Former West Ham United star Don Hutchison says the Europa League semi-final is still wide open and is backing the Hammers to get the job done in Frankfurt.
Eintracht Frankfurt are in the box seat after winning the first leg at the London Stadium 2-1. The German side will fancy their chances of seeing out the job on home soil.
Even Hammers boss David Moyes was a bit despondent after the game. Moyes suggested his side may not have the quality at times to compete at such a level. He was alarmed with the quality of his side’s defending for the Frankfurt goals. Moyes also bemoaned the chances they missed at the other end.
However Hutchison is not downbeat and says West Ham still have a great chance.
Hutchison points to the quarter-final against Lyon which was on a knife edge at 1-1 after the first leg. Moyes’ men won the second leg 3-0 in France to make the last four and can take heart from that.
“It is wide open this tie, people are saying that it is done because West Ham have to go to Germany in the second leg,” Hutchison told ESPN. “But I think it is still wide open. You see what West Ham did against Lyon when they went away second leg and battered them.”
Jarrod Bowen came close to snatching an equaliser at the death. His overhead kick struck the crossbar and the visitors hung on.
All eyes now turn to the return leg in Frankfurt. And another former Hammers star Shaka Hislop was not down in the dumps either.
Much will depend on how Frankfurt approach the game. They showed what a great counter-attacking side they can be and could adopt similar tactics again.
West Ham still in it says Hislop
Being on home soil with a lead to defend brings a certain amount of pressure though. Hislop is hoping West Ham can use that to their advantage.
“If you are West Ham you feel a little bit unlucky,” he told ESPN. “In all honesty I thought Lyon were better at the London Stadium than Eintracht Frankfurt were. And that finished a draw.
“The challenge for West Ham…