Frankfurt coach Oliver Glasner hopes that the defensive performance in the away game at TSG Hoffenheim was just a slip-up.
After the 2:3, the Austrian demands that his players draw the right conclusions from the game. Then “it could also have been a salutary defeat “
For the first time since the 2:5 defeat at Borussia Dortmund on Matchday 1, Eintracht conceded more than two goals – something that annoyed Glasner greatly. “We didn’t behave well defensively as a team. We could have defended all three goals much better. The final gallantry was missing, as was the consistency to close spaces and tackle duels,” the coach complained. In fact, the goals we conceded were far too easy. At 1:1, six-man Kristijan Jakic failed to protect the back line; Jesper Lindström also lacked man-orientation in this situation. At least as annoying was the way the 1:2 came about. First Jakic played a 4:3 overtime situation in Hoffenheim’s penalty area after winning the ball, and then he conceded the goal. In focus: keeper Kevin Trapp, who blocked a not particularly dangerous shot by Ihlas Bebou forward, and defender Tuta, who lost sight of the goal scorer Georginio Rutter and took himself out of the game by running to the goal line. Finally, Makoto Hasebe initiated the 1:3 first with an errant pass and then with a failed clearance. In addition, there were too many dangerous spaces behind left winger Filip Kostic, who was convincing in the forward play but had already worked better defensively. A recurring problem.
On Thursday in Istanbul
Of course, one can also criticise the lack of efficiency in the opponent’s penalty area, after all, Eintracht could well have scored a third and fourth goal. However, Glasner correctly states: “If we score two goals, we should at least get a point – and actually win.” The lever must therefore be applied to the collective defensive behaviour in order to return to the track of success as early as Thursday in the Europa League at Fenerbahce Istanbul. Glasner’s conclusion: “If we learn from it, and I assume we will, it can also have been a salutary defeat. “
