Hamburg – Eintracht Frankfurt’s recent run of form hit a snag this past Sunday with a largely uninspired 0-0 draw against St. Pauli at the Millerntor. While the result halted a concerning trend of conceding goals under recent manager Albert Riera, it simultaneously exposed a significant lack of attacking threat, raising questions about the team’s progress towards a more adventurous style of play.
Frankfurt, who enjoyed a period of success in European competitions in the 2018/19 season – reaching the Europa League semi-finals with victories over Inter Milan and Benfica before falling to Chelsea – have built a reputation for both attractive football and shrewd player sales. However, Sunday’s performance at the Millerntor was a stark contrast to that image, leaving observers questioning whether the team’s attacking spark has been extinguished.
The statistics painted a clear picture of Frankfurt’s struggles. Just eight shots and an expected goals (xG) value of 0.38 were registered by Frankfurt’s five nominal attacking players, a meager return against a team battling relegation. The scoreless draw was, in many ways, a predictable outcome given the lack of cutting edge in the final third. Coach Riera, along with captain Robin Koch and defender Nathaniel Brown, later acknowledged the solidity of the defensive performance, a positive sign in the early stages of his tenure.
“We Played Too Much Around the Outside”
The defensive stability is a welcome development for Frankfurt, particularly after a period where conceding goals had become a recurring issue. The back four of Collins, Koch, Aurèle Amenda and Nnamdi Collins largely contained St. Pauli’s attacks, preventing the home side from building any significant momentum. This marked the third game under Riera where the opposition failed to find the back of the net, excluding the expected three goals conceded in a recent match against Bayern Munich.
However, this newfound defensive resilience appears to have come at the expense of the attacking flair that Riera promised upon his arrival. The team’s play was characterized by sideways passing and a lack of urgency, failing to penetrate St. Pauli’s organized defense. Riera himself was critical of the team’s approach, stating, “If every player has three touches, three touches and another three touches, you can’t surprise the opponent.” Forward Jonathan Burkardt echoed this sentiment, noting, “We played too much around the outside and didn’t look for the depth enough, and we didn’t cross enough either.”
Burkardt, in particular, struggled to make an impact, failing to beat his marker, Hauke Wahl, on a single occasion due to a lack of suitable passes. Arnaud Kalimuendo faced a similar fate against Eric Smith. Both strikers appeared largely isolated, with limited involvement in the build-up play. Farès Chaïbi and Jean-Mattéo Bahoya also struggled to influence the game, with Bahoya managing only a half-chance.
Frankfurt’s Attack Lacks Bite
On paper, Frankfurt’s attacking options appear formidable. However, at the wind-swept Millerntor, the team’s offensive threat felt muted. The build-up play was slow and labored, allowing St. Pauli to comfortably sit in a deep block and frustrate the visitors. The home side was almost disappointed with just a single point, such was their control of the game.
This was arguably Frankfurt’s weakest performance under Riera, lacking any creativity against St. Pauli’s high press in the first half and their well-organized defensive structure in the second. A more incisive dribbler or a player capable of delivering dangerous set-pieces could have made the difference, but both were sorely lacking. The Eintracht attack, despite its personnel, felt largely ineffective.
The one positive takeaway from the match was the continued improvement of the Frankfurt defense. “Sometimes you have to be satisfied with a point like this,” said Nathaniel Brown.
Riera is urging patience as he looks to implement his vision for the team. “I’ve only been here a month,” he said, “of course we have to do better than this time. But I demand a lot. That takes time, especially offensively.” Under Riera, Frankfurt has yet to significantly close the gap on the teams vying for European qualification.
Currently, Frankfurt appears to be stuck in mid-table, resembling a team alongside SC Freiburg in the Bundesliga standings. Hopefully, this is just a temporary setback for the club. Riera’s colorful rhetoric remains a positive, and his lengthy explanation of his tactical thinking during the post-match press conference, even when seemingly misunderstanding a reporter’s question, provided a moment of levity. He also correctly pointed out that two fouls committed by St. Pauli’s Tomoya Ando should have resulted in a yellow card and subsequent red card.
Frankfurt’s next challenge comes against Union Berlin on March 16th at Deutsche Bank Park. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 PM local time (CET). The team will demand to rediscover its attacking spark if it hopes to secure a positive result and climb the Bundesliga table.
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