Season Preview: 2022/2023

 

Bundesliga Season Preview (2022/2023) – Eintracht Frankfurt

Basics: Full Name: Eintracht Frankfurt e.V.
Nicknames: Die Adler (The Eagles); S.G.E.; Launische Diva (Moody Diva) Founded: March 8th, 1899 

Club Colors: Black, White,(Schwarz - Weiss Vie Schnee!) and Red.
Primary Rivals: Kickers Offenbach, Mainz ‘05, 1. FC Kaiserslautern,
Fan Friendship: Oldham Athletic (England)
Stadium: Duetsche Bank Park (Das Waldstadion)

Year Built: 1925 Capacity: 51,500 2017-2018
Attendance: 444,750 (26,162 per match; 5th in Bundesliga)
Trophies: 

• German Championship – 1959 
• DFB Pokal – 1974, 1975, 1981, 1988, 2018 
• 2.Bundesliga – 1997/1998 
• UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League – 1979-80 , 2021-22
• UEFA Intertoto Cup – 1967 2019/2020

Kits:

Coach: Oliver Glasner

2020/21 Bundesliga Position: 5th DFB

Pokal Result: Lost in Second Round

Roster Changes:

Additions: Lucas Alario, Jens Petter Hauge, Mario Götze, Kristijan Jakic, Hrvoje Smolčić, Randal Kolo Muani, Aurélio Buta, Faride Alidou, Marcel Wenig.

Returning from Loan: Ali Akman, Fynn Otto, 

Players Leaving: Steven Zuber, Dominik Kohr, Rodrigo Zalazar, Danny da Costa, Aymen Barkok, Stefan Ilsanker, Martin Hinteregger, Erik Durm, Enrique Herrero, Martin Pecar, Elias Bördner, Ragnar Ache, Antonio Foti, Sam Lammers

2021/2022 Overview: 

It was a season of two faces......as if Jekyll-and-Hyde had enchanted our beloved Diva and turned her into something better, and worse.  The magical run through Europa League was the most exhilarating experience I had ever had as a fan of Eintracht Frankfurt.  The 11th place finish in the Bundesliga Table was among the most disappointing.  Along the way were historic victories (2-1 vs. Bayern in Munich), and heartburn-causing defeats (SV Waldhof in the DFB Pokal, the opener vs. Dortmund, Hertha, Bochum, Bielefeld).  The season had more good than bad, however, as Die Adler qualified for Champions League for the first time.  

While it was a season with ups and downs, it was also a season of refinement for the Eagles as new players, a new system, a new coach, and a new Front Office began to reshape the Eagles after the departure of Adi Hutter, Fredi Bobic, and Andre Silva. Oliver Glasner worked hard to create continuity and install his system, and in the end had a team that didn't really excel at anything.  11th in Goals Scored, 7th in Goals Against, and Eintracht's -4 Goal Differential was 10th in the Bundesliga.  Despite Kevin Trapp's brilliant and often Super Heroic play, Eintracht kept only 5 clean sheets on the year, ranking 14th in the league.  What really hurt the most was the fact they scored 25 goals less than the year before, and newcomer Rafael Santos Borre continuously struggled to find footing and space in front of the net.  Borre's 8 goals paced the team, however, it was a far cry from the productivity we've seen at the striker position over the last decade.  Couple that with inconsistent performances from key playmaker Daichi Kamada and Eintracht were constantly chasing goals they couldn't get, only to give one up by chasing the goal.  

There were bright spots.  Newcomers Jesper Lindstrøm, Angsar Knauff, and Kristijan Jakić were terrific additions to the team and helped carry Eintracht to an unbeaten Europa League run.  Filip Kostic was......well....Filip Kostic, and the combination of Tuta and Evan N'Dicka were solid all year long.  The culmination of the season, a trophy-winning performance in the Europa League, a performance this fan base has been yearning for, was almost worth the 4 decades' wait.  Borre and Trapp secured their statues outside Deutsche Bank Park, and the Frankfurter Römer was soo festive it made Mardi Gras look tame.  

2022-23 Outlook:

The biggest story of this offseason is a part of the squad that has been desperately missing: depth.  Most importantly attacking depth.  The additions of Kolo Mauni, Gotze, and Alario will give Oliver Glasner a myriad of weapons to bring in late-game energy, adjust tactics and the starting 11, and give flexibility in squad rotations.  For the last several years, Eintracht hasn't had the depth of squad to compete in two or three competitions at once.  With the depth added this offseason, there shouldn't be much drop-off from game to game and will allow Glasner to keep fresh legs for all three fronts.

The additions of Smolčić and Onguéné are much needed after the departures of Martin Hintiregger and Stefan Ilsanker.  Overall, this squad should be in much better shape than it has been at any point in the last 12 years, and the amazing part is how much of it came on free transfers.  

Position Outlook:

Goalkeeper

Kevin Trapp, Jens Grahl, Diant Ramaj, Matteo Bignetti

Kevin Trapp returns between the posts for his 8th term in Black and White.  Trapp was simply brilliant last season and was arguably the best Keeper in Germany.  Trapp's fiery leadership and intensive style are the driving force behind Eintracht's success over the last 4 years.  Trapp posted his best statistical season since he returned to Frankfurt, allowing a Frankfurt-best 1.31 goals against/game, posted a save percentage of 73.7% (best ever for him at Eintracht, third best in the Bundesliga), stopped  152 shots (1 off his career high), and posted a career-best 17 wins on the year.  He was THE reason Eintracht won the Europa Pokal against Rangers. Not only his penalty stop but also the unbelievable save he had to keep the game 1-1 in the 119th minute.  Trapp should be able to write whatever history here he wants, as he's signed through 2024, and should end his career at Deutsche Bank Park.  Grahl, Ramaj, and 18-year-old Matteo Banetti may see some spot time as the year goes on, but don't look for any of them to make any noise.

Central Defense:

Evan N'Dicka, Tuta, Almamy Touré, Jérôme Onguéné, Hrvoje Smolčić, Makoto Hasebe. 

Evan N'Dicka returns to lead the backline for the 2022 season.  N'Dicka is an enormously talented and highly underrated defender.  The tall (6'4"), super athletic defender is the cornerstone to the Eintracht defense.  N'Dicka led all defenders and was second in the Bundesliga in Arial Duels won (151, 184 across all competitions), led Eintracht in dribblers tackled (49), blocks (104), balls recovered (457) clearances (160), tackles (89), passes completed (2028), and ranked fourth in interceptions (90) across all competitions. Add to that his 4 goals, 4 assists, 85.4% passing efficiency, and 100 progressive passes completed and N'Dicka is as talented and well-rounded a defender as you will find in Germany. He is also a workhorse, posting 43 starts (44 appearances) and playing 3,916 minutes.  Only Kevin Trapp posted more.  

