Passing Mastermind to Tactical Maestro – The Xabi Alonso Era Begins

Xabi needs to have a five game winning streak for all our sakes.

 

If Xabi one more time will play Arda as a 8 or DM or whatever he trying to do here.. i'm FOR SACKING HIM. Stop, Xabi, just stop..

 

Even Leverkusen president / CEO is coming out in support of Xabi.

Our president? A coward hiding behind is friends in the media.

 

🚨 The win vs Alaves has cooled down the situation surrounding Xabi Alonso, but there are still doubts at various levels surrounding the project, including at the board level. @MarioCortegana @TheAthleticFC pic.twitter.com/eZgk4J067Z

— Madrid Zone (@theMadridZone) December 15, 2025

 

Now that Franco and Dean are back, I’m interested to see whether we’ll return to the style of play we had at the beginning of the season. During that period, we were maintaining around 75–80% possession, and I believe those two were pivotal to that approach. Dean’s ability to retain and distribute the ball, combined with Franco’s relentless pressing, played proabably a key role. Let's see.

edit 1: By no means we were spectacular, but it was completely different to the Carlo ball we see nowadays.

edit 2:I ’m a fan of Carlo and don’t blame him at all for the way we played last season. He did the best he could with the players available to him.

 

Most likely the situation is Vini is now calling the shots, Flo is pizzed AF because he really don't want to give Vini that much money and doesn't want to admit he messed up and fire Xabi...

.....so now for the time being the manager is in manager pergatory waiting for his final destination which cannot really be altered because at this point even if he succeeds it will be attributed to the fact he is being forced to do things he wouldn't be doing otherwise (playing Vini, Rodrygo, etc.).

 

Ha! The doubts should be about the board and the decisionmakers decision making

 

It's pretty amazing that in today's world of old media and new/social media, there is still zero voices showing up against Perez/JAS.
It only shows how much power the club have in the realm of independent podcast and so on.

 

They should have come out stronger in support of Xabi after the Vini tantrum, but other than that they have made good decisions IMO. Which are you referring to? They signed enough cover at defense, we have simply had terrible luck.

 

🚨 BREAKING: Real Madrid are considering making SANTIAGO SOLARI the new coach if Xabi Alonso is fired.

They're not looking for an "outside coach" @diarioas pic.twitter.com/fXZjZRC29A

— Madrid Zone (@theMadridZone) December 15, 2025

 

Very likely, because the blame-game has to be pointed somewhere. Certain players won't / can't be moved on (in fact, they're likely to get contract extensions) and Perez will want to extradite himself out of the problems. So, that leaves Xabi as the fall guy.

 

In Spain, Larguero, Cope, Ruben martin, Siro Lopez and most spanish journalists are very PRO-XABI. They are questioning the board almost constantly.

If Xabi was dutch or something they would be shitting on the manager who is underperforming. The fact it is Xabi, a world cup and european champions for spain and club legend tell you everything you need to know.

The fans have also been stupified by this. Apparently the squad assembled isn't good enough to beat celta at home or Girona away.

 

Indeed, our issues were in defence and Florentino spent big and brought in lots of players.

Also people complain about the midfield and want to put everyone on sale. Like all these players wouldn't receive offers straight away from big clubs.

This midfield roster not good enough to beat Celta, Girona or Vallecano?

Jude Bellingham
Tchouameni
Valverde
Camavinga
Arda Guler
Mastantuono
Ceballos

It's the manager that is not able to make this work.

 

Which one? Xabi or Carlo?

Imagine thinking that because you have big names you have to win every match. The superficiality is shocking.

Actually, what needs to happen is Xabi to be able to afford to lose once in a while in order to identify and root out underlying issues. Short term success comes at the expense of long term success. Its quite pathetic to have people like this undertow fella according to whom it should be forbidden to lose against a smaller team. On a good day any team in the league can can beat anyone.

 

@4x4s any explanation?

 

Erm...Carlo won 11 trophies in 4 years. He had just won the double (liga and champions) previously to his really bad year. He had validated his worth. Even then a change was needed.

It's not really comparable to the Xabi Alonso situation. He is nothing. We have to judge him with what he is doing now and it's a car crash. He has a better squad and has not improved anything.

Let him stay till end of january I guess but pretty soon you will be singing the same tune I am.

So that suggests maybe the manager plays a part too? Every single match he gets tactically destroyed by other managers with poorer players. We win because of Mbappe. That's all. When will you wake up?

"On a good day any team in the league can can beat anyone" have you seen the level of la liga recently?!

The level of excuses you are coming up with is impressive. You are a XABI ideologue. This is your religion. Continue.

 

Board hasn't learned anything if they think sacking Xabi is the solution. Tap in merchant said the name he's hearing to potentially replace Xabi is Arbeloa. I fear he'll end up in the meat grinder as well because of how this roster is constructed plus the injuries.

 

Why don't you tell us? I'd love to pick holes in it.

Again, defending a coach who is doing it equally as bad as the previous coach is not a good defence of said coach. The team had come from winning the double and usually the following season there is a big drop off (look at other teams). Xabi was signed to change the dynamic. He is not doing it despite a much much better squad. In fact he is copying Carlo with vini-mbappe-rodry now.

All we want to see is some SIGNS. There is none.

 

you must be new here. I’ve been saying the players are at fault for quite some time, as the manager isn’t able to manage the way he wants nor are the players working hard enough or taking the instructions. We could put any manager in place and end up with the same results if they don’t have the backing from the club.

 

The injuries are also screwing us. Sacking Xabi won't magically fix that. There's other issues that are preventing us from playing to our full potential. Injuries were an issue under Carlo as well.

 

What is the solution then? Tell us.

Just a reminder, we sacked Ancelotti in May 2015 and then 6 months later sacked Rafa Benitez in Jan 2016 and then won 3 champions leagues in a row.

Speak to CHELSEA fans. What happened in 2012 with DI Matteo. i guess they should have given André Villas-Boas more time

 

This guy is straight up calling Chelsea a good example of how to hire and hire coaches

 

The most successful English team in Europe this century.

• UEFA Champions League: 2012, 2021

• UEFA Europa League: 2013, 2019

• UEFA Super Cup: 2021

• UEFA Europa Conference League: 2025

• FIFA Club World Cup: 2021, 2025

Oh dear Hendrix.

 

We’re going to be on pace of Chelsea’s 6 managers since 2020 at the rate we’re going.

 

I didn’t know a decade was 13 or 14 years. My bad.