Season
21.10.16
Spot on: Home debut under floodlights!
HSV are keen to bag their first win of the young Bundesliga season, as they entertain Eintracht Frankfurt at the floodlit Voksparkstadion in Hamburg as matchday 8 begins in Hamburg on Friday night. It is hoped that the unique floodlit atmosphere and a crowd of around 50,000 behind them will give the team a much needed extra boost.
Tonight (21.10.16, 8.30 PM) HSV host Frankfurt in a matchday 8 opener at the Volksparkstadion. The game marks two firsts for the Rothosen: It is the home debut after 28 days of new HSV head coach Markus Gisdol. It is also the club’s first Friday night floodlit game of the season.
Defensive changes
HSV desperately need success to pull them away from second bottom place in the Bundesliga table where they currently reside. Gisdol said this week: “I have been looking forward to the day I can experience fans behind us at our own stadium since the first day I arrived.” After the team showed hints of improvement in Berlin (0-2) and the dramatic 0-0 battle in Gladbach last time out, everyone is hoping that a victory will follow. Gisdol again: “In Frankfurt, we face a well organised team who I think we are capable of beating. We have the tools to do it.”
Team selection – key defenders Cleber (suspended) and captain Johan Djourou (torn hamstring) are missing in central defence. Gisdol though is not prepared for any possible excuses. He revealed: “I have never been one for moaning about team selection”, before pointing out that in Albin Ekdal and Gideon Jung he has two strong candidates for those spots. The gritty battle of Gladbach showed how well the pair work together after HSV went down to ten men following the 25th minute dismissal of Cleber.
End the goal drought
The Rothosen have failed to score in 482 Bundesliga minutes so far – the second worst record in their history. Gisdol remained upbeat and reminded the press: “My past teams may have been guilty of certain things, but a lack of goals was not one of them. We will sort in out. ” His players are in similar mood: “It is about time we start putting away the chances we create ”, knows nippy winger Nicolai Müller, who was HSV top scorer last term with nine strikes to his name. He added enthusiastically: “We haven’t played at home for a long time. We are all raring to go. The Friday night atmosphere is amazing! ”
HSV (from): Adler, Mathenia, Diekmeier, Douglas Santos, Ekdal, Gregoritsch, Halilovic, Holtby, Hunt, Jung, Kostic, Lasogga, N. Müller, Ostrzolek, Sakai, Spahic, Waldschmidt, Wood
Possible Eintracht Frankfurt line-up: Hradecky - Chandler, Abraham, Vallejo, Oczipka - Hasebe, Mascarell - Seferovic, Fabian, Tarashaj - Meier
Referee: Günter Perl (Pullach)