t mean that he’s perfect of course. When one takes a closer look at some of the moves, it is questionable as to whether the 62-year-old did the best he possibly could as pertains to putting together something coherent. There were certainly much stronger HSV squads over the past year that didn’t end up achieving promotion, not to mention ones that were run by vastly more experienced head coaches. Figuring out how this works is only the beginning of our problems.
Major personnel shifts, Hamburg
Estimated Summer Transfer Balance = -€1.5 million
We’ll begin with some significant losses. Much as German footballing enthusiasts can’t even comprehend the notion of Davie Selke being a significant figure of any sort, his 22 second division goals from last season will be sorely missed. Ludovit Reis wasn’t exactly as crucial a presence in midfield last year as he had been in previous campaigns, but his departure too shall be felt. The failure to secure a second loan deal for the current midfield linchpin Adam Karabec constitutes a rather big administrative failure.
Upgrades for successul 2. Bundesliga actors such as Sebastian Schonlau, Daniel Elfadli, Miro Muheim, Fabio Baldé, Jean-Luc Dompé, Jonas Meffert, and Otto Stange were sought. In some cases, particularly on the defensive line, they were procured. Jordan Torunarigha, Warmed Omari, and Giorgi Gocholeishvili are meant to give Polzin better options than Schonlau, Elfadli, and Muheim. Whichever defender comes in place of the targeted Luka Vuskovic after the failed Tottenham loan deal is supposed to help the HSV trainer complete a total back-four re-cast.
Argentine midfielder Nicolas Capaldo is intended to be the direct Reis replacement while Holstein Kiel’s Nicolai Remberg ostensibly provides Polzin with an attacking midfield boost ahead of or behind Baldé and Dompé. Rayan Phillippe is meant to spearhead the new-look attack, also augmented by legendary Bundesliga veteran Yussuf Poulsen. Bayern back-up keeper Daniel Peretz was brought in to facilitate a training camp battle between the sticks. The Israeli ended up losing out to Daniel Heuer Fernandes.
Notes from camp, Hamburg
After a couple of easy tune-ups in early July, HSV lost their first test of the offseason 0-1 against FC Copenhagen. Newcomers Philippe, Torunarigha, and Remberg all featured in the starting XI without managing to do much. A high-positioned attacking trident comprised of Philippe, Dompé, and Ransford-Yeboah Königsdörffer produced zero goals. Polzin tried spreading the attacking axis out a bit more in the next friendly against Sturm Graz, but only Robert Glatzel could manage a late goal off the bench in a 1-2 loss. Glatzel would end up scoring the only goal from open play in the last six pre-season friendlies.
A 120-minute scrimmage against Olympique Lyonnais at the end of the month also produced no tallies. The Hanseaten lost by a combined 0-4 scoreline. Poulsen made his unofficial HSV debut, yet remained inconspicuous in his new tricot. Poulsen at least scored from the spot in the next test, the first half of a double header against SC Freiburg. There were nevertheless no more goals in the second half of the twin-bill against the Breisgauer or in the final exhibition against Mallorca, unless one counts the fact that Muheim managed to turn the ball into his own net.
Glatzel, Königsdörffer, and Philippe all failed in their attempts to spearhead the attack. One thing the team wasn’t terrible at, however, concerned their ability to close down space in midfield. Most of the test fixtures remained tight contests for a time. Peretz also let in a howler and had plenty of miscues at the back during the matches he stood in goal. Defensively, die Rothosen often made a decent impression with the notable exception of the Lyon match. Peretz again had his issues during his part in that one.
Winners from camp, Hamburg
Robert Glatzel, CF
The dubious honor of being the only striker to score from open play in the last six preseason friendlies counts for something. For whatever it’s worth, Glatzel did record a blitz hat trick in the first pre-season creampuff friendly; an 8-1 win over TSV Elsdorf. Philippe also looked most exceptional in that fixture, registering two assists and scoring a goal himself. Philippe also picked up one of those ill-defined “pre-assists” with the penultimate pass on a fourth goal. Everyone was happy for at least one afternoon in early July.
The fact remains that most Germans consider Glatzel to be a very good striker worthy of the German top flight. The last time we saw him there – when Cardiff City loaned him out to Mainz for the second half of the 2020/21 campaign – Glatzel scored two Bundesliga goals and registered an assist for Bo Svensson’s Rheinhessen. Glatzel was very much an important component of that team managed to avoid certain relegation with a sensational late run-of-form. Since moving to Hamburg that offseason, he’s scored 71 2. Bundesliga goals.
Glatzel has often been linked with moves to top flight squads, particularly after his initial impressive three HSV seasons in which he struck at or around 20 times three years in a row. The now 31-year-old nevertheless seems to know his “Simon Terodde” limits and has always opted to remain and extend with his second division club. Maybe now that he can no longer avoid having to produce at this level, he’ll be ready to make the step up. He can potentially serve as a hybrid nine or even a ten.
Giorgi Gocholeishvilli, RB
The Georgian makes a decent impression as a right wingback and Polzin has given the 24-year-old more than a few deployments there. Gocholeisvilli’s association with Hamburg (from the Champions League and Euros) has him at least excited to be featuring at the Volksparkstadion this season. The 12-times-capped international also arrived already warm. He contested three Europa League qualification fixtures for Shakhtar before arriving in the city-state. Despite the fact that his Pokal performance left much to be desired, his forward passing game at least appeared to be quite strong.
