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After conquering the Europa League Megaladon of Sevilla and shocking 2019/2020 Champions League Semi-Finalists Lyon, David Moyes’ claret & blue army look to take one step closer to European glory as they welcome Germany’s Eintracht Frankfurt. Below is everything you need to know ahead of tonight’s fixture.
History –
Not since 1975/1976 have West Ham United gone this far in a European competition. In the former European Cup Winners Cup, the East Londoners reached the final, where they would eventually go on to lose to Belgian side Anderlecht. This was just over a decade since their Cup Winners Cup triumph headed by Ron Greenwood as they defeated West Germany’s TSV 1860 Munich. Goals from Alan Sealey led the Hammers to their only European glory to date, but after missing out in the semi-final a year later, it would be a decade before they would return to such a stage and make the Cup Winners Cup Final. Their opponents in the semi-final – one Eintracht Frankfurt.
In this instance, the first leg was held out in Germany, with ‘Die Adler’ emerging 2-1 victors thanks to goals from Wolfgang Kraus and Willi Neuberger. These goals cancelled out an early Graham Paddon strike in the first half, but the tie was finely poised headed back to the Boleyn Ground.
After a goalless first half, a brace from the great Trevor Brooking sandwiching a Keith Robson strike had West Ham fans dreaming of former glory being replicated, with a late Klaus Beverungen strike not enough to prevent the English side from booking their place in the final.
Whilst that particular would go on to end in heartbreak for West Ham, fans of a particular age will no doubt have fond memories of such exploits and will hope that their side can replicate their Semi-Final triumph over Eintracht and go one better in the final.
European campaign so far…
Upon their return to European group stage football, it would have been forgiven if one would have assumed that West Ham may find it difficult to adjust; not only to the level but to the intense schedule.
However, Moyes’ side excelled and were all but qualified from their group by the time Matchday 5 kicked off against Rapid Vienna. By the time Matchday 6 got underway, West Ham had already won the group and were afforded the opportunity to give some valuable European experience to five young players, including highly-rated centre-backs Jamal Baptiste and Ajibola Alese.
Many Hammers’ hearts will have dropped when they learned the nature of their Round of 16 opponents, as they were pit against the Europa League specialists and six-time winners Sevilla. However, those hearts will have been lifted by the bravery of their beloved West Ham in a valiant losing effort at the Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán, keeping the tie tight at just 1-0 in favour of the Spaniards.
An emotional extra-time goal from Andriy Yarmolenko sent the London Stadium into raptures, in what was undoubtedly the most special night the Irons have witnessed at their new home.
The Quarter-Finals were not to get much easier, with Olympique Lyonnais arriving in East London just three weeks after Sevilla walked the same streets. A cagy 1-1 draw at the London Stadium left Moyes’ side with work to do heading out to Central France, but the Hammers would put on one of their all-time great European performances in a clinical demolition job at Parc Olympique Lyonnais. As such it was perhaps fitting that three key factors in this West Ham revolution were all on the scoresheet – Craig Dawson, Declan Rice and Jarrod Bowen.
It was perhaps at this point that an already special European journey became a truly historic one.
Potential implications for European football next season-
Juggling European competition with the Premier League can be hard enough, but it appears that the Irons have been somewhat out of luck with the timing of certain difficult Premier League fixtures coming either side of a Europa League game.
However, disappointing results against Brentford and Burnley followed by late heartbreak against Chelsea have left the door open for Wolves. So far, the Midlands side have failed to take advantage, with a disappointing run of results themselves, but with a game in and just a three-point deficit to overcome, the race for European football next season is still very much on. On the other hand though, with Manchester United in freefall, there will be some optimists in claret and blue who will see no reason why they can not go and snatch Europa League group stage football for the second consecutive season by finishing 6th.
Of course, West Ham will be extremely keen to keep this momentum going and earn European football for next season. Having tasted success in Europe’s secondary competition, it can be assumed that the Hammers will be desperate not to revert to the tertiary competition, though this will likely be preferable to missing out on Europe altogether. All of this can be made irrelevant if West Ham make history and win the Europa League, with the winner of the competition qualifying for next season’s Champions League.
With all of the potential European implications aside though, the Irons will be desperate to win this game and take a sizeable cushion to Germany.
Opposition insight-
This, however, will likely not be easy, as their opponents will take the utmost confidence having slain the once might Barcelona with a 3-2 win at the Camp Nou. After a 1-1 draw at Deutsche Bank Park, the German side led by Oliver Glasner stunned the Spanish crowd into silence by racing into an unlikely 3-0 lead thanks to a Filip Kostic brace sandwiching a Rafael Borre strike. Despite two stoppage-time goals in a game that went over 102 minutes, the Germans escaped with a tremendous upset victory.
Despite such a historic performance, the Eagles have failed to win in any of their other previous eight games in all competitions. As such, ‘Die Adler’ have seen a once-promising domestic campaign nosedive, with Frankfurt now occupying 9th in the Bundesliga, nine points off a potential European slot.
Consequently, any hopes of European football for next season rest on Glasner’s side ousting West Ham and one of either RB Leipzig or Glasgow Rangers to win the UEFA Europa League and qualify for next season’s Champions League.
This could result in somewhat of a psychological and physical advantage for Frankfurt, as they have the freedom to put everything they have into these next two games whereas David Moyes has to make the decision to stick or twist with regards to what is also at stake in the Premier League.
Key Players-
Undoubtedly, Declan Rice will be pivotal to this game for West Ham United, as he will be looking to capitalise on a key figure missing from Frankfurt’s midfield. Whilst West Ham will be desperate to take a lead to Germany though, the keys to this game could come from their backline, as they are down to the bone in that area but cannot afford to allow their opponents to take a lead back to their home ground. Craig Dawson will play a massive role in marshalling those around them, and it will require players like Creswell and Johnson to step up and play the games of their lives in a somewhat unfamiliar role.
Frankfurt are not without their own discrepancies, as they are missing Jakic and N’Dicka. West Ham will be dealing with a makeshift back three, but N’Dicka’s absence causes problems for the Eagles as well without a naturally left-footed centre-half to step in. It is likely that Almamy Toure will step in, with Martin Hinteregger perhaps moving to the left side of a back three.
The Eagles do not have one standout attacking threat, but instead, have a collection of forward-thinking players who can all cause problems. The likes of Filip Kostic, Daichi Kamada, Jesper Lindstrom and Rafael Borre all have a minimum of 11 goals & assists each, so will prove a dangerous attacking unit against a makeshift West Ham defence.
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