Eintracht Frankfurt is lagging behind its own ambitions | hessenschau.de
Eintracht Frankfurt is under pressure after the messed up start to the second half of the season and has to reflect on personnel changes. The game at 1. FC Köln is both an opportunity and a danger. There are too many problem children.
At Eintracht Frankfurt, a lot is currently reminiscent of the difficult initial phase of coach Oliver Glasner last summer. The offensive is too harmless, the defensive affords too many bucks, it creaks on all corners. After five games played in the second half of the Bundesliga season, the Hessians have collected as many points as at the same time in the first half of the season: four. A disappointing yield.
“We make too many mistakes and aren’t determined enough,” said sporting director Markus Krösche, summing up the current condition of the team after the 2-0 defeat against VfL Wolfsburg. Eintracht babbles and quarrels, but nobody wants to revise the goal of European competition yet. “Nothing has changed in our ambitions,” underlined Krösche. But that is exactly what needs to be recognizable on the pitch as quickly as possible.
Hasebe back in training
Eintracht, who still only have three points in fourth place in the Champions League despite being tenth in the table, must finally get out of the quark and get back on track at 1. FC Köln on Saturday (6.30 p.m.). After numerous corona cases and discoveries, there are (almost) no longer any restrictions in terms of personnel, but it is now also up to coach Glasner to act a little more courageously and get his two problem children under control.
In the case of the number one problem child, the defensive, another change in the boss position could be imminent. Makoto Hasebe, who sustained a chest injury in Stuttgart two weeks ago, took part in full team training on Wednesday and is at least an option for the starting XI. The Japanese is not yet at 100 percent after a long break, but given the creative crisis of co-captain Martin Hinteregger, a use of Hasebe would ensure more stability and calm.
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ideas
Hinteregger the right man for Modeste?
The only restriction: Since Cologne’s top scorer, Anthony Modeste, returned to training on Wednesday and will most likely make his comeback in the starting XI on Saturday, Glasner also has to decide between Hinteregger’s header strength and Hasebe’s ball security.
Hinteregger is physically stronger and could pull himself out of his low in duels with Modeste. Hasebe, on the other hand, is significantly better in the switching game and opening the game. One thing is clear: Hasebe would be the better solution for problem child number two, the offensive.
In attack, which has also been evident in the parties since the turn of the year, there are currently no ideas. Eintracht finds it extremely difficult, especially against low-lying opponents, the lightness and force of the first half of the final sprint have been completely lost. “The potential and the game idea are there, we’re just not showing it enough at the moment,” admitted game designer Djibril Sow. But how can that change again?
Cologne meets Eintracht
Lever number one would be more courage. Rafael Borré, Daichi Kamada and Jesper Lindström were only three trained attacking players on the field against the staid VfL Wolfsburg, in Stuttgart there were only two without the indisposed Kamada and Filip Kostic. You don’t arouse fear in your opponent that way. Against Cologne Kostic, who is back in full possession, and maybe even Ansgar Knauff should be in the starting XI. Eintracht needs more staff with a train to the gate.
The opponent could actually provide lever number two at the weekend. Steffen Baumgart’s team, who is an advocate of attacking football, will not hole up in their own penalty area and wait for Hessian invitations, unlike the majority of the other teams in the league. The people of Cologne like to play forward and could offer Eintracht exactly the space they need. The pace is there, and this strength could finally come into play again in Cologne.
But it is also clear: If Eintracht should also go empty-handed against the billy goats and once again do not show a good performance, the season is already threatening to come to an end. In the event of a defeat, the Hessians would have to slowly but surely say goodbye to their great ambitions.
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