Bundesliga 2019/20: Mainz vs Eintracht Frankfurt- tactical analysis

In just his second game in charge, Achim Beierlorzer was able to pick up another deserved win for a much-changed Mainz side against Eintracht Frankfurt on Monday night in the Bundesliga. With Mainz looking to continue from where they left off in their demolition of Hoffenheim, Mainz used a similar system and it is one which ultimately got the better of Frankfurts. In this tactical analysis, Ill look at Mainzs new system under Beierlorzer and explain how this was able to exploit Frankfurts system, particularly when they were sent down to ten men at the end of the first half.

Lineups 

Mainz lined up in a 3-4-1-2, which switched between a 3-5-2 and a 3-4-3 often, with the midfielders being allowed to move with some freedom in order to create overloads and passing angles. Frankfurt meanwhile used a 3-5-2, which because of how the game went often became a 5-3-2 or a 5-4-1. After Dominik Kohrs sending off Frankfurt went into a 4-4-1/5-3-1, and as we will touch on in this analysis, suffered as a result of Mainzs style of play.

Mainz cause problems in possession

Below are the general structures of both sides in the first half when Mainz were in possession. We can see the obvious space for Mainz was out wide, with the wing-backs being able to drive at each other if the space was conceded and could be exploited quickly enough.

However, Frankfurt were, of course, aware of this and so were prepared to shuffle across and cover spaces quickly, which is one of the benefits of a back five formation- coverage along the backline. However, the movement of the number ten, Jean-Paul Boëtius, was vital in creating problems for Frankfurt as we can see below.

Mainz looked to stretch the play