Eintracht Frankfurt v Arsenal
Thursday 19 September, 17:55
Live on BT Sport
Frankfurt ready to go on another adventure
Sometimes in football, and indeed in life, the journey is as important and as thrilling as the eventual destination. Eintracht Frankfurt’s Europa League dream died at Stamford Bridge, as the Eagles were grounded by a heart-breaking semi-final shootout against Chelsea, but the players and fans had a hell of a good time getting there. Thousands of Frankfurt supporters made their way around Europe, as their beloved SGE won all six group games and dismissed Shakhtar Donetsk, Inter Milan and Benfica before Chelsea squeaked past them on their way to Baku.
Now cerebral but reserved coach Adi Hutter is looking to repeat the trick, and he has a different set of tools to work with. Terrific trio Luka Jovic, Sebastien Haller and Ante Rebic have all left, and their replacements are Andre Silva (who Cristiano Ronaldo described as his long-term successor in the Portugal team,) Dutch goal-getter Bas Dost and impressively consistent Portuguese striker Goncalo Paciencia.
Frankfurt’s start to the campaign has been patchy. They won both of their home games in the league against Hoffenheim and Fortuna Dusseldorf, and lost at RB Leipzig and Augsburg. They were perhaps a little unfortunate to lose both of those away matches. In all competitions, Frankfurt have won eight of their 11 games, including all five at their Commerzbank Arena. Expect fans to play their part with a daunting choreo and deafening noise.
Influential wing-back Filip Kostic should return after illness, while Huttr must decide whether to select two of Silva, Dost and Paciencia, or go hell or leather and pick all three. The smart money is one two strikers, supported by Japanese attacking midfielder Daichi Kamada.
Gunners’ Hertfordshire hell raises fresh questions
Like an episode of Question Time that attempts to broach subjects like health and education, only to be dragged back to Brexit each time, everyone connected with Arsenal keeps coming back to the same uncomfortable subject. Why can the team not consistently show mental fortitude, and when will it stop leaking unnecessary goals?
Sunday’s debacle at Watford was a case in point. A Pierre-Emerick Aubmeyang double had put the Gunners in command against a side struggling for form, but then Sokratis laughably coughed up possession from a short goal kick, gifting the Hornets a goal. A penalty was then conceded to make it 2-2, and as Unai Emery took on the look of an area manager who’d just missed his monthly bonus, Watford nearly snatched victory. The Gunners boss was keen to praise Watford after the game, but he must be so frustrated that his team keeps slipping up on the road.
Similar weaknesses were on show in Baku last season, as Arsenal collapsed in the UEL final, losing 4-1 to a ruthless Chelsea. Arsenal have won just six of their last 17 competitive matches away from the Emirates, and they have lost nine of those games. Alarmingly, they have leaked at least two goals in six of their last eight away matches.
Arsenal too short to be trusted
Eintracht Frankfurt haven’t lost a single Europa League home match under Adi Hutter, and they won all three group-stage games at the Commerzbank Arena last season. Given Arsenal’s fragility on the road, they seem too short to take the win at [2.38], so I’ll recommend backing Home and Draw in the Double Chance market at [1.71]. If you want to be a it bolder, you can back the hosts Draw No Bet at [2.32].
Attacks to dominate?
Eight of Frankfurt’s 11 competitive matches this term have featured at least three goals, including their last four. Arsenal have seen four of their five games this term contain at least three goals, so you can see why Over 2.5 Goals is trading at [1.67].
What you could do is use the Sportsbook’s Same Game Multi option to back Home and Draw in the Double Chance market and combine that with an Over 1.5 Goals bet at evens.
Source: Betfair Europa League
