Eintracht Frankfurt (H) - Thursday 28th April, 8pm

welovethehammers

It won’t be easy at all but I still think we can win this in the second leg

thornburyiron

Resting them on Sunday against Chelsea didn’t do us much good so make them play this Sunday and get them going again.
League position has become important again.

EXETERHAMMER

We were average other than for 25 mins after they scored. They played very well.
I am resting on the hope we will be better next game, and they keep up their poor home form.

Lukerz

thornburyiron said:

Resting them on Sunday against Chelsea didn’t do us much good so make them play this Sunday and get them going again.
League position has become important again.

It never works. Just causes players to lose sharpness. Was an odd call, I thought.

Lukerz

I don’t want to bang the drum again, but it also showed how our midfield two do struggle in terms of defensive positioning.

ScotHammer

Thought our set pieces were poor tonight. Seemed to be too near their keeper every time and he dominated his box. 1-2 is not insurmountable, but very difficult. They were better than I expected; they seem to play like West Ham, and we couldn’t handle it.
Frankfurt didn’t play like a mid-table German team, so hopefully it was a one off performance and they’ll be rubbish next week. 😜🤞⚒

alderz

We seemed to deliberately put the ball on top of the keeper, and that seemed really odd as he claimed everything.

Fortuneseeker

Eintracht’s home record in this years tournament hasn’t been great, they have only won one home game, drawing the rest. They are, based on the results so far, better when playing away. Let’s hope we can turn this around next Thursday. 🤞

EXETERHAMMER

Lukerz said:

I don’t want to bang the drum again, but it also showed how our midfield two do struggle in terms of defensive positioning.

This a problem when we defend as a five. Less of a problem when we defend as a flat back 4.

Yeoldhammer

Going to need to do it the hard way we can definitely pull back a 1 goal deficit. Will need a heroic performance though.

Hamstew

Just need to get the first goal. Otherwise it could be curtains.

claretandbluesky

I felt we were poor in our composure regard the final decision making and had that not been so we could have had a further goal or two. Too many below par performances and few good ones, probably only Bowen and Rice at their best. This said we are still in this and the first goal next week will be essential. However I am not usually superstitious but seeing Bowen's brilliant overhead kick bounce outwards just made me think that it's not our time.

I thought Frankfurt were very good and controlled the game well. They were far more composed and although lacking a Rice figure they break well and take their chances. If we get the first goal within the half hour next week it will put a lot of pressure on them in their own stadium and we could unsettle the composure we saw this evening.

alderz

Both teams clearly want to counter. When they’re at home I think they’ll play into our hands a little bit more.

thornburyiron

Fortune they may have drawn all but one of their home games but unfortunately that’s all they need to do. They haven’t lost any game so far whereas we’ve lost 3 of ours.
We have no option but to put paid to their unbeaten record but we need to play a lot better than we did tonight.
I think we underestimated exactly how good a side they are considering they’re virtually mid table but it’s obvious they’ve put all their eggs into this basket.

Lukerz

I can see us scoring two goals out there.

thornburyiron

After the Arsenal game they need to watch tonight’s game over and over again and see the key players of EF who ran the show tonight and work out a way to stop them. They found it far too easy to play through us.

OutcastLondoner

Seems to be quite negative but I don't think we were so bad. Kamada's a real talent and he caused us some problems, so we need to get him out but the reality is they do have a lot of good attacking players.

Still, we did create a few good chances and were unlucky that we just didn't manage to get people on the end of them, especially in the last 30. We're still in this.

buffybegood

The downside is they've got 2 starting defenders to come back in.

Lukerz

Moyes can start looking at the analysis of this between now & next week. In terms of learning, we’re in the better position. They will think ‘same again’. We have the opportunity to learn from this game & improve. We’ll be in this still & I don’t even think letting in a goal changes that. We can certainly get a 2-1/3-1 win there with a performance. We just need to be a bit more professional. We were a little sloppy today which I think is likely down to nerves.

They are a good side, probably surprised us, but we dictated the game, hit the woodwork 3 times, scored a goal & had other opportunities to do better. An improved performance next week & we’ll push this all the way. Only need one goal. Main thing is we don’t concede 2 or more next week as that does make it tough.

