Why Xabi Alonso’s football is different

[@thepurist_]

Get your discount on NordVPN at nordvpn.com/thepurist

[@Tete-jnr]

Do a Hansi Flick video to Barcelona, I am a die hard Barcelona fan, previous report says he will continue with Barca principles while also applying some from his time at Bayern.

[@stnbch3025]

I challenge you to answer the question: How does the game of football work? Most tactical nerds can't answer it because they don't really understand the game.

[@reidpattis3127]

Welcome back, man. Despite the drama happening recently from the footballing world, it's always nice to see some cool-headed analysis and understand the game better.

[@Gianluca_GF]

Plz elaborate what drama? Thank you

[@thepurist_]

Thanks, it’s good to be back :)

[@godwintusabe883]

​@@Gianluca_GFThe manager merry-go-round

[@favouramoul]

i believe their success is due to many teams using zonal defensive structures that's why they struggled against a strict man to man press of Atlanta and also the physicality of Atlanta's players compared to Leverkusen

[@amanvalodia3669]

Agree

[@VishnuZutaten]

seems to be their "kryptonite"

[@gletscherminze9372]

Will be interesting to see how the team adapts in the coming season, as well as how the opponents try to make use of this weakness

[@Tom9111]

Agreed. Atalanta roughed them up (and were clinical up front). That's a blueprint of sorts to beat Leverkusen but let's see how Alonso & team respond.

[@fuzzyhair321]

It's a dangerous tactic to employ though, a few wrong tackles you're man down. It has to be a perfect discipline and timing

[@timx0146]

This is the best channel of this kind. Brilliant analysis, but more importantly, the way of communicating it is just amazing. I enjoyed every second of this video.

[@thepurist_]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed :)

[@lucasdavis5694]

What an amazing season. Unfortunately lost the Europa to Bergamo Calcio, but still a fantastic run. The sheer number of stoppage time goals, the comebacks. One of the best in recent memory.

[@kaszlnikk7772]

Bro really said Bergamo Calcio 💀

[@ibelrafie]

lol the disrespect to Atalanta calling them “Bergamo Calcio”

[@eseryt1594]

This ain't fifa bro it's atalanta

[@onel6870]

​@@kaszlnikk7772I mean Atalanta is From Bergamo city

[@EliasRoy]

Tf is a Bergamo Calcio? Its ATALANTA

[@mannion7646]

This Leverkusen season has been one of my favourite teams to watch of any season since I started watching football 25 years ago. Love seeing a manager come in and completely revolutionise tactics in football. Alonso's ideas could be the blueprint for other managers all over the world. Let's see where this takes football over the next 10 years! Thanks Xabi, Leverkusen and Purist Football

[@antobannister93]

Let me be really fucking clear... When Xabi Alonso's team does this, it's called tactical ingenuity. When Carlo Ancelotti's team does this, it's called "vibes". Excellent video.

[@thecatalysthd9701]

This is an excellent video. You can see some similarities between Bayer and Bologna with the proximity in possession and players filling spaces. The listening to players and having open dialogue in that fashion sounds akin to what Ancelotti does with his players, like his asking his senior players input in what training sessions they think should be done like at Chelsea

[@AndresMonge2100]

The next video should be about Sebastian Hoeness' Stuttgart

[@lausymaus9856]

OMG the quality is going through the roof, have a great day my friend! this is super interesting.

[@trichon3575]

The question I ask myself is how he teaches his players making the right positional decisions. How do you tell a player what the right space to occupy is, when you don’t have a rational system like positional zones or a formation for support. Is the solution you don’t tell them at all and rely on try and error in retrospective? Are there principles that guide the players and what could they look like?

[@ashutoshshukla5362]

Ofc there is. Pep used to teach positional play for long periods at all his clubs. Alonso trained under him and understood positional play very well. He then also learned from benitez,ancelotti,mourinho. All have different styles of play so he definitely meshed all their styles into his.

[@majukun]

if you always play in the same shape, realizing this things for a player is a matter of time and repetition if they have enough football IQ, which they apparently fished for in the summer. for what i've seen leverkusen is pretty free form on the offense, with platers doing "out of formation" runs often..so the focus is mainly on the defensive side, make them understand when a run by a teammate is made and when they have to refrain and cover. it needs a lot of talking between players and can't be mandated from above...like the video says, you are given a toolbox and then trusted to figure it out

[@oluwademiladesamuel165]

Would like to see something from you about Stuttgart and Hoeneß.

