In the 4-0 win against BK Häcken in the Europa League, Xabi Aloso had five positions changed in his starting eleven. However, no drop in level was recorded. Several of the new players will soon be making appearances in the starting line-up again.
The players celebrate the successful start. IMAGO/Team 2
It was surprising that Xabi Alonso rotated so heavily before the first group game in the Europa League. But the fact that the Spaniard, who switched from the previous 3-4-3 to a 4-2-3-1, ordered five new players into his starting line-up – with six Exequiel Palacios actually returning to it as a regular – also shows how much trust he has Leverkusen’s coach has included players who are behind the previous starting eleven that started on the first three matchdays.
Trust that the quartet basically deserves alongside Palacios, who was as strong as the previous weeks, as they claim to be on a regular basis more than others. “That was the goal before the season, that we have a broad squad so that we can be ready for three competitions,” said Xabi Alonso and praised: “They did well.”
Even if their performances were quite different, the quartet will have more playing time in the future. Due to different constellations. The most special could be Matej Kovar, whom Bayer brought in from Manchester United in the summer.
The 23-year-old was at the top of three dangerous shots from the Swedes, once showed the courage to venture far out of his goal area and clear the situation from a standard, but also showed a lack of care with his foot that gave him the first opportunity bestowed.
“He did very well,” said Xabi Alonso, who did not rule out the possibility that the Czech U-21 international will be between the posts in place of number 1 Lukas Hradecky in future Europa League group games. “This time we just decided for the game. Lukas will play in the Bundesliga again on Sunday. We’ll see what happens in the next game in Molde,” said the Basque.
The purely rotated field players, however, have different perspectives. Attacker Adli was actually already a regular in the 4-2-3-1 in preparation and in the first cup game before his red card suspension from the previous season condemned him to sit on three matchdays. This is how Xabi Alonso clearly describes his status: “Amine is a very important player for us,” praised the 41-year-old and remarked regarding the violence that led to Adli’s forced break: “Hopefully it doesn’t happen again, because then I’ll be very to be infuriated.”
Because Adli’s sporting value is undisputed. “He has a big influence on the game, he is aggressive, runs deep, plays the last pass,” analyzes his coach and demands: “He has to improve in possession of the ball. He always wants to play too quickly.” The left-footer has to learn “when to play forward and when to pass back.”
The Werkself’s loss of control of the game after half an hour (link here to the article “Self-criticism instead of self-congratulation”), which Xabi Alonso complained about, was also due to the fact that it wasn’t just Adli who wanted too much too quickly.
But even if the 23-year-old doesn’t always maintain this balance, he should start more often in the future. Sure, if Xabi Alonso uses a 4-2-3-1. As part of the rotation but also in 3-4-3.
The latter constellation should also benefit Josip Stanisic. The loanee from FC Bayern Munich celebrated his starting debut in the Bayer uniform against hacks like Kovar and winger Nathan Tella and had the most difficult time of all Bayer professionals against the monster-fast left winger Amor Layouni.
The Tunisian international repeatedly missed the flag of the right-back, who was also lucky that his kick in the penalty area after the break was not punished with a penalty. Nevertheless, the 23-year-old is very popular and should regularly rotate into the eleven in the back three, for which there are only five candidates available, or as a replacement for Frimpong.
Nathan Tella, who came from Southampton FC for around 20 million euros, can also hope for this after his recent appearance. After the Englishman had shown adjustment problems in the test against Aachen (4:2), he fitted in well against Häcken, demonstrated his speed, repeatedly indicated his ability to move towards the goal and his dribbling strength, and seemed much better integrated in the game.
Overall, it can be said that Xabi Alonso’s range of changes and rotation has increased significantly. A result of the work of the managing directors Fernando Carro and Simon Rolfes, as Jonathan Tah emphasizes: “Simon, Fernando and the coach did a good job. We got really good players and are a team. You just notice when someone is on the team There is room for him to fit in well straight away.”
Another piece of the mosaic of a currently harmonious overall picture under the Bayer Cross.
2023-09-22 09:17:12
#Rotation #luxe #Adli #reach #level
