Eintracht Frankfurt 0-3 Arsenal: 3 Reasons why the Gunners won | Europa League 2019/20

#2 Frankfurt’s diabolical finishing

Frankfurt were exceptionally poor with their finishing

Eintracht Frankfurt came into the game against the Gunners having scored 5 goals in their opening four Bundesliga matches. Thus, they seemed pretty well-equipped to barge their way through a wobbly Arsenal defensive door.

However, nothing of that sort materialised as their offensive players turned in an abysmal performance in front of goal.

For the majority of the first half, Frankfurt dominated proceedings and subsequently, carved out openings for themselves. Yet, they somehow managed to fluff their lines, even when it seemed easier to make the net ripple.

And, unfortunately for them, things got even worse after the break.

In the second period, Bas Dost had the earliest opportunity to restore parity. But, the tall striker headed wide. Thereafter, Andre Silva was presented with a gilt-edged chance near the penalty spot, a chance that the Portuguese contrived to send into Row Z.

The aforementioned Silva was accorded another look-in at goal courtesy a cross by Filip Kostic. Yet, akin to the trend Frankfurt mastered over the course of the game, he sent it wide.

The match ended with the hosts taking aim at Martinez’s goal on 24 occasions. Alarmingly though, they tested the Argentine only 7 times, which totalled to a ‘shots on target to shots on goal’ ratio of 29%, quite a dire number, considering the defensive strength (or lack of) confronting them.

Before the game started, Arsenal fans were left scratching their heads at the inclusion of David Luiz and Shkodran Mustafi as the centre-back pairing.

And, astonishingly, the duo combined to hand the Gunners only their 2nd clean sheet of the season, though it was majorly down to Frankfurt’s wastefulness rather than the former’s brilliance.