Feel the same, while Carlo is doing great so far it is not usual for us to keep managers for that long. And it gives Alonso some more experience. I feel like he won’t want the Bayern job due to his achievements with Bayer and Liverpool while more likely have a rather average squad.
Wirtz said he wants to get CL experience first before moving, so he seems willing to stay another season. Alonso might as well if he wants to do the same - get CL experience with his own grown team. Which could be crucial for Leverkusen to keep going next season, when these two stay it sends a signal.
I expect Jurgen Klopp to replace Ancelotti in 2025. This Madrid team with a few more additions (Mbappe?) is tailor-made for Klopp. Also it will suit them well to replace one charismatic coach with another.. Alonso was, is and will be forever Madrid bound but as the practice suggests they are really patient with their goals as of late so few years for him in Germany and England is not a problem for Madrid.
He will be better staying at Leverkusen another season rather than going to Manchester United. Then it might be a bit too soon to move to bigger team right away but if he jumps into the Liverpool job it will be something interesting to see although I wouldn't like for him to stay there long term for obvious reasons.
I think Klopp said that he would only take German or English speaking teams and not any other team in the EPL. Moreover, his personality not really suits the culture and brand of Madrid. The 'elder statesmen' aura of Ancelotti and Alonso fits them better. Just can't imagine the grounded and jovial Klopp at the club.
I think he's definitely ready for an elite club and since he's proved his qualities against UCL worthy opposition like Bayern, Stuttgart, Dortmund and Leipzig time and again, I don't think he needs to play in the UCL first to prove he can do it at that level. Anyway, I won't complain if he thinks differently
Stop hoarding all the midfielders
No
You'll do as your told
Didn't he also say he would never pay Pogba prices?
I believe what Klopp actually said was he would only manage in a country where he knows the language. Which is a bit different as it doesn't rule out him learning another language in the meantime
Yeah, he's got all this free time to learn a new language nowI believe what Klopp actually said was he would only manage in a country where he knows the language. Which is a bit different as it doesn't rule out him learning another language in the meantime
No habla espanol
I think this depends on what you define as experimenting. If he joins Madrid, I'm pretty sure he'll play his system and formation and the players have to adapt to that. Bellingham could play as one of two CAMs or CMs in that scenario. Alonso has also played with a false 9 (Wirtz) occasionally but that was rather born out of necessity than design. I can only guess of course but I expect no more Bellingham as a false 9 when he takes over Madrid
I don't think he really has a "fixed system". He is playing usually a 3421 in Leverkusen, but did use a 433 both there and at Real Sociedad B, and especially at the latter also quite often a 4231. So while his philosophy might be clear, his preferred formation does not seem to be set in stone.I think this depends on what you define as experimenting. If he joins Madrid, I'm pretty sure he'll play his system and formation and the players have to adapt to that. Bellingham could play as one of two CAMs or CMs in that scenario. Alonso has also played with a false 9 (Wirtz) occasionally but that was rather born out of necessity than design. I can only guess of course but I expect no more Bellingham as a false 9 when he takes over Madrid
Yeah of course your talking bollocks
I generally get what you mean but I think this is a wrong impression because he encourages positional flexibility so much. Whether the formation is 'officially' 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3 or 3-4-2-1, the team structure looks very similar, at least in possession. He builds up with three at the back, then has a box midfield ahead of them, two wide players and a striker. For instance, you take out Tah for Adli and on paper, this may seem as if we switched from a 3-4-2-1 to a 4-2-3-1 but in reality, Adli simply takes over Grimaldo's position while Grimaldo falls back into the back line and rotates with the CMs occasionally.
The player material is perfect for Xabi, the squad only lacks a good striker. Bellingham in particular would be excellent as a CMs or a CAM considering how maturely he is currently playing. It's not impossible that he'd keep playing him as a false 9 as he did the same with Wirtz occasionally but usually he prefers a classic striker. One way or another, Alonso comes across as more dogmatic than Zidane and Ancelotti to me. I think you guys know that and won't force him to change the system that made you want him in the first place.Yeah of course your talking bollocks
If he joins Madrid, he adapts to the players or they sack him, simple as that
I completely agree with you and the two I mentioned are prime examples of the "you're better than the opposition so take the ball and win" approach. I would see Zidane and Ancelotti as man managers rather than modern coaches.
He's an ex player, he knows how things work
It's time for the next Galactico signing anyway. Make it a striker, and everything is in place for Alonso. That's how it works, isn't it?
Yes. Xabi has a much more defined handwriting, IMO. But as somebody mentioned earlier, he is still less idealistic than Pep. We finished the Bayern match with 39% possession - that's highly atypical for us and would probably never happen under Guardiola. You could still see some patterns but it was overall a very different approach in the end.
It is obvious that if Perez wants to make a marquee signing, he'll make a marquee signing whether the coach wants it or not and expects him to finde a way of integrating his newest starboy into the team but do you really think he'd force Xabi to play Bellingham as a false 9 for instance, even if the position doesn't exist in his system? My guess is he doesn't care where he plays as long as it is successful.
Friendly fire!
Depends on results
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It's what Fergie would have done
I’d laugh so much if he rejected the scousers for Bayern after they’ve basically already assumed that he’s coming to them.
No chance
So Bayern should avoid Alonso to make their league less of a one horse league?
And if he goes to Liverpool, how much will you cry? Just asking to balance things out.
Why would I cry?
I think they're asking as the Scousers are pinning all their hopes on staying in the hunt for major trophies post-Klopp on Alonso. They've been mentally writing the usual fanfiction - 'my mate who's a united fan wept for three days when Alonso was announced' - and are looking for some real-life data to inform it.
If you ask me, yes. I mean, why would you watch the Bundesliga as an international fan? You know who's going to win the league beforehand anyway and if by miracle another team actually manages to beat them once every 10 years or so, you better don't get invested because the protagonists will end up in a Bayern shirt eventually anyway. Whether or not that's true, this brand image dates back to them picking apart Klopp's title winning Dortmund side as well as Leverkusen's 'almost treble' team as well as many smaller examples along the way (Neuer, Nagelsmann, etc.) and is still prevalent as evidenced by how often it is brought up by users in here mocking the Bundesliga.
I actually don't think we know that for sure now. If not for Dortmund's last minute bottle job Bayern would have won nothing last season as well and likely won't win anything this season. They lost their grip on the domestic cup years ago and they don't have that core of experienced players who grew up together anymore that carried them from van Gaal to Guardiola (with the last of them having their big final run under Flick).
