Jamie Carragher supplies a tactical breakdown of how Xabi Alonso masterminded a convincing 3-0 victory over Bayern Munich to cement Bayer Leverkusen’s place on the Bundesliga summit – and rubberstamp his personal credentials as a future Liverpool supervisor…
There’s a terrific probability that Xabi Alonso goes to be the following Liverpool supervisor.
He appears the standout favorite, and whenever you consider the nice managers and the place they begin, quite a lot of them do one thing fairly outstanding at a barely decrease stage maybe.
While you consider what Jose [Mourinho] did at Porto, profitable the Champions League and Jurgen Klopp profitable two Bundesliga titles with Borussia Dortmund.
What would Liverpool below Alonso appear like?
While you have a look at Alonso and what it seems like he is about to attain with Bayer Leverkusen, and the end result that they had on the weekend, it’s insightful to see if he’s within the Premier League subsequent season what’s his approach of enjoying and the way he goes about it, and the way it is perhaps completely different to what we’re seeing now with Klopp at Liverpool.
On the weekend, it wasn’t a traditional Bayer Leverkusen efficiency in that they did not dominate possession. They solely had 39 per cent of the ball however they had been incredible defensively.
Compactness key to nullifying Bayern
What I appreciated about their set-up was how compact they’re. We’re speaking 15 yards from again to entrance. The nice groups are defensively compact. We’re usually taking a look at 25 to 30 yards. There’s time on the ball however have a look at how compact they’re.
You even have to have a look at their set-up. Bayer Leverkusen below Alonso with out the ball this season have been a again 5. He likes two sitting midfielders, and he likes a entrance three with Florian Wirtz because the false No 9 as he had one striker out injured who’s on the Africa Cup of Nations and Patrik Schick who was on the bench.
The explanation they’re so good defensively and are one of the best within the Bundesliga by a good distance is due to this compactness. The factor that actually stands out for me is despite the fact that we speak about them as a again 5 defensively, is how rapidly they morph right into a again 4 when in possession.
The wing-back function of Grimaldo
Virtually each staff now performs and units up otherwise with and with out the ball. The again 5 play a few passes and it turns into a again 4. A giant purpose for that is that they have a wing-back in [Alex] Grimaldo who frequently from his place steps into midfield.
We see that within the Premier League with [Oleksandr] Zinchenko and [Trent] Alexander-Arnold the place full-backs go into midfield, however they play the deeper function. They arrive inside like a sitting midfield participant.
However he is virtually like an attacking midfielder. When Wirtz bursts by means of the center, you possibly can see his choices which embrace the wing-back. You’ll be able to see Grimaldo on one aspect and each Amine Adli and Nathan Tella on the opposite making runs. On this instance, Adli ought to have put them 1-0 in entrance, but it surely summed the sport up.
Bayern’s response to the next throw-in summed them up. It was terrible. It did not simply occur with the throw-in but it surely additionally occurs with the person on the again put up.
Bayer restricted Bayern Munich to 0.56 xG – the bottom they’ve had within the Bundesliga this season. That is one other instance of simply how compact they’re from again to entrance. With the ball on one aspect of the pitch, all 11 gamers weren’t letting Bayern Munich out.
How quick passing entice opponents
They really do get out, however they have to return. They very hardly ever penetrated Leverkusen proper all through the sport. On a number of events, Eric Dier was pressured to play lengthy in the direction of the huge areas however an enormous a part of this Xabi Alonso staff are quick passes that entice folks in.
With two or three, you see the Bayern Munich staff get dragged throughout. It is a large a part of the place the sport goes in trendy soccer. So many groups now make quick passes to entice folks on to see if they’ll break by means of the strains or if they’ll swap play.
On this event, [Piero] Hincapie is the left-sided centre-back who turns into the attacking left-back. The again 5 turns into a again 4 with Grimaldo having moved ahead.
Wirtz because the false No 9
Tella is discovered on the again put up and on the rebound, Wirtz virtually makes it 2-0. I need to spotlight once more the function of Wirtz. He is a younger man who’s beginning to get into that Germany squad.
He is the aptitude participant and the large title of this staff. His function on this sport was to play behind the 2 No 6s for Bayern as Leverkusen usually play with a striker. Eric Dier has gone in tight on him. Once more, it’s about engaging gamers in. It results in Bayer having a two-v-two state of affairs.
Min-jae Kim and Dayot Upamecano are left uncovered. The ball is labored huge to Grimaldo, who has his left-sided centre-back [Hincapie] now bombing on his outdoors. As a result of he has that choice to his left, Grimaldo could make the run inside.
It is utterly completely different to what we see from different full-backs or wing-backs after they go into midfield, and he finishes it off with a terrific end. The third objective can also be from a wing-back as [Jeremie] Frimpong comes on however that was from a corner-kick the place Manuel Neuer had gone up.
However taking a look at Grimaldo’s stats, you consider Trent Alexander-Arnold. While you have a look at his stats, he is had 10 targets from wing-back and 11 assists. While you speak about spending numerous cash to get one of the best gamers in, Grimaldo has come on a free switch in the summertime. That is fairly particular.
Would Alonso’s model of soccer achieve success at Anfield?
For Bayer Leverkusen to be prime of something is fairly particular. While you consider the squad they have and the cash that is being spent. While you ask if that is the proper match for Liverpool, what stands out for me are the variety of passes and the quantity which might be quick.
To this point, 646 of their 683 have been quick. It involves 95 per cent which might be not what Liverpool are proper now below Klopp. It is extra harking back to what we see from a Pep Guardiola staff. It is fascinating after we put that on a scatter graph, and you’ll see Bayer Leverkusen alongside Manchester Metropolis and Paris Saint-Germain [among Europe’s top five leagues].
You’ll be able to see Liverpool are additional behind. We all know from watching them that they’re a extra direct staff and use counter-attacks extra. From the corporate Leverkusen are protecting, we are able to say that Alonso’s personal affect is extra like Pep Guardiola, which is smart as he is been his supervisor.
But when Xabi Alonso was to change into the Liverpool supervisor, which I believe he’ll, I really feel they’re fairly lucky on condition that Jurgen Klopp has chosen this second to maneuver on. The timing for Alonso to step in is fairly good given the job he is doing.
Would I anticipate Alonso’s Liverpool to be larger up this scatter graph? Perhaps. However I’d anticipate someplace within the center – like the place Bayern Munich are on the graph – as he has to have his personal philosophy and his personal imprint.
This staff is so used to enjoying a sure approach below Jurgen Klopp, there’s the Anfield issue with the group, the vitality. Xabi Alonso is aware of that so I’d anticipate to see a merging of the 2 types if he had been to get the job.
There isn’t any doubt that proper now he is trying just like the brightest younger factor as a supervisor.
View from Germany: What makes Alonso so particular?
Sky Germany’s Felix Fischer:
“He does such a tremendous job. He is not only a genius tactician and in terms of how he prepares his team, but he is a gentleman. Everything he does, he does right.
“After the sport, the followers needed to have fun with him however he spoke together with his assistants and coaches to ensure in addition they joined him within the celebrations. He did not need to have fun it alone which reveals the respect he has for his total staff, for the followers and for the whole membership.
“I imagine he will be the Liverpool coach one day but Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes said on Sunday that he is really sure that Alonso will still be the coach next season.
“All the highest groups do have a watch on him. The boss of Bayern Munich may have a watch on him for some day, in addition to Actual Madrid. It’ll be a race for Alonso. I do not assume it’s going to happen in the summertime, however the season after that.”
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