Match Preview: Spurs vs Eintracht Frankfurt (my prediction, team news, line-ups etc.)
After my travels to Frankfurt to face our German opponents in the Champions League, Group D, I expected us to swamp the hosts (they weren’t that good). However, all we could manage was a draw. To say we were disappointed would be an understatement. We should have won the first game in Frankfurt and won comfortably. But we are where we are.
We will welcome the German team and their hordes of flag-waving enthusiasts to our stadium (Wednesday, the 12th). If we hope to enter the knockout stages then we need to beat Eintracht at our stadium and beat them convincingly.
Both clubs sit on four points in Group D, with us only currently above Eintracht on goal difference. Only two teams can reach the qualifying spot for the last 16.
Match performance
Spurs
We battled against Brighton to secure an impressive victory away on Saturday to climb to third in the Premier League, just behind the Squatters of North London, in first place and the richer half of Manchester, City, in second place. Between the Woolwich Mugswampers and us, there are only four points difference. Let us hope a few Premier League teams can put a wrench in their spokes.
Some recent bad results in the League (the Squatters) and the Champions League (Sporting Lisbon) have overshadowed what a very solid start to the season we have had, in which we have not been beaten in any of our other ten matches in all competitions.
Nevertheless, we must ensure that we take maximum points from our final two matches as qualification may fall out of our own hands.
Two late Richarlison goals against a 10-man Marseille are the only goals Spurs have managed in Europe so far. Our ineffectual displays in Frankfurt and Lisbon must be improved upon if we want the three points to help secure promotion from our Group D table.
Frankfurt
As for Eintracht Frankfurt, they’ve had their ups and downs too, with a sour 0-0 draw in the reverse fixture against us being a huge contrast from their opening two fixtures. A 3-0 humiliation at home to Sporting Lisbon was a real eye-opener for a side making their first appearance at this level, but that was followed up by winning 1-0 away to Marseille, one of the most hostile places to go in Europe.
If they should win – and I hope not – we could see them go top of the group if other results, go their way.
Tottenham Hotspur Champions League form:
WLD
Tottenham Hotspur form (all competitions):
WLWLDW
Eintracht Frankfurt Champions League form:
LWD
Eintracht Frankfurt form (all competitions):
LWWWDL
Team News
Spurs
The blow Kane received to his ankle against Brighton is not serious, despite being subbed off following the incident late on in the game.
Dejan Kulusevski remains on the sidelines with a thigh injury, so the front three of Kane, Richarlison and Son should continue.
Emerson Royal will be available for selection as his three-match suspension will only account for domestic fixtures. Therefore, Conte may bring him back to replace Matt Doherty at right wing-back.
Ivan Perisic, who was dropped to the bench at the weekend, will most likely return on the opposite flank.
My possible starting lineup:
Lloris; Romero, Dier, Lenglet; Emerson, Hojbjerg, Bentancur, Perisic; Richarlison, Kane, Son
As for my prediction.
I am hoping that we will make amends for our inability to score against the Germans on their own turf by beating them 4-0 at our stadium. Therefore, my prediction is 4-0, as it says on the tin. Think big, keep our fingers crossed, and it could happen… anything over that and we might think Christmas has come early… oh, we laugh! And why not?
The German team may have lost heavily at the weekend, but their manager, Glasner, rested more than a few key players. He is obviously putting more significance into this game than he has done for their League.
Defeat would be intolerable, and a draw not helpful. We must find something inside ourselves to take all three points. I believe we have the individual quality to snatch a result in a group that has produced very few goals. As I said above, I am going for four goals, and if we can get our act together, we can achieve that.
Thoughts
I know I keep predicting wins or high scores for us, but every time I make my prediction, I believe that we have it in us to win and win well. We were undefeated in the League until we met the Squatters of North London, and if it wasn’t for Emerson getting himself sent off, I believe we could have secured a draw.
As for the game against Sporting Lisbon, we lost concentration near the end, and our heads dropped, which is when they sneaked in with two goals.
Yes, we had several good chances but could not take them and looked on course to earn a point in Portugal. Then injury time came, and that is when we lost concentration. In the 91st minute, Paulinho headed in from Pedro Goncalves’ left-wing corner to put the hosts ahead. But our misery didn’t end there, oh, no… substitute, Arthur Gomes, hit a low strike to make it 2-0 and hand us our first loss of the season.
The good news is that we are second in the League, 2 points behind Sporting Lisbon, but above Frankfurt and the French wrecking crew (wrecking as in their mental fans), who have three points. So it is in our hands to progress to the knockout stages and then on to glory (or that is what we all hope, but we need the team to buck up a bit, and I have confidence in Conte to put their heads in the right place).
The teams in our group are nothing spectacular other than ourselves (or we should be). However, if we reach the knockout stages, we will see better quality, so we will need to up our game.
Up the Spurs,
Glenn
My name is Glenn Renshaw.
I am currently a Premium Season Ticket holder (West Stand) in the new stadium. Before that – at White Hart Lane – a season ticket holder in various parts of the ground (mainly in the North stand).
Before becoming a season ticket holder, I stood on the shelf and various other parts of the ground since the 1950s. In 1987 I became one of the first to hold a Spurs Membership card. I was also a life long member of the Spurs supporters club (now defunct).
I go to all home, away and abroad matches.
I was born in 1955, Edgware, London (it was in the late 50s – as a baby – that my dad took me to Spurs to initiate me). I currently live in Berkshire.
I also collect all Spurs books (and have everyone printed), Spurs handbooks (from 1920s onwards, Spurs programmes (since the 40s).
Previously, I wrote for Spurs Fanzines: The Spur, Spur of the Moment, My Eyes have seen the Glory and various other Spurs fanzines’. I also wrote for the SpursWeb app & its website.
I currently write and work for spursnetwork.com and its website. I write its Reviews & Match reports and a lot more.
My other interests are; reading, history, social history, Politics, going to the gym, wine, going out for a meal, music (all sorts), writing, theatre, concerts, going on holidays, socialising etc.
I have been writing blogs/ articles since 1989
If you wish to read more of my blog, please click “here”
