I don't watch all that much of Madrid and it's probably due to injuries, but I've seen him at RB a fair bit.
Xabi Alonso: Bayer Leverkusen manager (Royal Madrid bound)
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Nik (@Rood) and Imran (@Annihilate Now!) discuss United's fantastic win away against Athletic Club in the semi-final of the Europa League.
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TAA as a right wingback could certainly be great.
But for the left side they only have Mendy, that i dont really rate.
Or could Güler maybe fit that role?
Im curious to see if Bellingham will be one of the two CMs or one of the two 10s.
Overall the Xabi Leverkusen system is imo not very well suited to the Real squad but i will wait and see.
Valverde will play in the starting 11. I have no idea with which formation and where, but he will play as a starter for sure.
Valverde is a guy that very likely gives a performance between 7 and 8.5. Ocassionally a 9 but very rarely below 7.
Valverde is a guy that very likely gives a performance between 7 and 8.5. Ocassionally a 9 but very rarely below 7.
Yeah he’s very versatile and has had to fill in for Carvajal a fair bit. But either way he is one of the first names on the teamsheet for them.
So, which Madrid cast off are we bringing in this summer then?
Who's the likely big name on the Xabi chopping block?
Who's the likely big name on the Xabi chopping block?
Alonso being successful there only means Real will be now pulling all the best players for the same system as Amorim's
Güler is the one I want. Don’t see any way into the first team for him at present. Ødegaard all over again. Whoever gets him will have some player on their hands.
Very interesting to see Real with a back three if it’s true, I think he will find it hard to convince them with that system in Spain, very uncommon. Similar to us here but there fans are less patient and way more ruthless, has to win straight away.
Not sure about the squad either.
Not sure about the squad either.
Keep calm. Alonso is in no way married to that system, at least not as much as Amorim is. Alonso proved to be much more flexible, used both system with a back four and a back five, always depending on players available and to some degree the opposition. He is far less dogmatic than a lot of people seem to believe.
Mendy is too defensive as a full back, never mind a wing back. Relying on Militao and Alaba would be a crazy risk with their injury records, Militao especially basically hasn't played for 2 seasons. Maybe Tchoumeni gets moved full time to centre back, he could work in a 3 maybe?
Amad is better
Yeah possibly and as others have suggested, Valverde moves into midfield.
I suppose LWB looks like one obvious area of improvement they could target. Possible they could put Camavinga there if they are desperate but it doesn't seem like a good match.
Love to see which is better in the same team.
Harsh on Alaba. Yes, he still exists. Somewhat.
Can we start courting some of these guys? (Bellingham, Rodrygo, Valverde, Alonso himself, Guler?)
This could work well or blow up spectacularly. Or both and it blows up spectacularly for only some of their players (ala Jude)
Especially so if they go sign Wirtz
This could work well or blow up spectacularly. Or both and it blows up spectacularly for only some of their players (ala Jude)
Especially so if they go sign Wirtz
It just came to me, they were playmates! Gotta feel strange whenever that happens.
They are not signing Wirtz. Too many attackers to accommodate already and I doubt his helicopter parent situation would allow for a move abroad.
Bayern bound surely.
Even Bayern are stacked at attack aren't they? Musiala, Olise, Kane, Coman, Gnabry, Sane. Even if they drop the last three, is Musiala, Kane, Wirtz and Olise a functional attack? It seems like no one would want to get in behind and actually finish things off with that line up. They could use a guy like Lewa for that type of line up to work.
I think they will buy a center back this summer and may be a midfielder but that already looks so much more solid than what they have been this season. Bellingham is much better playing forward with less defensive duties. With Trent, I think Alonso is a good coach to coach him play the wing back role. Hope camavinga and tchoumeni take that extra stride to show they can control the midfield and play progressive football compared to what they have shown so far. They are capable of it with right coaching which Ancelotti isn’t very good at doing amid his other managerial prowesses.
Their main problem has been their inability to control the midfield and the defensive side of things which has left the team under pressure all this season and has impacted their attacking play. Trent has that ability move to the midfield to add to the creativity of the side when needed. I am quite excited to see what Alonso can do with this team!
In short, yes.
Thats the usual rubbish by Marca.. Alonso will NOT play with three at the back at Madrid, at least not regularly is my prediction. He used 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1 as a coach of Real Sociedad B side and i am even expecting from him to experiment to continue Ancelotti's 4-4-2 at Madrid at some point..its not about formation, but how they will build from the back, use the half-spaces and manage the press -that will show what the style of play Alonso would prefer for this squad of Madrid..
Team as it is, is made to switch between back 3 in possession and back 4 out of possession
Rudiger, Mendy and a new CB signing, TAA pushing up on the line of the forwards, Vini staying wide left, Mbappé and Jude as the 2 strikers. Then Fede, new CM signing and Camavinga in midfield(the latter would nominally start on the left and then move inside). Alternatively we could try dusting off the old dutch 3-4-3 diamond, but I think it's not as seamless a fit
A lot will ride on signings, otherwise Xabi might have to try and turn Tchouameni around and make him a good player
Rudiger, Mendy and a new CB signing, TAA pushing up on the line of the forwards, Vini staying wide left, Mbappé and Jude as the 2 strikers. Then Fede, new CM signing and Camavinga in midfield(the latter would nominally start on the left and then move inside). Alternatively we could try dusting off the old dutch 3-4-3 diamond, but I think it's not as seamless a fit
A lot will ride on signings, otherwise Xabi might have to try and turn Tchouameni around and make him a good player
I feel like when I've seen Bayer it's more like Hincapie playing 50% LCB and 50% LB and then Tah is central and Tapsobah is say 85% CB and 15% RB.