Nicolas Capaldo, CM
Definitely a fighter. The midfield tandem of Capaldo and Remberg has been one of the few consistent bright spots throughout the preseason. The Argentine has been very effective against the ball and presses with discipline. Capaldo does need to do a better job of providing a creative spark forward. Polzin actually broke up the Remberg-Capaldo partnership in the Pokal, opting to run his new acquisition forward while Jonas Meffert anchored the midfield and Capaldo moved closer to the attack. The fact that this didn’t work is concerning.
Alexander Røssing-Lelesiit, LW
Never heard of this kid and have no idea why Polzin has opted to invest so much trust in him. Presumably, there must be something going on with the 18-year-old that none of us are aware of. Injuries to Dompé and Baldé – along with the continued absence of Immanuel Pherai – led to the January acquisition getting a shot even though there were other options. Okay. After the poor Pokal performance, the teenage talent did at least score in the snap friendly which we’ll also cover below. He could start against Gladbach next weekend.
Losers from camp, Hamburg
Ransford-Yeboah Königsdörffer, LS
Phrew. Germans have long given up on this talent. The fact that Königsdörffer couldn’t earn minutes on one of the historically worst Ghanaian national teams ever proved the final straw. Königsdörffer’s newly promoted Bundesliga club stood fully prepared to give up on him as well until a transfer to Nice fell through at the last moment. After this poor camp, one just doesn’t envision it happening for the 23-year-old as he attempts to step up to the top division for the very first time. Being proven wrong in this case, of course, would be absolutely lovely.
Jordan Torunarigha, CB
Sad. Horribly sad. One of our favorite players is stumbling out of the gate at a time when some of the uglier racial taunts in German football. Torunarigha himself contradicted his supposed “lessons in maturity learned abroad” by picking up a straight red for a vicious tackle a the end of the Mallorca friendly. In general, it’s been a very bad summer for Germans associated with their favorite holiday spot. The author digresses. Torunarigha simply hasn’t looked Bundesliga ready. Horribly sad.
Yussuf Poulsen, LS
A great signing, but was there really a need to name the Dane squad captain? Poulsen has sat out injured throughout most of the pre-season and been mostly forgettable in the few minutes of action he’s seen. Alienating long-time skipper Schonlau wasn’t strictly necessary. The leadership structure of this team suddenly seems whimsical and shallow. If Poulsen can’t keep fit, the whole offseason restructuring from top to bottom gets called into question. So too does the leadership capabilities of the 34-year-old trainer.
Daniel Peretz, GK
Howlers. Poor build-up play. A freak own-goal. Bad stuff all around from yet another one of those falsely presumed Manuel Neuer successors. Technically speaking, Polzin hasn’t officially ruled Peretz out of the race for the No. 1 slot yet. It would come as quite the shock if he chose this 25-year-old. If Polzin installs Peretz, Kuntz might as well consider firing his young trainer on the spot. Tim Walter is free and can come back immediately.
Tactical Scout, Hamburg
To their credit, Polzin’s team did rack up over 80 percent possession during the first half of their opening round Pokal fixture. The manner in which the 3-4-3 circulated the ball amid their ranks remained far too leisurely, but at least it was tight and crisp. Some poor finishing from Königsdöffer and imprecise dead ball takes from Muheim nevertheless meant that HSV absolutely didn’t deserve to take a lead into the tunnel. The fifth-tier side also nearly snatched the lead several times before the opening 45 was out. Polzin reacted with a triple substitution at the break.
Lineup—Hamburg (DFB Pokal)
With this opening hand ineffective Stange, Glatzel, and Baldé came on for Gochocholeishvili, Philippe, and Røssing-Lelesiit. Sorting out the tactical re-format proved difficult as the author isn’t entirely sure there was one. It looked as if everyone was simply instructed to pour forward in pure desperation. Careless defending quickly led to FK Pirmasens grabbing the 1-0 lead in the 53rd.
The favored guests at least reestablished themselves in attack after that. Both Stange and Omari striking the crossbar. Glatzel forced a couple of saves out of the FK Pirmasens keeper. Before late sub Guilherme Ramos scored the late equalizer, Ramos’ fellow later sub Emir Sahiti got a chance in as well. Königsdörffer remained alert enough off an okay Muheim dead-ball service to grab what would prove to be the winner in the 100th.
The match still nearly went to penalties with the Palatinate side coming close to snatching an equalizer on their own superior set-piece plays. The match ended with the heavy underdogs outdoing their “top flight guests” xG wise 3.0 to 1.9. Obviously, Polzin had no choice but to cancel the team’s day off and put them straight back to work.
Lineup—Hamburg (Snap Test)
Three starters from the cup tie thrown right back in. Røssing-Lelesiit and Noah Katterbach scored the goals in a 2-1 win over fourth-tier side SC Weiche Flensburg 08 in a 60-minute-scrimmage. Polzin praised the team’s energy. The three Pokal starters Gocholeishvili, Philippe, and Røssing-Lelesiit didn’t go the full distance, but the latter two did play into the second 30-minute half. Everyone else played for the full 60.
What can we do?
Lineup—Hamburg (Projected)
Far from a complete puzzle, it does at least combine some of the better offseason additions with some of the second division actors who have shown more in recent weeks. A 4-3-3 may seem far too risky an option against Borussia Mönchengladbach at first, but something straightforward characterized by lots of simple long verticals may be precisely what’s needed in order to give this team some chances in front of goal. Call it a “spamming” or “button-mash” set of tactics if one must, but someone needs to score here. Somehow, this team needs to get off the mark.
GGFN | Peter Weis