[@GregorySpikeMD]

I'm not sure I agree with your analysis that total football was about rigid juego de posicion. It may have evolved into that with Guardiola, but Cruyff put a big emphasis in total football on shifting positions between players and fluidity. In that fluidity, players were expected to be able to perform several positions, so in that sense it left a lot to the players still, at least in my opinion.

[@mathavila]

And the player proximity position game of Leverkusen game was defeated by the high press game of Atalanta That is how you defeat a crazy team: being more crazy than them kkkkkk

[@favouramoul]

a man to man press is the reason it worked ND ATLANTA HAVE A PHYSICAL TEAM

[@mooocowable]

How this channel doesn’t have more subscribers is beyond me. This is the best in depth and insightful football content on YT. Your communication with visuals and words are so efficient.

[@affanshaikh7655]

Make a video about how Flick could work at Barca with some academy prospects and potential signings that’ll fit into the side after a few weeks when we become a bit more familiar with Flick’s plans

[@Mysterialic]

He already did, mate.

[@CamoshByin-y5k]

This is superb analysis. Great work.

[@sssf55]

Ironically Atalanta have a similar philosophy of baiting opponents into a press and breaking quickly. Alonso, Gasperini, Inzaghi, Ten Hag and Kieran McKenna all actually utilize this concept to varying degrees of success. It will be fascinating to see next season how each style will develop and who will succeed with this philosophy of football.

[@amanvalodia3669]

Finally, Video On Leverkusen ❤

[@torret4008]

Xabi Alonso's first complete season in a 1st Division was unreal. He proved that he is a true genius when it comes to football. I think that Alonsos very successful carreer and his still very good skills as a player was the most important key element that made his first season so historic. In a german documentation about Alonso and his first season with Leverkusen one player said that Alonso is still so good that he is able to beat some of his players. So no one in the team ever doubt on Xabi. There is no better way to gain the respect from your player by showing then that you still have it :D

[@isaacshusters1620]

Makes me sad they didn't win the Europa League, but what Atalanta did was insane.

[@Coach-rq6jx]

Patiently waiting for his inevitable stint at Real Madrid. We have very intelligent players who constantly make good decisions on the pitch and work well in close proximity, thanks to Ancelotti and his wonderful system. I don't want Ancelotti to leave, but if he does, Xabi Alonso will do great work.

[@attobrahnuhu918]

this video couldn't have been made better. you landed a new subscriber.

[@kaiserfakinaway5909]

Xabi is what I wanted Pep to be, beautiful possession based football but not so rigid that players don't most of the time know what to do when push comes to shove (for example the FA Cup final). I always thought Ancellotti listening to players as awesome and managers should give players a bit more freedom and Xabi's tactics prove just that. Lovely vid once again, thank you.

[@dp4812]

What a season for Leverkusen!! You should do a video on Atalanta

[@_DioBrando_]

Xabi at Real Madrid seems like a looming spectre. Seems like a perfect system for that club.

[@ajabisong]

A beautiful analysis, especially the final point "V. Change the game"!

[@DiogoGaming2]

Today i was really thinking about this Xabi Alonso Leverkusen and my mind made an interesting paradox with a team that Xabi played for... Not really a team, a national team, Spain... from 2008, 2010, 2012 but 2012 was the peak of that team, playing with 6 midfielders, without proper wingers or striker, a lot of short passes, movement between players and combinations, with close distance from players, i really believe Xabi was very much inspired by that team tbh, and he was a big part of that

[@hansgruber9093]

incredible analysis

[@bythecliff]

Player proximity was part of Pep's Barcelona too. But Xavi's barcelona had nothing to do with it.

[@nakdickson]

This has nothing to do with Xavi.

[@zedddoctor]

This was one of your best videos.

[@musahmohammed8634]

Good to have you back

[@Creatismus]

This is my favourite video of yours yet. Brilliant, almost poetic analysis!

