Eintracht Frankfurt profiled: Between attacking power and defensive concerns

Eintracht Frankfurt have made a decent start with three wins from the first five Bundesliga matches, yet their record reveals both light and shade. While the attack led by summer signing Jonathan Burkardt and top scorer Can Uzun is among the most prolific in the league, the shaky defence is causing worries for head coach Dino Toppmöller. Ahead of the clash with FC Bayern on Saturday (18:30 CEST) at the Waldstadion in Frankfurt, it’s worth a closer look at the Eagles’ form, new signings, preferred line-up and tactical approach.

Strong start but shaky defence

With three wins and two defeats to their name, Eintracht currently sit in fourth place in the Bundesliga table. After convincing victories over Werder Bremen (4-1) and at TSG Hoffenheim (3-1), SGE have looked extremely vulnerable at the back in recent games, conceding 11 goals in their last three outings in all competitions. In the 4-3 defeat to Union Berlin, the two late goals ultimately proved to be merely cosmetic. In the incredible 6-4 win at Borussia Mönchengladbach on Saturday, Toppmöller’s men were 6-0 up early in the second half but were far too sloppy in the final quarter of an hour and almost threw away what looked a safe lead. It didn’t get any better in the Champions League clash at Altético Madrid on Tuesday, where Antoine Griezmann, Julián Álvarez and Co sent Frankfurt home with a 5-1 defeat. 

It was a sobering night for the Hessians in Madrid. After the match, board member for sport Markus Krösche bemoaned the lack of resoluteness in their defending. “Some of the goals came about a bit too easily,” he said, while at the same time praising his team’s approach of wanting to play attacking football. “It was important that we remained brave. Then it can happen that you concede another goal or two – it’s a process.” Coach Toppmöller also recognised that “we hit our limits”, while Ansgar Knauff added: “We have to find the moments when we can attack as a team – not be pushed back too far but also not leave ourselves too open going forward.”

Eintracht’s summer transfer window

Eintracht are still a work in progress following a busy transfer window. Of the departures, Hugo Ekitiké was surely the biggest loss of this summer. The 23-year-old forward, who posted 22 goals and 12 assists in 48 appearances last season, left Frankfurt for Liverpool for a record transfer fee. In goalkeeper Kevin Trapp (35, Paris FC), Eintracht didn’t just lose their captain for many years but also an important pillar of experience and leadership. The SGE management also had to find a suitable replacement for Tuta (26, Al-Duhail SC), another mainstay of the team in recent years.

Krösche and his team have invested a lot of money in their attack. Jonathan Burkardt (24) came from Mainz as the replacement for Ekitiké, although the German international is a different type of player and doesn’t bring the same physical presence. Winger Ritsu Doan from Freiburg is another reinforcement from a Bundesliga rival. Michael Zetterer (30) was brought in from Bremen as competition for new number one Kauã Santos, while Danish international Rasmus Kristensen (27) signed permanently having spent last season on loan from Leeds United.

The line-up: will Toppmöller rejig against Bayern?

Coach Toppmöller tends to set his team up in a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 formation. Nnamdi Collins, Arthur Theate, Robin Koch and Nathaniel Brown have formed the back four in front of Santos in the last few matches. However, given the number of goals conceded lately, personnel changes seem likely rather than just possible. Aurèle Amenda is an option for the centre of defence, while Aurelio Buta offers an alternative at right-back with Kristensen currently injured. In midfield, Toppmöller has a more creative player in Fares Chaibi or a more defensively minded option in Hugo Larsson to partner Ellyes Skhiri. One player who’s virtually guaranteed to start is Can Uzun, who’s scored in all five Bundesliga games so far. Doan, Burkardt, Knauff and Jean-Mattéo Bahoya are vying to join him in attack.

Frankfurt have started with an offensively more variable and tactically more flexible orientation than in the previous season. The Eagles no longer attack the ball primarily from a deep 4-4-2 block, but place the emphasis more on aggressive attacking pressing. Burkardt and Co position themselves high up, depending on the situation, and close down the man, although it’s always guided by the movements of the opposition players. The idea is to force mistakes, and after winning possession they immediately look to get in behind.

The system: flexible and attack-oriented

However, this approach is not without risk, particularly in counter-pressing. The defence are put under pressure when Eintracht immediately tear forward after winning the ball but then give it away again in the middle. While there’s a lot of potential going forward in these moments because the opponents are out of position, it also increases the defensive vulnerability, which is reflected in the relatively high number of goals conceded so far: 13 in the Bundesliga. A calculated risk, which might present Bayern with chances in transition.

In contrast to last term, Eintracht’s play in possession has become more dynamic. The attacks are intended to move away from purely fast-paced, counter-attacking football and instead be characterised by precision, finesse and structured possession. The two free-roaming number eights play a key role: they often shift away from the centre, creating space in the middle that is boldly exploited. Players such as Doan, Uzun and Chaibi are thus able to play to their strengths in tight spaces and one-on-one situations.

Regardless of goals conceded, Toppmöller’s offensive plan is working so far because it’s also true that Eintracht boast the second-best attack in the German top flight with 17 goals scored so far – behind Bayern (22). The defence may be wobbling but the Hessians can’t be accused of lacking intensity without the ball. Only Bayer Leverkusen (526 tackles won) have come out on top in more direct duels so far this season than Eintracht (521).