Pearces_Left_Foot

I thought first goal was poor defending we had three players in close proximity to the player who crossed yet he was left to turn and put his cross in, Fornals was asleep and it put us on the back foot after 1 min. Frankfurt overloaded their left and out a lot of pressure on Johnson who did not get as much help as I think he needed. Some poor decisions in final third but on another day we don’t hit the woodwork 3 times and get another goal or two. Antonio was poor again he even nearly messed up the goal by hitting back across goal at the keeper, fornals and lanzini we pretty ineffevtive . Bowen played well was unlucky not to get a goal , rice was decent drove us forward , benny should have at least hit the target when their player was down. Overall a 6/10 performance. I think we can get at Frankfurt they too, their chances but we will need to defend better and be more clinical

OldCastleSwift

Same old story, really PLF. Not clinical enough in the final third and caught napping at the back post. Can't really blame Fornals as he's an attacking midfielder being asked to defend his box.

And this is probably my biggest gripe. Moyes chose a formation that may have suited the opposition, but didn't suit our players. Johnson and Fornals really struggled as wingbacks, and we didn't carry any threat from out wide. As I've said before, Johnson is a great full back, but about 30 years too late. The modern full back has to be effective in both halves and Johnson just isn't good enough yet in the final third, IMO.

The other concern is a season-long one; lack of options. Again, one sub made, and an entirely predictable one. It's almost always Benrahma for Lanzini or vice versa, or Noble for one of the attacking midfielders if we're defending a lead. Soucek and Fornals were poor last night, IMO, but we had no real alternatives on the bench, so both played the full 90. Antonio was his usual hit and miss self, but again, fresh legs up front in the last 20 minutes could have made a big difference.

It's only half time and of course we still have a chance. I didn't think we'd get past Sevilla or Lyon so I shouldn't write off our chances this time, but I don't think Frankfurt will be as passive as the other two teams were. They probably created more chances last night than we've faced in the previous four legs.

whupathman

they seem to celebrate as if they are in the final already, lets hope they are complacent

Slacker

OldCastleSwift said:

Hard to know really how much of that was Frankfurt being good or us being bad. They're much more threatening than Sevilla and Lyon, but not unbeatable.

Problem is, I can see the second leg going the same way. Lyon were so passive in that second game, but I think Frankfurt will be much more at us. If they score I think it's game over.

Good man.👍

Slacker

For my belated two penneth I thought it was two fairly even sides and they just nicked it. Football is game of ifs and buts but it could’ve ended up 4-3 to us and everyone would be raving about it today.They’re a good side on that showing.Next week could be some game.
Having read through the thread this morning I think I watched a different game to some people but I should know that by now I s’pose.

Tufnell and Agnew were excellent by the way, and I managed to get home and watch the game “live” finishing at 1/2 1 this morning.

IronHerb

Lukerz said:

I don’t want to bang the drum again, but it also showed how our midfield two do struggle in terms of defensive positioning.

🥁🥁🥁

yoyo

We're still in it. Go 0-1 up and they're under pressure. We can definitely turn it round. We had chances and we'll get them again. ( That's what I'm telling myself)

thornburyiron

Moyes pulling no punches so I hope they’re all listening and take note of what he’s saying. Next thing after taking note is to put it into practice.

thornburyiron

Two German commentators claim they were attacked by fans after Antonio equaliser. Club investigating but will these brainless morons ever learn the damage it does yo the club.

Jorderz_Moyes_will_be_Moyes

Let's be honest, most of this team is not used to playing semi-finals. Or European football. Or any kind of big game except relegation battles.

The early goal was a shock but as ever we showed great character to steady the ship. It was a pretty tough game and they are confident, quick and direct. It was a real change of pace from the Sevilla and Lyon games and a completely different challenge.

I'm feeling pretty deflated this morning but I don't feel like the team let us down in any way. As proud as ever. A bit more luck and we could have scored 2 or 3 more. Bowen in particular was so unlucky right at the end.

I believe we can do it next week.

IronHerb

Tough game after a disappointing start but we are still well in the tie, which a lot of us were looking for after the first leg. We know we can play a lot better but not sure if EF can, so all to play for.

I feel much the same as after the Lyon home tie and am looking forward to next week, and also I thought the ref was pretty good too.

COYI