N'Dicka will be coupled with two lightning-quick and extremely smart defenders: Tuta and Toure.  The latter two are tough gritty defenders, locking down the right side of attacks.  Toure had a very low-key but excellent season last year, spending much of the time on the bench in favor of Makato Hasebe and Martin Hintiregger.  It wasn't until October he began to see any regular playing time, and he took over for the injured Hinteregger late in the year.  Toure started both legs of the matchups against Barcelona and West Ham, and started the final over Rangers after not seeing the field for almost all of January, February, and March. Tuta started last year off rough, losing time after the defeats to Manhoff and Dortmund.  He managed to work his way into solid form, and after October was a mainstay in the starting 11.  Tuta managed to pitch in over 3,000 minutes on 37 starts, both better than his accumulated career total entering the season.  With these three, Eintracht has a young and athletic back line they can grow with.  

The ageless Makato Hasebe returns for what is most likely his last season as a player.  Signing an agreement to play one more year with the Eagles before moving into a coaching role, the 38-year-old will provide quality depth in the starting 11 and off the bench.  Onguéné has the chance to be dynamic. He's tall, fast, has good instincts, and has the physicality to win the ball back in the box.  He is very reminiscent of a right-footed, slightly shorter, Evan N'Dicka.  Smolčić is a steady, left-footed veteran defender that will add depth and can hopefully take some of the workload off of N'Dicka.  Despite the loss of #HintiArmy, this unit is very deep and extremely talented.

Midfield.

Sebastian Rode, Djibril Sow, Makoto Hasebe, Daichi Kamada, Jesper Lindstrøm, Ajden Hrustic, Mario Götze, Kristijan Jakić, Mehdi Loune, Marcel Wenig

Is there a bigger sign that this is not the same ol' Eintracht way of doing business than the bringing in of Mario Götze?  While far from the Götze of the World Cup-winning DFB, Götze is a smart veteran who will bring experience, toughness, and lots of energy to this midfield.  This move is basically a higher-powered version of the Sebastian Rode move that has worked out soo well for Eintracht.  Götze has the ability to revitalize his career in Germany after a two-year stint with PSV Eindhoven.  Super Mario can still make plays, posting 10 assists in over 3,000 minutes in 2022, and with the weapons around him in Frankfurt, you can expect for Götze to really cause problems to the opposing defense.  The key piece of this offseason, Götze and Eintracht are a perfect pairing.  Eintracht doesn't NEED Götze to be the star, they just need him to be a piece of the puzzle.  There are enough players around him that all he needs to do is relax and make the right play, and there should be plenty of opportunities for him to do that this year.  What Eintracht needs the most out of Götze is consistency, something they desperately lacked last year with Daichi Kamada and Jesper Lindstrøm.  While both made plays and Lindstrøm was named  Bundesliga Rookie of the Year, they both had a bucketload of plays they simply didn't make.  

Kamada, much like Eintracht over the years, has been a player of two faces.  There's "Bundesliga Kamada", who is wildly inconsistent and often unable to make the final play.  Then There's "Every Other Competition Kamada", who is a star.  In the last two European Campaigns, (2019/20; 2021/22) Kamada has 11 goals and 3 assists in 1,800 minutes played. In 2021/22, Daichi had 4 goals and 3 assists in 2,100 Bundesliga Minutes, in 2019/2020, he had 2 goals and 4 assists in 1,900 Bundesliga minutes.  His best season in Frankfurt came with no European competition.  Jesper needs to make a big jump this season, and while he flashed the ability to hit scorchers into the back of the net, he also seemed to struggle with the physicality and pace of play that the Bundesliga brings.  Aidjen Hrustic will also be in the mix, look for him to add rotational/bench minutes throughout the year.  

The strength of this Eintracht team will be in its defensive midfield.  With Rode, Jakic, and Sow Eintracht have a high-energy, hard-nosed, blue-collar midfield that will fight for the ball all over the pitch.  Sow was one of the Bundesliga's most productive defensive midfielders last year:

548 Pressures - 7th Best among midfielders.

69 Tackles - 8th 

70 Interceptions - 5th 

302 Recoveries - 10th 

Sow is a gnat in the midfield, buzzing around and making everyone uncomfortable.  He's the most important part of the midfield, he sets the tone with his energy and work rate.  Rode and Jakic are both rough, rugged defenders who bring tenacity and physicality to the midfield, and the ability to break lines with the pass.  I mean, who doesn't remember this?

Loune and Wenig are both intriguing young prospects who may see time in friendlies or Pokal matches but would be surprised if either passes 100 minutes played.

Wings/Wingbacks:

Filip Kostic, Timmy Chandler, Ajden Hrustic, Jens Petter Hauge, Feride Alidou, Ansgar Knauff, Aurélio Buta, Jan Schröder, Christopher Lenz.

The best news of this offseason is that Filip Kostic is still here.  2021/22 was the first year since his arrival that Kostic didn't lead the Bundesliga in crosses from open play, and still managed to get in 71 more than the 3rd place finisher.  He is the machine that drives the attack, but Eintracht has become less reliant on him in a good way.  Ansgar Knauff has helped balance out the attack, giving the Eagles the ability to attack down both sidelines.  Both Kostic and Knauff are two-way players, tracking back and attacking opposing ball carriers and playing the passing lanes like angry dogs.  The duo help stretch the field both vertically and horizontally because they are a constant threat to beat teams in behind.  As big as Kostic has been for Eintracht over the last 3 years, the best signing of last year was bringing Knauff in on loan from Dortmund.  Knauff's right-footed laser beam in the 48th minute of the second leg against Barcelona secured advancement by Die Adler, and his header 48 seconds into the opening matchup against West Ham helped pave the path to the Championship, and his perfect square back that found Borre right in front of the net secured it.  Knauff made big plays in big moments from the moment he put on the Black and White.

