How Liverpool Will Setup Under Xabi Alonso.

In this video, James Allcott takes a look at Xabi Alonso’s tactics and how Liverpool could lineup if he replaces Jurgen Klopp as manager. We look at his Bayer Leverkusen tactics, formation and style of play to see how this could work at Liverpool next season.

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James Allcott content focuses on Premier League, Champions League, EFL Championship talking about Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Man City, Tottenham, Barcelona, England, Chelsea, Jurgen Klopp, Erik Ten Hag, Mikel Arteta, transfer news, tactical analysis and much more. James has made content with Mark Goldbridge from the United Stand, Rory Jennings, Ben Foster, Spencer FC, The Club, Thogden, JaackMaate, ESPN and many more.

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I believe jabbi Alonzo will be the next Liverpool manager and I think he will rip up everything at Liverpool and start again I think there will be unprecedented change at fullback the center backs will play roles that they may never have played before and some positions that have become synonymous

Under klopp could get left behind completely so the excitement around Jai Alonzo right now is through the roof understandably so B Leverkusen are killing it they are top of the Bundesliga they have an unbeaten run they have not lost the game that’s what unbeaten means and to put that in

Perspective pep guardiola’s 28 match unbeaten run Is Still Remains the longest ever unbeaten run and leverkus are on their way to beating it right now so does that mean that Liverpool will get their hands on the new Pep Guardiola well maybe but not for the reasons that

You think we’re going to break down what makes Alonzo so good and look at how that relates to Liverpool piece by piece because there may need to be some work done although he is the most exciting appointment it isn’t a like for like but I’ll explain that so get comfy Alonzo is

A firm believer of the 3421 now some spurs fans will be watching this shuddering at the thought of a back three although or excited because it’s Liverpool right from those con days but this 3421 is only that on paper we’re going to show you how and why it

Actually makes it kind of one of the bravest and most aesthetically pleasing systems on the planet right now that’s right the planet so goalkeeper wise Allison I think is good to go he’s making it in the team well done Allison technically he’s good enough to play the role that Alonzo wants which revolves

Around playing it short and being brave in possession buildup is one of the key parts of Alonzo’s approach but he does it in such a way that makes him very unique not only in the Bundesliga but across Europe positional play is huge for Alonzo with his players’s task with

Controlling their specific area of the pitch and dominating their opponents one-onone all over the pitch and it results in some ludicrous score lines in terms of the buildup the back three as you can see here the three center backs are dealt the task of handling the first phase of possession the wide

Center backs often mve as wide as possible to make the pitch as big as possible but this isn’t the only reason and we’ll get on to that a little bit later on but it’s it’s genius but the center backs is where things start to become interesting because in particular

Hppy this one here on the left hand side he’s a center back but he also has experience at left back and also has a lot of pace now this profile is missing from Liverpool’s Center back group and it could be an area that they need to strengthen to facilitate the style of

Play that Alonzo would want at Liverpool because as we look to build out that Alonzo blueprint in this Liverpool side of course Van dijk comes in and he’s done this for the Netherlands he’s been brilliant in that Central role he would be fantastic in that Central role canate

Comes in as well but as we say on that leftand side not totally sure what the future is canate as I say fits the mold really really well well but Quanza is he good enough do you need to bring someone in that’s something to keep an eye on if

Alonzo gets the job will he bring H cppy with him or will he be looking for someone of a similar profile to come in step in and be that I guess that Juran Timber maybe on that left hand side that Arsenal saw at the start of the season

Now this next image could be perceived as a bit of a problem when you’re playing a back three to some sort traditionalist and can you spot the problem well the problem is the inability for the defender to play straight in because if they do let’s change up the arrows here you’ve got

People ready to press you’ve got people all over the place ready to bloody press getting at them get out see what I mean so the potential problem is that the back three are unable to find the center midfielders to initiate that second phase of play because you’ve got people ready to press

Them but this is the difference that you’ll see with Alonzo side is that actually it’s a five against three and so you can get a way around it whereas opposed if you’re playing a back four you might have two center backs here and here and then your fullbacks as you can

See a little bit wider obviously a lot wider than you can see with the screenshot and you’ll be looking to work out that way but then there might be Defenders that be be able to deal with those passing lanes and again if the ball’s going wide generally people are

