Patrik Schick was a dedicated player who managed to score 11 goals in his debut season in Serie A in 2016–17. He was physically strong in the box and had an advantage over defenders in the air thanks to his height. You have a very handy player indeed when you combine this with a wonderful touch with his left foot and the capability of finding the back of the net. After progressing through the youth ranks at his native club Sparta Prague, Sampdoria of Serie A decided to sign him after he spent a season on loan with Bohemians 1905 and scored eight goals during that time. He was breaking into the league at age 21, in excellent shape, and performing at a high level.
Since joining the Roma club, Chic has failed to live up to fans’ expectations and has failed to replicate his Sampdoria form. With Eden Dzeko being Roma’s main striker, Schic had few opportunities to play and when he got his chances, he was used on the wing, not his best position. As a result, he endured the worst, scoring just eight goals in all competitions for Rome. Chic’s career seemed to be heading in the wrong direction and things needed to change. Prior to his 2019/20 season, Roman Chic had been loaned to RB He Leipzig, but the Bundesliga have regained some of his form since moving to the club. In his 18 appearances in the Bundesliga he has scored 9 goals, 12 of which he has scored in 11 starts, averaging a staggering 0.77 goals in 90 minutes. He has shown consistency under manager Julian Nagelsmann and has adapted well to his 4-4-2/4-2-2-2 formation at Leipzig.
Nagelsmann now has Chic playing up front with Timo Werner and it seems to be working well. Both players attacked, ran on time, found each other on walks, created space and created many chances. As a result, Chic had a total of nine shots during the game. In the weeks leading up to his 4-2 win against 1.FC Köln last night, Leipzig striker Yussuf He Poulsen was beaten by injury, keeping him out for the time being. In the last two games, Schick scored his two goals against Cologne, stepping up in Denmark’s absence and making a big contribution.
He ran brilliantly into the box throughout the match, finding space between the defenders and scoring the first goal of the game, when Angelino delivered a spectacular cross from the left flank. He headed a cross from the left back and equalized in a timely manner. The partnership between Poulsen and Werner has worked well for Leipzig, but an injury to the former has meant the club has been lucky to have a suitable replacement this season. The win against Cologne saw Leipzig fall back to his third position behind Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. Champions The competition for his last three spots in the league has been heating up in recent weeks, and Schick may have set himself up at the best possible moment. This opportunity may have been what he needed to get his career off the ground.
