Thiago: Klopp is all about fighting spirit, he likes to create chances out of chaos

Hupu November 07 News Thiago, who is currently a member of the Barcelona coaching staff, recently accepted an exclusive interview with the "Coach's Voice" program. During this period, he will review the famous coaches he has experienced in his career from a first-person perspective. The following is the second half of the interview.

I am Thiago Alcantara, a product of Barcelona’s youth training and I have played for Bayern Munich and Liverpool. I will look back and talk about Guardiola, Klopp, Ancelotti and Flick.

Ancelotti during the Bayern period

Ancelotti is so competitive, although it doesn't look like it because he looks calm and peaceful, but you are competing and this is football. That's why he puts a lot of trust in experienced players because he knows they will make the difference. Ancelotti favors a 4-2-3-1 formation with an emphasis on the No. 10 player.

As the No. 8 player, we don’t need to retreat too deep. He always emphasizes the need to maintain a 2-on-1 situation. So when you have the ball, if the opponent's winger comes to press you, you can find the full-back who is inside, you can find the No. 10 player who is inside, and you can pass the ball directly to the forward. So the key is to create a 2-on-1 situation in every situation on the court.

This system gives us the freedom to pass the ball. You don't need to watch repeated kicks. You have to always move forward and push forward. But this is very difficult for us because sometimes the distance is very far and you have to cover it, which requires great physical fitness. But it worked out well and we were very successful for a while at Bayern and I think that was down to this more direct style of play. We don't have to make that extra pass, we just need to pass the ball to the desired location. As for whether to find space in advance or pass it to the feet of the forward, it depends on the player's experience.

Flick during the Bayern era

Under Flick, we played 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3, switching back and forth. The No. 6 player is very important and must cover all areas. One No. 8 is always responsible for guarding, and the other No. 8 works more hand in hand with the No. 9 to jointly press the opponent's defense. He likes to let the full-backs press the opponent's full-backs. During the counterattack, the center back or the other full-back can move out and move. But the trouble is that if the opponent's forward retreats, our central defender may not dare to follow, and the full-back is pinned by another person, so I can only fill the gap. Once we fail to intercept the ball, the opponent will move to the weak side in a large area. At this time, the other No. 8 has to predict the route in advance and block the ball path.

Flick's routine is not difficult. As soon as the opponent goes offside, our midfielder has already stepped up. They instantly lose one person, and we immediately surround them. Every step of the pressure was planned. No. 6 pounced on it, and his teammates immediately took up the position, playing more and less in some areas. Of course, the risk is that the opponent can use a long pass to directly reach the other side, but the accuracy of such a pass is extremely high, and few people except Arnold can pass it.

Klopp during the Liverpool era

Working with Klopp, everything is about fighting spirit. What I explained before with Guardiola is that we need control, we have to be in certain areas and then the opportunities will come. Klopp, on the other hand, wants to create chances out of chaos. We have a very physical team and we want to play direct passes, win the ball and pass it forward. In terms of the fighting spirit we have, the most direct evidence of that is the press we press when we lose the ball, it's the fastest counter-attack I've ever seen in my life, it's like setting up a perimeter, we always set up a perimeter for them.

No. 8 and No. 6 are always closely linked, and I have played on both sides. The physical requirements for the No. 6 position are usually higher because they have to move forward to participate in the attack. I partnered with Fabinho, Wijnaldum, and Henderson in turns, and we already had a tacit understanding in our hearts - when we counter-attack, we counter-attack together, and when we push forward, we push together. When Dias arrived, his impact was even greater. Firmino is the kind of selfless player who first helps his teammates find gaps and then considers himself. That Liverpool team was a rock and roll band, the more chaotic and excited it became - no matter which side the ball was on, everyone seemed to be synchronized by a remote control and pounced on it in an instant.

I was not used to it when I first came here. In the past, in Barcelona, ​​the No. 8 position had to chase the ball as soon as it reached the wing. However, Klopp emphasized that the center cannot be empty. Premier League teams often send people to press the center. If the central defender does not come out, it will be 3 on 2 instantly, so we can only use crazy running to fill the hole. The training ground is a reflection of the Anfield game. Every session is like playing in a final, and even taking a breather is considered lazy.