Preview: Shouldering responsibility | OneFootball

Eintracht are hoping to take a small step in the right direction on Saturday against a St. Pauli side who are also looking to return to winning ways.

The backdrop

Three days after their 5-1 defeat by Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League, Eintracht Frankfurt face another side who are currently on a four-game losing run. FC St. Pauli have failed to pick up a single point in the Bundesliga since their 2-1 victory over FC Augsburg in mid-September, although their style of play could hardly be more different to the approach of the Premier League champions.

Board member for sport Markus Krösche has issued a rallying cry to the Eintracht squad – which not only applies to the Matchday 8 clash with St. Pauli at Deutsche Bank Park (kick-off 15:30 CEST) but to every game involving the Eagles. “Every single player needs to show a different level of aggression, focus and responsibility,” he said after Wednesday’s reverse, which means Dino Toppmöller’s charges have picked up only one point from their last four games in the Bundesliga and Champions League, having started the season with three consecutive wins. 

Even Eintracht’s last victory – a 6-4 win at Borussia Mönchengladbach after they had led 6-0 – was no great cause for celebration. “We’ve been disappointed too often after games in recent weeks – even after Gladbach, which didn’t really feel like a victory in the end,” admitted Toppmöller, who has urged his players to “earn that winning feeling again” against St. Pauli. “We’ll give everything we’ve got to do so on Saturday,” added the head coach. Looking back

Frankfurt have done well in their last four encounters with St. Pauli, picking up three wins and a draw. Their home record against the Hamburg outfit is particularly impressive, with Eintracht unbeaten in their last seven meetings between the sides in front of their own supporters.

Nobody associated with the Eagles is taking anything for granted this weekend, but Deutsche Bank Park could certainly have a big role to play. “The whole team, the whole club, is very grateful to our fans,” said defender Aurèle Amenda. “We want to show a reaction on Saturday in order to make them proud.” 

“We’ve shown we can play football”

Krösche continued: “It has nothing to do with quality, but with a responsibility I have as a player to my team-mates and my team. That’s what it’s all about. Wanting to play football on its own is not enough – not in the Bundesliga and certainly not against St. Pauli, who are a particular threat with their aggression and transitions. We’ve shown that we can play football, that we have good players and that we’re capable of scoring goals.”

Saturday’s game at Deutsche Bank Park is the perfect opportunity to show those qualities again.