While this pair streaks up and down the touchline like banshees, there is a notable dropoff in ability between them and their relief.  Lenz, Hauge, and Hrustic are a large step down from the two above them, and Timmy Chandler has lost a step or two along the way.  While Hauge and Hrustic can get forward and threaten the defense, they aren't quite as fast and are not the crossing threats of the first group.  Lenz and Chandler are solid defenders, but not quite as dangerous going forward.  The newcomers, Alidou and Buta, offer the same athleticism but are young and unproven.  Alidou did manage 1,200 minutes and posted 2 goals and 3 assists last year for Hamburg in the 2. BLiga, but will need to make a jump to the next level if he hopes to make an impact. Buta should be a depth/rotational piece who could work his way into the rotation as the year goes on.

Striker:

Rafael Borré, Randal Kolo Muani, Lucas Alario, Gonçalo Paciência, Ali Akman

Quality depth at striker was the largest need of the offseason.  While Borre struggled to adjust to the Bundesliga and find the back of the net with consistency, there was no one behind him that could offer any form of help.  The additions of Lucas Alario and Randal Kolo Mauni are not only huge depth pieces but give Glasner guys that can actually push Borre for playing time.  RKM is electric, his straight-line speed is world-class, and has good feet for a player of his size (6'2").  He's not only tall, but has a good frame and while the physicality of Bundesliga defenders will take some time to adjust to, he's not scared to throw a shoulder into a defender while fighting for the ball.  He can also do something this team has sorely missed since Sebastian Haller: simply go get the ball.  He has excellent leaping ability and at 6'2" he can get to balls most Bundesliga defenders won't be able to and his speed allows him to run past most defenders and get to balls others can't. It should be much more shocking that Eintracht was able to get him on a free transfer than it was, but it's a story that hasn't had much publicity.

 Alario is an also excellent addition.  The veteran Bundesliga striker scored .81 goals per 90 minutes over the last two years, which would have placed him 4th in the Bundesliga if he'd had enough minutes to qualify.  Alario is smart, finds positions well, and can really put his head on the ball.  He's a fantastically accurate shooter, posting shot-on-target percentages of 48.6% and 56.5% the last two years.  Behind them is the ever-dependable Gonçalo Paciência.  Paciência will see a drastic drop off in playing time during these campaigns, but is a terrific locker room guy and needs to be around.  Ali Akman returns after his stint in the Netherlands.  The 19-year-old knocked home 6 goals and 0 assists in just over 1500 minutes played for NEC Nijmegen in 2022.  With this group, Eintracht has a very talented, very deep group that will allow Glasner to play 1,2, or even 3 of them together if he wants.  With Alario, Muani, and Gotze in tow, Eintracht will add roughly 15 goals this year in league play.

 

Synopsis:

This is the most talented group of Eintracht players, top to bottom, that we've seen here in a while.  They have plenty of depth at most key positions, especially the midfield, forwards, and back line. While there have been better top-end individuals, this group has a chance to be special.  If they can gel and come together, this could easily be the best Eintracht group since the 1990s.  The fact that there was addition without subtraction should help, and some of the additions should ensure that Eintracht can have a high-energy squad for 90 minutes on a day-in, day-out basis.  Glasner should have a lot of fun with this group, and it should be a ton of fun to watch.  This team should be about 10-15 goals better than last year, and while losing Martin Hintiregger will change the defense a little, they are actually more athletic in covering space without him.  Playing in 3 campaigns could wear down some of the positions without much help (Kostic, Knauff), the other positions are more than equipped to handle the load.  Glasner's high-pressing system with this group will wear down opponents, and you'll see Eintracht pick up 3 points more often than last year, especially in league play.  One of the major problems last year was the inability to consistently pick up 3 points against the team below them in the table, especially in Deutsche Bank Park.  This year's team will be different.

The Eagles have proven over the years that they are up to the task of playing with Europe's best, especially La Liga and English Premier League opponents. There is enough firepower here to make noise in their Champions League group, and the early rounds of the knockout stage.  Today's win over Magdeburg in the DFB Pokal was convincing, and Eintracht should be looking for another deep run in this competition as well.  This has a chance to be a magical year, as long as the Diva doesn't rear her head too often.

Prediction: 

Eintracht has the talent to be a top 4 team, but with the stress of balancing their first Champions League appearance and making a run in the DFB Pokal, they will finish 8th. They will make it to the round of 16 in both Champion's League and the DFB Pokal.

Key Stretch: Match Days 1-4. Eintracht should pick up 7-9 points from this stretch, and will need it to kick the season off right.  Versus Bayern in Frankfort is a great test to start the season, and Eintracht have 3 very winnable games after that.  The Eagles need to 

Thanks again for reading,

#ForzaSGE

Brian

Europa's beste Mannschaft: „heute ist es mehr als nur ein Lied“

 

When I first started following Eintracht in December of 2013, I didn't know anything about anything. I didn't understand what a relegation battle was, I didn't understand what it meant to stay up, I didn't know the history of this club or any of it's players.  I barely knew anything about soccer! I only knew one thing: the supporters that followed this club were unlike anything I'd ever seen and I wanted to be a part of it.  Along the way, I fell in love with players, coaches, this sport, and this club.  Being an American, we just don't have this kind of experience here (at the Professional level at least).  10 years, and much heartbreak later, Eintracht Frankfurt has found the PERFECT way to bless it's supporters.  The Europa League win was a perfect ending to this ride, and hopefully the mark of great things to come.  I'm hoping this isn't the finish line, Die Adler are marked in their starting blocks.

Europa's Beste Mannschaft:

You better believe we are.  We have been for a while, only now we have some hardware to prove it.  In a hard-fought battle against a good squad, Eintracht went out and earned the title. In Europa League, Eintracht was perfect.  8-5-0, outscoring their opponents 20-13 along the way, and slaying every giant that had the audacity to step in their path.  Fenerbahçe?  Not good enough to beat us.  Real Betis?  So long, farewell, Auf Wiedersehen goodni-ight.  Barcelona?  Not only did we take you down, but we also now have the paperwork for Camp Nou. You should know by now that Spanish clubs can't beat us.  Tschüß! West Ham?  Knauf and Kamada wrapped that one up real quick.  It's been nice seeing you here, but this is our party.  And finally, Rangers.  Legendary traditional powerhouse.  Much respect, you put up a tremendous fight, but we're here to prove that Europa's beste Mannschaft: „heute ist es mehr als nur ein Lied“.  