[@yudhistira9453]

IT'S SO FUNNY that i was thinking of when you're going to upload a video. And KZbin and you deliver me the amazing plate of Neverlusen football 😂 Oh, in the middle of watching this. I thought this kind of football analysis is so good. Like KZbin movies introspective video that no one hasn't done yet. So hats off to you, mate! And i selfishly hope you could upload more frequently to satisfy my 'artsy football tactis video' itch 😊

[@benharmon7369]

Spectacular video as usual

[@nakdickson]

This video felt different from anything else you've ever put up. The story telling is engaging 😊

[@sachinthakkar4131]

Excellent video - your passion for the game shines through.

[@jacobknock6559]

This guy is the Jimmy Highroller of football youtube (iykyk)

[@billodhis1977]

Great tactical analysis, could you do an analysis on Mikel Artetas arsenal

[@mickie001]

Pls make a video highlighting Barcelona Femeni's dominance. What they're doing is once in a century type of special.

[@leostabauer5930]

this videos are always a have to watch and are never dissapoining

[@BobBallsache-ub5kg]

Well done. Another excellent analysis sir.

[@mannion7646]

Brilliant video! Thank you

[@eysteinmagnushansen2985]

Fantastic analysis.

[@jonatanolsen37]

Leverkusen need to get better physically and get some center back and defensive midfield ball-carriers to beat man-man defenses. This is what all posession teams are doing.

[@mika274]

question is if alonso can shift his principles based on tactics necessary for particular games. if he can do that, unstoppable. but he has a long time to evolve as a coach

[@kartikbhasin6087]

Essentially the bedrock of Alonso’s Game Model is Intelligent Decision Making by players

[@BarcaBoyTrix]

Great work as usual bro 👏👏

[@MehNam-db5yr]

Waiting for your video on xabi Alonso tactics..😊

[@sugarsaint]

Beautiful video

[@ayandasokhela4617]

Brilliant video as always

[@lucasbrasi4625]

Pls make an arne slot feyernood video and how it will translate to liverpool in the epl..

[@darkhorse1122]

do a hansi flick at barcelona video

[@Tete-jnr]

Yh do this @thepurist

[@andreadg5429]

He already did, look it up

[@lennartmanske5172]

And it shows that flick needs to change massively or Barca will fail miserably…

[@AbiyazAlamChowdhuryRajjo]

​@lennartmanske5172 LOL You guys never learn what has Barca suffered over they years that is unproven managers like setien or xavi and De zerbi will be even more roasted by the Spanish media and Fans What trophies had De zerbi has done to prove that he can be fcb coach. 11th😂😂😂😂in premier league compared other one bashing us 8-2. Tactician genius finished 11th😅😂 bashed by Luton 4-0 villa 6-0 and Fulham and cfc even man utd. He is overrated and shit coach. Our coach has ucl unlike 11th with Brighton. No excuse for that. But but de zerbi has BArca DNa sO why NoT appoINT him. Tell me what has Barca dna or unproven managers have won a ucl since 2015. Adapt to modern football instead of replicating system from 2009. Pep also had to adapt as well. Man city does not use tiki taka same as 2009. We don't have MSN or Bix or mix

[@Gianluca_GF]

Beautiful vid

[@innerpeace_memo500]

As a Barca Fan, I fear that Alonso at Real Madrid would be formidable because players are already really effective when playing at a near proximity to each other, they usually overload one side.

[@kingj7606]

Their problems are defensive and attacking depth, playing 3 defenders at the back with low depth leaves you very vulnerable in European football. Small club issues in other words.

[@aupurbozaman]

Please make a video on Europa Cup final. I want to know what went wrong for Xavi and his team in that match.

[@pedrofrutuoso1389]

I'd love a video of you featuring football meta

[@DEJRRMA]

real madrid have played this way for years. la quinta del buitre, for example, played very similarly.

[@Tonydjjokerit]

The rotational aspect is the real aspect but Atalanta played an Ice Hockey style close checking game where players are man marked in a press. Also a physical team would beat Bayer Leverkusen (just imagine Arsenal under George Graham who plated a similar style to Atalanta!

[@lwandilemsiza8027]

This is exactly what makes Pep’s Barca side a beautiful sight and the majority of his Manchester City & Bayern sides effective abominations. Player ingenuity.