Okay with that but with leig you’ve got a team that plays quite narrow as you can see here all these players like to play that narrow press and so with that in mind you need an ability to get through into the second phase and Alonzo doesn’t view that as a problem and

That’s the whole point of these center backs and ability to move along and almost create that bit bit of a box to get yourself through that first line by having Hing cppy as that passing option you will then see someone like Benjamin cesco who will look to go and press but

That’s not a problem because very quickly you can then play the ball to palus who is on his way wow and even if you can’t play that pass watch this watch this are you watching you’ll just pass it back and then pass it through to Jaa that way easy peasy so the opening

Of the passing Lanes to palasio and Jac is really important this is what Alonzo wants he wants engagement he wants sit to look like they’re vulnerable but the truth is that that’s all part of the plan and in relation to Liverpool I think the profiles that suit Alonzo’s

Style of play the best I think are grenberg just can’t find him here he is and as that six I think it’s got to be mallister for me I think it has to be you know McAllister’s Tage as a six it makes him a great option for what has

Become Granite jaa’s role in the Leverkusen team and I think this entails being the receiver from the center back and then being able to turn in possession facilitate a direct ball to a forward area and obviously graur could be seen as the Palos in this side that

Means he has a slightly more advanced role when it comes to combining with the left wing back but also taking up positions outside of the box as well when they attack and he’s got the legs to to get back and help but also to get

On as and work as well and these two I think would be fantastic in that similar role that we’re seeing at Leverkusen at the moment now there are big question marks when it comes to this team and those question marks are Trent and Salah and I bet you’re wondering where are

Where where are the fullbacks Jim and all of this because after all Trent is often at the heart of buildup for Liverpool and is used as a Si from time to time to help facilitate play and then if I showed you this FR pong’s heat map you’d probably think that you’re looking

At a right winger and not only that an incredibly attacking Winger with little defensive responsibilities but you’d be wrong this is Jeremy Fring pong’s heat map and what you see before you is one of the reasons behind Le in success but also one of the huge question marks

Around Alonzo going to Liverpool look at this little Scamp on his way isn’t he now if I zoom out you will see that once the ball enters the second phase of play the team will be somewhat Direct in how they look to find the final third this brings some pace and aggressiveness to

How they attack and is often a reason as to why Alonzo isn’t seen as inherently Spanish in how he plays because there are those sprinklings of German Football every where you look and you can see that from the pass here they are looking for frong straight away and he is the

Right back right back is on his bike sharpish that ball being played directly into frong and the ability to do this facilitated by Fong’s average position eliminates that need for width to be delivered by the Wingers because essentially frong is doing that FR pong’s direct running and take on

Abilities sees him effectively play as a Winger but that wouldn’t be possible without the skills that he possesses and that is a bit of a question mark when you think about Trent maybe now when I said it was going to get a bit crazy in fullback this is what I meant now what

You see before you is Alex galdo in possession yeah the B lusen left wing back on paper that is his positioning is incredibly different to frong now whilst he can often be seen wide at times and delivering the ball into the box at times he also is given freedom to

Operate in an inverted fashion and in the final third meaning he effectively becomes a a playmaker and his heat map against merchin gladbach demonstrates exactly this he is making a claim for the signing of the Season across Europe right now and I wouldn’t be surprised if Alonzo brought him with him as well

You’re getting ten hog Vibes aren’t you I think this would be fine if you don’t like the whiff of ten hog then you may look to do exactly what they do with romaldo with who yeah Trent yeah so as we look to sort of move across this

Blusen side and how they set up and of course there might be some tweaks along the way but we can only work with what we’ve got right now and move into that Liverpool setup the problem you have when it comes to the fullbacks is that there is no one in this Liverpool team

That is truly like fro and certainly not between Trent and Robertson who of course have been wonderful for them but you’ve got a new manager with new ideas so for context frong averages around 50 touches per 90 whilst Trent averages around 90 touches per game their styles of play are completely different they’re

Both unbelievable at different things so the easy fix here is that Trent plays in a role similar to Grimaldo in which he has responsibility out wide but also acts as a Creator in the half spaces so with Alexander Arnold in that role we then find ourselves with Salah coming

