Xabi Alonso – Bayer Leverkusen – Tactical Analysis

Embed from Getty Images

Bayer Leverkusen have started the season hitting all the right notes, currently sitting top of the table ahead of their clash with Bayern Munich. Xabi Alonso’s men have won all three of their games thus far, scoring 3.7 goals per game to start the campaign. Playing exciting, attractive football full of energy, pressing and close-connection possession, Xabi’s team are destined for a big season in the Bundesliga. Here is our tactical analysis of Leverkusen so far in 2023-24.

SYSTEM OF PLAY: 3-4-2-1

Embed from Getty Images

Xabi’s team have started the season in a 3-4-2-1 that served them oh so well last campaign. He addressed the missing puzzle pieces to the team during the summer off-season, opting for possession-heavy big-hitters that could add more fluidity within a press-and-possess style. The likes of Moussa Diaby and Mitchell Bakker offered nice advantages for a transitional team, but their replacements clearly offer a greater on-the-ball intelligence as opposed to direct pace and power.

Embed from Getty Images

It’s still the Bundesliga, and it’s still a team fully capable of breaking at speed. Just ask Victor Boniface and Jeremie Frimpong. But the signings of Jonas Hofmann, Granit Xhaka and Álex Grimaldo are clear indications of where Xabi wants his team to go.

Embed from Getty Images

Starting at the back end of the pitch, captain Lukáš Hrádecký has started the season off in fine form, commanding his box and sweeping nicely in behind the back-three.

That back-three practically pick themselves, although we can expect Piero Hincapié to come back into the fold at some stage. Edmond Tapsoba is perhaps the one catching the highest radar at the moment, particularly as a crucial member of their build-up. Only Granit Xhaka in front of him has been involved in more of the action out from the back, acting as their key progressor from midfield.

Embed from Getty Images

Tapsoba’s partners are carrying guru Odilon Kossonou and team vice-captain Jonathan Tah, who we’ve always rated highly as an excellent all-around defender for any team to have at their disposal. That makes for a stern back-line, where they can then add more flair and firepower down the wings in the form of Jeremie Frimpong and Alejandro Grimaldo. Frimpong plays essentially like a right-winger, and is crucial to the way Leverkusen transition into the attack. Grimaldo is also responsible for maintaining width on the other side, and adds that Spanish possession precision Xabi admires.

Xhaka’s partner in midfield is 24-year-old Exequeil Palacios, who also presents a nice mix between combative tackling and poise on the ball. Ahead of them is Florian Wirtz, who plays more like a ’10’, allowing the two-footed Boniface to shift out to the left-half-spaces to receive the ball through the gaps. Jonas Hofmann operates in the right-half-spaces with Frimpong high and wide along the right-wing, with every single player trying to keep close proximity for their possession.

Embed from Getty Images

You can see from the list of names just how stellar of a squad Xabi has built in less than two full seasons at the club. The signing of Xhaka is likely the biggest name Leverkusen have acquired in years, and Boniface already looks destined to eventually be sold-on for another club-record fee in the future. They still have Patrik Schick to offer goals up front, and youngsters like Adam Hlozek and Nathan Tella to make an impact from the bench. This is not only a prestigious, ambitious team of players, but an industrious one full of heart and desire. Leverkusen should therefore be a whole lot of fun to watch this season, especially with their press-and-possess style of play. Let’s dive in!

ATTACKING PRINCIPLES

Embed from Getty Images

Bayer Leverkusen’s possession-based principles centre around close proximity wherever they go. This is something that I often talk about when coaching youth coaches, as players at young ages are often waiting for things to happen and staying rigid within the positions they think they are to play. The more you can increase proximity between players, the more options you have in the immediacy of each player receiving the ball.

In response, the opposition will often compact themselves, which means you end up making many passes that ultimately lead to nothing, patiently waiting for the moment to unlock something special and exploit the spaces they’ve left by over-compacting.

Aiding in that approach of exploitation is a few key factors. Typically in situations like this, positional rotation becomes key. From Leverkusen’s perspective, the positioning of players is relatively consistent. It’s just slightly different for Florian Wirtz within the role he’s been assigned in defensive phases within that typical 3-4-2-1 that will become 5-2-2-1. Most notably, the young German acts more like a ’10’, and Boniface has perhaps the most freedom of movement within the front-line to then float where the space opens.

Embed from Getty Images

So instead of positional rotation, one of the key factors is the maintenance of width from the wing-backs. Hofmann and Wirtz will push inside, meaning that Grimaldo and Frimpong are the only men sitting outside of the spine. You can then create close connections between players to triangulate and shift the ball quickly around the defense, before finding that killer moment to play either a forward pass to split the defense, or a nice switch of play to a wing-back.

Naturally, Leverkusen then form some sense of wide overloads on one particular side of the pitch. This typically takes place on the left, where even Hofmann will come over and connect with Leverkusen’s key ball-players out from the back like Xhaka and Tapsoba.

Embed from Getty Images

Frimpong is then the only man that you sometimes can’t see in images, before they either look to immediately change the point of attack, or work the ball into a gap that he can sprint onto in behind the defense.

Frimpong has so far used his influence to be a key creator from wide, often cutting the ball back toward the top of the box for the likes of Florian Wirtz and Granit Xhaka.