As I sat in my apartment in Houston, Tx, screaming at the top of my lungs for every second of that match, pacing back and forth, pointing at the television, and fighting back tears when it was over, I couldn't help but think about what all the fans in Germany were feeling.  Eintracht Internationale, after all, is a global enterprise.  I can't imagine what this means to soo many Mitglieder who have been with this club for generations.  As I sit and watch this celebration on Eintracht.Tv I can kind of grasp the concept, and oh how I wish I was there!  You are what make Eintracht Frankfurt Europa's Beste Mannschaft after all. This team, this club, these fans, from Peter Fischer to the grounds crew, every single bit of it is first class.  We don't need a trophy to say how great we are, but it feels good to get one!  It's a beauty too.

Schwarz-Weiss wie Schnee!

Das ist der S.G.E. indeed.  We don't just have the D.F.B. Pokal, we have (another) Europa Pokal trophy to add to the collection.  Seeing the scenes of the 10's of thousands of Eintracht fans marching to the stadium, and seeing the end of the stadium filled with white shirts (and a few of my friends who made the trip from America to be there) was beautiful.  At kickoff, you could tell this was going to be a fight.  Rangers is a physically tuff, strong team, and they play with the pride of a powerhouse club.  They wanted it just as bad as we did and they didn't lay down.  Eintracht completely dominated the run of play for the first 30 minutes of play.  Firing 10 shots (3 on target) to Rangers 2.  It seemed that not even a boot to the head was going to stop them (how was this not at least a Yellow Card by the way?????). Eintracht was punishing Rangers on the counter, they were hitting them with combo play in the midfield, and they were ending almost every possession with a shot.  11 minutes in when Toure found Daichi Kamada behind Rangers' backline, the first serious threat appeared.  Daichi couldn't get the ball back to his right foot, but Djibril Sow managed to find the rebound and fired a good one to the top corner of the back post which Allan McGregor (as he was most of the night) was on top of.  Knauff (19:29), N'Dicka off an errant shot by Lindstrøm (20:07), and Sow again less than a minute later (20:53) all had clean looks to put the Eagles in front. Filip Kostic blasted a deflection just over the goal (29:46) and minutes later snatched a terrible Rangers pass off his chest and raced down the left touchline to fire a patented far post bender that just went just wide.  Over the first 45 minutes of play, Eintracht was by far the most dangerous team.  Rangers threatened seriously only once when Joe Aribo found a pocket of space in front of the 18 and blasted a left-footer about 3 feet wide of the goal.  You had a feeling it was just a matter of time.

Eintracht vom Main, nur du sollst heute siegen:

Even when Rangers capitalized on an untimely Tuta injury to sneak one past Kevin Trapp (56:19) I never felt we were losing.  Sow and Rode were dominating the midfield, and we were killing them on the counter.  We were going to find a way through.  You could see the mood of the players change after Aribo found the back of the net, but the team didn't look disparaged or down, they seemed to look more focused.  The lads immediately came right back. Kostic hit a deep cross to Knauf who stuck a beautiful ball to Lindstrøm in the middle of the box.  Lindstrøm hit a laser that found the stomach of Calvin Bassey right in front of the net (58:39).  Kamada had the best chance of the game (66:22) but he floated the shot on top of McGregor's net after he rushed a shot with time and space.  The chance was set up by tremendous pressure by Rafael Borré, who rushed Connor Goldsten after a back pass and a poor touch.  Borré forced a bad pass, which Rode broke and made an amazing play on.  In one motion, he slid in front of John Lundstram (who was breaking back to the ball), stretched out his right foot and flicked the ball to Kamada in the pocket.  Daichi tried to go far post, but McGregor had cut off that angle and left the near post wide open.

Schiess noch ein Tor, dem Gegner ist den Kasten rein:

It didn't take long for Eintracht to finally level the score.  In the biggest game of this club in 40 years, who better to combine for the equalizer than Kostic and Borré.  (68:56) Kostic fired a low cross in a place that only Rafael Borré's right big toe could reach.  Borré bullied his way in between Rangers center-back pairing and just managed to flick it to the near corner.  For these two to make this play, in this game, at this moment was beautifully poetic.  While their work was far from finished, it was the setup for things to come.  

Even though almost an hour of play would come after this, Eintracht needed this moment.  Borré had one last chance to win it (94:50), as he had found his way in behind the Rangers defense and was streaking towards the goal.  You could tell that he just ran out of steam, the defense caught up and managed to knock the right footer out of bounds.  The defense had set in.  Makato Hasabe, Evan N'Dicka, and Almamy Toure were almost unbreakable.  Almost.....with one exception.  117 minutes, 33 seconds into the game Super Man made an appearance.  With Rangers seriously threatening on the counter, Kemar Roofe raced behind the defense to track down a ball just before it crossed the end line.  Roofe fired a cross that took a slight deflection off Makato Hasebe's leg and bounced across the front of goal with Ryan Kent racing to it.  Trapp tracked the ball and just managed to flying kick his right leg to block it.  The man who saved Eintracht game after game this year had just made the biggest and most unbelievable save of his career.  The save without a doubt secured the game, and he had two more in his bag.  Trapp secured Ranger's last threat (120:00), and while it didn't seriously challenge him it put a stamp on a game that he was about to win.

In diesem Jahr:

It all came down to penalties.  What was one of the most beautiful penalty battles I've ever seen, Eintracht was flawless.  

Rangers: James Tavernier hits right at Trapp, Trapp dives right.  1:0

Eintracht: Christopher Lenz goes upper right corner, McGregor guesses wrong 1:1

Rangers: Steven Davis perfectly places one in the top right corner, Trapp guesses wrong, 2:1

Eintracht:Ajdin Hrustic blasts one lower-left corner, McGregor guesses wrong 2:2

Rangers:Scott Arfield crushes one top left corner, Trapp guesses correctly, but still can't stop the shot 3:2

Eintracht:Daichi Kamada equals Arfield, hits the right post on a scorcher, ball gets around McGregor who guessed correctly 3:3

Wasn't it perfect, that the end of this season, and the end of this Pokal, ended in the hands of Kostić, Borré, and Trapp?  The game was about to turn, and two players secured their fate as Eintracht legends, one opened his page.

Rangers:Aaron Ramsey slow runs up to the ball.  Kevin Trapp leans to his right.  Ramsey hits one right to Kevin Trapp's spot, guessing he's diving out of the way.  Trapp holds his ground, kicks out his left foot and knocks it away. 3:3

Eintracht:Filip Kostić goes lower right corner.  McGregor guesses correctly, but Kostic places it perfectly and puts enough on it the keeper has no chance.  3:4

Rangers:Kemar Roofe goes low left.  Trapp guesses correctly again, but Roofe blasted it and Trapp couldn't get to it. (4:4)

Eintracht:Rafael Borré goes upper left, McGregor guesses correctly again.  Rafael put it just high enough McGregor couldn't get it. (4:5) Good guys win.  GOOD GUYS WIN.

