Bundesliga 2018-19: Eintracht Frankfurt's 'bulldozer' Sebastien Haller makes case for big move, France call-up

2018-19 Eintracht Frankfurt. You would be forgiven if your mind first went to their Serbian hitman and the sensational form that Luka Jovic has been in, all season.

You would be forgiven, too, if your mind first went to Eintracht dominating Inter Milan, playing them off the park for the 180 minutes of the Europa League Round-of-16 tie.

But, there is one man in the Eintracht side, one 'bulldozer', as he's called. Or maybe as former Eintracht and current Bayern Munich head coach said, "someone even a bulldozer can't move."

Sebastien Haller has 19 goals and 12 assists in all competitions. Only Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Raheem Sterling have more direct goal contributions than Haller in Europe's big five leagues, this season.

Haller is part of a sensational Eintracht front three, which has been directly involved (either a goal or an assist) in 90% of the goals that the team has scored this season.

What makes them tick, then? Haller is a vital cog - it is through him that Eintracht's attacking play flows. Their philosophy is simple - congest the middle of the park, win the ball back, and then go direct with a vertical pass and set off on the counter-attack.

It is when that vertical pass is made that Haller comes into his own. He's strong, literally unshakable off possession, he's uncannily quick for a man of his size, and he's hugely helped by his two-footedness, which helps him lay off balls to either side, with others making runs off him.

The Eintracht front three of Haller, Jovic and Ante Rebic have been among the most lethal in Europe this season, and coach Adi Hutter's style of playing has ensured that Eintracht get the best of each of the three's abilities.

Hutter has kept the 3-4-1-2 system of Niko Kovac alive, but it is the ability of this front three that make it tick.

Jovic is always one of the two strikers in the system, but it is the nexus of Haller and Rebic that makes Eintracht tick. On paper, Rebic starts as the no.10, slotting in behind Haller and Jovic.

But once the game begins, it is noticeable to see how much Rebic and Haller keep switching positions. With his pace, Haller has the superb ability to drift into the wider areas, and then pick a pass.

Eintracht's way of playing is really not complicated. They defend compactly, and then when they win the ball back, it's a simple vertical pass that gets them away. However, in recent weeks, when more teams have been wary of the counter-attacking threat of the Eagles, they've demonstrated more strings to their bow.

The two wide centre-backs split, Makoto Hasebe from the centre of the back three sprays balls out to Haller and Rebic, who are infield, thanks to the wide spots being occupied by the wing-backs who have all the freedom in the world to push up.

Jetro Willems and Danny da Costa ensure that Filip Kostic and Jonathan de Guzman in the centre of the park have options to play the ball to, while in possession.

But at the crux of it all, is Haller. The tall striker is more than just a target-man. He's more than just a goalscorer. And he's always improving.

His record at age-group level for France is impressive, with 13 goals in 20 games at Under-21 level. He scored 51 goals in 98 games for Utrecht in Eredivisie, before his move to Germany.

Kylian Mbappe and Wissam Ben Yedder are the only Frenchmen to have scored more times than him in one of Europe's top five leagues, and he has as many assists as Paul Pogba.

Still can't get a French call-up? Surely, someone with those numbers and this much regular football under his belt, must earn a call-up at least. Let's not forget that Olivier Giroud still is France's no.1 striking option.