Xabi Alonso: Welcome back to Anfield.

[JustTosh]

Xabi's not an idiot.

 

He'll know he's going to be axed unless he's an immediiate success at Real Madrid. Here he'll be give the time needed.

 

Maybe's his heart is also in Liverpool.

 

 

[sh#t waffle]

18 minutes ago, Code said:

Just watched Alonso’s press conference, he’s coming.

 

Im sure I could see the excitement in his face while saying just what he had to say without denying anything. 

Just can't believe no one asked him about that time he sort of met John102 - the standard of journalism continues to fall.

[TheBitch]

42 minutes ago, John102 said:

Any excuse to tell my Xabi Alonso story.

 

Back when he was still playing for us, I was in  Liverpool One. Can't remember what I was doing, either walking through or doing some shopping.

 

Anyway, I was walking down the upstairs bit, on the right hand side, as if you had come out of Zara at the very top.

 

I was crossing over to the other side, using the walkways in there and who do i see on his phone? Yeah, it's was Xabi.

This has made my day. 
 

He’s deffo coming isn’t he. 

[lebron]

The oil rigs outside Stavanger won't be able to withstand the cum tsunamis from Code if Xabi becomes manager and Salah signs a new contract

[Kevin D]

Does anyone have a subscription to The Athletic? There was a Xabi feature in there a few weeks ago that’s worth posting.

[TheBitch]

34 minutes ago, Kevin D said:

Does anyone have a subscription to The Athletic? There was a Xabi feature in there a few weeks ago that’s worth posting.

Yeah but because it’s you…

[Code]

The last game of our season could be Liverpool-Bayer Leverkusen in Dublin.

 

Imagine that. 

[TheDrowningMan]

2 hours ago, TD_LFC said:

 

Irrespective of whether we go for Alonso he'd be stupid to leave Leverkusen mid-season given the position they are in the table.

 

in 15 months he's taken them from the second bottom in the league to 4 points clear at the top of the league and one of the best teams around form wise.

 

I’m not talking about him going anywhere mid-season, but there’s no reason why we couldn’t get in touch and attempt to do a deal for next year and beyond, if his contract allows.

[Section_31]

Alonso, preparing for Leverkusen’s game at home to Borussia Mönchengladbach on Saturday, was asked about the Liverpool job. “At the moment, I am really happy here and enjoying my work here,” he said “I’m feeling each day and each game is a challenge and we are in an intense but in a beautiful journey here in Leverkusen. I am trying to give my best to help my players be ready for the next thing, and that’s my goal. What will come next, I don’t know.”

[Carra_is_legend]

He also said it was a shock to hear about Klopp leaving. 

[Lee909]

Has anyone thought about Gareth Barry as manager  could be a interesting alternative 

[TD_LFC]

17 minutes ago, TheDrowningMan said:

I’m not talking about him going anywhere mid-season, but there’s no reason why we couldn’t get in touch and attempt to do a deal for next year and beyond, if his contract allows.

 

I was agreeing with you, I just expanded on the reason why (specifically in relation to people worrying Bayern might make another managerial move mid-season.

 

Negotiating a future move is a separate issue and one that would have to be done without pissing off Leverkusen.

[sh#t waffle]

1 hour ago, Kevin D said:

Does anyone have a subscription to The Athletic? There was a Xabi feature in there a few weeks ago that’s worth posting.

'125,000 words on how a chance encounter in a Liverpool shopping centre shaped not just a young Spanish footballer's approach to the game - but to life itself'

[Aventus]

1 hour ago, Section_31 said:

Alonso, preparing for Leverkusen’s game at home to Borussia Mönchengladbach on Saturday, was asked about the Liverpool job. “At the moment, I am really happy here and enjoying my work here,” he said “I’m feeling each day and each game is a challenge and we are in an intense but in a beautiful journey here in Leverkusen. I am trying to give my best to help my players be ready for the next thing, and that’s my goal. What will come next, I don’t know.”

Reading between the lines, he's saying he's focused on his current job but at the end of the season he's coming to Liverpool. 

