Cologne head coach René Wagner has suggested that Tottenham Hotspur loanee Mikey Moore could return to the starting lineup for Sunday’s Bundesliga encounter against Bayer Leverkusen. The 19-year-old Englishman has recently found himself relegated to the bench, but Wagner remains convinced that the youngster can make an important contribution to his team’s attacking play.
Speaking at Friday’s pre-match press conference, Wagner indicated that Moore stands a good chance of starting against the Werkself in an important league fixture that qualifies as a regional derby.
“The possibility exists, yes,” Wagner explained when asked whether Moore could return to the starting XI. “The chance that he’ll start is not small.”
The news offers encouragement for a player who has struggled to build upon his promising introduction to German football. Moore made an impressive Bundesliga debut against VfB Stuttgart in September, but has subsequently found consistent attacking contributions difficult to produce.
As examined in Get German Football News‘ assessment of Moore’s Bundesliga debut, the England youth international immediately injected creativity and attacking impetus into Cologne’s performance after entering at halftime during a 4-1 defeat in Stuttgart.
His lively showing earned him a place in Wagner’s starting lineup against Werder Bremen the following week. The Cologne coach also expressed considerable enthusiasm for the prospect of Moore developing an attacking partnership with Said El Mala.
Mikey Moore awaits breakthrough after recent Bundesliga benchings
The teenager’s subsequent development has not been entirely straightforward. After three consecutive Bundesliga starts, Moore was left on the bench for October’s 1-0 defeat against Eintracht Frankfurt as Wagner opted for a more defensive tactical approach.
The Tottenham loanee subsequently returned to the starting lineup against Schalke 04 and featured from the beginning in Köln’s emphatic 5-0 DFB-Pokal victory over Union Berlin. Nevertheless, Moore was once again relegated to the bench when Köln faced Union in the Bundesliga just five days later. Wagner introduced the Englishman in the 61st minute of the 1-1 draw, but the youngster struggled to make a decisive impact.
Wagner subsequently explained that workload management, Moore’s inconsistent performances, and tactical considerations had all influenced his decision. The teenager remains without a Bundesliga goal or assist despite showing flashes of the creativity and technical ability that prompted Köln to pursue his signature throughout the summer.
Wagner nevertheless believes that a breakthrough could arrive at any moment.
“Ultimately, in football, you need that one moment when things simply start to flow,” the Cologne coach explained.
The trainer praised Moore’s continued commitment during training and his determination to contribute when introduced from the bench. Wagner nevertheless identified positional discipline as an area requiring improvement, noting that Moore had occasionally abandoned useful attacking positions against Union’s deep defensive structure.
The Englishman must learn to remain patient and occupy spaces in which his attacking abilities can be most effective.
“He’s young and needs that one moment,” Wagner emphasized. “We believe it will come.”
Cologne continue searching for attacking solutions
Moore’s potential return comes as Cologne attempt to overcome a difficult period in front of goal. As previously reported by GGFN, the club suffered a significant double injury setback during the October international break when Thijs Dallinga and Ragnar Ache were both injured in a friendly against Viktoria Köln.
Dallinga’s serious knee injury has ruled him out for an extended period, while Ache has been working toward a return from a muscular problem. The absences have required Wagner to experiment with different attacking combinations, placing additional responsibility on Moore, Said El Mala, and the club’s other available forwards.
A starting opportunity against Leverkusen would provide Moore with another chance to rediscover the attacking confidence he demonstrated during his first Bundesliga appearances.
It appears that the young Englishman’s club is conce again “Ready for Moore”.