And playing here should should we highl him let’s highlight I think Darwin Nunes could well be that Central Striker killing it right now Robertson over to this side and sabage line in this left half space and the question I really want to focus on here is this man here

Robertson you know can Robertson do what frong does some may think so but the take on ability of frong is a part that really sets him apart from others and it unlocks that right hand side for Leverkusen so if Liverpool look to replicate this on their left I think

They need a new profile in there for me the fullbacks are absolutely and unequivocally important to this system so they have to get it right from the off and before people say that Trent will play in Midfield I’m not so sure that Alonzo would risk it as part of a

Midfield to from the off he might down the line but I just don’t think he would do it straight away with the amount of midfielders that are available and especially the balance that you would have with mallister and graen now for the attack now again the profiles and

Roles within the attack are completely different to what Liverpool currently do and it does beg a question and we’ll show you why in just a minute but firstly let’s focus on two players Jonas Hoffman who’s on the ball here no naughty there and Florian vers who’s

Over here with his socks down pull them up now they’re not exactly what you think when you think of forwards Liverpool currently possessed now despite being very advanced in their positioning they often remain really narrow and are seen as two sort of floating tens meaning that their roles

Are more centered around creativity and chance creation rather than being solely centered around scoring goals they’re more midfielders than forwards if if you will but obviously it clearly works with the pair routinely looking to enter the half spaces you can see it here with Hoffman he’s in this little half space

Here and that what that facilitates is great creative numbers because it’s harmful for the opposition not as much about them and this is a great example because you’re bringing in other players into the arena a little bit but say someone like frong you’re creating an option for those players by going into

Those half spaces and because of this they average extremely high creative numbers but who does this for Li Sabai in an attacking system there’s always going to be excitement and Dominic shabai could be one of the biggest beneficiaries when it comes to that and Alonzo moving to Liverpool in

General because he would instantly be thrusted into a more advanced position most likely as the left-sided 10 here and it’s a position that he played for leig previously but one of the biggest question marks in all of this has to be with Salah would accept this new role

You know with the elimination of Wingers salah’s new role as an inside 10 would see his role move away from scoring as many goals as possible to being a bit of a facilitator and whilst his creative numbers would Excel I think the question remains if he sees himself as that type

Of player or not and is that actually the best you can do in terms of getting the best out of him I think previously when you think of someone like Trent one thing that’s great about him or one thing that he has allowed with young klopp’s team is Runners he’s always got

Runners and Salah always on his bike Nunes always on his bike Robertson sometimes on that other side as well but obviously in a different system you’ve got someone like um jot on that left hand side or Diaz on that left hand side ready to go and it it facilitates

Alexander Arnold does Salah want to be that player who doesn’t do that who stays still and allows just Nunes to do that and does that take away a little bit from the Brilliance of Alexander ronold time will tell strangely though you have to think about life as much

After klopp as after Muhammad Salah look I think he’s got years in the bank but do you continue to build around him or do you start to look to move away from him with all these exciting young players inside and I think one player that could absolutely Thrive under

Alonzo in a similar system if we do take Salah out is Cody gakpo I think Cody gakpo could really really thrive in that area in terms of being able to get on the ball being able to you know have that interplay but also turn and drive

With the ball as well it’s exactly what he loves doing but I’m not saying get rid of Salah I am not saying get rid of Salah obviously the guy’s a joke but these are the question marks that will come if and when Alonzo comes and lastly we need to talk about the striker

Position and that is a mantle that 6’4 in Victor Bonny face has taken to like a duck to bloody water under Alonzo’s guideance Bon face is seen as a Target man but also has exceptional pace and think of harand essentially he’s got that similar profile now Alonzo has made

It abundantly clear that this is a must for him within this system because it allows for the floating tens to take up these positions around the box but also to have someone to look to and find in the final third as well so in that Striker position under Alonzo at

Liverpool Darwin Nunes fits the profile for Alonzo in terms of size and pace and whether that translates as well as bonface is a question that I think people are divided on one for the comments for sure please do get involved let me know how you feeling about this

Team right now because there will be moments it’s going to take time to build and to to to understand it as a group because they are so aligned with klopp and what he’s done and if you want to become clued up on exactly the benefits of Alonzo and why there’s not a single

Manager in the world like him click on this video where we break down Alonzo’s tactics but also what the key ingredients have been to his success away from the field