The desolate 0: 2 defeat against the VfL Wolfsburg last Saturday could not turn on Knauf, yet the 20-year-old promised after his interiors for Danny da Costa in the 70th minute to a bright spot. With pace and playing, he indicated that he can at least expire the team on the right wing.
From the previous quintet Da Costa, Timothy Chandler, Erik Durm, Almamy Toure and Aymen Barkok could not convince any sustainable on this position – the chance for Knauf. “I’ll definitely trust myself. Of course, I have to get used to certain tactical things. But I will do everything to optimally occupy the position and create a certain offensive urge to produce the right side,” explains the Youngster.
“I’ll talk a lot with the coaches”
As from home from offensive players, it is obvious, where he sees his greatest potential for improvement: “I’m definitely not there yet where I have it, I have to strengthen, but also certain weaknesses. Especially when I play on this rail position I’ll further improve my defensive and positioning game. I will talk a lot with the coaches and make video analye so that I will be better. “
Whether and how fast he will prevail against the competition remains to be seen. With his skills in the offensive game, he has the stuff for emergency aid, but coach Oliver Glasner must pay close attention to the balance in the game. With Kostic links and Knauf right threaten in switching moments after ball loss gaps on the defensive outer railways. To play in such an offensive, the highest tactical discipline and diligent work in the game against the ball is needed. However, a wing tong Kostic Knauf sounds pretty tempting and could make the harmony in the game forward more unpredictable. Especially especially the engaged Daichi Kamada and Jesper Lindström are good for surprises anytime.
Anyway, Knauf hopes in the coming one and a half years – as long as he is borrowed from Dortmund without a purchase option – significantly more game practice. “I did this step to get more playing at top level,” reaffirms the winger. Although he had “very much learned” with the BVB professionals, but in the face of the tremendous competition there usually only came to short action. That should be different in Frankfurt. Knauf is self-confident and carefree, but also reflected and down to earth – a promising mixture. The same thing can be said about the almost two years older Jesper Lindström, who has already completed a strong development this season and has been indispensable from the eleven.
On the international stage, Knauf wants to gain further experiences – in the U-21 national team as well as in the European Cup. Ambitious says Knauf: “I appreciate the team very well and firmly assume that we will play around the international squares. We will put everything to qualify for international competition again. This is a goal we With this squad can have – or even. “
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