Few chances, no callousness, (almost) no victories – that’s how the situation at Eintracht can be summed up succinctly. Coach Dino Toppmöller calls for more risk to untie the knot.
That’s where it goes: SGE coach Dino Toppmöller demands a riskier offensive game. picture alliance/dpa/Kessler-Sportfotografie
Eintracht only created 24 chances this Bundesliga season, which puts them in third-to-last place ahead of Mainz and Augsburg (23 chances each). The conversion of chances is only 16.67 percent, only Cologne is worse (12.9 percent). To put it into perspective: Last season, the Hessians used an average of 31.4 percent of their goal opportunities. VfB Stuttgart is currently the most efficient, with more than every second chance ending up in the goal (52.77 percent). Serhou Guirassy, the Randal Kolo Muani from the Neckar, sends his regards.
Frankfurt benefits from their opponents’ weak exploitation of opportunities
The lack of efficiency is an expression of the enormous bloodletting in the offensive – Daichi Kamada, Jesper Lindström, Rafael Borré and top scorer Kolo Muani are no longer there. Omar Marmoush is not a classic goalscorer, Jessic Ngankam and Lucas Alario are not really fit.
Since the team has only conceded five goals – that’s the league’s best – they are still in the secure midfield in 9th place. However, Eintracht also benefited from the opponents’ weak exploitation of chances. Only 19.23 percent of the 26 chances allowed ended up in the goal. That’s the league’s top value.
For comparison: Mainz is in 18th place: 54.83 percent of the allowed chances ended up in the net. The huge discrepancy is probably at least partly due to the quality of the opportunities. Even if the SGE benefits from the opponents’ lack of efficiency, the defense is stable overall. Only FC Bayern (24) and VfL Wolfsburg (23) allowed their opponents fewer scoring opportunities than Frankfurt (26).
Toppmöller demands more risk
Even before the most recent away game in Wolfsburg, Toppmöller appealed to play more riskily going forward – and repeated this request after the 2-0 defeat. Although his team repeatedly managed to free themselves from the “very active pressing” wolves, they lacked the willingness to take risks and put balls behind the chain. “Wolfsburg were extremely high, they always went up front. One or two times we missed the ball deep. We missed the maximum risk we were talking about,” sums up Toppmöller.
Nevertheless, the game could have taken a different course if Ellyes Skhiri and Marmoush had taken advantage of their great chances in the first half. “The chances were there, not in abundance, but there were situations that we simply had to take advantage of,” emphasized the coach. He hopes: “If the knot breaks with one of the offensive players, their self-confidence and self-confidence in how to tackle such situations will increase.”
The duel with Heidenheim as a sticking point?
The home game against Heidenheim on Sunday could be a sticking point in this young season. The Hessians have to win this game without any ifs and buts. Otherwise, the first strong autumn storm will arise over the Frankfurt city forest. Three days beforehand, Eintracht has to pass the cauldron at PAOK Saloniki. Fans can look forward to an exciting week.
Alario, who had knee surgery during the summer break and was not registered for the Conference League, is expected to be in the squad for the first time against Heidenheim. Since Mario Götze is missing due to suspension, it makes sense to send Ngankam and Marmoush onto the field as a double leader for the first time. As a classic ten, Fares Chaibi or Paxten Aaronson could pull the strings. It is important for Toppmöller to be able to add a striker. This is now possible with Alario.
2023-10-02 08:58:06
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