At their peaks, Alaba backed up by Mendy on the left would be perfect, Militao in the Tapsobah role and Rudiger in the Tah role, and they'd sign a backup, ideally someone with different strengths than Asensio (assuming Xabi rates him and he's not in prison).
Trent on the right backed up by Lucas Vazquez and Valverde (otherwise in midfield), Madrid would just sign the best attacking LWB around and have Fran Garcia back him up.
But Hincapie is young and the Madrid options are older and have injury issues.
A normal team would just sign defenders but not sure Florentino is down with that.
Militao has had two very long injuries so we have to see how he returns back.
Rudiger will have to undergo a knee surgery. He may not recover his previous level again.
From what I heard there are many hopes placed on Joan Martinez, who just recovered from his ACL rupture. He is still 17 years old, but he looks quite amazing in the videos I saw.
Depending on the evolution of the three names above I think different sorts of decisions will be taken.
Apart from some potential CB signing, I think a new offensive LB is also a must as Mendy is too defensive and injury prone and Fran Garcia is not good enough.
Regarding the names in midfield, from what I read the club wants to give Guler a main role, so at the end we may see less signings than we thought there, although I heard there is a genuine interest for Mastantuono.
Somehow I think we may get very good offers for Rodrygo. I would dislike very much to see him go, as he has incredible quality, but the team looks very unbalanced with so many attacking players in the starting eleven and I doubt he would accept a secondary role in the squad and I believe many clubs would be crazy to have him in their teams so the fee could be very interesting for stregthening other positions.
Rudiger will have to undergo a knee surgery. He may not recover his previous level again.
From what I heard there are many hopes placed on Joan Martinez, who just recovered from his ACL rupture. He is still 17 years old, but he looks quite amazing in the videos I saw.
Depending on the evolution of the three names above I think different sorts of decisions will be taken.
Apart from some potential CB signing, I think a new offensive LB is also a must as Mendy is too defensive and injury prone and Fran Garcia is not good enough.
Regarding the names in midfield, from what I read the club wants to give Guler a main role, so at the end we may see less signings than we thought there, although I heard there is a genuine interest for Mastantuono.
Somehow I think we may get very good offers for Rodrygo. I would dislike very much to see him go, as he has incredible quality, but the team looks very unbalanced with so many attacking players in the starting eleven and I doubt he would accept a secondary role in the squad and I believe many clubs would be crazy to have him in their teams so the fee could be very interesting for stregthening other positions.
Alonso is Basque isn't he?
Would he be the first Basque manager of Real Madrid?
Would he be the first Basque manager of Real Madrid?
Interesting question, I had to look in Google.
He would be the sixth.
First one was José Ángel Berraondo, after him: Jacinto Quincoces, Baltasar Albéniz, Juan Antonio Ipiña and Julen Lopetegui.
I'm not sure his style of hardworking, team first, orientated tactics will go down well at Real. It will be interesting how he manages them.
Fair enough cheers.
I'd imagine that they'd sign a first choice wingback but maybe Camavinga can fill in as well? He was playing quite a lot as a left back under Ancelotti, he has the athleticism and is brilliant on the ball even though he's not a natural wide player. Since Real forwards do prefer that left wing anyway and peel out wide there (be in Viní Jr. or Mbappé), his ability to come inside can be handy.
Interesting, that's already been reported a few weeks ago but I thought that was a bit premature.
Makes total sense for me. Always said in Alonso's system, Bellingham is best in a CM role
Militao, Alaba, Mendy all suit it too. As does Carvalho who played in it in Germany before returning to Real Madrid. Ascensio shouldn't have any real issues adapting to it neithet. TBF Right now all the lack is depth in defensive positions period. Whether they operate a back 4 or 3
Valverde is easily their best cm outside of Bellingham. He would start with the other slot being shared by the rest. Of which the options are multiple and can be switched per opponent faced.
I assume you mean Carvajal? He played in Germany 12 years ago... Still, if you do mean him, you can't count on three of the four. Their bodies seem done.
Honestly, i hate his brand of football where everything is about position. It's killing the creativity and the fun (subjective i know, to each their own). Wonder how long it will take before the likes of Vini, Bellingham, and Mbappe rebel against him.
Maybe they are. Maybe they are not. Regardless the team's priority has to be defender investment. A reason I feel the likes of Hincapie, Huijsen and Kerkez who are quality, young and at great prices might end up there. Even Hato of Ajax and Mosquera of Valencia. I expect investment in numbers in defence from them. That is why I highly doubt the growing Saliba rumors because he'd be just one player.
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If they're happy to rely on Militao and Alaba then maybe they'll take Shaw or Martinez off us too.
Carvajal played in Germany a decade ago. He's now 33 and coming off a serious injury, I'd be very surprised if they saw him as a reliable wing back option.
Yeah, it was a strange post. They don't need depth in defense. They need starters. And depth...
Yeah, it doesn't seem an ideal fit, but I guess let's wait and see. Don't really see how their front 4 fits into that formation. Perhaps the plan is a massive sale (Vini or Rodrygo) to fund a rebuild of sorts? They also don't have enough quality CB's in their squad.