[@enigma_i_am_]

You videos might be how I finally figure out how to play fifa tactically

[@JohnNyman-q2t]

Great video. Ngl though, I fail to understand how the affordance of freedom given to Alonso’s players is any different from Ancelotti or Mourinho. He hasn’t changed anything imo- he’s just the first insanely successful pendulum from control freaks like Pep or Arteta.

[@jvkanufan8115]

This goes beyond football.

[@wes4SLY]

Please make one for Maresca

[@lucagaming1012]

His system reminds me of snuffy from blue lock

[@nmkcomps]

Can u do a video on Maresca?

[@MzwandileNgoma]

They are going to get better

[@RishiSharma-sf6eu]

can u talk a little about arsenal? i think they've been very interesting this year despite the struggles of havertz in midfield

[@aswn18]

How do you watch full games which already took place??

[@CHlNAZI]

Wait for someone to upload it

[@manuelpatrick7836]

His tactics is superb, but like you rightly mentioned you need the right personnels with football intelligence to decode the operation of the system; otherwise you would have sufficiently wasted your time on such team or players without any results positively.

[@jaelee2328]

the more you say it's not a mess, makes it more believable that it is.

[@user-nd3ks4mi7b]

Hopefully they sign some good CB's and a winger.

[@Ranasarkarjr]

Big fans bro ❤😊

[@montyshield8876]

You talk with the same rhythm and tone of Seb SB from the Athletic. Are you Seb??

[@majukun]

if this system is supposed to be good against pressing, why atalanta's pressing was this team's demise in the end?

[@mathiasmark8120]

With a possession of 62% against Atalanta's 38%. They weren't clinical. It's not like they didn't enjoy the much time with the ball, they did. Not unless it was a different UEL final you watched

[@majukun]

@@mathiasmark8120 possession means nothing if you don't create chances, and Leverkusen didn't really create that much in the final. I'm more inclined, like other pointed out, that it's more about them being good with zonal pressing but suffering against men-to-men one.

[@oronsayepaul6709]

tactically alonso is pep ,psycologically he is mourinho, in football reality he his ancelotti

[@sandeepravi91]

Can you do Simeone's prime atletico de madrid

[@gabrielmontero5265]

Yooo one of this channel’s patreon’s names is Mikel Arteta…

[@vickclive1398]

Ten hag doesn't have such in his arsenal

[@najmuschowdhury1766]

brilliant video as always mate. quality over quantity anyday

[@juc98]

you should write a book. i know i'd read it.

[@_thanu__bro_]

We need to talk about barcelona 🥲

[@itsamare_definitely]

Bro's playing fifa beginner irl

[@annip5573]

I fear that Jonathan Tah leaves

[@OserojiemenKing]

De Zerbi really changed the game, man. If only he had oil money backing him.

[@JosephineSchultz-o2w]

Wilson William Clark Charles Young Patricia

[@AjinkyaMaldikar]

love your videos! but i have to say sometimes your superlatives just make me laugh!!! transformed the landscape, NEVER look at the managers the same way again 😂 like chill bro!

[@awalpagi3]

The way Atalanta raw dog this team is beyond satisfying.

[@gejamugamlatsoomanam7716]

Once second season syndrome comes in , xabi will get found out.

[@Thomas-ow4wc]

It was his second season....

[@LouiseOwens-e5m]

Thomas Edward Thomas Mary Lewis Angela

[@Hector-xe6xr]

Not to take anything from leverkusen, but why is no one talking about how atalanta dominated them. Atalanta figured something out and I think a lot of bundesliga teams will emulate next season

[@mlaopiuayhszalaoiusyh]

Lewis Sarah Jones Kevin Harris Lisa

[@amanvalodia3669]

I just can't wait for him to join Real Madrid

[@CarmenEric-o3b]

Rodriguez Dorothy Taylor Michael Thomas Deborah

[@ellazecookfera7781]

Martinez Jeffrey Young Timothy Hall Timothy

[@afallenworld1581]

Do a Flick video

[@BinkyTheGoddessDivine]

... and zero European trophies.

[@Thomas-ow4wc]

1988. Keep your hate and superior syndrome, not every club starts with a golden spoon and gets 100m+ Sponsoring

[@Mojiborkhan-i1s]

Gonzalez John Lee Barbara Hall Angela