Final thoughts:

Players come, and players go, but Eintracht remains:  

The fondest and most heartfelt goodbyes to Stefan Illsanker, Danny da Costa, and Aymen Barkok.  May your next post find you the most success.  Danny da Costa has been one of my favorite Eagles, and I'm sad to see him go.  

This is going to be the best offseason:

Not only is all of Eintracht Internationale celebrating like we are Martin Hinteregger, we have some young, exciting players already on their way.  Let's hope we can keep the band together for this Champion's League run, and add a few more pieces to them.

Eintracht Internationale, this is but a step.  Dare to dream BIG:

You guys and this club have earned it.  One day in my lifetime, we will take down Bayern München and hoist the Meisterschale.  One day, we will look back in remembrance of this Europa Pokal, as we lift a Champions League trophy.  I don't know when, but it's going to happen.  Eintracht aus Frankfurt,du schaffst es wieder, Deutscher Meister zu sein.  

Bis zum nächsten Mal:

Next year is bringing much change for me, and hopefully a lot more time for writing this blog that I love soo much.  Thank you to everyone who reads.  It's crazy for me anyone reads this at all.  Love you guys, and love this team.  EUROPA'S BESTE MANNSCHAFT S.G.E.

Forza S.G.E.

Brian

Liebe Eintracht: We're about to win a trophy. "Some Do's and Don'ts" during the game.

So, admittedly (and if you know of the other teams I follow), it's been a while since any of my favorite teams have had a chance to win a major trophy of any kind.  But I do have some experience in cheering on the guys playing for them, and I have seen almost all of my favorite teams hoist a major trophy at the end of a season.  The Dallas Cowboys (1992, 1993 & 1995), the Dallas Mavericks (2011), the Dallas Stars (1999), the Houston Dynamo (2006, 2007) and our beloved Eagles hoisted the DFB Pokal at the end of the 2018 season.   While some of us may be new to this, there is a definite protocol in terms of behavior in order to secure our team a trophy and represent the best fan group on the planet: Eintracht Internationale.  So, from a seasoned veteran, let me share with you some game-day rituals and superstitions that are for sure going to give Die Adler the energy they need to finish this off.

*Author's Note:  This piece is complete satire and designed to be funny.  Please take any outrage at this post somewhere else.  I'm a fan first and a blog writer.  Everyone just chill and have some fun.*

Game Day Do's and Don'ts.

Do:

Wear your lucky charms.  All of them.  If you have to wear two Eintracht Trinkos (Frauen and Manner......not that I'm pointing at you @Najakwa......but I'm pointing at you @Najakwa), then it is ultra necessary on Wednesday, May 18th.  If you have bracelets, socks, shoes, hats, scarves or your lucky pair of underwear......you wear them. I don't care if you look like a 15th Century knight or Joey from Friends when he put on all of Chandler's clothes.  YOU DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO.

Don't

Wash your lucky clothes before the game.  Don't you dare wash that luck off of your charms.  Now's not the time people......desperate times call for desperate measures.  It's winning time, suck it up and tuff it out.  No matter how bad it smells or if you accidentally spilled currywurst sauce on it.  It's go time.

Do:

Find a good place to watch it.  The setting is up to you. Sevilla?  Public Viewing? Local Pub? Watch Party? At home by yourself? Need a crowd to cheer with that doubles as a support group? Go for it.  If you are going to the game, you're amazing (and I'm completely jealous!).  If you are like me and need to hide in a dark hole so you can scream obscenities at the screen and no one will see you cry?  You do you.  But, get in the moment, set the mood, and enjoy the scene. Subsequently, I would kill for a chance to watch this in the Waldstadion with 50,000+ Adlerträger. 

Don't:

Be that person.  You know.....that guy that goes to the other team's favorite spot just to raise a ruckus and be a general jerk?  I've done that, please learn from my younger, much dumber self, this is a really bad idea.  It's risky for your teeth, that's all I'm saying.

Do:

Make a hearty meal.  You'll need your energy, plus you need something to soak up all the beverages you'll be downing to calm your nerves.  Be wise, be responsible, and cook enough food for 30 people, even if you're only watching with 3.

Don't: 

Drink soo much you can't remember what happened/pass out before the game even starts.  Don't drink soo much you are stumbling and mumbling come match time.  We're adults.  We do that after the final whistle.  We have serious "12-ing" to do during the match, we need everyone on their A-game.  

Do:

Head to the forest, and relieve yourself on a tree.  WE ALL KNOW IT'S FOR LUCK.

During the game:

Do: 

Find a comfy spot with a good view.  Make sure you have both food and drink close at hand, and plenty of room to jump up and pump your fists without striking another Eagle.

Don't:

Whatever you do, for the love of all that is good and Holy, move from that spot.  Not to grab a snack, not to go to the bathroom, not if you or your wife goes into labor.  NOT FOR ANY REASON.  Unless we down 0:1, then everyone must switch seats.

Do 

Sing every song in the Eintracht Song Book.  Even if you don't know the words, fake it and sing as loud as you can.  I'll be singing all day here by my lonesome (that's Texas speech by the way) in Houston, Tx.

Don't

Pretend like you're working.  Everybody knows......

After The Game:

Do:

Talk trash to everyone whose team didn't win a trophy this year.  American fans, I mean anyone.  

Oh, you like the LA Lakers?  That's nice, did they win a trophy this year?  My team did.  

Oh, Yankees.....how cute of you.  By the way, did you see the trophy my team won?  

You support Dortmund? ((snicker)) Would you like to see what an actual trophy winner looks like? 

I see you wearing that Manchester United shirt.  Look, here's the Europa League trophy.  You've probably forgotten what one of these looks like..... 

I've already set this up with all the West Ham fans at my school.  Friday is going to be brutal for them.

Do:

Go around shouting: "Eintracht von Main, nur du sollst heute sieeeeeeegeeeeen. Eintracht von Main weil wir dich alle lieeeeeeeben."  I'm going to be putting it on repeat.

Do: 

Remember to prepare responsibly for the ridiculous after-party.

Lastly......Do:

Enjoy every single second of it.  Then, prepare to repeat it all next year when we make our Champions League run.  We're the best team in Europe, we're the best fans in Europe.  The whole world is about to find out.

