Adi Hütter defends small squad as Frankfurt contemplate formation change

Within two minutes of the restart, FC Augsburg turned a 1‑0 deficit into a 2‑0 lead, with Arijon Ibrahimović equalising in under a minute and a Noah Atubolu spill finding Robin Fellhauer for the winner. The rapid swing left Eintracht Frankfurt reeling and set the tone for a 1‑4 home defeat.

First‑half dominance

Frankfurt controlled virtually everything before the break at the Deutsche Bank Park. Jonathan Burkardt headed home Younes Ebnoutalib’s cross after six minutes, giving the hosts an early lead. Finn Dahmen made several excellent interventions to keep Augsburg at bay, denying any chance of a quick reply.

Against Augsburg, the hosts appeared set to extend their advantage, but the second half saw the momentum shift dramatically. Ibrahimović’s equaliser arrived less than a minute after the restart, and Atubolu’s mis‑control allowed Fellhauer to slot home the decisive goal.

Hütter’s tactical concerns

In his post‑match press conference, Adi Hütter defended his small squad, saying he does not need thirty players for the Bundesliga and Pokal. He also admitted that the team “didn’t have the right solutions” and that “our defence was poor and our organisation was off”.

Hütter hinted that a change in the basic formation may be required to bring stability, noting that the side he inherited was set up in a 4‑3‑3 while he now prefers a 4‑2‑2‑2. He stressed the need for pragmatic adjustments.

Two young full‑backs, Elias Baum and Keita Kosugi, started against Augsburg and will remain integral as Hütter reshapes the back line. The coach also referenced Manuel Baum’s assessment, aligning his view that the first half reflected the football he envisioned.

Alexis Claude‑Maurice and Fabian Rieder added outstanding goals later in the second half, sealing Augsburg’s sensational turnaround. The defeat leaves Frankfurt with just one point from their opening two Bundesliga fixtures, following a 3‑3 draw with Union Berlin where Ebnoutalib scored a hat‑trick.

The report even noted a stray reference to Bun in the post‑match notes, underscoring the chaotic nature of the evening.