But don’t be surprised to see the young flying Dutchman only grow in goal-scoring prominence this season. Especially within the way he can sprint into space. These are the key passes that Leverkusen are often looking to create time and time again. Frimpong will look for the gaps high and wide in the right half-spaces, as Boniface floats between the right and the left, often finding that balance on the left.

Xhaka and Wirtz are both exceptional forward passers of the ball, and so they can easily unlock the entire defense when given the opportunity.

This extends all the way to their build-up, where similar concepts apply. Tapsoba and Xhaka are the men most frequently on the ball to aid the left-side dominance, where players will often bounce the ball between each other until they (often Xhaka) can find the perfect moment for a progressive pass between the lines.

Florian Wirtz will then drift into the spaces as he sees Xhaka scanning for the moment, arriving just in time to receive the ball in space to drive forward. Through breaking into the central spaces like this, no Bundesliga team has enjoyed more of their attacks through the centre than Leverkusen (36%) this season.

The 20-year old can also compound matters by coming toward the ball himself, making for something of a 3+3 as the midfield line can then rotate in and out of the spaces available. The below image presents a fun moment where the three of them formed a diagonal train. The opposition know that neither Palacios or Wirtz can receive the ball within their positioning, which is blocked by the passing lane into Xhaka, and multiple defenders in their way.

That false sense of security is exactly what they want you to think before they arrive at the open space at the exact right moment. We all know how Xhaka loved to float out to the left-half-spaces to receive for Arsenal, sometimes taking up the positioning of what would historically be associated with a left-back. He’s well familiar with orchestrating build-up and using his voice to dictate the play and this is a tremendous asset for a side that is now becoming one of the best possession-heavy teams in the league.

In transitional moments, Wirtz will again be key, often acting as the one to carry the ball forward at speed. The core four of Wirtz, Boniface, Hofmann and Frimpong will then charge forward at speed to cause havoc.

This is a particularly frightening front line-up on the break, given that all of them are equally capable of both scoring and assisting goals. Take Hofmann for example, who contributed to 55 goals across his final three Bundesliga seasons combined at Gladbach.

Embed from Getty Images

That quartet of players has been responsible for 9 of Leverkusen’s 11 assists this campaign, and 7 of the 11 goals. On that note, it’s impressive that all of their goals have had actual assists, emphasizing the fluidity of their play. If there’s any team in the Bundesliga to watch this campaign and get excited about, it might just be Xabi’s Leverkusen. Perhaps even more when they’ve also been solid at the back.

DEFENSIVE PRINCIPLES

Embed from Getty Images

Bayer Leverkusen have been difficult to break-down on the defensive end, conceding 3 goals in their 3 matches thus far. At the front end of the pitch, they’ll press in a 5-2-3. The near-side central midfielder and wing-back will then remain ready to step, as their far-sided equivalents sit more reserved. Like most teams, they don’t exhibit all that much energy or vigour in their “press”, preferring to save the legs for the lung-bursting runs going the other way.

But they do counter-press with fervidity, immediately getting those diamonds around the ball in quick succession to maintain control. Having close proximity in attack only aids that approach, ensuring they already have plenty of numbers around the ball wherever they lose it.

If an opposition team were to be quick and clever enough to break that counter-press, this is where I could see Leverkusen conceding a few chances. You’d still have to bombard the defensive structure of Tah, Kossonou and Tapsoba, not to mention Granit Xhaka’s tough-tackling in midfield. But if one centre-back steps up to then take matters into their own hands, spaces will naturally become more difficult for the other two to cover, particularly out wide.

But from open play and longer spells within their defensive phase, I would struggle to see Leverkusen conceding too many goals this season. The typical shape is 5-2-2-1 in their lowest block, which is incredibly difficult to break down.

They will then compact quite intelligently to limit central attacks, stopping the closest routes to goal first, and occasionally leaving that space out wide for the opposition to attack. But even then, it’s tough to find a way through when the centre-backs are so combative and so exceptional at blocking and intercepting.

Xhaka is also excellent at covering for his out of position full-backs as they step forward, bringing that exceptional vision and awareness to good use on the defensive end.

One centre-back is also afforded the opportunity to follow forwards in deep, especially since the team can always maintain a balance of a back-four if one centre back goes. Tapsoba’s particularly front-footed in stepping up and using his physicality to nudge the attacker off the ball, where Leverkusen can then immediately go on the break.

All and all, this looks like one of the most well-oiled teams in the Bundesliga in the early stages of the season, and it’s no surprise that they’ve started off the season as the top team in the league. Xabi’s done wonders since entering through the door, and the recruitment this past summer shows a great sign of the market sway he can pull off. Whether or not they go toe-to-toe with Bayern for that first-place remains to be seen, but they definitely head into their match against the Champions full of confidence.

---

Embed from Getty Images

So there it is! A tactical analysis of Bayer Leverkusen in 2023-24 so far. Be sure to check out more of our Bundesliga pieces, and follow on social media @desmondrhys to never miss an update. Thanks for reading and see you soon!

-> Why Harry Kane is perfect for Bayern Munich
-> Why Moussa Diaby is perfect for Aston Villa

• WordPress
• Facebook
• X
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Mail
• Spotify

Search

Search