Thanks again for reading,

Forza S.G.E.!

Im Herzen von Europa liegt mein Frankfurt am Main

Die Bundesliga gibt sich hier gar oft ein Stell-dich-ein

Hier gibt es eine Eintracht, die spielt Fußball ganz famos

Man kennt sie nicht nur am Mainestrand, nein auf der ganzen Welt

Und wenn sie gewinnt im Waldstadion, dann ist die Stimmung groß

Eintracht vom Main, nur du sollst heute siegen

Eintracht vom Main, weil wir dich alle lieben

Schieß noch ein Tor, dem Gegner in den Kasten rein

Jeder wird sagen, ohne zu fragen

In dieser schönen Stadt am Main

Eintracht aus Frankfurt, du schaffst es wieder

Deutscher Meister zu sein

Der Eine liebt sein Mädchen, und der andre liebt den Sport

Wir schwören auf die Eintracht auch mit unserm Ehrenwort

Führt sie der Weg mal fort von hier in andre Stadien rein

Wir sind in Gedanken immer bei Dir, nie wird es anders sein

Begleiten wird sie unser Chor, drum stimmet all mit ein

Eintracht vom Main, nur du sollst heute siegen

Eintracht vom Main, weil wir dich alle lieben

Schiess noch ein Tor, dem Gegner in den Kasten rein

Jeder wird sagen, ohne zu fragen in dieser schönen Stadt am Main

Eintracht aus Frankfurt, du schaffst es wieder, Deutscher Meister zu sein

Roller Coaster: The Duality of Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022

I'm going to have to stop writing.  Every time I start writing again, Eintracht stops winning.  I start writing something criticizing their play, and they win big games.  This team is soo up and down, I can't get one blog post written before something changes.  I feel pretty sure we don't need to worry about the curse of the Diva, we need to start worrying about the curse of OnTheWingsOfDerAdler.com.  Seriously.  Look at it.  Last year I wrote that it was time to believe, and Eintracht go 2-3-1 down the stretch.  This year I write that it's time for them to make a push, they go 0-2-1 in the Bundesliga.  After blasting Hertha,  taking down Real Betis, and winning a hard-fought game against Bochum, Eintracht has been winning huge games in one league and has been disappointing in the other. There are soo many things that make this version of S.G.E. frustrating.  We watch exciting, gutsy performances mid-week, and uninspired performances on the weekend. They aren't producing goals at a high rate and although they are a good defensive team, they aren't a great one.  They are just good enough to give up 1 goal a game. Despite Kevin Trapp's brilliance (and he has been brilliant this year), this team is struggling to keep clean sheets and earn 3 points in the Bundesliga, while not losing a single game in Europa League.  There were unbelievable wins over the giants of Barcelona and losses to Armenia Bielefeld. But why? It's easy to play the blame game.  It's easy to point the finger, but let's take a look at the duality of Eintracht Frankfurt this season.

Lack of experience/quality depth:

The Eagles have done a terrific job developing attacking talent over the last few years and have been able to restock, retrain, and sell on some fabulous players.  It's never easy, but easier when you can pair a striker with Filip Kostic. Eventually, Kostic will figure out how to get him the ball where he needs it.  This year was much bigger than just finding a striker and plugging him in though, and the results in the Bundesliga have shown that.  Borré (27 starts, 2,288 minutes), Lindstrom (26 starts, 1,976 minutes played) Lammers (460 Minutes), Hauge (949 Minutes), Jakić (1,834), and Knauf (669 Minutes) have been needed heavily in their first debut Bundesliga season.  The team has been up and down all season juggling the two campaigns, and even crafty veterans like Kostic and Kamada have shown some tired legs and inconsistency.  Seven Eagles (Trapp, N'Dicka, Kostic, Sow, Borré, Hinti, and Tuta) have logged 3,000 minutes this year.  The midfield pairing of Kristijan Jakić and Djibril Sow has had to carry the lion's share of playing time across the season.  Rode has finally started to find form after missing a good chunk of the Hinrunde with a knee injury.  The new guys have been terrific in the Europa League, but not quite good enough in the Bundesliga.  Now sitting 9th in the table, with a chance to qualify for Champions League with a win against Rangers on May 18th, the team has both made huge strides and lost ground in the Bundesliga at the same time.  Without some key additions in the offseason, or making the loan deals of several of these new players permanent, it could be an early exit from Champions league and a similar standing in the league next year.

Rafael Borré

It's easy to place a lot of blame squarely on him.  After the strikers that have come through Frankfurt recently, a lot was expected of Borré.  It's easy to say he's underproduced, and no one would disagree with you for that opinion. As we've seen with all of those players though, your first year in the Bundesliga requires a steep learning curve.  Borré needs to be better, but mostly he needs to find better positioning.  He's often tracking back a little too far, holding up play a little too deep, and unable to get back into a shooting position within the 18.  Some of that is the service he's not seeing, but some of that is him playing too deep and failing to get into open spaces in front of the net. Borré ranks 63rd in the Bundesliga in Shots/90 minutes of play (1.83), and his average distance per shot (13.6 yards) ranks 57th.  Compare that to what Andre Silva did a year ago (3.58/90; 12.6 yards per attempt) and you can see where a large amount of the dropoff in goal output has gone.  It's not just that he's not getting the goals, he's not getting into position to get shots.  Silva in his first year with the club (3.09/90; 11.6 yards per attempt) was taking better advantage of the space created by the Dopplezehn.  Borré has gone huge stretches without scoring a goal or assist this year, and only has 3 goals and 2 assists in his last 20 appearances across all competitions.  But.....haven't we seen this before?  

First Season with Eintracht:

• Alex Meier: 34 appearances (27 starts) - 2,456 minutes played - 9 goals, 8 assists - .33 Gls/90
• Sebastien Haller: 36 appearances (30 starts) - 2,752 minutes played - 13 goals, 6 assists - .43 Gls/90
• Luka Jovic: 27 appearances (11 starts) - 1,154 minutes played - 9 goals, 1 assist - .70 Gls/90
• Andre Silva: 37 appearances (28 starts) - 2,495 minutes played - 16 goals, 4 assists - .58 Gls/90
• Rafael Santos-Borré: 43 appearances (40 starts) - 3,319 minutes played - 10 goals, 6 assists - .27 Gls/90

While I'm not saying that Borré will explode like Haller, Jovic, Meier and Silva did, the first year is too early to evaluate him.  All of these players saw significant jumps in their productivity from year 1 to year 2, and the same should be expected from RSB. It's not unthinkable that he could produce 15-20 goals next year. Borré could be adjusting to a new level, and a new responsibility.  He's played 2,000 more minutes than he ever played at River Plate and is getting little relief from Lammers (21 aps, 7 starts, 744 minutes played, 2 goals 0 assists), Gonçalo Paciência (24 aps, 4 starts, 614 minutes played, 4 goals, 1 assist), and Ragnar Ache (16 aps, 1 start, 266 minutes played, 0 goals, 1 assist).  While Borré needs to be better, Eintracht could really use another striker to take some pressure off of him.

