Merlin Polzin is heading to 1899 Hoffenheim without Patson Daka or Albert Grønbæk, both ruled out with muscle injuries. That leaves Hamburger SV short of attacking options for Saturday's trip, and it leaves Fábio Vieira carrying a bigger share of the load than he has so far.
"That is definitely our task," Polzin said, speaking to SPORT1 as HSV looked for solutions before the game.
Polzin's attacking options
The problem is not subtle. HSV have scored only two goals in the league so far, and they go into the match with just three points and 13 goals conceded as well. Polzin's job is not to dress that up, it is to find a workable front line for a team that has not got much margin left.
Grønbæk's absence takes away one of the few players who had already supplied end product. He had made four Bundesliga appearances, logged 337 minutes and added two assists before the injury setback, while Daka's absence removes another route to goal.
Vieira's pressure point
Vieira is the obvious name to watch because the minutes are there, but the return has not arrived yet. He has made three Bundesliga appearances, played 152 minutes and is still waiting for a scorer point since his return to the Elbe.
Polzin added: "The guys who are on the pitch will know what they have to do to be successful." That sounds basic, but it is the right place to start when the attack is this thin.
Saturday's meeting with 1899 Hoffenheim vs Hamburger SV is the first chance to see whether HSV can get more out of the players left standing.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →
