Image via @VfLWolfsburg_EN on Twitter
Jakub Kamiński played just over 85 minutes for Wolfsburg last night in their 2-0 win against Borussia Dortmund, and it was his best game for his new side in his biggest test so far.
Things were looking up for Kamiński before the match even began. Earlier in the day he had been nominated for the Bundesliga Rookie of the Month award for October, and within the first five minutes of the match he had got in behind the Dortmund defence twice. The first of these runs led to Kamiński setting up Omar Marmoush, who would’ve scored had his shot been either side of Gregor Kobel, and the second led to him winning the corner that Wolfsburg scored their first goal from.
There were a few times in the first half where he lost the ball or passed the ball into the defender, and it would be remiss not to mention this, but he also had a shot cleared off the line and could’ve had a tap-in if Marmoush had looked up when the two of them were through on goal together.
Kamiński’s second half was good too, he played with great discipline on the right wing and nearly scored from a corner again after a scramble in the box. He had another chance when he outpaced Nico Schlotterbeck as the ball was played through on goal, but he dragged his shot slightly wide of the far post.
Going from the Ekstraklasa to the Bundesliga is a big step-up in quality, and so far Kamiński is doing well enough to be in the starting XI on a consistent basis under Niko Kovac, which speaks volumes about his ability. Football is a game of fine margins and on another day he would’ve scored or assisted, but instead we just have to look at his performance beyond the G/A columns.
It was a really encouraging performance and one that will hopefully give Czesław Michniewicz plenty to think about before his 26-man squad is announced tomorrow afternoon. It was a little baffling how Kamiński didn’t get any time on the pitch for Poland in the last round of Nations League fixtures, despite looking like a really good option off the bench when he has been one for the national side (his goal against Wales in Wrocław springs to mind).
I don’t think Kamiński’s place at the World Cup is in doubt, but in my opinion he should be used more often than he has been so far by Michniewicz. The systems Poland play under their current Selekcjoner don’t always suit traditional wingers like Kamiński, but he would be a good option to stretch a defence in the second half, and is clearly capable of delivering crosses of quality and making smart runs in games of the highest level.
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