The back 3.

The first team of Hinti, Evan N'Dicka, and Tuta have been extremely solid as a unit.  They are tuff, rugged, athletic, smart and work well off of each other.  Although it took Hinti a little while to work off all the offseason Krombacher he'd been drinking, he had just rounded into form before he was lost for the season.  The problem here is also quality depth. The ageless wonder Makato Hasebe has provided the bulk of the rotation minutes.  Logging in 1,546 minutes over 23 appearances (15 starts), Hasebe has stepped up each time his number is called.  The team, however, has not.  Eintracht has posted a record of 4-2-5 with Hasebe in the starting 11, and has been outscored 14-18 over those appearances. The team is 1-1-3 when he comes off the bench, including the Matchday 18 loss to Dortmund, who scored 2 goals after Hasebe subbed on for Daichi Kamada to solidify the defense. Almamy Touré has provided 925 minutes this year and will be needed even more over the last 3 games.  Touré is a good defender and can get the ball downfield and help in attack.  Stefan Ilsanker has been almost non-existent this year. Eintracht needs to pick up another quality defender this summer.

Im Hertzen vom Europa......

It's going to be a wild game.  I know Die Adler faithful are going to pack Seville and blow the doors off the place.  Auf gehts jungs, and lets go get some hardware.

Thanks again for reading.

Forza S.G.E.

Brian

Wasted Opportunity: Eintracht Frankfurt 0:0 Greuther Fürth

Saturday was a day of missed opportunity.  Missed opportunity in front of the net, missed opportunity to climb the table, missed opportunity to take a grasp on this season.  In front of a packed Deutsche Bank Park, Eintracht Frankfurt failed to capitalize on the opportunity presented to them.  Against the worst defense we've seen in the Bundesliga for some time, and with Fürth having earned only one point on the road all season, Die Adler failed to put one past the keeper and earn themselves 3 much-needed points.  

The (almost) Full Stadium played their part.

50,500 people filled Deutsche Bank Park for the first time in what seems like almost a lifetime.  As Hessen relaxes restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic, the loudest and proudest fans in all of Europe once again got to be the backbone of Die Adler and they did their part.  

Bock? 🔊#SGE #SGESGF pic.twitter.com/Zd9yNrZRs9

— Eintracht Frankfurt (@Eintracht) April 2, 2022

Ear blasting renditions of "Hey Eintracht Frankfurt!" "Schwartz-Weiss vie Schnee" and "Im Hartzen von Europa" filled Der Waldstadion at levels they could probably be heard in nearby Wiesbaden.  It was a sight that made you feel good and give you hope that we are beginning to return to normal.  It's been a long two years, and it's easy to forget (especially here in America) the extent and reach of this global pandemic.   As the fans seemed to unleash two years of pent-up frustration, it hit me square in the chest to see that stadium rock with the best fans on the planet once again.  Let's hope this is the norm and not an exception.

Eintracht Dominated Every Phase of the Game except the score.

68% possession, 21 shots, 86% Passing efficiency, 18 key passes, 6 Shots on Target, and 0 goals.  Eintracht spent large portions of the game in the attacking third, only to come away with nothing. Eintracht wasted opportunity after opportunity.  You have to give some credit to Greuther Fürth Goalkeeper Andreas Linde.  He made several key stops including one on Ansgar Knauff's left-footed tester just 2 minutes into the game.  Fürth spent the game sitting in a low block, often with 6 across the back, flooding the midfield and making things very difficult on Kamada and Lindstrøm to connect the final play.  

While the attack managed to dominate the ball, what made Saturday's performance even more dominating is that Fürth was barely able to crack the final third.

Daichi Kamada

Kamada held up a disappointing Bundesliga form.  Had several disappointing moments including a terrible touch and left-footed pass attempt at the 12:00 mark after getting in behind the entire defense and being all alone. His first shot was nowhere near the target, despite being off his strong foot and 10 yards from the goal, his third was a terrible volley after Filip Kostic wove his way through 6 defenders and dropped in a perfect cross.  He had two Eagles onside right in front of the net, but rushed a shot that ended up in the Nord Kurve.

Jesper Lindstrøm

Lindstrøm also had an up and down game.  Was the only Eagle to put one in the net, but deflected the ball with his hand on the run.  Was a big part of the high press, (15 pressures, 53% success rate, 7 in the final third), completed 3 key passes, and had two shots on target.  The first one (42nd minute) he rushed and blasted it right at the keeper, which Linde knocked away.  6" more to the right, or a lofter over Linde's head and it's a goal. The second one was a point-blank left-footer after he'd made a terrific run behind the defense.  The shot wound up right in the chest of Linde.  He found space often, and got 6 shots off, but 2 were badly off target and 2 were blocked.  He had many chances to finish, and Eintracht needed him too.  Lindstrøm has to be a better finisher.  His speed and timing make him Eintracht's most dangerous player.

Kevin Trapp

Saved the game at the 16:43 mark by knocking away Fürth's best chance of the game.  Jetro Willems hit a beautiful slip pass to Branmir Hrgota as the two former Eagles almost broke the game open.  Trapp did a great job anticipating and getting wide, just knocking the ball away to save the goal.  Trapp had a mostly uneventful day as Fürth was having trouble mounting any form of an attack other than the occasional counter, but managed to save the two shots directed at him and keep the clean sheet.

Despite disappointing performance, Die Adler pick up a point.

Eintracht now sit 5 points behind Hoffenheim for the 6th spot in the Bundesliga.  With Hoffenheim's loss to Bochum, Koln's loss to Union Berlin, and Freiburg's loss to Bayern, Eintracht managed to gain a point on several of the teams above them anyway.  Three points would have left them tied with Union Berlin, and only 3 points shy of Hoffenheim.  6 points in 6 games is still doable, but Eintracht HAVE to pick up wins.