 

[TD_LFC]

2 hours ago, Kevin D said:

Does anyone have a subscription to The Athletic? There was a Xabi feature in there a few weeks ago that’s worth posting.

 

If you want to bypass The Athletics pay wall just disable javascript in your browser for The Athletic website and you'll have full access.

 

Alternatively use Archive.Today and past the link in.

 

Here's the article.

 

https://archive.is/FrV3z

 

 

[Scott_M]

I know The Athletic are saying Nanglesmann, De Zerbi, Postecoglou, Inzaghi, Emre, Frank & Michel are all in the frame, to me, Xabi Alonso is the only choice to replace Klopp. 
 

Club legend, instrumental to one of the clubs greatest nights, fan favourite, played under the best managers of the current era (Benitez, Mourinho, Ancelotti & Guardiola), is taking the fight to Bayern with an exciting brand of football and significantly less budget. 
 

This is a breakdown of his tactics at Leverkusen - 

 

https://amp.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/news/xabi-alonso-bayer-leverkusen-tactics-25350

 

I think it would pose a few interesting questions for us. 
 

Would Trent be happy at wing back or would he insist on midfield?

 

After buying 4, we would suddenly seem over stocked with midfielders.

 

Would Szoboszlai become a winger again, like in Leipzig?

 

We’d need at least 1 other centre back. 
 

The front 3 would be closer to goal again, width comes from the full backs. 
 

 

Xabi was one of my all time favourite players. The  thought of him coming in is the only thing stopping me having a breakdown today! I can’t believe it will be anybody else but Xabi. 

[janmolby]

Thanks Scott, some great insights there

[Mudface]

3 hours ago, JustTosh said:

Xabi's not an idiot.

 

He'll know he's going to be axed unless he's an immediiate success at Real Madrid. Here he'll be give the time needed.

 

Maybe's his heart is also in Liverpool.

 

 

 

The fuck he will, not on my watch.

 

2 hours ago, Lee909 said:

Has anyone thought about Gareth Barry as manager  could be a interesting alternative 

 

I think having getting Benitez back as a mentor to Alonso for a few seasons would be a popular move with both Xabi and the fans.

[Jairzinho]

What's Alan Curbishley up to?

[Ne Moe Imya]

I actually think the tactical question is really important.

Alonso looks for all the world like he'll be one of the top managers in the world in a few years if he carries on, and with the Liverpool connection it's an obvious link to make. But his possession-based style is completely different to the identity Klopp has installed and to the actual players on our squad, to be honest. Not to mention that the whole youth setup is driven by that same Klopp-style pressing game.

Think of it this way - if you had the chance to bring in Guardiola right now, would you? On the one hand, after he had a chance to change up the players and coach for a season or two, he might bring 5 or 10 straight years of top football. On the other, maybe you want to stick with the identity we have already and find someone more in that mould - it's not like there aren't any other managers out there who play something closer to what Klopp has been doing at Liverpool.

 

I think that the first big hire will be the sporting director position, and then that person will have a lot to say about whether we switch to something like what Alonso is playing at Leverkusen or stick with our current high-tempo football.

[chrisbonnie]

35 minutes ago, Ne Moe Imya said:

I actually think the tactical question is really important.

Alonso looks for all the world like he'll be one of the top managers in the world in a few years if he carries on, and with the Liverpool connection it's an obvious link to make. But his possession-based style is completely different to the identity Klopp has installed and to the actual players on our squad, to be honest. Not to mention that the whole youth setup is driven by that same Klopp-style pressing game.

Think of it this way - if you had the chance to bring in Guardiola right now, would you? On the one hand, after he had a chance to change up the players and coach for a season or two, he might bring 5 or 10 straight years of top football. On the other, maybe you want to stick with the identity we have already and find someone more in that mould - it's not like there aren't any other managers out there who play something closer to what Klopp has been doing at Liverpool.

 

I think that the first big hire will be the sporting director position, and then that person will have a lot to say about whether we switch to something like what Alonso is playing at Leverkusen or stick with our current high-tempo football.

 

ill openly admit i havent seen Leverkusen play yet under alonso.

