Following up success in the Europa League during the 21-22 season was always going to be a tall order for Oliver Glasner and his Frankfurt staff. As it so happened, a roller-coaster of a 22-23 Bundesliga campaign culminated with Glasner’s exit. Cup success could only take him so far at the Deutsche Bank Park.
By Ninad Barbadikar
Enter Dino Toppmöller at the start of this season, to pick up the pieces from Glasner’s exit, with star forward Randal Kolo Muani leaving for a record fee, paid by Paris Saint-Germain. There was a lot to deal with. Toppmöller arrived from Bayern Munich, where he was assistant to Julian Nagelsmann, previously working with him at RB Leipzig as well.
Toppmöller isn’t a young gun in the game, before joining Nagelsmann, he had already served as head coach at four different clubs across Germany, Luxembourg and Belgium. Joining Frankfurt at the start of this season also had a deeper family connection, his father Klaus managed Die Adler for one season during the 90s. Dino himself was part of the Frankfurt side that got promoted to the Bundesliga in 2003.
Form in the league has been inconsistent, but there is a lot to like about what Toppmöller is doing with the players at his disposal, let’s break it down.
All-action wingbacks
Toppmöller’s Frankfurt have shown a few variations in shape this season but the one constant has been the back three in build-up. The triumvirate of Robin Koch, Tuta and Willian Pacho are first-choice and all three are perfect examples of the excellent recruitment that has been a backbone of Frankfurt in recent seasons.
Most commonly fielded in a 3-4-2-1 shape, Toppmöller’s system places a major emphasis on fluid movements between the wingbacks, inside forwards, and the centre forward. The Eagles aren’t a direct team, as such, and take their time with the ball, building out from the back, after which it’s up to their dynamic profiles in front of the defence to do their magic.
Take Niels Nkounkou and Junior Dina Ebimbe for example – both are highly explosive wide players for Frankfurt, who can not only cover ground up and down the flanks, but also contribute meaningfully in the final third with their ability to attack the box.
Their all-action nature becomes clearer looking at some simple metrics, both Nkounkou and Ebimbe have averaged 1+ shots, 1+ tackles won, 1+ successful dribble per90, illustrating not only their abilities but also the huge demands on them from a tactical standpoint.
The Frenchmen are both heavily involved in shot-generating sequences and rarely see the ball in build-up – in those situations, it’s up to the central midfielders and one of the inside forwards to drop deeper, become the spare man, and then spread the play. Toppmöller’s use of the profiles at his disposal is quite shrewd in this sense. Ansgar Knauff, Farès Chaïbi and Mario Götze are all perfect examples.
Forward dynamics
What about the forwards then? They are not as fixed either. First-choice striker Omar Marmoush, brought in on a free transfer this summer has been a revelation.
The Egypt international is not your typical number nine. Though he is clinical when he gets an opportunity in the box, Marmoush also brings a lot more to the table – ability to link-play by dropping off from the frontline, running the channels effectively, being a diligent presser of the ball, whilst also creating chances for his team-mates. Seven goals and three assists is strong evidence of his abilities.
If the number nine drops off, it is up to either of the wingbacks to become an option in the box, along with the inside forwards making off-ball runs. This variation in the players attacking the opposition box means that the volume of shots is quite evenly spread across the frontline and the wingbacks.
Last season under Glasner, Frankfurt were heavily reliant on capitalising on fast transitions and counter-attacks, but this term, Toppmöller has found more value in the malleability of his arsenal.
Simple is sufficient in defence
The forward dynamics are interesting but what of their defending? Toppmöller has spoken about his team’s principles and how one of them is always making sure to close the box and deny the opposition space to pass/cross into the area.
To that end, it makes sense that Frankfurt have blocked the most number of passes in the league so far, 211 and counting. The centre-back trio of Koch, Pacho and Tuta are quite well rounded and a perfect fit for a back three. Pacho and Tuta are comfortable in covering ground and engaging in duels out wide, and meanwhile because of those two, Koch is confident in committing to the press in midfield areas when necessary.
Hugo Larsson, Ellyes Skhiri and Götze are the rotating cast in midfield, with the latter being the gem up Toppmöller’s sleeve. Götze has almost reinvented himself in a deeper role for the Eagles, and has been accommodated really well in Frankfurt’s system, because of Larsson’s complementary strengths.
Whilst Götze offers press resistance, smart off-ball defensive work and progressive passing on top of his creativity, Larsson plugs all the other gaps. He is a one-man engine in the middle of the park, tirelessly working to win the ball back and not only that, but also offering himself as an option for forward passes. A box-to-box midfielder in the truest sense.
Work in progress
All that being said, Frankfurt are evidently a work in progress. Though Toppmöller remained unbeaten in his first five Bundesliga games, four of those were draws against sides that are all under them in the table, at the time of writing.
Achieving historic victories like the 5-1 over Bayern Munich has been exciting to see, however, there have also been wasted points in other matches where they have allowed opponents to claw their way back into the game. 2-2 draws against Darmstadt and Werder Bremen illustrate that precisely.
Frankfurt are not there yet when it comes to maximising the offensive prowess of their forward options. Bottom of the league for shots attempted with 208 shots is a concerning figure for Die Adler’s supporters, but it is now up to Toppmöller to ensure that this team continues to grow in instalments.
The 45-year-old has handled Frankfurt’s transition season as well as anyone could have hoped for. He has a number of exciting pieces in attack, the additions of Sasa Kalajdzic and Hugo Ekitike are coups to say the least. Both are very different from Marmoush, and Kalajdzic has already been showing glimpses of his old self that dominated at Stuttgart, before moving to the Premier League.
Currently occupying the European spots, finishing in the top six would be deemed a success for Toppmöller and co. They also have the personnel to make a deep run in the Conference League and have Union St. Gilloise coming up in the round of 32.
Beyond that, success in the short-medium term would be establishing a solid core with this young group of talents and in Toppmöller’s hands, whilst still a work in progress, the Eagles look set to continue flying high and spring a surprise or two along the way.
(Images from IMAGO)
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