OPINION: Why Alonso wouldn't be a Klopp copy, and could TAA be Alonso's 'Xhaka'
Xabi Alonso is favourite to replace Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool — and it’s easy to see why.
Top of the Bundesliga, unbeaten, and sticking it to the team that usually win everything. Sounds familiar. His style of play, however, isn’t.
Unlike Klopp’s favoured 4-3-3, Alonso’s Leverkusen set up in a 3-4-2-1, but they don’t play that way.
In possession, left-winger Alex Grimaldo often drops and the centre-backs shuffle across to make a back four and give Jeremie Frimpong licence to bomb forward.
Could Trent Alexander-Arnold become Alonso’s...Granit Xhaka?
Trent dictates from deep in his new midfield role instead of bombing forward. Alonso plays with two holding midfielders and his conductor is former Arsenal man Xhaka.
Both rank top for their teams for moving the ball forward.
Alonso isn’t as ‘heavy metal’ as Klopp, he’s more rhythm and blues. Leverkusen pass more and move the ball up the pitch far slower than gung-ho Liverpool.
Leverkusen allow opponents more passes than Liverpool do before they try to win the ball back (passes per defensive action), which shows a much less aggressive press.
They are no strangers to counter-pressing, though, and win the ball in the final third more often than Liverpool.
Read on m.allfootballapp.com
