Dhe value of friendlies has often been disparaged. And the insights that can be drawn from the encounter between Frankfurt Eintracht and Mainz 05 are limited at first glance. Nevertheless, there is no alternative to such clashes with a good opponent, because there is no other opportunity for the professionals on the fringes or beyond the first team to take action against their greatest deficiency: Insufficient match practice. For most of them, that is the reason why others are preferred to them, not because they are the clearly weaker football players. Only under competitive conditions can they regain their lost security, precision, timing and feeling for game situations.
When Eintracht made it 1-0, Tuta scored the winning goal in the 74th minute, Eintracht coach Oliver Glasner let the pros play the longest, who are closest to the starting eleven from his Bundesliga short-time workers or who are most likely to be used as jokers. Of them, the best impression was made by Danny da Costa, who had many strong scenes. Mainz seems to be a good place for the right winger, who was called up as the right link in the three-man defense this time. Even during his loan he made many good games for FSV 05 in Mainz.
Jakic delivered his usual performance spectrum in central midfield, strong as a destroyer, imprecise as a passer, and as in the Bundesliga, the other reservists also played: The two strikers Sam Lammers and Goncalo Paciencia were able to assert themselves against an opponent in very few situations, ( Paciencia at least prepared the 1-0 with a shot at the post), defender Almamy Tourè thwarted his passable performance with a thick black line when he amateurishly fouled Mainz Bolzein (goalkeeper Grahl saved Boetius’ penalty) and offensive player Jan Petter Hauge thwarted his enthusiasm with countless ball losses.
New insights? Eintracht has no goalkeeper problem, both Trapp representatives Diant Ramaj and Jens Grahl were convincing. In addition, new signing Ansgar Knauff is not an immediate aid, the former Dortmunder has to be involved much more by the teammates. In order to oust the absent regular players Borrè, Kostic, Kamada, Hasebe, Hinteregger and Ndicka, all reservists needed more tests than they did against Mainz. Only the offensive players can hope. Daichi Kamada will miss the upcoming Bundesliga match against VfB Stuttgart with a torn thigh muscle.
