28 Jan 2024 00:18:37
Question for Ed001.
You say Xabi is your preferred next manager given that there aren't many viable alternatives atm.
What is his style of play at BL and do you feel it will suit our current squad?
Thanks in advance.

{Ed001's Note - formation wise he has used a number of different ones, when I saw him prior to Leverkusen he went with a back 4, but at Leverkusen he uses a 3 at the back. So I am not sure which he would choose if he had an open choice, but he does seem to suit his system to the players at his disposal. He likes to control midfield and use the width to attack. It is very much a hybrid of Klopp and Guardiola to be honest. He wants to dominate and attack, rather than just pass around for the sake of it and looks to overload a flank and draw the opposition in to create spaces.}

1.) 28 Jan 2024
28 Jan 2024 06:49:19
I suppose that’s his strengths
1) adaptability - he uses the strengths of the players he has at his disposal rather than put square pegs in round holes and hope it works
2) switches of play - very much what he used to do due to his superior passing range and accuracy
3) shape, positioning and movement - reflective of his game intelligence

Honestly I’ve only started checking out Leverkusen since yesterday so I won’t say I know a lot but they are enjoyable to watch and attacks with a clear focus. I’m fact if he does come to us and plays 3-4-2-1, I actually do think we have the right players for it.

Let’s see how he deals with having his key players out for awhile due to AFCON and injuries as riding through missing players, loss of form and facing adversity are such key qualities of a top tier manager.

2.) 28 Jan 2024
28 Jan 2024 07:34:35
Imo more important than tactics and formations will be his man management ability. Particularly needed at a club like ours who have lot less money to spend than it's rivals. The ability to get the most out of what he has. That's where jurgen nailed it.

3.) 28 Jan 2024
28 Jan 2024 07:41:12
Alonso was a genuine world class player and could read the game superbly as a player

On top it his he’s worked under some of the very best

Benitez
Pellegrini
Mourinho
Ancelotti (twice)
Guardiola

Regardless of xabi comes to us or not he is an exiting prospect .

On top of this I can’t wait to reignite the arteta v Alonso debate again used to love the blues trying to tell me arteta was the better player ??
They where wrong ?.

4.) 28 Jan 2024
28 Jan 2024 08:44:59
" He likes to control midfield and use the width to attack. It is very much a hybrid of Klopp and Guardiola to be honest. He wants to dominate and attack, rather than just pass around for the sake of it and looks to overload a flank and draw the opposition in to create spaces. ".

Ed01, Xabi already got my vote already, based on that assessment. Like @Sgynwa, I have only seen highlights of Leverkusen this season and not a full game but based on the sequences of play and the chances they create and score, they are pretty difficult to defend against in transition. They also attack with pace in transition esp. with the wing backs in Grimaldo and Nathan Tella (yeah, that guy from the Saints) .

Like I said yesterday, I am looking forward to the Leverkusen v Bayern game coming up to get a full picture of what Xabi's team is like and I'll be looking out to watch them for the rest of the season, as well.

5.) 28 Jan 2024
28 Jan 2024 09:59:55
Does he play the high press because that’s one of the main key traits that klopps teams play and lfc 2.0 have recently improved on.

6.) 28 Jan 2024
28 Jan 2024 11:53:34
I watched my first 45 minutes of Leverkusen yesterday Ed and I have to say it looked exactly how you said.

It looks on the ball a bit more like Guardiola but it's high energy off it and quick to get forward and get chances.

What I like about it, is there was a very clear effective style which I think you rightly state is a hydrid but also kind of his own. I thought his use triangles was next level to what I ve seen before. Every team uses triangles but it seemed there were two options everytime someone got the ball.

They were able to get it from back to front so easily and quickly.

And did not seem open to the counter attack.

High press also. Not Klopp level press but good.

I like that I can see a bit of everybody that coached him in his style. And I can easily see the Liverpool transition to it.

I don't want a worse Klopp. I want to see someone come in with their own style but also still high energy and press. I genuinely think Alonso is a really good bet for that. Also with his connections to the club already and his knowledge of the people and city, I think it's almost a no brainer.

The only thing I would temper all this with is that Madgaglabach were terrible as Ed25 rightly reminded me of as I was getting carried away with excitement.

I think they are playing Bayern shortly. I'm definitely going to watch that.

7.) 28 Jan 2024
28 Jan 2024 12:44:41
Agree Davey, Alonso's use of triangles is amazing and it seems to function well for both attack and defence. The idea behind it I believe is to always create an overload where the play is.

So in attack, you always have that extra player, very Pep, but much more direct, and with his 2 speed demons on the right, you just need to be caught off guard / lose the foot race / be slow to have covering players back or not have a fullback who's well drilled enough to defend a 2 v 1 as best you can and the chance will come. its no wonder they create and score so much even though Frimpong misses a ton!

Then in defence, you also always have that extra player, very Klopp, but not as intense as there is a drop off to block of channels, maintain the shape and space dispersion, and when the pass the opposition if then 'forced' to make as other options are cut off, the defender steps in to intercept and create another counter.

at least that's how I see it and it appears very pleasing to the eye and make the team greater than the sum of its parts as they always have numerical, territorial advantage.

8.) 28 Jan 2024
28 Jan 2024 12:59:35
We’ll get to see when inevitably we meet in the Europa final…….

9.) 28 Jan 2024
28 Jan 2024 13:09:47
Davey, did they win?

10.) 28 Jan 2024
28 Jan 2024 14:12:07
0 0 Oli. Loads of chances created. Just extremely poor finishing particularly frimpong.

Great post Sgynwa. You put it far more eloquently then I ever could but once again I agree with everything you wrote there.