Eintracht Frankfurt 5-1 Bayern Munich: Initial reactions and observations

Initial reactions and observations

• Red card hit hard for Bayern: the early red for Boateng meant that players got more and more tired as the game progressed. Also, it caused a lack of balance within the team and the midfield being overrun.
• Is Niko Kovac’s time up: This is just the last in a series of poor performances for Bayern. Moreover, Kovac’s subs remain debatable. After this humiliation, Kovac could be given packing orders. The Croat will probably be given another game or two before his future is decided — it’s up to his team to perform.
• Thomas Muller is not a winger: The Bavarian experienced a poor shift when isolated on the wing. Coutinho also experienced a bad game losing the ball on countless occasions.
• Disjointed, poor and lackluster Bayern side: The visitors displayed a plethora of bad passes, uncoordinated movement and a lack of telepathic-ness as the team was dismantled on the counter.

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91’: Time is up in Frankfurt, a humiliation for Bayern at a 5-1 loss. Disjointed and poor are the only words to describe Bayern’s performance

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90’: A Goretzka cross results in a blocked Lewandowski header

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85’: Frankfurt score another, goal for Silva. 5-1!

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84’: The game has gone stale, players are getting tired and angry, but chances are drying up.

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78’: The game has slowed down a bit, Bayern are resigned to losing while Frankfurt have the sporadic counter-attack.

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71’: Davies hits the post after some good work.

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68’: Kostic forces a great save from Neuer, embarrassing defending going on right now.

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65’: Thomas Muller is hooked for Javi Martinez. Niko Kovac looks to keep the scoreline respectable.

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63’: Again, Frankfurt almost score, it’s turning into a bloodbath for Bayern.

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61’: Frankfurt score another from a corner, 4-1!

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60’: Bas Dost almost scores. Manuel Neuer saves

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59’: Brilliant last-ditch defending for Frankfurt prevents a Bayern goal after some great play.

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56’ : Phillipe Coutinho comes off for Kingsley Coman

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51’: Sven Ulriech collects a yellow card, but he’s on the bench.

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49’: Frankfurt score! A cross finds a attacker who finishes with ease. A Davies mistake...

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45’: The second half is underway! Let’s hope Bayern can recover.

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Halftime reactions and observations

• Coutinho and Muller have both been poor. The Brazillian has constantly made poor passes, touches and plays, and so has Muller. With Bayern now employing a 4-2-3 formation, both play-makers haven’t been able to exert influence on the game.
• Bayern’s manager again has left heads shaking with his choices to play Muller, Kimmich and Davies out of position. Furthermore, when Serge Gnabry was shifted to the right-wing, Muller was bumped to the left-wing instead of the centre — where a proven LW still resides.
• Bayern’s red card causing problems: After Boateng’s red card, due to poor defending by Bayern, the team has put in a disjointed effort and changes for the second half should be expected.

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47’: Halftime! Frankfurt lead Bayern at the break after a Boateng red card.

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43’: The game remains scrappy, Bayern starting to exert some dominance.

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37’: Lewandowski scores another superb goal, Bayern 1 - 2 Frankfurt

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36’: Kimmich scores! But it’s offside...

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33’: Frankfurt score another goal! A fantastic team move!

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28’: Kimmich crosses straight into the Frankfurt keeper after some good attacking play

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25’: Goal Frankfurt. Kostic taps in from close range. 1-0 to Frankfurt!

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20’: Bayern look disjointed, shocked and are being dominated by Frankfurt. Hopefully the Bavarians can regroup.

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16’: Coutinho and Thiago are now the midfielders for Bayern in a 4-2-3 formation

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11’: Frankfurt hit the free-kick into the wall, before Neuer makes a good stop after a Frankfurt snapshot

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10’: Red card for Boateng!

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7’: We’re 7 minutes in and Jerome Boateng has almost conceded a penalty after a counter from Paciencia. This is going to be a long game.

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5’: Frankfurt are going forward and causing Bayern problems. Neuer has to make a save early.

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Kickoff: We are underway in Frankfurt. Another offensive lineup for Bayern!

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One hour until kickoff: We have lineups!

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The Bundesliga is back! Niko Kovac faces his former side as Eintracht Frankfurt host Bayern Munich at the Commerzbank Arena. Given how tight things are at the top of the league this season, it’s imperative that the Bavarians come away from this game with all three points.

Niko Kovac has very few options in defense, due to long term injuries to Niklas Sule and Lucas Hernandez. David Alaba is expected to come back into the lineup at the expense of Alphonso Davies, and Robert Lewandowski is almost certain to start despite the fact that he wasn’t properly rested in midweek. Whether Philippe Coutinho or Thomas Muller will start behind him is anyone’s guess — check out our predicted lineups for more info.

It’s Bayern time.

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Match Info

Location: Commerzbank Arena, Frankfurt, Germany

Time: 3:30 pm local time, 10:30 pm EST

TV/streaming: Fubo.tv, Find Your Country

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