 

but im going to hazard a guess, that they press high up the pitch, and use the ball. 

 

so would it really be much different to what we already do? i think not.

 

besides, top managers have that weird knack of being able to instill their tactics and will, nearly overnight. 

 

i know city didnt win the league in Twat heads first season, but within the space of 4 weeks, the fuckers where playing like his old Barcelona teams, as soon as they lost the ball, they'd have it back within seconds. 

 

klopp was the same with us,. He arrived on a wednesday, and by Saturday, the players had ran nearly the most they had ran in 2 years. 

 

Alonso, and im only picking him, would basically be walking into "arguably" the best squad in English football, possibly even europe. How the fuck could he fail

[3 Stacks]

34 minutes ago, Ne Moe Imya said:

I actually think the tactical question is really important.

Alonso looks for all the world like he'll be one of the top managers in the world in a few years if he carries on, and with the Liverpool connection it's an obvious link to make. But his possession-based style is completely different to the identity Klopp has installed and to the actual players on our squad, to be honest. Not to mention that the whole youth setup is driven by that same Klopp-style pressing game.

Think of it this way - if you had the chance to bring in Guardiola right now, would you? On the one hand, after he had a chance to change up the players and coach for a season or two, he might bring 5 or 10 straight years of top football. On the other, maybe you want to stick with the identity we have already and find someone more in that mould - it's not like there aren't any other managers out there who play something closer to what Klopp has been doing at Liverpool.

 

I think that the first big hire will be the sporting director position, and then that person will have a lot to say about whether we switch to something like what Alonso is playing at Leverkusen or stick with our current high-tempo football.

Hiring a director first is definitely the best thing because you need an overriding idea.

 

I had a thought too about the tactical part, but I would say that's the reason why job interviews exist. The question you'd have to ask Xabi is does he believe he can implement his style with the current Liverpool squad. If you already have a director of football who agrees with him about philosophy, than what he can do with the current players is really the final part.

 

 

 

 

[TheHowieLama]

"Can you save us millions?"

[VladimirIlyich]

FFS. We've got nearly another 6 months of our greatest manager in decades. Stop wishing it away.

[Scott_M]

1 hour ago, Ne Moe Imya said:

I actually think the tactical question is really important.

Alonso looks for all the world like he'll be one of the top managers in the world in a few years if he carries on, and with the Liverpool connection it's an obvious link to make. But his possession-based style is completely different to the identity Klopp has installed and to the actual players on our squad, to be honest. Not to mention that the whole youth setup is driven by that same Klopp-style pressing game.

Think of it this way - if you had the chance to bring in Guardiola right now, would you? On the one hand, after he had a chance to change up the players and coach for a season or two, he might bring 5 or 10 straight years of top football. On the other, maybe you want to stick with the identity we have already and find someone more in that mould - it's not like there aren't any other managers out there who play something closer to what Klopp has been doing at Liverpool.

 

I think that the first big hire will be the sporting director position, and then that person will have a lot to say about whether we switch to something like what Alonso is playing at Leverkusen or stick with our current high-tempo football.

There are 2 articles on this page which breakdown how Leverkusen play. 3-4-3, high tempo, high press, possession based but also pragmatic and direct when needed.

 

I would call out a concern are we equipped in central midfield like Leverkusen. Xhaka & Palacios are 6’s. They aren’t destroyers, they are more defensive minded than our current bunch. Mac Allister would likely be fine, not sure who would partner him? Szoboszlai has been great deeper but I think sees himself further forward, I also think Jones, Gravenberch & Elliott see themselves better further forward. 
 

Would Trent move into the middle full time?

I do like that the forwards would be playing closer to go again. Gakpo plays that role for the Dutch, Szoboszlai plays that role for Hungary / Leipzig.

 

Defensively, VVD plays in a 3 for the a Dutch. Robbo, TAA & Tsmiskas all have experience of wing backs for Scotland and England. We would definitely need to bolster numbers here - Colwill would be good in that left sided role. 

 

It would obviously need tweaking, I don’t think it would be monumental changes. Maybe a fresh take on old ideas?