Up Next:

UEL - vs. Barcelona

@ Deutsche Bank Park

Thur. April 7, @ 2:00

Eintracht vs. Freiburg

Sunday April 10th, @ 10:30

Eintracht has a chance to do their own dirty work with a game against Freiburg.  

Thanks again for reading, and Forza S.G.E

Brian

7 points in 7 matchdays. Can Eintracht gain ground and qualify for Europa league for the second year in a row?

 

With just 7 matchdays to go, Eintracht currently sit 6 points behind Hoffenheim and 2 points off Koln, our beloved Eintracht needs a little help to qualify once again for European Competition. With all the moves made this summer, it's been an up and down year filled with inconsistent attacking play and a slow start to the season that didn't see them pick up their first win until Matchweek 7. After losing to SV Waldhof, getting blasted 5-2 by Dortmund in a game that still gives me nightmares of Erling Haaland running down the middle of the pitch like a runaway freight train, and picking up 6 straight draws, to be in this position is a testament to the work that Glasner has done this year. While the defense has stabilized, the attack has never really found it's footing. In today's post we'll look at key matchups down the stretch for Eintracht, Kon, and Hoffenheim. 

1. FC Koln:

Record: 10 - 10 - 7

Last Five: 2-2-1

Goal Differential: 38 GF - 40 GA

3 Biggest Games

Matchday 29 @ Mainz '05 - Koln has only won 1 matchup of the last five, (12-12-2020). Mainz has been inconsistent over the last 5, going 2-1-2. They thumped Armenia Bielefeld 4-0 right before the break, so maybe they've found some footing. The '05ers have been unbelievable (3rd best home record in the Bundesliga) at Mewa arena, going 8-3-2 with a goal differential of +20. Mainz likes to help us out, they'll come through again on this Matchweek.

Matchday 33 vs. Wolfsburg - The wheels have completely fallen off this year in Wolfsburg, but they've won 3 of the last 5 matchups.  Koln the better of them 3-2 earlier this year in Wolfsburg and Die Wölfe have struggled this year on the road (4-2-7; -8 GD), but maybe Florian Kohfeldt can pull something out of his squad who has 1 win in their last 5.

Matchday 34 @ VfB Stuttgart - Koln has won both matchups against Stuttgart this year, including a 1-0 win at Rhein Energie Stadion in Matchweek 17, and a 2-0 win in Koln in the second round of the DFB Pokal.  It's hard to beat a team 3 times in one year, and Stuttgart has been fairly tough to beat at home, going 5-3-6 with a -3 GD.  

TSG-Hoffenheim:

Record: 13-5-9

Last Five: 4-1-1

Goal Differential: +9; 49 GF - 40 GA

3 Biggest Games

Matchday 28 vs. VfL Bochum - Hoffenheim has been lights out at home this year Bochum hasn't won a road game in 5 games, but Bochum won 2-0 this year at home.  

Matchday 29 @ RB Leipzig - Hoffenheim won the previous this season in Sinsheim after going winless against Die Roten Bullen in 5 straight.  Leipzig is the 4th best home team in the Bundesliga (9-2-3, +20) and is undefeated in 6 straight home matches.  Leipzig hasn't lost to Hoffenheim at Red Bull Arena since April of 2018.  Leipzig is in amazing form, going 10-2-1 over their last 13, with their only loss being a 2-3 defeat to Bayern.

Matchday 31 @ Eintracht Frankfurt - This could be for the rights to go to the Europa League, and is the only matchup Eintracht has left between the two above them. Hoffenheim won the early season matchup 3-2 at PreZero Arena after Eintracht had won 5 straight matchups.  Eintracht has really struggled at home this year, and Hoffenheim has been fairly decent on the road (17 points, -5GD). If Hoffenheim gets the first goal, this could be trouble.

Eintracht Frankfurt:

To make it in, Die Adler need wins.  The three straight losses (Wolfsburg - Matchday 22, 1. FC Koln - Matchday 23, and Bayern Munich - Matchday 24) loom large as Eintracht tries to battle back in to European Competition.  With Munich, Dortmund, and Leipzig now off their schedule, Eintracht needs to capitalize on the easier part of their schedule.  Koln and Hoffenheim have also both checked Dortmund and Bayern off the list, but there is still help along the way for our Eagles.  Every game is vital, but the final game @ Mainz is going to be the most difficult of the season gauging on what's being played for, and how good Mainz has been at home.  

How Eintracht does it:

Simple, the Defense holds form, and Kamada finds form.  If Kamada finds his form and jump-starts the attack, Eintracht gets in.  In order for this to happen, he needs to form a better connection with Rafael Borré.  Borré has managed only 43 shots in 2100 minutes spearheading the Eintracht attack (1.84 shots/90).  Borré's accuracy (46.5% of his shots are on target,) ranks 9th in the Bundesliga among all players with at least 30 shots.  His .35 goals/shot on target is just behind the rate of Robert Lewandowski (.41), and his accuracy is on par with what Andre Silva put up last year (49.5%, .20,).  His shots are all coming from well within the box, at 13.5 yards per attempt.  

While Borré is on pace with Silva in terms of the number of touches, they aren't turning into shots.He's not seeing the ball directly in front of the goal as often as Silva did, and he's often getting balls deeper in the attacking 3rd, allowing Lindstrom and Kamada to make runs off of him.  Kamada has to find a way to make that final pass to Borre and Lindstrom and get back to his form of a year ago.  Kamada's number of key passes/90 has been cut almost in half this year (1.0, down from 1.8 a year ago) even though all his other ratios (touches per game, accurate passes per game, etc) are all roughly the same.

The defense (for the most part) has been solid since the Winter Pause, giving up 6 goals over the last 6 weeks.  It's maddening that Kevin Trapp can't keep a clean sheet, and he's needed to in order to get 3 points in most games this year.  There was not a bigger piece of evidence than the 0-1 loss to Koln on Matchday 23.  That game is really biting them right now, and the attack looked anemic, and as Oliver Glasner went with a bit of a more defensive midfield than normal, Eintracht couldn't hold possession, could barely get it out of their own end of the field and managed only 2 shots on target for the entire game.

The 6th place slots over the last five years have scored:

2021: 53

2020: 52

2019: 55

2018: 53

2017: 49

Eintracht currently sit at 38 points, they need 15-17 points to qualify, which means picking up wins.  They need at least 4 wins over the last 7, and while it is extremely possible, the Diva needs to hide her ugly head.  

Thanks again for reading,

Forza S.G.E.

Brian