Die Kleeblätter host die Bornheimer at the Stadion am Laubenweg this Friday evening with both sides looking to bounce back from disappointing defeats last weekend.
Overview and Form
Both FSV Frankfurt and Greuther Fürth have had indifferent starts to the 2015/16 campaign. Fürth have managed four points from the opening three matches, and FSV just the single point. Fürth had started well, beating last season's third-placed finishers, Kalrsruher SC.
The Shamrocks followed up that result with an equally impressive point away at title-favourites, RB Leipzig, but since that result have struggled to find any momentum. They lost in the DFB-Pokal to 3. Liga side Erzgebirge Aue, and last weekend played out an exciting 3-2 defeat against St. Pauli. They lie in a comfortable, if not glamorous, 8th position after the opening three matchdays.
FSV Frankfurt, on the other hand, only have a single point to their name. That point came away at newly-promoted Arminia Bielefeld on the second matchday. That result aside, they've suffered home league defeats to RB Leipzig and Karslruher SC, either side of a 0-2 DFB-Pokal victory against Regionalliga Nordost outfit, BFC Dynamo.
With goals hard to come by, one scored in three league matches, FSV Frankfurt will be looking to their attacking players to really put their stamp on the game. They currently lie in 16th position so Tomas Oral will be keen to kickstart FSV's season and chalk up their first league victory when they make the short journey south to Fürth.
Head-to-head
FSV Frankfurt took four points from a possible six in the meetings between the two clubs last season. In this particular fixture, die Bornheimer travelled back up to Frankfurt after a comprehensive 2-5 away win. The teams registered a 1-1 draw when they played out the return fixture in Frankfurt. Overall, however, Fürth do hold the upper hand in the last five meetings, winning twice, drawing twice and losing just that one game.
Key Players
Tomas Oral will look to his defenders to keep the likes of Sebastian Freis and Veton Berisha at bay. Freis has notched up two goals this campaign, and the ex-Freiburger will be hopeful of keeping his goalscoring form going.
Berisha only has the one goal to his name thus far this campaign, but the FSV defence won't be allowed a moments rest with the young Norwegian forward, who signed for Fürth this summer, in the ranks. He'll be looking to improve his goalscoring record this weekend.
FSV do have their own attacking threats in their midst. Veteran Albanian forward Edmond Kapllani, who boasts a rather impressive goalscoring record throughout his career, will be under the watchful and wary eyes of the Fürth defence. Zlatko Dedić will also pose a threat going forward. But another player to watch out for is 1. FSV Mainz loanee, Besar Halimi.
He scored in last weekends defeat to Karlsruher SC, but it's his creativity, more so than his goalscoring record, that the young German is renowned for. He notched up 13 assists in a mightily impressive breakthrough season for 3. Liga side Stuttgarter Kickers before earning his move to the Bundesliga outfit. Stefan Ruthenbeck and his side will be wary of the threat he poses.