What's behind exciting Frankfurt 2.0 under Toppmöller?

Thirteen points in hand after the first six Bundesliga games and sitting pretty in third - you couldn’t really ask for much better as an Eintracht fan. Their latest result against Bayern was another example of Frankfurt's improvement, especially from a clinical point of view.

Beyond that, Toppmöller's charges are on a strong run of results, bouncing back from a disappointing opening day loss against Borussia Dortmund where they lost - perhaps undeservedly - 2-0 at the Signal Iduna Park.

Since that result, the goals have kept flowing along nicely. Existing personnel have stepped up, meanwhile new arrivals have shown promise for the future. So, what’s led to this exciting form?

Turning draws to wins

Last season, Eintracht started unbeaten in five, kicking off with a 1-0 win over Darmstadt. However, what followed was a series of flat draws which produced only three goals, pointing to Frankfurt being a work-in-progress under new boss Toppmöller.

That was then and this is now. The Eagles have picked up three points in all but two of their six games this term, and this turn in results is a positive indicator of not only the team's growth under Toppmöller but also their ability to grind out results when this would have been a difficult task for them last season.

In fact, they recorded a league-high 14 draws during the 2023/24 season, level with Mainz for that somewhat disappointing return.

Their most-recent victory against Kiel came as a result of two well-timed strikes from Tuta and Omar Marmoush in the second-half, with the Egyptian grabbing his second brace of the season.

Watch: Holstein Kiel 2-4 Eintracht Frankfurt highlights

Marmoush on fire

Overtaking Harry Kane in the league's scorer standings is easier said than done. However, Eintracht star Marmoush has done just that. Entering his second season with the Eagles, the 25-year-old seems to have found his spot with the kind of form he's showing in the opposition box.

Just a humble tally of eight goals and four assists to his name in the Bundesliga, he not only tops the goalscoring charts but has the most overall goal contributions to boot. His brace against Bayern was particularly impressive given he converted the only two real chances that fell his way.

With the arrival of Hugo Ekitiké, Marmoush has been given a freer role in forward areas and has been all the better for it.

"Omar has taken the next step in his development. He has many skills, especially his speed. He is difficult to stop in one-on-one situations and he now also has an eye for the man next to him," said Toppmöller after the big win away at Kiel. 

The 'man next to him' this term has been Ekitiké, whose permanent acquisition by Eintracht this summer is looking more like a bargain with each passing day. He has only two goals and two assists to his name - a solid return that is only overshadowed by his strike partner's electric start - but the young French prodigy brings a lot more to the table with his hold-up play and technique that generally isn't commonly found in players with his physique.

The two linked up fantastically for Ekitiké's effort versus Bayern, and opposition defences will find it difficult to stop them having a telling impact as the campaign progresses.

Watch: All of Omar Marmoush's 2024/25 goals and assists

Toppmöller adapting, Eintracht thriving

Toppmöller has always been highly regarded within German football circles for his tactical acumen, and last season - despite a far from ideal first term in the Bundesliga - he led the Eagles to a sixth-placed finish. The evidence so far suggests that he and his team have their eyes on a higher spot, competing for a UEFA Champions League berth.

Eintracht's approach in and out of possession under Toppmöller has centred around winning the ball high up the pitch, identifying and exploiting spaces in behind opposition lines and using the pace of their direct players to hurt teams to devastating effect. Therefore, versatility is a key factor for players to thrive in this system.

Frankfurt's teams of the past have been famous for producing effective direct wingers and forwards - the current iteration features the likes of Marmoush, Ekitiké, Farès Chaïbi, and Niels Nkounkou, amongst others. All adept at taking on markers, dribbling past into space and getting the ball into the box.

Playing smart

All the relevant metrics show that Eintracht's approach is paying dividends. Close to bottom rank for average possession with 41 percent, the Eagles are clever with the way they work out of possession..

When you look at other physical metrics like intensive runs (3992) and distance covered (690.9km), Eintracht do not rank particulary highly - 13th and ninth respectively. However, with European commitments to also deal with this term, Toppmöller men are conserving their energy and using it at the right time. That should bode well for the coming months.

As teams up and around them are elevating themselves through innovation in possession, Toppmöller's approach without the ball is setting up Frankfurt in the best possible way to challenge for European spots again this season, and possibly more.