In October, Kaua Santos was replaced by Michael Zetterer in goal at Eintracht Frankfurt. Now the roll could be done backwards again. At least some evidence suggests so.
Had the shot Younes Ebnoutalib already seen it, almost everyone had seen it. While the new Eintracht striker covered his face in disbelief, his teammates shouted almost in unison across the training ground. “Strong! Strong, Kaua!” Kaua Santos had stretched out in this scene on Monday morning, dived into his right corner and, with the full span of a 1.96-meter leap, actually turned the powerful shot around the post. An outstanding parade.
It is moments like these that have made it so difficult for Eintracht managers around coach Dino Toppmöller to fill the goalkeeper position at the Hessian Bundesliga club in the recent past. There is no question that Santos, still only 22 years old, has excellent skills. The Brazilian is quick to react and spectacular on the line, and he has proven more than once that he can hold on to the supposedly unstoppable. And yet: Michael Zetterer was between the posts in 16 competitive games in the first half of the year.
The endless story in the goal
A story that turned out to be an endless story. In short form: Kevin Trapp goneZetterer there and between the posts for now, comeback of Santos, who was injured for months, many goals conceded, even more goals conceded, blatant mistake in Freiburganother goalkeeper change from Santos to Zetterer. Only then did peace return, Above all, more stability with the experienced ex-Bremen player between the posts. At the beginning Zetterer played well, held what he could hold and a little more here and there. But the trend was slightly downwards, especially at the end of the year, mistakes crept in, for example in Cologne or Leipzig, as well as strange excursions into the penalty area.
And now? Now it is (or was) being considered. Not publicly, but internally. The deliberations have perhaps already been completed as to who will be under the crossbar in Frankfurt’s Bundesliga home game against Borussia Dortmund on Friday evening (8.30 p.m.). According to reports, it is by no means out of the question that this will be Santos.
Toppmöller praised Santos
In any case, arguments for this can be found. On the one hand, Zetterer proved to be solid, but by no means outstanding support. With the 30-year-old, you know what you’re getting – an extremely good keeper with the ball at his feet, but also an average ball catcher on the line. In addition, someone who makes clear announcements to colleagues from behind. On the other hand, as at least some appearances last season suggested, Santos basically has greater potential. But above all, just because of their age, they have greater development opportunities. The fact that the father of the family’s mistake rate has so far been significantly too high is now clearly on the agenda for counterarguments.
“We are happy that Kaua is in really good shape again. He has absolute confidence in his knee again,” said Toppmöller in mid-December. Santos experienced great resistance. “But now he is doing well mentally and physically. I am convinced of the boy, as an athlete and as a person. He will go his own way.” Sentences that made people sit up and take notice back then and still resonate today. If not now, then when?
No match practice available at Santos
According to hr-sport information, which coincides with that from other media, there are actually concrete considerations about giving Santos playing time again in January. It is not clear whether as a permanent number one or in alternation between the league and Champions League. Of course, Toppmöller had little to gain from the latter in the duel between Trapp and Santos in the past; the coach always gave the impression that he would rather have a clear distribution of roles between the goalkeepers.
Of course, that would mean that the Frankfurt team would appoint a keeper to the first eleven in a busy January with seven matches, who completely lacks match practice; Santos hasn’t even played a test match in the recent past. That poses risks for a back team that isn’t particularly well-rounded anyway. Especially since the pressure – one way or another – would be high and every action by the Brazilian would be scrutinized closely. On the one hand. On the other hand: what good does it do?
Eintracht also has to endure mistakes
If Eintracht believes in their goalkeeping talent, they will have to dare to put him back in the box at some point. Rarely (or never?) has a player become better and more confident on the substitutes’ bench. Goalkeepers in particular have to be able to deal with mistakes and, above all, learn from them. Meanwhile, the club not only has to expect mistakes from young goalkeepers, but also has to deal with them and endure them, at least for a certain period of time, in the hope that they will lead to profitable experiences.
In summary: The T-question at Eintracht is once again an exciting one. The first answers will be available by Friday evening at the latest.
